Merlot, the great grape of Bordeaux, was much maligned after the 2004 movie Sideways character Miles the wine snob soundly criticized it with his now infamous refusal to quaff this grape. However, the blow to the merlot industry has only inspired producers to up their game and the merlots being produced today are truly outstanding. Some of these wines have even generated cult followings such as the Marilyn Merlot from Marilyn Wines and these wines sell out quickly every year. We have assembled a unique world tasting of merlot beginning with ones that, honestly, folks usually hoard away in their cellars and dare not touch. But we will definitely try them! This is a merlot tasting you will not want to miss.
Marilyn Merlot
Saturday, April 8
7:00 pm
Hosted by Rebecca Knutson
1116 8th St S, Fargo
$25 members
$30 non-members
please RSVP by Thursday, April 6
With the arrival of Spanish missionaries to South America in the 1500’s came the wine industry. While the wines of South America today bear little resemblance to the wines of the 16th century, the history and culture is infused in their extraordinary wines. In the 19th century, French agronomists introduced classic European varieties such as malbec, carménère and cabernet sauvignon. Thus, there is a rich array of tastes to explore. Join us as we travel to Chile, Argentina and Uruguay to discover the flavors of the south.
Babich, Valdiguie, Sagrantino, Bobal. These are just a few of the obscure grapes we will explore at our next AWS wine tasting. While we are most familiar with a handful of vinifera grape varieties for wine (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir), there are over 10,000 different grape varieties for wine. Join us on Saturday, May 12 to experience some of these lesser known more obscure varieties.
From the stony cliffs of Corsica to the valleys and plateaus of Lebanon, the wine regions around the Mediterranean Sea offer a unique variety of soils, climates and grapes. Join us as we tour the Mediterranean in search of fine wine and fun times. We will visit the islands of Crete and Sicily and make a stop in Israel along the way.
Last month’s Napa Cabernet wine tasting was certainly a tour de force of wine experiences. But our World Tour of Cabernet Sauvignon does not stop there. This venerable grape is grown throughout the world and expresses in unique ways. Next we will be heading down under where we will visit amazing grape growing regions along the south western coast of Australia. Powerful and luscious cabs from the moderate climates of Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale provide plush deep flavors with soft tannins. In Coonawarra, rich red terra rosa soils and and a warm to hot climate provides for great ripening to bring down those bell pepper flavors. And Margaret River provides a good balance of hot daytime temperatures and cooler evenings that lowers the acidity and reaches depths of ripeness other regions do not. Join us on Saturday, September 8 as we explore the Cabernets of Australia.
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Wine regions around the world are often associated with the characteristic varieties of grapes that grow in those regions. For example, Australia has Shiraz, Burgundy has Pinot Noir, and Spain has Tempranillo. Undoubtedly the national grape of Portugal is Touriga Nacional. The dry red wines of the Duoro Valley express the characteristic rich robust spicy black fruits with hints of violets because of this grape. It is also one of the main grapes used to produce the famous port wines of the region. The grape has migrated throughout the world and is now being grown in many new world regions. Please join us as we explore the many flavors of Tourgia Nacional in all its glory.
