Some highlights from the 2013 American Wine Society conference in Kalahari Resorts, Sandusky, Ohio in a brief gap before the finale Grand Banquet.
525 people registered. Fantastic organisation, 5-7 informative 1h15 sessions running simultaneously, around 2500 glasses removed, replaced and filled in the 45mins between each session. Topics from Malolactic to tasting Classed Growth Bordeaux.
I’ve been going to sessions on wines from Ohio, North Carolina, Temecula, Michigan, Missouri Nortons amd Quady wines presented by their winemaker (loved the Muscat sweeties, disliked the vermouths, bemused by ‘Purple’ - their Concord seedling (Sunbelt)sweetie).
Catering first rate with restaurant quality food, dinners and lunches sponsored by and with wines supplied by Chianti Classico, Wines of South Africa, Ohio wine producers.
Last nights late night impromptu tasting of Nortons from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Iowa was a gas Along with Augusta Winery’s (MO) first rate r Norton the star was Hickory Ridge 08 Norton from Illinois, “dense garnet colour, full bodied with beautiful delicious fruit.”
Among the hundreds of bottles available for self pouring I was knocked out by Creekside Cellars ‘Franc – Colorado’s Cabernet 2010’, a Cab Franc from Colorado. “Tremendous spicy full body, great galumphing wine – my first Colorado wine and a wow.”
Must dash and get my DJ on for dinner...
