Finally, Our Own Home
For three years, we have successfully administered classes through the rental of prominent event facilities in town. This strategy helped us expand quickly, however, over time, I have seen our quality slip due to factors often beyond our control.

My quest has been to be the national benchmark for wine appreciation courses with which everyone else compares. With our own facility, we will have greater control over our educational offerings. We will still offer a few courses in our "rented" facilities, but the majority will be conducted in the new Tasting Room.

Corporate Sponsors
We are fortunate to have Riedel, Nestle Waters, and Cabot Creamery as our initial corporate sponsors. At our new Tasting Room, ALL courses will be conducted in Riedel Stemware, with Acqua Panna & San Pelligrino waters served, along with a broad selection of the many cheddars made by Vermont's Cabot Creamery.

Courses for the Trade
Over the past three years, approximately three hundred (10%) of our enrollees have worked for the wine trade. We are happy to announce that later this year, we will begin offering accredited training courses for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) qualification. This top qualification is suitable for trade and serious lay-people alike, and is the product of experts at the Society of Wine Educators, where I sit on the Educational Advisory Board.

I hope to see you at our new Tasting Room for a...well, taste.

Michael Bryan
Executive Director, Atlanta Wine School
Editor, Connect With Wine eNews

This is the season for Alsace wines. Vibrant fruit flavors, framed in waxy sometimes lanolin textures, carrying crisp, clean acidity are dynamite in warmer temps! Check out some good values from this area of "under-valued" wine real estate in France.    >>> This Month's Column

Wine + Culinary Festival, Orange Beach, 2007 WRAP-UP
by Michael Bryan

The third year for this festival location was the best yet! Private residence-hosted wine dinners, a solid wine selection during the festival, and the classic Jazz Brunch on Sunday brought closure to a fantastic weekend.

The weather was perfect in Orange Beach, a destination-secret on the gulf coast.

>>> View Pictures from the weekend

Ivy Kusler, Karin Brown, & Krissi Brown (left to right) went out to Santa Barbara for the Santa Ynez 1/2 marathon, then proceeded to hit Sanford, Au Bon Climate and Alma Rosa (not pictured) Wineries.



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Accorded quality wine status in 1962, Alsace is a northeast region of France that at times in the past was a part of Germany known as Elsass. After World War II Alsace became French once more, but it's a region of German names and food, with French accents everywhere. Caressing the western edge of the Rhine River, it's participated in both cultures. Alsace lies between 47.5 and 49 degrees north, so it has a long and cool growing season. Winemaking is an old art in this region, with many currently active domaines (or houses) dating at least to the early 17th century.

South-facing slopes are key for vineyards to enable exposure to the sun. Very low rainfall, thanks to the sheltering Vosges mountains, and high altitudes (around 2,000 feet above sea level) of the vineyards are the climate characters the region exploits. Most of the region's wine production (about 90%) is white wines, Riesling (the most widely planted variety), Gewьrztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Chasselas and Sylvaner leading the pack. Pinot Noir is the only red wine grape. Chardonnay is not allowed by law, but is found in Alsace and chiefly shows up in its sparkling wines, or Cremant d'Alsace (established 1976). Auxerrois also is known in Alsace, and is becoming more present on its own.

Generally, as vintners seek to present fresh flavors emphasizing fruit characters, most wines are done in neutral containers, not new oak. Alsace is famous for its large oak cuves that can be more than 100 years old, and are still being used. Most are fermented dry, but a little residual sugar often is allowed to enable a soft, round texture. Good acidity keeps balance. Alsace also is known for luscious, and very expensive, sweet wines labeled vendange tardive, which means literally "late harvest."

Lone among France's wine-growing regions, Alsace always has referenced grape varieties on its labels, while other wine-growing regions in France reference the region on labels. Forward looking, despite its historic architecture and long history, Alsace has many producers who have embraced screw cap, or Stelvin closure for wines (at least for export) while the rest of France is still in an experimental "over my dead body" mode on the subject.

As summer advances, Alsace offers great options for good summer enjoyment, especially with light foods. Prices are pretty good, too, with a number of choices under $20. But Grand Cru Alsace wines (established in 1983) can easily double that, and vendange tardive is higher still.

Alsace and the state of Georgia share some odd connections. The Springer Opera House in Columbus, now the official state theater, was established by an Alsace immigrant who raised the subscriptions for its construction. Baron Johann deKalb, one of several European titled gentlemen without whom the U.S. Revolution might never have succeeded, was born in 1721 in the village of Huttendorf, a tiny Alsace town that in 2000 counted fewer than 500 souls. In 1721, Alsace was still part of Germany. He relieved the siege of Charleston in 1780, fell there in battle, and is buried in Camden, SC. A stone inscribed in German and a portrait bust honor him in Decatur's square.

