Alsace Wines - SOLD OUT - Join the wait list by emailing the treasurer
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Hilton Harrisburg, 1 North Second Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17101, United States
This event is SOLD OUT. We are taking a wait list. To join the wait list E-mail the treasurer.
Anne Krebiehl, MW makes the case for Alsace as an under-the-radar region that comprehensively caters to the demand for fresher, lighter styles of wine in a February posting on Club Oenologique. Allow her words which follow to motivate your securing seats for our unique Alsace event on Friday, March 13th.
“Whether it’s racy dry whites, fragrant reds, refreshing fizz or unique aromatic varieties, Alsace has it all. Yet this region, tucked into the north-east corner of France, is often overlooked. Why? Because its varied wine styles and grape varieties refuse to be typecast easily; offering so much to the wine lover seemingly counts against it. Given the nature of contemporary tastes in wine, however, Alsace is a region ripe for reassessment.
The varied wine styles and grape varieties of Alsace refuse to be typecast easily Crémant d’Alsace is the region’s most dynamic category. These traditional method sparkling wines went from representing just under 25% of the region’s total wine production in 2005 to 40% by 2025. Their success is not surprising and is helped by a latitude almost identical to that of Champagne.
Alsace Crémants, chiefly based on Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois, come with the kind of cool, natural freshness that’s so desirable in fizz. Most are clean, bright aperitif styles but there are artisanal, longer-aged cuvées that will impress sparkling-wine aficionados.
The rosé category also merits attention: by law, the rosés have to be made from Pinot Noir, so every single bottle of pink Crémant d’Alsace is a saignée-method rosé – only without the hefty price tag.
Lovers of Pinot Noir should also tune into Alsace. This is where things have changed most dramatically in recent years. Pinot Noir has long been the red grape of Alsace and, for the longest time, it was turned into juicy, light-bodied, pale reds that made for delicious, easy drinking but would not have impressed serious Pinot lovers – this has changed fundamentally. Climate change and ambition have wrought wonders.
When a law change in 2011 finally permitted separate rulebooks for Alsace’s 51 grands crus, rather than one general rule for all, growers in three sites applied to have Pinot Noir approved as a permitted grape in the grand crus of Kirchberg in Barr, Hengst in Wintzenheim and Vorbourg in Rouffach. The first two were finally approved for the 2022 vintage and Vorbourg, at long last, for the 2024 vintage. But even outside these sites, Pinot Noir makes exquisitely elegant wines, especially in the sites of Jurassic and Triassic limestone that crop up in the varied geological mosaic of Alsace. These wines can rightfully take their place in any line-up of fine Pinot Noirs.
In 2022, Alsace also changed the rulebook for Riesling so that all non-late harvest wines must be dry. This finally put an end to lingering associations of sweetness with those flute-shaped bottles. These expressive, often site-specific wines are perfect for moods and situations where finesse is prized over power, where fine, ripe acidity takes the lead in accentuating subtle flavours and complements rather than dominates. Their lightness of body and moderate alcohol levels dial into that same desire for lightness and transparency that defines much modern cooking.
For Riesling fans, Alsace offers beautiful combinations of bedrocks: why not compare Rieslings grown on granite, limestone and marl and find your favourite? And lovers of sweet Rieslings need not worry: beguiling Vendanges Tardives and Selections de Grains Nobles, i.e. late harvest and nobly sweet styles, are still made and are always clearly labelled.
Alsace finds itself right back on trend with wines that are fresh, light and nuanced with its Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, Alsace holds another card up its sleeve. These more aromatic varieties are still made in a spectrum of dry, off-dry and medium sweet, but the choices put them in a sweet spot for pairing with dishes that also play with gentle sweetness while staying savoury.
This happens when spice and fruit are combined, say in a Mexican pineapple salsa with chilli, in fruit- or honey-glazed hams, or in North African tagines or pastillas. Various Asian cuisines also play this game: in Thai cuisine, for instance, accents of palm sugar counter chilli-heat and citrus tanginess, while sweet-savoury hoisin sauce lends mellow depth to Cantonese favourites like char siu-style barbecues.
With these kinds of flavours, off-dry and medium-sweet wines come into their own and can pick up and resonate with these sweeter strands of the food. Often dismissed as difficult to pair, they open up possibilities where dry wines start to struggle because they are not bone-dry or decidedly sweet but somewhere in between. Once you accept this playfulness in the wines’ balance, these pairings suggest themselves. The sweetness scale, mandatory on every bottle since 2021, has ended the guessing game that once may have prevented you from opening bottles.
Away from the spotlight, it’s clear that Alsace has quietly continued in a multifaceted vein, honing almost every style, and now finds itself right back on trend with wines that are fresh, light and nuanced – and still incredible value.”
Our event host, David Killian, has similar feelings for Alsace wines and has collected some gems for us to experience. The lively acidity and fruitiness that defines Alsace wines makes them some of the best all around partners for food. David has paired these wines with three Alsace-inspired dishes prepared by Hilton Chefs. Please contact the Treasurer for any food allergy concerns.

