Vino versity

[Kim WB]

I'm wondering if anyone has ever participated in Vino-versity in NYC, or seen the facilities, taken a class. I am thinking of a wine class of Supertuscans,Brunellos, other Italiians for my husband, who already has a LOT of knowledge with these wines, but might enjoy a very serious kind of tasting/class. Is vino-versity serious in their approach, or more lighthearted? ( the name sounds silly, it might be affecting my perception, but also the website is FUN!!! and SPUNKY!!!! whcih my husband is NOT!!!! )Any info appreciated, alternatives REALLY appreciated.

[helenas]

Kim,

have you checked the International Wine Center? Nina and some other folks attended the program there this fall, and my husband and i are planning to sign up for the spring.

We're going for an intermediate program, but for your husband you might consider to look at the advanced level program (Advanced Certificate )

[Kim WB]

Thanks Helena,

I worked there when it was just a small center, and have heard many good things about its continued growth a nd high quality classes. I was a volunteer server/cleaner, and got to take the classes for free.. anyway I misspoke in my initial request, I am looking more for a seminar than classes...he does not have the time commitment for a series of classes. I have heard from another board that Vino Versity is all fluff, no real content, just for future reference.

[helenas]

Kim,

then you might want to consider the following list of seminars from NY wine tasters guild:

( copied from their newsletter), and Amarone seminar might be what you're looking for:

www. tastersguildny.com.

ALL WINE TASTINGS BEGIN PROMPTLY AT 6:30 PM; DINNERS AT 5:00 PM.

FOUR DECADES OF AMARONE

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Charles Scicolone, Wine Writer and Educator

According to Italian Wine for Dummies, Amarones are "rich, heady and robust." Michael Weiss, in Exploring Wine, states that these wines are "powerhouses full of rich and warming fruit." Fifteen delicious wines – the perfect way to start the new season. Wines: 1962, 1967, 1974,1977, 1979, 1980, 1988 Bertani; 1971, 1977, 1981, 1983 Tommasi; 1974, 1977 Boscaini; 1986 Righetti and 1995 Masi.

Members: $115.00 Limited to 18 attendees Non-members: $130.00

LANGUEDOC/ROUSILLON

Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Serge Dore, Wine Importer and Master Sommelier

The ten appellations of the Languedoc are spread over 32,000 hectares, and not one of them is like another, except for their common denominator – the Mediterranean. The region is a vineyard buttressed by the Cévennes, there nestling at the foot of the Pyrenees on a hillside in the Corbieres, ensconced in an amphitheater of the Montagne Noire or reclining on the gentle slopes leading down to the lagoons. Over the last 20 years, the Languedoc vineyards have been transformed by the work of man. Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah have become the prime varieties of the new plantations. Separate vinification of each variety, the art of their blending and the maturing methods have all helped to carve out the landscape of the Languedoc AOC into full and structured wines. During this time oenological giants such as the Mondavi family have discovered the ideal growing conditions in this region and have planted vineyards in the area. Wines to be tasted include Pastourou (100% Viognier), Mas Saint Laurent, AOC Picpoul de Pinet, Château de Capitoul, Cuvée Rocailles White and Red, Domaine Galtier "Cuvée Kermes," Château de la Liquiere, "Cuvée Cistus," Domaine Marquise des Mures, Cuvée Les Sagnes, Domaine de la Dournie, Cuvée Elise. We hope that Mr. Charles Mock, the owner/winemaker of Château de Capitoul will join us.

Members: $45.00 Non-members: $50.00

AN EVENING IN PARIS: A French Dining Experience

Date: Sunday February 9, 2003 Meli Melo

Time: 5:00 P.M. 110 Madison Ave. (29-30th Streets)

Members: $75.00 Non-Members: $85.00

Sue Perkins in her column Food and Style called Meli Melo "A destination for diners in the New York area." Terry Robards in the Robards Report has raved about classically trained chef/owner Bernard Ros for his meticulous attention to detail, his culinary expertise and his ability to make diners feel welcome. The ambience of this "home away from home" establishment with its charming atmosphere and decor, not to mention scrumptious desserts, is a real find. So join us for a An Evening in Gay Paree.

Menu:

Assorted Hors d'oeuvres; served with Vallee Coquette Sparkling Vouvray

Appetizer: Crabcake Parisian style, served with Ch. Lamoth de Haux Blanc

Salad: Classic Caesar

Entree: Roast Duck Bernard with seasonal vegetable and potato, served with Raquillet Mercurey Vieilless Vignes, 2000 Dessert: Chocolate Temptation, with Haut Mayne Sauternes; coffee or tea with Nisme et Delclou Armagnac.

