From L to R – Jonathan Levine, Theresa Evans, Julia Alunan, Joseph Lopez, Prof. Roger Dagorn, M.S.

By Jonathan Levine

The Guild as a whole (I am the scholarship committee chair) decided to use some funds to give back to the NYC community. We wanted to encourage young people to pursue an interest in oeonology and an oenological education.

We selected City Tech since it is part of City University of NY which has a long standing commitment to NYC. City Tech (officially NYC College of Technology) has had a hospitality program for about 60 years. All hospitality majors must take the basic wine course and the college offers three additional wine courses.

The scholarship money was paid directly to City Tech and MUST be used for to pay for an advanced wine course for the winners.

Professors Karen Goodlad and Roger Dagorn nominated several students who then submitted an application. the committee selected the three we thought showed the most potential to pursue a career in wine.

The three winners: Julia Alunun is a full-time student and looking for a career in wine. Joseph Lopez is a student and a server and part-time captain at Beacon restaurant. Theresa Evans is a student and a sommelier at Porter House restaurant.

All three attended the event and, according to professor Goodlad, were excited to be there, to meet some luminaries of the wine community and to taste fabulous wines. There is a great deal of “buzz” at the college about the dinner and the opportunity enjoyed by the winners.

The Guild hopes to continue this program next year and for years to come.

Peter Sichel speaking about Andre Simon

Bartholomew Broadbent speaking about Michael Broadbent

Dan Berger acceptance speech

October 7- St. Emilion – two dozen wines; speaker Olivier Nouoet, President Adams French Vineyards
November 4 – The wines of the Bastianich Family. Speaker will be Joe Bastianich and Lidia will attend. The winemaker from Friuli may also be present.
December 2 – Vintage Champagne with Ed McCarthy.
January 22 – Bordeaux. Another amazing paired Bordeaux tasting (remember the Two Pichons?) organized by Mark Golodetz. Domaine de Chevalier and Ch. Haut Bailly will present veritcals of their wines discussed by principals from the wineries. [Note date is a Friday.]
February 3 – Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. The US leaders of Wine Australia are putting together a tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon from around Australia, including older vintages. Two or three wine makers will be invited to speak.
March 3 – Barolo with Pietro Ratti. Pietro will come to speak to us. He will arrange for wines from each of the main Barolo communes.
April 7 and May 5 tastings are not final as yet.

We will begin with a Champagne reception with passed Hors d’oeuvres. This will be followed by a four-course dinner, coffee/tea, and more of the fine Cognacs we had last year to finish.

At the Dinner, the 2009 Inductees to the Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame will be honored. They are: Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Matt Kramer, Clive Coates, James Halliday. The posthumous Inductee is Alexis Bespaloff. Recipient of special Recognition for Distinguished Service to the Wine Industry is Peter Sichel.

To purchase tickets, go to Brown Paper Tickets (Visa, Mastercard, Discover).

There is a small handling fee for using the service, which is added to the price of each ticket. No physical tickets will be issued; names are placed on a list and sent to WMG at the end of each day. For email confirmation or additional information, purchasers should send a separate email to psavoie@nyc.rr.com.

MEMBERS’ MEMOS

The outpouring of good wishes for Paul Zimmerman (Dr. Z) from our members has been heartwarming. Jonathan Levine has collected wines for the silent auction from the members of his wine tasting group.  Many WMG members have donated wines or cash, and, at the time of writing of this newsletter, we have 6 members going to the event but need two more to fill the WMG table. The event, featuring Giants coach Tom Coughlin and Jets coach Rex Ryan, is May 18 at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, N.J. Open bar beginning at 6:15, followed by dinner and a round-table with Peter King of Sports Illustrated, coaches Coughlin and Ryan reviewing the draft and previewing the season, followed by questions for the coaches from the audience. Then, there will be a football insiders’ roundtable after which the winners of the auction items will be announced. Tickets are $225 apiece, or $1,500 for a table of eight, and are available by sending a check, payable to “Dr.Z/Nothing is Impossible Foundation” to: Dr. Z/Nothing is Impossible Foundation 21 Pine Street- Suite 202-Rockaway, NJ 07866. All tickets are tax-deductible. In addition, donations may be sent to that address. For further information, please email Barbara Neibart, at bneibart@yahoo.com .

We have learned that Perry Luntz passed away from Legionnaire’s Disease, which he contracted while at a skilled nursing rehabilitation facility where he was recovering from lung cancer and a broken hip…You may be interested to learn that Wiley will soon publish German and Spanish language versions of his Whiskey and Spirits for Dummies.

MAY TASTINGS

Sun 3rd: 6pm – Reception; 7pm – Awards & Dinner. James Beard Media Awards. Hudson Theatre @ Millennium Broadway Hotel (144 West 44th Street) For info: 212-925-0054.