Chicken Liver Mousse on Garlic Crostini with Pickled Cipollini
Choucroute – Sauerkraut and Potatoes with Pork and Grilled Bratwurst
Caramel Apple Galette with Brown Butter Streusel and Smoked Pecans

This is a wine lovers’ event not to be missed! We will be at the Hilton Harrisburg Friday March 13th at 7 p.m.
Reservation deadline is Tuesday, March 10th. Please contact the Treasurer for any food allergy concerns.
To make reservations, go to the Shoppe Page of this website.
Members—$140
Patrons—$135
Nonmembers—$160

Honig Wines - Reservations Closed 4/21
2026-04-24 19:00 - 21:30
Reservations for this event closed on Tuesday, April 21st. If you’d like to join a wait list to be called in case of a cancellation, please email the Treasurer
Rutherford: The Historic Heart of Napa Valley
When we talk about Napa Valley, we often talk about it as a whole. But the reality is that Napa is a collection of distinct places, each with its own identity, climate, and voice. And then there is Rutherford. Often referred to as the historic heart of Napa Valley, Rutherford is one of the region’s most important and recognizable appellations. At just six square miles, it is relatively small in size, but its impact on the world of wine, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, is enormous. It is here that Honig Vineyard & Winery has built its legacy, and understanding Rutherford is key to understanding why their wines resonate so clearly.
Rutherford sits along the valley floor in central Napa, stretching between the Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca Range to the east. This positioning creates an ideal environment for growing grapes. Warm summer days allow fruit to fully ripen, while cool evenings, often dropping more than ten degrees after sunset, help preserve acidity. This balance between warmth and cooling is one of the defining characteristics of the region and plays a critical role in shaping the wines.
The soils add another important layer. Formed from ancient alluvial fans, they are gravelly, sandy, and exceptionally well-drained. These conditions naturally limit vine vigor, encouraging the plant to focus its energy on producing concentrated, high-quality fruit. The result is wines that achieve ripeness without heaviness and structure without excess.
Rutherford is perhaps best known for something that cannot be easily measured but is unmistakable once experienced. Often referred to as “Rutherford dust,” this signature characteristic describes the fine, powdery tannin structure that underpins many of the region’s Cabernet Sauvignons. It adds a subtle cocoa-like texture and a sense of refinement that sets these wines apart. Combined with flavors of cassis, black cherry, and dark plum, this textural element gives Rutherford wines their hallmark balance of power and elegance. It is not just about intensity. It is about proportion.
Rutherford’s reputation for excellence is not new. Dating back to the 19th century, the region has been home to some of Napa Valley’s most influential vineyards and producers. From early pioneers like Georges de Latour at Beaulieu Vineyard to the historic Inglenook estate, Rutherford has long been associated with wines that define California Cabernet Sauvignon.
That commitment to quality continues today. Organizations like the Rutherford Dust Society bring together growers and vintners with a shared mission to uphold the highest standards in grape growing and winemaking, to care for the land, and to ensure that Rutherford’s unique character is preserved for future generations. In 2020, Rutherford became the first AVA in Napa Valley to achieve 100 percent participation in the Napa Green Land program, reinforcing its leadership in sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Honig is very much a reflection of Rutherford’s philosophy. Their wines are not about excess or showmanship. They are about clarity, balance, and allowing the vineyard to speak. This is especially evident in their Cabernet Sauvignon. Whether it is the broader Napa Valley bottling, the Rutherford expression, or the single vineyard Bartolucci Vineyard wine, each step brings you closer to the source. The structure becomes more defined, the texture more precise, and the sense of place more apparent. Even their Sauvignon Blanc, while vibrant and refreshing, carries a depth and composure that reflects the same careful approach.
