Red Ramble 2008
Chart a course for wine exploration into 2009. Spend more time on red blends, whose grape combinations can produce taste sensations whose sum is greater than the whole of their parts!

>>> This Month's Column

Germany's Rhine Valley
The Road to Riesling!
by Gregory D. McCluney

This Fall, Greg and five other journalists tasted through 300+ wines over the course of a week in Germany's Rheingau region. This total immersion experience took him from a Riesling lover to a Raving Riesling Recommender.

>>> Greg's Story

Want to see the NEW courses in Winter 2009? Download a schedule.

>>>> Download the Document (PDF)

Introduction to Wine, Level I (6 seats available)
Monday, January 12th (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)

Author-signed text book, tasting guide, riveting interactive lectures, and six to twelve wines to taste per class. This course takes the wine curious and creates wine enthusiasts!

>>>> More Info

For Beginners ONLY
Wednesday, January 14th (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Instructor: Michael Bryan

Sure you can drink it, but can you pair it? Can you speak it? Come to terms with it in a special tasting that helps you express yourself in the world of wines. Don't be left standing there holding the bottle--get more confidence and find more pleasure in every sip.

>>>> More Info

Certified Specialist of Wine Training Program
Sunday, January 18th (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Instructor: Michael Bryan

Get the confidence that comes with having a "wine expert" credential. Includes 18 hours of training sessions, 250-page Study Guide, online study modules, quizzes, and exam. OVER 100 enthusiasts have gained this credential through us since November 2007. >>>> More Info (Discounts for Trade Personnel) 

Introduction to Wine, Level II
Wednesday, January 21st (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Instructor: Michael Bryan

This three-class course builds on Level I, now it's time to understand what makes a great wine great, how to assess the aging potential on a wine, and how to analyze older wines. Level I is NOT a prerequisite, but call our office to discuss to ensure this is the right level for you.
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Wines & Cheeses
Thursday, January 22nd (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Instructor: Michael Bryan

Artisanal cheeses are no less labors of love than their wine counterparts. Location of pastureland, seasonality of milks, and aging all weigh heavily on the final taste experience. Join us for 8 pairings of wine & cheese. >>>> More Info

For Beginners ONLY
Tuesday, February 5th (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Instructor: Michael Bryan

Sure you can drink it, but can you pair it? Can you speak it? Come to terms with it in a special tasting that helps you express yourself in the world of wines. Don't be left standing there holding the bottle--get more confidence and find more pleasure in every sip.

>>>> More Info

Wine & Chocolate
Wednesday, February 11th (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Presenters: Jane Garvey and Chef Lydia Olson

We bring you a special tasting of hand-crafted Belgian chocolates and wines. For many this combination is a match made in heaven, but there are some guidelines when pursuing the "best" pairings. 8 wines paired with 8 chocolates.
>>>> More Info

Imagine flowers and candles--lots of 'em. Excellent dinner-portioned heavy hors d'oeuvres, and amazing wines. Romantic music. >>>> More Info

