Challenge Your Senses

BENEFITING THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN’S CENTER

Take your Wine Experience to the Next Level

April 30, 2018

April 30, 2018

6:00pm- 8:00pm

5226 Elm, Houston TX 77081

Challenge Your Senses S P O N S O R S

Challenge Your Senses TONIGHT’S SCHEDULE

6:00 PMGuest check in and self-guided aroma quiz & tasting

6:15 PM • 6:45 PM • 7:15 PMSENSORY 101 presentation times: drop in as you like.

Presented by Sean Beck.

6:30 PMWelcome: Denise Ehrlich, WOW President

7:45 PMAroma sniffing winner announced and prize awarded

Thank you to our event committee volunteersRebecca HillNicole WillisSean Beck

Rhett ShumpertDonna Giles

Carl ChargoisIngrid Harris

Lauren Galleymore

LAST YEAR’S INFO

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Challenge Your Senses

W I N E N O T E SChallenge Your Senses

W I N E N O T E STABLE 1: FRUIT, EARTH & SPICE

2014 CRŪ Montage Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands

The unique nose of cherry-cola, cedar and forest floor makes a great first impression. On the palate, this wine shows complexity and depth with flavors of blueberry, pomegranate, cranberry, and infused tea that is nicely balanced with hints of toasted oak.

2014 Bridlewood Pinot Noir, Monterey

Aroma of dark berry, caramel and vanilla. The palate is an elegant expression of Monterey County, offering notes of raspberry, black cherry and subtle oak notes. With each sip, silky tannins and a firm acidity build a smooth texture and long finish.

2014 Gainey Vineyard Merlot, Santa Ynez

Rich purple color. Deep but lovely on the nose, with juicy plums, rich black cherries, the fruit smells so pure and it’s topped with loamy soil, sweet eucalyptus and vanilla. Dark roast coffee, graphite, loamy soil and eucalypts on the palate, accented with well-knit elements of vanilla and toast.

2013 Morlet Family Syrah, Bennett Valley

This wine reveals a complex and spicy bouquet. Intense violet, hints of lavender, black cherry, fresh leather and spicy flavors (white pepper and clove), rich and concentrated with a lingering spicy finish.

2016 J. Lohr Estates Wildflower Valdiguie, Monterey

This wine is deeply pigmented, red-purple in color with profuse, black cherry and lilac aromas. The juicy palate is coated with pomegranate and blueberry fruit, leaving a sweet and mildly astringent finish.

2016 Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel, Sonoma

Delicious and beautifully balanced, you will find enticing aromatics of black cherry, boysenberry and plum with a hint of toast and white pepper. On the palate, brambly flavors of black raspberry and dark chocolate come forward.

TABLE 2: EARTH, SPICE & HERBACEOUS

2014 Jigar Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek

The nose on this wine has earthy, almost leathery, notes to it. With a rich mouth-feel, you can taste the mocha and chocolate covered fruit dance on your palate.

2015 Butera Nero D’Avola, Sicily

The bouquet is broad and persistent, in which one finds almond blossom notes, intense spicy hints and red berries. Flavors are well-structured and extremely rounded with very complex fruit flavors. Flavors that are reminiscent of cherries preserved in brandy, mingled with a very appealing spiciness.

2013 Campo Viejo Reserva, Rioja

A classic blend of Tempranillo (85%), Graciano (10%) and Mazuelo (5%). The complex aromas show a great balance between the fruit (ripe cherries, black plums, and blackberries) and the wood characteristics (clove, nutmeg, vanilla and coconut). On the palate you find lush fruit, baking spices, tobacco and toasted oak.

2015 Marques de Riscal Proximo, Rioja

This blend of 93% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo delivers aromas of strawberries and red cherries. On the palate there are flavors of ripe fruit with a delicious savory character and a hint of toast on the finish.

2008 Ricossa Barolo DOCG

Only the best Nebbiolo grapes are selected to produce Barolo. This wine has a bright garnet color with brick-orange hues and the scent of alcohol-drenched fruit. On the palate, mulberry and sour cherry flavors abound with zesty acidity, chewy leathery tannins, and a persistent finish.

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TASTING TABLE 3: FRUIT & FLORAL

2016 Martin Codax Albarino, Rias BaixasAlbariño is full of crisp minerality and brisk acidity. Attractive floral aromatics are complemented by notes of pear, passion fruit, apple, and peach. Refreshing hints of lemon zest and subtle spice make this a truly versatile, food-friendly wine.

2015 Famille Hugel Riesling, AlsaceThis bright, open-knit white shows a smoky, mineral-laced overtone and flavors of crunchy green pear and blanched almond, with hints of pine and lemon zest. Snappy finish.

2017 Mondillo Riesling, New ZealandPure, pristine Riesling in a crisp dry style with citrus, lime, a suggestion of tree fruit, apricot and salty mineral characters. An ethereal texture and lengthy finish add extra appeal.”