Wines and Spirits provided by Bayfield Imports.

CABERNETS FROM THE 1980s

Date: Thursday, February 20, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Harriet Lembeck, Wine Writer and Educator

Thirteen Cabernets from California's golden decade of wine making. During this period California wine makers were finding their way, and innovation was the hallmark of the industry. Discover how well these wines have aged as we taste some of the best from legendary names in wine making. Wines: 1985, 1986 and 1987 Caymus Napa; 1986 Caymus Red; 1986 Dominus; 1985 Duckhorn; 1985 and 1986 Forman; 1986 Groth; 1986 Kenwood; 1986 Mondavi Reserve and Opus One; 1985 William Hill Reserve.

Members: $110.00 Limited to 18 attendees Non-members: $125.00

JACKSON FAMILY FARMS: The Art and Heritage of Wine Making

Date: Thursday, March 6, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Elyse Kudo, Eastern Regional Vice President, Jackson Family Farms

Jackson Family Farms, headed by Jess Stonestreet Jackson and Barbara Banke, represents the culmination of the Jackson Family's heritage in agriculture as well as the family's dedication to the land and wines they have created. The Jackson Family Farms wineries are those that have site specific expressions of the terroir throughout California. From these properties the individual winemakers are producing California's cutting edge of diverse, dynamic and fruit driven wines. Wines to be tasted: Hartford - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel; Matanzas Creek - Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet; Cambria - Julia's Pinot Noir, Benchbreak Pinot Noir, which are two single vineyard Pinot Noirs; Stonestreet - Upper Barn Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Legacy (Meritage-Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc blend).

Members: $50.00 Non-Members: $60.00

MOMMESSIN'S BURGUNDIAN MASTERPIECES

Date: Monday, March 10, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Eric Dubourg, Northeastern Wine Director, Marie Brizard Wines and Spirits, USA

Founded in 1865, Mommessin, a leading Burgundy producer and negotiant, is noted for wines of nobility, power, finesse and ageing potential. Hewing to tradition, grapes are hand harvested, the wines are unfiltered and show remarkable grace and complexity. Anthony Hanson, writing in Burgundy, says that "Clos de Tart (wholly owned by Mommessin) could surely be one of the most scintillating wines of the Cote de Nuits." Anyone who has tasted these award winning wines knows that no expense is spared to produce rich and complex wines. The Wine Investor Buyer's Guide recently awarded the Mommessin Meursault 4 (out of 4) stars, the Pouilly-Fuisse 3, and the Macon Villages 2 and a Best Buy. Wines: Macon Villages Old Vines, Pouilly Fuisse, Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, Moulin a Vent, Gigondas, Pommard, Gevery Chambertin, Aloxe Corton, Echezeaux and Clos de Tart, Grand Cru.

Members: $65.00 Non-Members $75.00

SINGLE-QUINTA PORTS

Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Jorge Ramos, Wine and Food Manager, Portuguese Trade Commission

During the last decade, a relatively new category of Port, single-quinta, has exploded in popularity. Single-quinta vintage Ports have been produced since the 19th century, but it is only in the past 10-15 years that these wines have become widely available. A single-quinta Port is one that is produced entirely from a single estate, or vineyard. (Quinta means estate or farm.) Vintage Port, produced entirely from grapes grown in a specific year, represents less than 2% of all Port shipments. A major factor that contributed to the increase in single-quinta wines was a law enacted in 1986, that permitted quinta owners in the Douro to bottle and export their own wines. Join us in tasting some of the best Single-Quinta Ports available in the U.S. market, such as Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Bom Retiro from Ramos Pinto, Quinta do Infantado, Quinta do Foz from Calem and Offley's Quinta do Boa Vista.

Members: $55.00 Non-Members: $65.00

DINING ON THE ITALIAN RIVIERA: Dinner at East River Café

Date: Sunday, April 6, 2003 Location: East River Cafe

Time: 5:00 P.M. First Avenue at 61st Street

Time Out New York's restaurant review singled out the restaurant for its "extraordinary food." Zagat's: the restaurant has "well-prepared (food)" and a "comfortable" atmosphere. In her column, Sue Perkins calls the food "beautiful" and praises his authentic Italian cuisine. Italian born Executive Chef, Paolo Nozzoli learned his craft in Italy and honed his skills at such culinary stars as Hotel Minerva and Villa Rigacci in Florence and as Executive Chef at Manhattan's Savore Restaurant. Join us and you will be transported to a charming trattoria overlooking the ocean high above San Remo.

