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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260515T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260515T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T193905
CREATED:20260228T201754Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T230532Z
UID:9605-1778871600-1778880600@pawinesociety.org
SUMMARY:Pinot Noir - Simply Elegant
DESCRIPTION:Reservations have closed for this event.  If you’d like to be placed on a waitlist for contact if we have a cancellation\, please contact the treasurer.\nWe offer the following article\, an entertaining reminder of all the reasons you want to be with us on May 15th tasting our carefully selected Pinot Noirs.  The quest is worth it!! \n Why Pinot Noir Sucks –by Naill Rush     From the Jancis Robinson 2025 wine writing competition.  The photo is the author’s own.  Caption: ‘The Vosne in question\, with Clown Bar’s curious choice of decanter’. \n \n“I spent my 30th birthday in Paris on a humble mission: I wanted to have the best wine I had ever had. I was well on my way to wine obsession\, mere months from my eventual move into the industry\, and I wasn’t going to be 30 again. Up to that point\, I had no better opportunity in my life to blow more money than I should on a bottle I’d never forget. \nAnd so I found myself in Clown Bar for lunch\, conferring with the sommelier\, deciding at last on a bottle of 2015 Frédéric Cossard Vosne-Romanée ‘Les Champs Perdrix’. A producer in tune with my tastes\, working a stone’s throw from La Tâche for a tiny fraction of the price. \nBut this was a day where I had to nail it. Why would I choose Pinot Noir? \nVulnerable to frost\, heat\, disease\, and everything else\, Pinot presents far more challenges to a vigneron than a workhorse like Cabernet Sauvignon. But many winemakers are eager for well-deserved recognition of their heroic efforts to bring the fussiest grape varieties to term. \nWe hear a lot about how this or that grape variety is particularly difficult. I can think of no other globally popular grape variety where that difficulty is so often disastrously evident in the bottle. \nAs a category\, bad Pinot Noir magnifies all of wine’s potential sins and grotesqueries. The vegetal and under-ripe becomes unbearable; the overripe and jammy becomes sickening. This is what you often get when you pay enough that a guarantee should apply\, when mere satisfaction is the minimum you’re entitled to. \nGenuinely characterful\, dependable sub-£20 Pinots are lauded exceptions that prove the rule. Even when you succeed in swerving the sticky or green ends of the spectrum\, you may find yourself rewarded with a £50 bottle of wine which is fine. \nBurgeoning winos looking for affordable transcendence may attempt to educate themselves to victory\, only to discover that Pinot Noir’s homeland is the most legally complicated and microscopically delineated vignoble in the entire world. \nAnd outside France\, those winemakers with lofty ambitions to challenge and honour Burgundy are obliged to Burgundify their approach and communications\, to name their vineyards and tell their stories\, their history\, their aspect and soil\, lest they be accused of traducing Pinot’s position as Terroir’s earthly representative. Accordingly\, Pinot attracts more semi-scientific marketing guff than any other variety\, and the learning curve steepens ever further. \nAnd when you do finally get a fantastic bottle\, there is often something of the farm to it\, something redolent of decay tucked beneath all that floral\, beautiful fruit. It feels incomplete without it. At its best\, it flirts so close to the line. I think we all must secretly understand where the Pinot-deniers are coming from\, artless as they may seem. What may be seductive and sous-bois to me is a hair’s breadth of psychological bias away from cow leavings. \nPersonal tastes aside\, it is necessary for the food-and-drink cultist to believe that the default option sucks. The same complex is shared by the coffee snob\, or even the perfect London Guinness chaser: the subject must be found everywhere\, and 90% of it must be truly miserable. Your knowledge and enthusiasm must serve as both map and shield\, separating and protecting you from what the masses innocently accept. If it was all broadly good\, what would be the point of connoisseurship? \nAt the sharp end of Sturgeon’s law lies the soul of this form of enthusiasm\, a space where personal recommendation and evangelism have indispensable practical value. Pinot is the perfect cargo for the cult of the wine fan\, a clear mirror of our collective pathology. It is all the pain\, glory and mystery of wine\, the mountaintop so luminous and distant\, the edge of the chasm so precipitous. Yes\, it is forbiddingly complicated; no\, there are no shortcuts\, and even the wealthy are not immune from disappointment.  \nIn those moments where you get the right bottle at the right time\, your devotion is rewarded with rich visions of the Cistercians patiently experimenting\, of bygone royals hoarding barrels in their dank cellars\, of all the myth and science and je ne sais quoi that compels us. The perfect bottle is your steadfast battle to find it; the winemaker’s careful battle to make it; knowledge meeting luck\, skill meeting nature. It’s every lackluster bottle you drank in search of it. It is not made\, it is not purchased: it is achieved. Only when the cork is popped will you know if your quest was in vain. \nFortunately for me\, that birthday bottle of Vosne-Romanée was indeed the right bottle at the right time. It was Pinot Noir in UHD\, all tangerine peel and sour cherry\, fragrant and pure\, complete with loamy bass notes and intangible energy; dust motes floating in sunbeams. I welcomed it into the moment like an old\, flighty friend\, turning every detail over in my mind\, as if I might never see their like again. As the last drops left my glass\, my personal dragon-chase resumed.” \nAs described by Rush\, our tasting team experienced both disappointments and joys while tasting wines for entry to this event.  We think you’ll be delighted with our final choices.  The wines we chose cover new world and old-world regions known for producing lovely Pinot Noir—Oregon\, California\, New Zealand\, Tasmania\, Argentina\, Germany\, and of course\, France.  We have a range of styles including white\, rosé\, and sparkling demonstrating how Pinot Noir expresses itself across the range. \nKevin Ostrowski\, respected certified wine judge\, sommelier\, and wine educator will lead our deep dive into these fabulous examples.  Kevin plans to allow lots of interaction this time for you to explore the wines with table mates before we discuss as a group. \nWines will be paired with gourmet small plates to highlight the subtle fruit\, earthy undertones\, and silky textures of Pinot Noir. \n\nBurrata with Macerated Strawberries\, Arugula\, Toasted Pistachios\, Balsamic Glaze and Basil\nWild Mushroom and Gruyere Arancini with Caramelized Leeks and Truffle Oil\nSeared Salmon with Cherry Wine Reduction on Fingerling Chips\n\nPlease e-mail the Treasurer with any food allergies. \nSpace is limited by Hilton availability.  Reservation deadline is May 12th.  Make reservations on the Shoppe Page of this website. \n         Members—$160 \n         Patrons—$155 \n         Nonmembers—$180
URL:https://pawinesociety.org/event-calendar/pinot-noir-simply-elegant/
LOCATION:Hilton Harrisburg\, 1 North Second Street\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Educational
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pawinesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2083950367.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Contact PWS":MAILTO:treasurer@pawinesociety.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260821T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260821T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T193905
CREATED:20260423T230201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260525T213254Z
UID:9836-1787338800-1787347800@pawinesociety.org
SUMMARY:Botrytis Wines
DESCRIPTION:When conditions are just right\, nature can hold a usually nasty fungus in check and something magical happens. Instead of ruining a crop the fungus\, Botrytis cinerea\, concentrates the sugars and flavors in the grapes which can be made into some of the world’s sweetest\, most precious wines. This is a partial list of the wines for this special night: \n1989 Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux   From an excellent vintage\, Huey’s golden colored wine displays a clear and subtle bouquet of delicate ripe yellow fleshed fruits (peaches\, pineapples\, and raisins) along with a delicious chalky/earthy background. Round\, semisweet and delicate on the palate\, this elegant Chenin Blanc reveals a great finesse\, vitality and lingering salinity. Medium bodied but intense and fine\, this wine is lifted by its delicate and lucid acidity\, whereas the tannins are slightly austere in the beginning but delicate after aeration. The finish is stimulating in its finesse and tender grip. This is and excellent wine to be enjoyed over the next 30+ years. Score 96 points. \n2018 Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec  Round and expressive\, with great balance between the sweetness of orchard fruit and bracing acidity reminiscent of clementines. Jasmine and sweet spice notes emerge mid palate\, while ground ginger details mark the velvety finish. Drink now through 2034. Score 93 points. \n2007 Chateau Clemens Barsac  This is a spellbinding Barsac. The 2007 is endowed with a lovely bouquet; very pure with honey\, a touch of orange blossom and a dollop of quince. The palate is balanced with a great purity\, a dash of spice and a lovely viscous botrytis laden finish that possesses awesome weight and persistency. This wine is a slice of heaven in a glass. Score 98 points. \n2020 Chateau Rieussec   The 2020 Rieussec has a pale lemon straw color. It offers up vibrant\, gregarious notes of fresh pineapple\, juicy apricots and spiced pears\, leading to suggestions of allspice\, orange blossom and almond tart. The palate is lively and intense\, with a gorgeous satiny texture and acidity lifting the hedonic fruit to a long finish. Score 95 points. \n2007 Riesling Spätlese Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr. Fritz Haag   The Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spatlese drips with ultra ripe melon\, nectarine and honey\, with heady\, gardenia-like floral notes enhancing the impression of richness confirmed by a succulent\, creamily textured palate. In the best vintage manner\, this possesses a palpable extract but treads delicately. An infectiously juicy and persistently floral finish is truly transparent to nuances of nut oils\, salt and stone. This modestly priced masterpiece is worth following for three decades.  