2017 Lange Twins Moscato, CaliforniaAromas and flavors of fresh white peach, apricot and orange blossom are balanced by a little sparkle giving the wine a light body and refreshing finish. A classic light Moscato with natural sweetness and crisp acidity.

TASTING TABLE 4: CITRUS, FRUIT & OTHER

2015 Danzante Pinot Grigio, Italy

The bouquet is refined and enfolding with well-ripened tropical fruit alternating with white peach and apple. The palate shows superb finesse and proportion, impressing with rich, emphatic fruit and a zesty crispness.

2017 Babich Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough

A nose of Gooseberry with lifted lantana and a hint of grapefruit. Mineral and herbal notes, white musk. The palate explodes with flavor of sweet blackcurrant followed up with lemon and spice. Medium weight and good texture – good flesh with a zesty finish.

2017 Brancott Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough

Zesty aromas jump from the glass, with notes of passionfruit, lime flowers, melon and gooseberry. On the palate flavors of grapefruit, honeydew melon, and passionfruit contribute to the ripe fruit sweetness, balanced by yellow capsicum and crisp, flinty acidity.

2015 Tamber Bey Chardonnay, Napa

This wine delivers a rich nose that is dominated by butterscotch aromas mixed with notes of coconut shavings, vanilla and Mandarin custard. The mouth is rich and full-bodied, mixing buttery flavors with caramel and orange blossom. Notes of dry hazelnut linger in the long finish.

2016 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco

The enticing aromas are reminiscent of peaches, tangerine, yellow floral, baking spices, vanilla, and cocoa. These aromas echo on the palate and are complemented by fresh orange and apricot, balanced with creamy texture from aging sur lie. Flavors of crème brûlée and a touch of oak can be found on the long finish.

Challenge Your Senses

W I N E N O T E SChallenge Your Senses

W I N E N O T E S

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Challenge Your SensesGLOSSARY OF WORDS THAT FREQUENTLY

OCCUR IN WINE DESCRIPTIONS

Challenge Your Senses

GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)

Soft Finish

Approachable Wine

Easy Drinking

Velvety Texture

Refreshing

Complex

Forward Fruit

Rich

Smooth Finish

Well-Rounded Flavors

Aroma: The fragrances of wine which come directly from the grapes and the winemaking process. (See also bouquet).

Balanced: Having the acidity, tannin, and other natural components of a wine in pleasing proportions.

Big: Having a very full body. Often refers specifically to high levels of tannin, especially in red wine.

Body: Relates to how the wine feels in your mouth and to the sensations of richness, thickness and heaviness that the wine creates. The fact is some wines just seem fuller, heavier or “bigger” when they are in your mouth

Bouquet: The fragrances that develop in wine trough bottle aging.

Complex: Having many different types of aromas or flavors, such as fruit, herbs spice and wood. Complex wines taste interesting and multi-dimensional. (Wines that do not are called “simple” as in “simple jug wines.”)

Creamy: Having a smooth texture in the mouth; can also describe actual aromas and flavors that resemble those of cream. Often used to describe Chardonnay, especially those that have been fermented or aged in oak barrels.

Crisp: Pleasantly tart; having good acidity. Generally, but not exclusively, used for white wines.

Dry: Having little or no sweetness (residual sugar).

Finish: The finish or aftertaste is the final impression that the wine makes after you have swallowed it.

Fruity: Having aromas or flavors of grapes or other fruits, such as apples, cherries, lemons or pineapples. “Fruit” in wine can often give the illusion of sweetness, even when the wine is completely dry.

Herbaceous: Having aromas or flavors that resemble herbs, vegetables, grass or leaves. Often used to describe Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hot: Having abnormally high alcohol content. Since alcohol creates a feeling of heat in the mouth for many people, high alcohol wines can actually seem “hot.”

Soft: Generally refers to wines with little or no tannin. A textural effect in which the wine feels smooth in the mouth.

Tannin: An astringent substance, found mostly in red wines, which comes from grape skins and seeds and from the barrels used for aging. Tannins give a wine complexity and aging potential, but high levels of tannin can give a harsh “mouth feel,” actually coating the teeth and tongue to create a rough, gritty sensation. Bottle aging enables tannins to “soften” over time.

APPEALING DESCRIPTORS AND TERMS(Great to use when discussing wines you like with friends or sommeliers)

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BENEFITING THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN’S CENTER

Monday, June 11, 2018

6:30pm – 8:30pm

Mercedes Benz of Houston Greenway

3900 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX 77027

WOMEN OF WINE CHARITIES

MONDAY, OCT. 22, 2018

CRYSTAL BALLROOM AT THE RICE

BENEFITING THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN’S CENTER

Y O U C A N S P O N S O R A

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Y O U C A N S P O N S O R A

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Y O U C A N S P O N S O R A

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