Menu:

Aperitif: Moletto Prosecco 2001

Appetizer: Gamberi (shrimp) Essticci prepared with fresh sage and Cannelli beans, with Pietrafitta Vernaccia Borghetto 2001

Entree: Osso Bucco with risotto and seasonal vegetable, and Rocche Costamagna Barbera Superiore 1999 Salad

Dessert: Assorted Pastries with Ca Rugate Recioto Di Soave 1999

Coffee or tea with Mazzetti grappa and Villa Massa Limoncello

Wines and spirits provided by Laird and Company.

Members: $70.00 Non-Members: $80.00

RIESLING, A NOBLE BUT UNDERAPPRECIATED GRAPE

Date: Monday, April 28, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Jonathan Levine, Columnist, The Wine Investor Buyer's Guide

To many cognizenti, Riesling is the world's most versatile and best white grape. Produced in a variety of styles and levels of sweetness, Riesling is a most difficult grape to grow. It needs a long cool growing season to reach perfect ripeness, but the results can be extraordinary. Andrea Immer, in Great Wines Made Simple, "Riesling is considered by many to be the best white wine grape in the world. It is a lithe ballet dancer, has a purity of fruit and an uncanny range of flavor, all in a sleek package." Jancis Robinson says, "(Riesling) could claim to be the finest white grape in the world on the basis of the longevity of its wines and their ability to transmit the characteristics of a vineyard without losing Riesling's own inimitable style." The tasting will focus on dry style wines with flavor, depth and character, but will end with a Canadian Ice Wine. We will taste wines from Germany (the spiritual home of Riesling), Alsace, Wolfe Blass Gold Cap from Australia, Smith Madrone from California, and selected examples from New York, Canada and Washington.

Members: $45.00 Non-Members: $50.00

1983 BORDEAUX: A Twenty Year Retrospective

Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2003 Location: Hotel Shelburne

Speaker: Mark Golodetz, Wine writer and Consultant

1983 was considered by most wine experts to be an excellent vintage in Bordeaux. Twenty years ago, its greatness was overshadowed by the extraordinary wines -- and the hype -- of the 1982 harvest. Today, many oenophiles realize that the less round and plump, but more sinewy 1983s may outlive their brawny older cousins. Bordeaux expert Mark Golodetz, a frequent Tasters Guild speaker, will lead us through a tasting of 13 of these superb wines selected as representational of their appellation. Wines to be tasted: Ch. Margaux, Palmer, Talbot, Ducru, Cantemerle, Branaire, Canon, Coufran, Du Tertre, Gruaud Larose, Le Fleur de Gay, La Lagune, Meyney.

Members: $120.00 Limited to 18 attendees Non-members: $135.00

A VIENNESE FEAST: A Festival of Austrian Wine and Food

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2003 Location: The Mark Hotel

Time: 5:00 P.M. Madison Avenue and 77th St.

The wines and foods of Austria have swept New York by storm. Witness the increase in sales of Austrian wine and the success of such restaurants as Danube and Wallsé. The Mark Hotel is an oasis of elegant and superb dining in the city. The genteel ambiance, the understated elegance, and excellent food make this a culinary experience to remember. The hotel's Sous Chef who was born and trained in Austria will prepare a traditional mouth-watering Austrian feast. Rated a 24 by Zagat's which praises the "fine food and lap-of-luxury dining."

Menu:

Reception: Schlumberger Vienna Brut NV

Appetizer: House Smoked Trout with potato salad, watercress and dill creme fraiche; served with Jurstschitsch Sonnhof Gruener Veltliner Steinhaus

Fish Course: Sauteed Filet of Perch with sauerkraut, pancetta and pumpkinseed oil; served with Tuerk Gruner Veltliner

Second Course: Soft Boiled Veal Tongue with horseradish pudding; served with Klosterkeller Siegendorf Pinot Blanc

Entree: Apple-Balsamic Braised Beef Cheeks with celeriac puree, lovage and zweigelt sauce; served with Klosterkeller Siegendorf Red

Dessert: Quark Dumpling with Apricot with elderberry flower sorbet and pumpkinseeds; served with Weingut Nittnaus premium Eiswein.

Wines provided by Wein Bauer Imports and Niche Imports, Inc.

Members: $110.00 Non-Members: $125.00