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Wine Tastings at the Trapp Family Lodge
Wednesday, May 7th 4:00 to 6:00
We will be tasting new releases of , for inclusion on our list. Werner Michlits of Weingut Michlits along with Rafael Flores of Artisanal Cellars (Vermont’s Distributor), will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. The Meinklang estate is located in the commune of Pamhagen in the Neusiedlersee wine-growing region in Austria. It is run by Angela and Werner Michlits. The name is a composite of „M“ (for Michlits) and „Einklang“ for unison or harmony, as in “in harmony with nature“. The expanded Michlits family runs a Pannonian mixed agricultural operation that includes viticulture, fruit farming and general farming. Bio-dynamic principles are implemented in the vineyards, with no lack of modern technology. In this repsect, the estate has been working hand in hand with the Neusiedlersee national park for many years. Work in both the vineyards and cellar is carried out with due reference to the phases of the moon as well as of various stellar constellations. Herbs such as camomile, yarrow, horsetail, dandelion and stinging nettle, as well as horn dung and horn-gravel products are used to prepare teas and plant extracts as special protective agents for the plants. The estate has been certified as an organic producer by the DEMETER association since 2005. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread. The wines featured will be:
Fizzante Pinot Noir Rose 2006
Pinot Gris 2006
Grüner Veltliner 2006
Pinot Noir 2006
Blaufränkisch 2006
A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.
Wednesday, May 14th 4:00 to 6:00
We will be tasting new releases of Argentine Reds from Mendoza, for inclusion on our list. Robert Boehme of Vermont Wine Merchants Company will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. In 1534 two European settlers, a priest named Father Cidrón and Juan Juffré, the founder of the town of Mendoza, planted the first vines in Argentina. When Spaniards first set foot in these lands inhabited by the Huarpe Indians, they discovered that the native population grew crops in this desert climate. It was, however, the Incas who had brought the required wisdom to give life to this area. Artificial irrigation was already an established practice among the original inhabitants of western Argentina when the first Europeans arrived. In the 19th century, the industry began to grow due to an influx of Italian and Spanish immigrants who brought new vines and a wealth of viticultural and wine-making techniques to the area. The introduction of European varieties such as Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chenin Blanc substantially improved the quality of Argentine wine. Malbec has found uniquely favourable growing conditions in Argentina and there is no doubt that Argentine Malbec is one of the most successful and delicious in the world. Its intense colour, aromas of berry fruit, plums and honey and its ability to ripen to perfection create wines of a velvety texture and long, soft flavour. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread. The wines featured will be:
Crios de Susana Balbo, 50% Syrah & 50% Bonarda 2006
Crios de Susana Balbo, Malbec 2007
La Posta, Malbec, “Angel Paulucci Vineyard” 2006
Tikal, 60% Bonarda & 40% Malbec, “Patriota” 2005
Ben Marco, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.
Friday, May 23rd 4:00 to 6:00
We will be tasting new releases of California Rhone style Reds, for inclusion on our list. John Fagan of Calmont Beverage, will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. The Rhone Rangers, America's leading non-profit organization dedicate to promoting American Rhone varietal wines. American Rhone-style wines are made from the same grapes that have flourished for centuries in France’s Rhone River Valley, and their growing popularity in the United States speaks to their versatility with food, wide range of rich flavors, and to the skills of American winemakers. The most common red Rhone varietals are Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre, with Syrah predominant in the Northern Rhone and Grenache in the Southern Rhone. Other relatively common red grapes include Cinsault, Carignan, and Petite Sirah. For the sticklers out there, the Rhone Rangers have adopted Petite Sirah, a French cross also known as Durif, due to its extensive interplanting with traditional Rhone varietals in Calfiornia. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread. The wines featured will be:
Red Table Wine, Red Flyer, California 2003
Carignane, Cline, “Ancient Vines”, Contra Costa County 2006
Mourvèdre, Cline, “Ancient Vines”, Contra Costa County 2006
Syrah, Ravenswood, Sonoma County 2004
Syrah, Edmunds St. John, “Wylie-Fenaughty”, El Dorado County 2001
A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.
Thursday, May 29th 4:00 to 6:00
We will be tasting new releases of wines from the Loire Valley of France, for inclusion on our list. Stuart Timmons of Farrell Distribution will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. An enormous amount of wine is created in this vast region, mostly white, but with a good deal of red too. Styles change as you follow the course of the river, according to the grape varieties planted and wine-making techniques practised. But the one thing all of these wines share is that they are made to display freshness and relatively high acidity, and rarely is oak used to ferment or age the wines. The Loire valley covers a huge tract of land that follows the river from the Atlantic ocean near Nantes, all the way east and south almost to the Rhône. There is a huge variation in climate and soil. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread. The wines featured will be:
Bouvet Signature Brut, Bouvet-Ladubay NV
Muscadet, Sèrve et Maine Sur Lie, Domaine des 3 Versants 2005
Sauvignon Blanc, JP Baron, Touraine 2006
Sancerre, Paul Prieur 2006
Pouilly-Fumé, Michel Redde 2004
A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.
Friday, June 6th 4:00 to 6:00
We will be tasting new releases of Washington State Reds from the Columbia Valley, for inclusion on our list. Anthony Wagner of G. Housen, will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds. Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread. The wines featured will be:
House Wine, The Magnificent Wine Company 2005
Shiraz / Merlot, Shimmer 2004
Merlot, Sagelands Vineyard, 2005
Cabernet Sauvignon, Canoe Ridge Vineyard 2003
Syrah, K Vintners, “Milbrant”, Wahluke Slope 2004
A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.
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