So it's a good thing to celebrate Alsace, with its Germanic heritage and history. Enjoy some of the dishes at Cafe Alsace in Decatur, where you'll find a small wine list completely devoted to Alsace wines. Using cuisine and wine to connect Atlantans with her home turf, owner Benedicte Cooper has one of the city's most comforting and warming restaurants.

Alsace white wines should be served moderately cold, about 50-55 degrees, with the Grand Crus at the higher range of those temperatures, while the reds should be served cool, at about 60 degrees. Use a tall tulip-shaped glass for the whites, and a Burgundy-style glass (round and open, for the Pinot Noirs.

Medium-bodied dry white wine; pale greenish straw. Delicate aromas of Meyer lemon, fragrant citrus blossoms, the merest suggestion of diesel (classic in Riesling), flavors capture citrus and pear, and good acidity bolsters the mid-palate, giving it breadth. Long, clean, crisp finish. Delicate, satisfying, crisp, dry flavors. Very food useful wine, and perfect for summer.

All manner of appetizers: tiny crab cakes, grilled scallops or shrimp, mildly flavored creamy Thai shrimp salad with lemongrass; lightly curried chicken salad, Asian dim sum, shrimp-filled shumai with Ponzu dipping sauce. Also baked mild fish (halibut, tilapia, flounder, sole) stuffed with crab, mildly seasoned seafood sausages with beurre blanc. Keep it away from anything with dill or fennel.

Prestige Wine Wholesale
$16

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium straw. Aromas of pear and minerals, with flavors that pick up on those notes and add a crisp tart apple character at the end. This wine is all about minerality, and what sweetness is there is derived from fruit. Just a lovely piece of work, and an excellent value. Fleshy fruit character, with attractive crispness in the finish, made more intriguing by an emerging note of citrus peel.

Herbed goat cheese, baked white fish, classic Alsatian tarte а l oignion; stone-ground grits with scallops, shrimp and tasso ham; pork tenderloin with apple chutney; any dish with caramelized onions and (including (but not limited to) flounder, cod, halibut filet, skate wing, chicken tarragon.

Unique World Wines
$14

Medium-bodied slightly off-dry white wine; medium straw. Aromas and flavors of honey-caressed pear and Asian pear apple, with stony minerlity to add complexity and good acidity. Rich, supple mouthfeel.with a silky texture. Lingering finish, with a decided crisp apple charter at the end. Wine opens substantially after being allowed to breathe briefly. Jean-Baptiste Adam founded the winery in 1614.

Roasted turkey breast, grilled scallops with honey mustard or Rйmoulade sauce, anything with caramelized onions, such as classic Alsatian onion-bacon tart, chicken thighs braised with caramelized onions, chicken tarragon or chicken tarragon salad, Vidalia onions stuffed with sweet potato purйe and baked, crab cakes with saffron aioli

Georgia Crown
$14

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium gold. Classic true-to-varietal aromas of quince, lichee nut , and flowers. Flavors kick in with more exotic characters, including lichee nut and fresh quince, spice and Asian pear apple. Balanced and with a broad palate, the wine finishes at great length with clean fruit characters that remain true to the type. Excellent value in the genre.

Sauerkraut cooked in wine with a variety of sausages (Alsace choucrute garnie), exotically flavored foods, such as anything with a Thai curry (if not too hot), or Indian curry (sometimes cooled with raita), rich, aged cheeses such as authentic Alsace Munster, pork steaks with creamy whole grain mustard sauce; roast turkey

Quality Wines & Spirits
$15

Full-bodied dry white wine; medium golden straw. Aromas of rose petal, lychee nut and spice, classic for this varietal, with lychee nut and spice flavors, also classical. Made only in certain years, the wine is rich yet elegant, its seeming sweetness entirely derived from fruit. Round and viscous, it fairly blooms in the mouth. Voluptuous, with spice and lychee nuts continue through the close. Winery is based in Ribeauville, Alsace, since 1626.

Save for the most elegant purposes: as an aperitif with foie gras, creamy goose or chicken liver mousse, roasted or smoked pork loin with fruit chutney or whole-grain mustard; fried pork chops with sauteed red onion, mild curried chicken salad with green bell peppers, mild Indian dishes with chicken or fish; very rich, ripe assertive cheeses, such as creamy French Muenster.

National Distributing Company
$37

Medium-bodied dry blended white wine; medium greenish straw. Aromas of lychee nut and rose petal make it clear that Gewьrztraminer is part of the blend. The flavors hit on target with spice and lychee nut. Balance is key, with good acidity pushing the frout through to a long, satisfying finish. Albert Boxler is a 300-year-old family winery in Niedermorschwihr, now run by Jean Boxler, a graduate of the viticulture program at the University of Montpellier. Jean made his first vintage in 1995. "Edelzwicker" like "Gentil," is a term that denotes a blend of several varieties.