Score 94 points. \nAs a note\, I have tasted a bottle of this wine\, and it is truly magnificent and not to be missed at this tasting if you are able to attend! \n2004 Riesling Auslese Urzinger Wurzgarten JJ Christoffel   The Christoffel 2004 Urzinger Wurzgarten smells alluringly of lemon candy\, strawberry jam\, black tea and some elusive musky essences. On the palate it presents a remarkable egg custard sense of richness confirmed\, creaminess and sheer substance which manages to hover lightly over the palate. Layers of fresh jammy strawberry\, citrus and wet stone accumulate weightlessly\, then swing into a finish of compelling clarity and length. This wine is unfathomably delicious. In calling it “the essence of Mosel” Christoffel can be accused of self-promotion but is guilty only of the truth. This is another rare wine I have procured that must be tasted to be believed. Score 94 points. \n2019 Harsanyi Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos   This is a rich dessert wine made from 100 % botrytized grapes hand selected. This deep amber colored wine is characterized by high sugar content balanced by acidity\, giving a complex profile of honey\, apricot and citrus with a long finish. The wine is aged in oak barrels. It pairs well with foie gras\, blue cheese and fruit desserts. \n2012 Prelude Tokaji Szamorodni   Tokaji is Hungary’s most historically important wine region with its volcanic soils yielding some of the best sweet wines in the world.  Its location at the convergence of two rivers—the Bodrog and the Tisza—provides just the right climate for the grapes to develop noble rot\, given the right conditions in autumn. Tokaji Aszu\, dubbed the wine of kings and king of wines\, stems from this region and is the wine upon which Tokaji’s fame is built. \nThere is another star hiding in the wings\, however\, that has been one of Tokaji’s mainstays for centuries-the tongue twistingly named Szamorodni (Sam-oh-rod-nee). This wine is little known outside Hungary. In the past it was known as “tobor” meaning main wine which tells you something about its importance to the region. The current name is derived from “samorodno “as it was called by the Polish merchants who exported it to the Polish market. Like Aszu\, it was served to the Polish court itself. The name means something like “as it comes from” or “the way it was grown” referring to the fact that the grapes are fermented in whole clusters and not individually selected berries as in Aszu. Besides Furmint\, other varieties like Harslevelu are permitted. Grapes can be botrytized or not\, and they are fermented together for the final wine. \nThe last two wines of the night come from the Alois Kracher Winery which lies in the Seewinkel area of Austria’s Burgenland. Here\, through the evaporative periods of Lake Neusiedl\, the evening fog and warm climate\, continuous warm humid weather patterns are dominant and allow for Botrytis cinerea to be generated. We will be tasting: \n1998 Kracher #9 Chardonnay Trockenbeerenauslese “Nouvelle Vague”   The oak\, vanilla\, toast\, acacia blossom\, and crème brûlée scented 1998 Chardonnay TBA is an intensely sweet\, fat \, and candied wine. Full bodied and powerful\, this is a dense yet harmonious offering jam-packed with sugar coated oranges\, candied apples\, and honey. Its seemingly unending finish reveals additional layers of luxurious jellied fruits. Score 96/100 WA. An amateur review from Cellartracker dated 3/13/26 is as follows: “Holy hell\, this is incredible!  Dark brown nose of nutty caramel sticky syrup and honey orange peel.” \nOur final wine of the night is the 1995 Kracher Collection Trockenbeerenauslese #12 Grande Cuvée   This wine is a blend of 50% Chardonnay\, 40% Welschriesling\, and 5% Traminer fermented in new oak barrels as well as 5% Scheurebe fermented in cask. Smoky\, spicy\, mineral and tropical fruit-infused aromas are followed by stunning layers of lively\, fresh red berry and mangoes in a focused\, precise and sublimely balanced core. Score 96-98 WA \nPlease join us Friday August 21\, 2026 at 7 p.m. for a once in a lifetime opportunity to taste these rare wines. The food will be fantastic. I have requested the Hilton chef use foie gras\, blue cheese and local fruit to make dishes to pair with these incredible wines.  Please e-mail the Treasurer with any food allergy concerns. \nReservation deadline—August 18th so don’t delay.  Make reservations via the Shoppe Page of this website. \n         Members—$170 \n         Patrons—$165 \n         Nonmembers—$190 \n  \n 
URL:https://pawinesociety.org/event-calendar/botrytis-wines/
LOCATION:Hilton Harrisburg\, 1 North Second Street\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Educational
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pawinesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2766467395-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Contact PWS":MAILTO:treasurer@pawinesociety.org
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