What makes the upcoming Honig event so compelling is not just the quality of the wines, but the ability to experience them in context. This is not simply a tasting. It is an opportunity to understand how geography, climate, soil, and philosophy come together in the glass. You will taste Napa Valley alongside Rutherford. You will experience the difference between appellation and single vineyard. You will see how subtle shifts in place translate into meaningful differences in structure, aroma, and texture. And you will do it with Michael Honig in the room, offering firsthand insight into the decisions behind each wine.
Rutherford is not just a location on a map. It is a benchmark for what Napa Valley can achieve when everything aligns, climate, soil, history, and intent. On April 24th, 7 p.m. at the Hilton Harrisburg, that benchmark comes to life. For anyone who appreciates Napa Valley wines or simply wants to better understand why they are so compelling, this is an evening worth being part of. Seats are limited, and this is one you will not want to miss.
We will be pairing wines with artisanal cheese plates.
Sauvignon Blanc will be paired with: Lemon Chive Whipped Chevre, Grilled Feta, Austrian Gruyere, Basil-roasted Pear, Spiced Marcona Almonds, and Blueberry Jam.
Cabernet will be paired with: 6-month Farmstead Manchego, 2- year-aged Black Diamond Cheddar, Gorgonzola Picante, Honeycomb, Cherry Jam, and Dark Chocolate.
Please review all cheese plate items and contact the Treasurer for any food allergy concerns.
Reservation deadline is April 21st or when we sell out. Make reservations on the Shoppe Page of this website.
Members—$155
Patrons—$150
Nonmembers—$175

Pinot Noir - Simply Elegant
2026-05-15 19:00 - 21:30
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.
We 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!!
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’.

“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.
And 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.
But this was a day where I had to nail it. Why would I choose Pinot Noir?
Vulnerable 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.
We 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.
As 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.
Genuinely 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.
Burgeoning 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.
And 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.
And 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.
Personal 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?
At 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.
In 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.
Fortunately 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.”
As 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.
Kevin 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.
Wines will be paired with gourmet small plates to highlight the subtle fruit, earthy undertones, and silky textures of Pinot Noir.

Burrata with Macerated Strawberries, Arugula, Toasted Pistachios, Balsamic Glaze and Basil
Wild Mushroom and Gruyere Arancini with Caramelized Leeks and Truffle Oil
Seared Salmon with Cherry Wine Reduction on Fingerling Chips

Please e-mail the Treasurer with any food allergies.
Space is limited by Hilton availability. Reservation deadline is May 12th. Make reservations on the Shoppe Page of this website.
Members—$160
Patrons—$155
Nonmembers—$180

Botrytis Wines
2026-08-21 19:00 - 21:30
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:
1989 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.
2018 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.
2007 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.
2020 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.
2007 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.
As 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!
2004 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.
2019 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.
2012 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.
There 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.
The 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:
1998 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.”
Our 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
Please 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.
Reservation deadline—August 18th so don’t delay. Make reservations via the Shoppe Page of this website.
Members—$170
Patrons—$165
Nonmembers—$190