Roast turkey breast with lemon and thyme (outstanding!), roast pork loin, spвtzle with ham and cream, baked Vidalia onion stuffed with sweet potato, chicken thighs baked with caramelized onions, gently seasoned Indian food, especially such dishes as a cold curried creamy chicken soup. Curried chicken salad, poached chicken breast sliced across greens with a curried mayonnaise drizzle

Avant Partir
$18

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium pale yellow. Aromas of fenugreek seed, slight suggestion of honey, lead to a palate marked mostly by pear, exotic fruit and a touch of honey (the taste, not the sweetness) in the close, with a decently long finish. Round texture, with good acidity. Unusual exotic spice in mid palate, suggestive of anise or fenugreek...The grape Sylvaner is mostly associated with Alsace in France, but is chiefly known in Germany's Franken wines. Alsace Sylvaner does best in a hot vintage, and 2003 would certainly qualify.

White asparagus with unsalted butter, spatzle with ham and cream, roast turkey with lemon and thyme, rich substantial casseroles such as Vidalia onion casserole, Alsace onion tart, pork steak with cream and whole grain mustard, crab cakes

Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC
$14

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium gold. Classic Riesling aromas focused on pear and quince, with flavors that follow the same path. Unified from stem to stern, the aromas set up what the palate finds and continue through the very long finish to the crisp, dry close. Somewhat steely texture with a slight, but pleasing, butter note, as from citrus zest, in the close. Singular stuff.

Grilled scallops with mild Remoulade sauce or tartar sauce; choucroute garni with whole-grain mustard, fish baked with cream or pan-poached in beer then served with a mustard Bйchamel sauce; coq au Riesling (coq au vin made with Riesling); roast turkey breast, light appetizers if served as an aperitif

Quality Wine & Spirits
$22

Full-bodied sweet white wine; medium-deep golden straw. Rich aromas of sweet ripe white fruits, with flavors that repeat these characters and keep them fresh and vibrant through the broad mid -palate and finish. Rich, sweet but balanced with good acidity, and voluptuous in texture. Residual sugar is about 5%. Nice to get this with a little age on it, deepening the flavors. The Kitterle vineyard was first commented on in the early 17th century.

As an aperitif with foie gras or creamy liver mousses; blue cheese souffle. Creamy exotically flavored (such as with lemongrass) and very slightly spicy Asian seafood or chicken dishes; pork or chicken with caramelized onions and a touch of whole-grain mustard. As dessert with fruit tarts, creamy blue cheese or simply not-too-sweet cookie.

Empire Distributing
$40

Light- medium-bodied dry red wine; translucent medium dark cherry red. Delicate scent of chocolate-covered red cherries; clean, soft, red cherry fruit flavors. Light and uncomplicated, but very tasty. Easy tannins. Clean, long finish. Great summer red. Serve at cool room temperature, about 60-65 degrees.

Silky-textured liver pate, smoked liverwurst, roast duck, grilled lamb chops or steak, baked or (better) grilled salmon, tuna or firm, meaty mild white fish (such as halibut), mushroom ravioli with olive oil and garlic, mild creamy cheeses, barbecued chicken

Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC
$15

Full-bodied off-dry white wine; medium gold. Aromas of sweet apricot and other yellow stone fruits, with lush fruit flavors and good acidity building a fine tasting experience. Texture is round and silky, a reflection of the residual sugar. But the acid backbone that runs through it keeps it from becoming cloying. Dating to the early 17th century, Riefle is another long-established Alsace vintner.

Lightly spicy creamy Thai shrimp dishes with lemongrass, mild curries, e.g., poached chicken breast with a lightly curried mayonnaise traced across it, roast turkey breast, creamy dishes, foie gras or creamy liver mousses and pates, fruit tarts that aren't wicked sweet

Grape Expectations
$19

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium gold. Suggestion of diesel, a classic Riesling character, in the aromas, with quince, pear and exotic fruit flavors on the palate. Good acidity lends structure, and the finish is long and consistent with the palate, but just a mite hot. Mouthfeel is silky and round, suggesting the presence of a bit of residual sugar, perhaps .04, but the finish is dry.

Roast turkey breast, roast chicken, coq au Riesling (just like coq au vin but made with Riesling), lightly curried dishes, baked or oven-fried crumbed fish with tartar sauce; creamy chicken or seafood dishes, choucroute garni with whole grain mustard, spвzle with cream and ham

Georgia Crown
$18