Bernadette Fideli
Watching the Parade of Nations in this year’s Winter Olympics, one can be amazed by the sheer number of nations and humbled by the lack of knowledge of some. For example, this year Eritrea and Kyrgyzstan had competing athletes, along with Timor-Leste. To expand our knowledge of geography, Bill and Bernadette Fideli invited the Wine Stewards to explore the vast world of wines. Members were forbidden to bring wines from the following countries and states: France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, California, Oregon, Washington State, and Texas. Wine, or a variety of wine, is produced in every country in the world and every state in the United States. Did you know New Jersey is the seventh largest wine producing state? Yet, most people buy wine from the above banned countries and states.
Responding to the challenge, the Wine Stewards enjoyed a refreshing evening of newly discovered wines from unique areas. The evening began with a welcoming sparkling wine from New Mexico. Founded in 1984, the Gruet Winery specializes in Methode Champenoise sparkling wine with roots originating from Gilbert Gruet’s Champagne house in Bethon, France. It is a full-bodied wine with complex aromas of raspberry, baked pear and cherry, complemented by a hint of toasted vanilla. Albuquerque, New Mexico also features the world-famous Hatch Green Chile Wine. Premium chile from the Hatch Valley, the chile capital of the world, is fire-roasted and cold-soaked in white wine, allowing traditions of wine and chile to fuse into one. Semi-sweet and very smooth, this slightly spicy wine brings to life the flavor of the Southwest with its unique New Mexican flair.
Lebanon’s Bekaa Vally featured a red wine enjoyed by all. Chateau Musar Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Cinsault, with intense baked fruit characters of plums, damsons, cranberries, cherries, figs and dates. The Bekaa Valley has produced wines for over 6,000 years, and the Lebanese are descendants of the ancient Phoenicians. The Hoshar family, producers of Chateau Musar, arrived in Lebanon during the Crusades.
The evening ended with a silky, smooth wine from the Netherlands. Chocovine is a masterful blend of selected premium quality Dutch chocolate harmoniously blended with a full-bodied French Cabernet Sauvigno. This wine is produced by Royal Dutch Distillers, craftsmen since 1695. Sipping newly discovered wines, and studying geography, The Wine Stewards happily increased their knowledge of the world.