Sun 3rd:  3-10:00pm.  Mendoza Grape Crush Fest. City Winery (155 Varick St).  30 Argentinean wines plus a barbecue.  RSVP: Nestor Lara-Baeza – Nlarabaeza@geoffreyweill.com or 866-PRWEILL.

Mon 4th:  6pm – Award Ceremony; reception to follow (around 9pm).  2009 James Beard Foundation Awards. Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center (Columbus Ave & 65th Street). Black Tie. For info: 212-925-0054.

Mon 4th:  Noon-7pm. Lauber Grand Tasting. Marriott Marquis Hotel (46th & Broadway- 6th Floor). Bring Business Card.

Tues 5th: 10:30-12:00pm- Comparative Tasting; 12:15-3:30pm-Finger Lakes aromatic whites tasting with food pairings. Finger Lakes Riesling Summit 2009. Astor Center (23 E. 4th St @ Lafayette). For more information go to www.rieslingsummit.com.   RSVP: Elissa Doyle elissa.doyle@dc-intl.com or 212-725-0707.
Fri 8th:  1-3pm. Wines of Argentina. Consulate General of Argentina. (12 West 56th Street). RSVP:  winetastingmay8th@gmail.com or 212-206-7375.

Mon 11th: 3pm. Duoro Boys Masterclass Porto tasting. The Study at Astor Center (23 East 4th Street, 2nd Floor). RSVP:  f.zimmer@wine-partners.at

Tues 12th: 11am-Noon – Seminar; 12:30-4:30pm -Walk-around tasting & buffet. Wines of Cahors. Astor Center. (399 Lafayette @ 4th St). RSVP: www.terroirevent.com

Wed 13th: 3:30-7:00pm. Austrian tasting. Austrian Consulate General. (31 East 69th Street) RSVP:  Stephanie.artner@austriantrade.org  or 212-421-5250.

Fri-Sun 15-17th: Westchester Wine & Food Festival. Kick-off party, Grand Tastings, Chef Demos, Wine Seminars, Sparkling Wine Brunch. Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown (Formerly the Hilton). Press contact: Elizabeth Thompson.  liz@thompson-bender.com  or 914-762-1900.

Tues 19th: 11:30am-4:30pm. Wines from Greece Walk-around tasting. W Hotel Manhattan (541 Lexington Ave @50th St).  RSVP: Sofia Perpera: sperpera@allaboutgreekwine.com or 404-545-2324.

Wed 27th: 2-4:00pm. Discover Calabria. Astor Center (399 Lafayette Street @ 4th St). Wine & delicacies. RSVP: calabria@thefoodgroup.com .

JUNE

Wed 3rd: Grand Tasting- 1:00-5:00pm; Seminars- 12:00-1:00pm and 3:30-4:30pm. Wines of Chile Grand Tasting. Gotham Hall (1356 Broadway @ 36th St). RSVP: www.keysurvey.com/survey/248957/129b

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Send in your reservations now: Sunday, June 14 – WMG Annual Dinner at Del Posto.
Save the date: Monday, June 15 – Business Meeting

The man with wine in his veins

By Jancis Robinson

Published: January 10 2009 01:33 | Last updated: January 10 2009 01:33

The wine life of Peter Max Sichel of New York had always seemed to me quite interesting enough to warrant an article on these pages, but that was before we sat down to the dinner over which I was to interview him. He visibly licked his lips as he began, “We must start in 1960 when I had just left the CIA. I left because the CIA did things I didn’t like, such as send people into the Ukraine to work in fabricated resistance groups. They were potentially being sent to their deaths. I made a huge fuss.” This is rather more exciting than most wine trade resumés. Continue reading at FT.com

He blogs regularly at Do Bianchi., his blog devoted to Italy and Italian Wine and Food (and, occasionally, his band). His writing has also appeared in Wine & Spirits, Gastronomica, and The Art of Eating.

He’s also probably the only one to have translated a 15th Century cookbook (Maestro Martinoof Como’s The Art of Cooking) from the Italian.

Our speaker is Paul Smith, the owner and winemaker at OnTheEdge winery in St. Helena. We also will be joined by Sally Ottoson, owner and winemaker at Pacific Star Winery in Fort Bragg and Gregg Smith, son of John Smith, owner and winemaker at Oakstone Winery in Fair Play, CA.

