MEMBERS’ MEMOS

Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing Mulligan are writing the ninth in the Dummies wine series (10th book overall) titled California Wine For Dummies (John Wiley), due out in September.

We forgot to mention last month that David Rosengarten was a speaker on four panels at the Professional Wine Writers Symposium held at Meadowood (Napa Valley) February 19-22…At the Symposium, attended by 50 wine writers (including 5 from the WMG), David and Pat Savoie announced they are co-authoring a book on how to navigate restaurant wine lists and recognize and work with a variety of sommelier types. Expected publication in 2009.

Tidbits
A great website authored by Doug Cook (not a WMG member): After a career at Yahoo he had a pre-pre-midlife crisis and went off to study wine professionally. While working toward his MW, he experienced the frustration of trying to find up-to-date, authoritative wine information on the Web. Go to www.ablegrape.com , his wine-only search engine. I used it twice the first day.

Sharpen your acting skills: Two different producers are bidding to make a movie about Hardy Rodenstock and the scandal over the auctioned cache of wine bottles, purported to have been owned by Thomas Jefferson, that were called fakes. One adaptation will be from the Benjamin Wallace book The Billionaire’s Vinegar, the other from a New Yorker Magazine article. I will let you know when there is an open call for wine writers.

MARCH TASTINGS

Mon 3: 2:30-5:00pm. Joseph Drouhin Chablis with Laurent Drouhin. Bar Boulud (1900 Broadway across from Lincoln Center). Caviste Room. By invitation only. Do not attend if you have not received an invitation.
Mon 3: 2:00-7:00pm. Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso Italian Tasting. Media-only tasting is 2-3:00. Location changed to 583 Park Avenue (A private event space @ 63rd St). Could not find an RSVP, so bring a card.
Tues 4: Noon-2pm. A luncheon to celebrate the launch of Mercer Estates Washington State Winery. Blue Hill Restaurant (75 Washington Place -between 6th Avenue & Washington Square Park). RSVP: Donna White donna@hgmarketing.net or 718-403-0097.

Tues 4 through Fri 7: Wineries Unlimited Conference & Trade Show. Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia, PA. For more information 866-483-0172 or www.wineriesunlimited.com.
Wed 5: 11:30am-2:00pm. Wine Media Guild Luncheon. Dr. Konstantin Frank vertical library tasting of 15 vintages of Dry Riesling plus other whites. Felidia restaurant. (243 East 58th St). Two places open. RSVP: Pat Savoie psavoie@nyc.rr.com.
Thurs 6: 11:00am -2pm. The Art of Artesa Winery luncheon. New Chelsea Arts Tower (545 West 25th St-14th Floor- between 10/11 Aves) RSVP: Anne Kircher akircher@cornerstonepr.com or (212) 605-0370.

Fri 7 through Sun 9: New York Wine Expo. Sunday 11:00am- 4:00pm is trade and media day. Javits Center (34 St. @ 11 Ave). Press contact: Alison Hoiem, G.S. Schwartz & Co. 212-725-4500 X326 or ahoiem@schwartz.com .

Sun 9 through Tues 11: 10:00am-5:00pm. International Restaurant and Foodservice Show. Javits Center. Press information: Amy Riemer 978-475-4441 or amy@riemercommunications.com .

Mon 10: Noon-4:30pm. Bordeaux Right Bank 2007 Barrel Sample tasting. Chanterelle Restaurant (2 Harrison St @ Hudson) RSVP: eventsUSA@sopexa.com or 866-310-5704.

Tues 11: 7:00-9:00pm. Bombay Sapphire Revelation. Baccarat (625 Madison @ 59 St.) RSVP: alane@deussenglobal.com .

Thurs 13: 7:00-10:00pm. European Wine Council Gala Dinner. Le Cirque (151 East 58 St). Attendance by invitation only. Information: info@braunpr.com .

Wed 26: 6:00-10:00pm. Wine & Wishes Benefit. Chelsea Pier 60 (@ 23 St). A benefit sponsored by Charmer Sunbelt for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It is possible to go as a guest. Contact: Jeff Richter 212-299-7024 or wine&wishes@charmer-sunbelt.com .

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Save The Date: Wed, April 2: Petite Sirah tasting with speaker Kevin Morrissey, winemaker at Stags Leap Winery, Napa Valley. psavoie@nyc.rr.com

Be sure to mark you calendars for upcoming events: May 7- Charbono tasting with speaker Paul Smith, winemaker, OnThEdge Winery in Napa Valley. Three June events: June 11 - Chateaux Giscours, du Tertre and Haut Bailly - vintages 2000 through 2005 plus two older vintages of each; June 16 - Annual Dinner at I Trulli; June 23 - Annual Business Meeting
All tastings and dates are listed in the Calendar on our Website…

RON KAPON, EDITOR