Gift Wines
For the person who has everything, NO one has every wine. And don't look at wine as a very subjective thing, like art. Wine can be re-gifted, or saved for guests who will appreciate it, even if you don't.
>>> This Month's Column

Some People Actually Don't Go to Tuscany
Venturing to the less-traveled East Coast of Italy
by Lauren De Luca

Once a year, Lauren (one of our instructors) goes home to see mama--in Umbria, as in Italy. Umbria is the region just east of "the Tuscan sun", the prevaling American viewpoint of Italy. This time, rather than hang out in Umbria chugging Orvieto, they decided to drive until they hit the sea--to Le Marche. Now this is different. Read more about the wines, the scenery, and olive all'Ascolana.

2008 - 2009 Calendar
Want to see the NEW courses in 1st Quarter 2009? Download a schedule.

>>>> Download the Document (PDF)

Taste Like a Pro (6 seats available)
Wednesday, November 19th (AWS Wine Room, Roswell)
Instructor: P. Kelly Wheeler

Join Kelly Wheeler for some in-depth cues, pointers, and methodologies for the proper analyis, evaluation, and ultimately the conclusion of wine's identity--blind.

>>>> More Info

Wines & Cheeses (9 seats available)
Wednesday, December 3rd (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

Michel will present Bordeaux as you've never seen. An aperitif wine is followed by a vertical tasting of Bordeaux vintages. Booklet and DVD are provided.
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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

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

Our 2008 Schoolnight's @ Park Tavern series, sponsored by Diageo Chateau & Estates Wines, ended with a sell-out course of Wines & Chocolate. Instructor Kara Eads, in the background, led the group through the tasting.	Our students in the Make Your Own Wine Program are making it happen! Grape bins are inoculated with cultured yeast to begin the alcoholic transformation!	Nick Hendricks (center) is punching down the cap--hard work! The finished wine will sleep in an oak barrel until April or so, then bottled. The group began this project in February 2008.

• NEW Chastain's Doing Half-Price Bottle Wednesdays
  Come and experience Buckhead's newest Sushi sensation--Chastain's. They are stocking up on some nice vino--order a bottle on Wednesday for HALF PRICE. Tell 'em AWS sent you and you get a free smooch from the owner. (OK, not really) >> Their Website
• The Grape chain Seeks Bankruptcy
  The wine-bar-restaurant slash retailer, which used a single location example to sells dozens of franchises has filed for Chapter 11. >> More
• Hey I've Got an Idea--See if you can break this bottle on my head!
  Amazingly stupid. But appears to be totally real. Love the sound of the bottle hitting skull >> Play it
• Celebrities and Wine
  - Richard Belzer is quoting as saying, "(I like) deep, dark, ballsy red wine." Alrighty then! >> Interview
  - Michael Vick dogs featured on wine labels. While Vick is watching his estate being liquidated from prison, his four-legged victims are getting a shot at fame as stars of a line of boutique red wines. >> More
  - Rocker Jackson Browne is turning his ranch in Santa Barbara into a vineyard. Says Browne, "I want to be a gentleman farmer, but I don't want to work very hard."
  Finally, this article sums it all up, with pokes at Martha Stewart to Little Jon. >> More
• Obama Wins the Wine Vote Too
  While Obama won 53% to McCain's 46% of the popular vote, he also commanded 9 of the top 10 wine consuming states. Connection? Conspiracy? We're sending drinkers right now to investigate. >> More
• It Took 30 Years for Oregon Pinot Noir to be an Overnight Success
  Considered "some of" the best Pinot Noir stateside, and standing alongside others, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Oregon took awhile to get noticed. >> The Story
• Women and Wine
  This site is reaching out to you, my bunny-slipper bound, chardonnay-swirling, wine-gal! They are attempting to glue the entire female wine-world together, via blogs, event postings, etc. Visit to see what all the hub-bub is about. >> More

Jane's Monthly Dozen: Gift Wines
by Jane Garvey

The holiday season often has us wondering what to bring as gifts to parties or as gifts for the boss or the co-workers. It’s especially daunting if the host (or recipient) is wine knowledgeable, leaving some folks to think they’ve got to spend a pile of money to impress the recipient.

Not so fast. Gifts of wine can be easy on the wallet and still impress. Look for unusual varieties for the wine enthusiast who may be limited to certain varieties. Would a Sauvignon Blanc drinker like to discover Sauvignon Gris? (Cousiсo-Macul, from Empire; or Casa Silva, from Quality Wine & Spirits, both under $20). Or maybe a Verdejo from Spain, a grape whose characters also capture that grapefruit essence? Or what about a “world view” of Sauvignon Blanc, capturing a bottle each from the Loire Valley, from Australia, from South Africa and from New Zealand?

How about a pairing of Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio? The Pinot Gris could come from Alsace (Hugel or Zind Humbrecht, Grapefields) or Oregon (A to Z, Quality Wine & Spirits; R. Stuart (Georgia Crown); Chehalem (AWW/NDC), or King Estate, NDC), and the Pinot Grigio should come from Italy’s most northern climes, the Friuli, Alto Adige/Trentino, not the Veneto. I like the Pighin (NDC).

The same could be done with Pinot Noir, as this grape varies from place to place, beginning with the earthy, forest floor, dark cherry characters in Burgundy to the Loire Valley to Yarra Valley in Australia, Central Otago, Nelson or Martinborough in New Zealand, and Sonoma Coast, Santa Rita Hills, Monterey or Russian River Valley (CA) or Willamette Valley vs Umpqua and Rogue Valley (OR) in the U.S.

If your intended recipient prefers sweet wines, don’t assume that the Riesling or the pink wine you’ve selected will meet the needs. There are dry Rieslings and dry roses out there, and I know from experience that the blush wine drinker does not like a vin gris, no matter how similar the colors may be. They will complain that the vin gris (usually made from Pinot Noir) is “too dry.”

Should you find Champagne beyond your budget for a sparkling wine enthusiast, look elsewhere for a sparkling wine or cava. The Gruet Blanc de Noirs (from New Mexico) will surprise and delight without killing your purse (Quality Wine & Spirits). Besides, assure your Champagne-conscious recipient that this one has a French connection. Another good choice is the Saniger Brut Reserva 2004 (Cava, Spain), distributed by Bacco Fine Wine.

Finally, consider adding proper wine stemware to the wine-gift that would be the right material for best enjoying the bottle you’re giving. Include a couple of good Burgundy glasses from a fine glass producer such as Riedel if your gift is a Pinot Noir, for instance. Even the skeptic is convinced within a single sip that it makes a difference to enjoy the wine out of the best possible vessel.

And, hey, have a happy holiday! Sante!