Charbono was at the height of its popularity in the 1960s, when Inglenook produced a lot of it and there was a Charbono Society in San Francisco that held annual black-tie dinners. Its flavor is unique, but one producer described it as having a “soft leathery acid-tannin profile like a Syrah and forward berry fruit like a Zinfandel. The intense nose is full of ripe, ‘purple’ fruit aromas, perfumed blueberry, black cherry and smoky vanilla. The palate is dry with balanced acidity, full body and plush ripe tannins. Overt flavors of black cherry, thyme, white pepper, blackberry and tar burst on the taste buds.” Or, as Randall Grahm once said: “Charbono reminds me of The Wild Child, a feral creature brought back to civilization. One is always aware that this grape is somehow quite different.” –Pat Savoie

And member Robert Simonson posted his thoughts from the Petite Sirah lunch in April on his blog, Off the Presses. FYI Robert also had a recent article on Kosher wines in Saveur.

Philippe Newlin is the Tasting Director at Wine & Spirits magazine. He also teaches wine classes at Columbia Business School, contributes to Devour.tv, and is studying for the Master of Wine.

Robert Simonson writes the monthly “In the Cellar” column and contributes other wine stories for the New York Sun. He has also contributed articles to Salon.com, Wine Spectator, and Time Out New York. His blog, “Off the Presses,” has a summary of our Chateauneuf du Pape lunch here.

Members’ Memos

Carol Berman began her “Class in a Glass Wine Buy of the Week” segment Thursday October 18th on “Food Talk” with Mike Colameco on Radio 710 WOR. Her minute-long segments will air every Thursday at approximately 11:45AM. Or you can go online at www.wor710.com . Her “Wine Buys” are also posted on her website www.classinaglasswine.com . Carol was on Arthur Schwartz’s show on WOR from 1999-2004.

John Mariani and his brother, Robert, have written a very personal book, Almost Golden, about growing up in the Pelham Bay area, an incredibly idyllic place in the North Bronx, during the 1940’s and ‘50’s. It is not yet available in bookstores, so to purchase a copy ($14.95) go to www.amazon.com or to www.bbotw.com/Product.aspx?ISBN=0-7414-3017-7 .

I attended part of the “Special Harvest Edition” of Wine Camp in mid-October on the North Fork of Long Island. Sponsored by local wineries and Bed & Breakfasts, it is a 4 day/3 night event. The next Wine Camp will take place in March 2008. For more information: www.winecamp.org

November Tastings

Thursday Nov 1 — Barolo, Barbaresco & Friends. 2-7pm. Jolly Hotel Madison Towers. Madison Ave at 38th St. RSVP: Italian Trade Commission: (212) 980-1500.

Monday Nov 5 — Greek & Cyprus Wine & Food Tasting. 6-8:30pm. Battery Gardens Restaurant- Inside Battery Park (across from 17 State St)- Bring business card.

Wednesday Nov 7 — Wine Media Guild luncheon. Felidia. 11:30am. Aloxe-Corton. This will be the last Patrick Sere tasting with the wines of Dreyfus Ashby. He is retiring at the end of 2007.

Wednesday Nov 7 –Tasting of Monarchia Hungarian Wines. 6:00pm-8:00pm. Via Della Place, 48 East 7th Street (at 2nd). Includes: 2006 Monarchia Cellars Olivier, 2004 Demeter “Z” Dry, 1999 Tokay Hetszolo Tokaji Aszu 6 putt., 2005 Vylyan Pinal Noir 2004, Monarchia Winery Nolr 2003, Monarchia Winery Rhapsody in Red. RSVP: leffel1@comcast.net

Friday Nov 9- Sunday 11 — Chocolate Show NY. Altman Building & Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th St. Friday 11am-9pm; other days- 10am-8pm . RSVP: info@hallpr.com or (646) 638-0771.

Saturday Nov 10- Tuesday 13 — International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show- Jacob Javits Convention Center- Sunday-10AM-5PM; other days- 10AM-4PM RSVP: ihmrs@glmshows.com or (914) 421-3206. A press ID will get you in.

Thursday Nov 15– Annual George DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau luncheon. 12 Noon. Porter House at Time Warner Center. NOT ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED. If you do not receive an invitation, please do not attend.

Friday Nov 16 — Sweet Dessert Party. 9pm-1am. Waterfront, 269 11th Ave (27/28th St). This is the kick-off event for the Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival coming in fall of 2008. Not sure what the policy is on comp tickets. Info: www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com or (866) 9NYCWFF

Thursday Nov 22 — HAPPY THANKSGIVING

December Tastings Preview

Sat, Sun, Mon Dec 1-3 and 8-10 — WINE LOVERS, a wine-tasting musical, tells the story of two mismatched students attending a wine class and their journey of discovery. During the show, audience members sample six wines along with the class, and everyone learns a little about wine and love. 7:30pm. Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. Tickets are $65. For tickets: www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showcode=WIN7

Wednesday Dec 12 — Wine Media Guild Champagne gala. Speaker and organizer: Ed McCarthy. 11:30am-2:00pm. Felidia. To reserve early: psavoie@nyc.rr.com