• WineStyles Selects Atlanta Wine School for Educational Courses
  WineStyles, a national wine retail franchise demystifying the wine shopping experience, and Atlanta Wine School (AWS), the Southeast’s leading wine education institute for consumers and the trade, are joining forces to provide entertaining and educational classes in five WineStyles locations in metro-Atlanta. Entitled AWS in the Neighborhood, these wine education classes are scheduled to begin January 12, 2009. >> The Press Release
• COPIA--the Epicurean Dream Established by Julia Childs & Robert Mondavi Closes
  When times were good, and big-names were behind businesses, the ensuing hype obscured the validity of the business model. With the downturn of the economy, these poor business models become untenable. Such was the case with COPIA. I believe the founders' hearts were in the right place in creating it, but the approach was flawed from the beginning. >> More
• The Power of Wine Scores
  This blogger recounts a tale of how an unscored wine sold only 15 cases in 3 years. Once it received a score (a perfect score) it sold 150 cases in TWO DAYS. >> The Story
• New Inductees into the Vintners Hall of Fame
  Warren Winiarski of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars joins Jess Jackson of Kendall Jackson Wine Estates as two of the nine winners to be celebrated at the March 14th event, held at CIA Greystone. >> More
• American Prohibition Ended 75 Years Ago this Month
  The great temperance tryout, which ended 75 years ago this December, may not have done much to stop drinking, but it did succeed in putting a cork in America's burgeoning wine industry—and ushering in an era of plonk that lasted decades. It's legacy? Eileen Fredrickson, a wine-analyst, says, "There are still places where wine on the table is just not part of the culture. People grow up with iced tea. They don't even think about wine as possibly an enhancement to a family meal." >> More
• Amazing Wine Cellar Collection will NOT be Enjoyed--Only Donated to Museum
  “However many millions I'm offered, I'm not going to sell it,” Mr. Michel Chasseuil told The Times. “If I did that it would all be consumed by les nouveaux riches within a decade.” An appalling thought to the man who describes wine as "a passion which turned into a religion." >> The Story
• Former Atlantan (and wine expert) Tim Hanni's Recommendations for Giving Wine as a Gift
  "How they drink their coffee could be a telltale sign," says the wine master. "If they prefer their coffee black and strong, their wine preference will more than likely lean toward intense wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, old-vine Zinfandels and many Meritage wines (usually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes)." >> The Advice
• Habla usted espanol?
  Buen Rato Magazine, catering to the growing wine sophistication in the Hispanic market, did a story on AWS in October. Of course, you must know Spanish to comprehend it! >> The Article (as a PDF Doc)

Jane's Monthly Dozen: Red Ramble 2008
by Jane Garvey

Attention all readers stuck in the Cabernet rut: There are more red wines out there to explore. Enliven your wine choices with a little experimentation.

Except for Pinot Noir in its classicly pure "monocepagist" form, most red wines gain complexity in combination with other red grapes. But many customers think that blending grapes is a sign of diminished quality. Recently, after I gave some seminars for a suburban organization, a guest came up to me and said that he’d always thought that blending several wines together was a sure sign of quality deficiencies. I assured him that would come as a heck of a surprise to the folks in Bordeaux, where the world's most expensive reds are all blends, sometimes only two grapes, but still blends. (And I wished he had asked that question openly, as many consumers still think that’s true.)

It takes a blend, in fact, to make Meritage. What’s a Meritage?
This word was coined in 1988 by California vintners eager to put a brand on red and white wines blended from Bordeaux varietals, rather than having to call them “table wine.” It was pure marketing. In order to use the term, a winery must join the Meritage association and pay a fee. Some winemakers just use the term “red table wine” or “claret,” a term the British picked up and applied to blended reds of a Bordeaux style and type. So a wine labeled “Meritage,” to rhyme with “heritage,” can only be a blend of Bordeaux varieties, namely, for reds Cabernet Sauvignon and its parent, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, and for white wines Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Vert. At least two of the grapes in each case must compose the wine. Other varieties, no matter how noble, may not be included. So no Syrah or Zinfandel for reds and no Chardonnay for whites.

Some blends aren’t confined to red wines either. It’s quite traditional in some areas to blend in some white wine grapes, so you might find a Rhone Syrah, for instance, with its aromas lifted by the judicious use of some Viognier.

Resolve for the New Year if you’ve been stuck on Cabernet Sauvignon, as many consumers do, or Merlot or even Pinot Noir, to explore the many other grape types that define the red wines of other nations and regions. Savor how different a given grape type—Pinot Noir for example—will express itself in a wine from a variety of regions, such as Pinot Noir (native to Burgundy) as it changes from California to Oregon to New Zealand or Australia or South Africa. See how Malbec changes from Cahors (France) to Argentina and Idaho, which now has 30 acres planted to the grape. Or explore Cabernet Franc from New York State vs. Napa vs. north Georgia vs. Chinon and Bourgeouil (Loire Valley, France). Taste Sangiovese from Italy, then see how it differs from Sangiovese grown elsewhere, from California to north Georgia. At the end of the day, you’ll find your wine world expanded and your wine pleasure enhanced immeasurably.

Serve these wines at cool room temperatures, round 60F/15C. Red wines served too warm will taste (and feel) alcoholic and not as smooth, so don’t be afraid to cool them down. When the bottle is cool to the touch, your wine is ready to enjoy. Use a large tulip-shaped glass for most red wines, although for Pinot Noir, the bowl shape of choice is round.