Left to right: Jere Bone, Vivian Wright, Cherie Snowden, Beverlee Deardorff and Alfred Van Gool
Left to right: Charlie Snowden, Brenda McKenzie, John O’Keefe, Nancy Toppan, Frank Deardorff, Mike Aramanda, David Parker, Rupa Mathur, Jim Fox and Jeannie Montano
Bernadette Fideli
Summertime brings its share of leisurely gatherings, and none was more unique than the “Summer ‘quaffing’ Wine Tasting” Frank and Beverlee Deardorff hosted on their patio for the Wine Stewards. Imagine the interest and intrigue when the guests received an invitation to experience six summer quaffing wines, especially when they read the definition of quaffing. The dictionary gives this meaning: to drink a beverage, especially an intoxicating one, copiously and with hearty enjoyment. The evening proved to be one of discovery and enjoyment. The discovery happened when the Wine Stewards were handed a flute of Gruet Blanc de Noirs as they stepped onto the patio. The rich and toasty character is balanced and superb. It is elegant and focused, with creamy vanilla and apple aromas and rich yet crisp flavors of baked pear. It scores 90 points on most charts and is rated one of the top 100 wines by the Wine Spectator, and it comes from New Mexico, one of the least likely areas to expect wine. New Mexico’s wine potential was tapped when the Gruets, a French family, moved to the state in 1984 with the intention of making sparkling wine. The Gruets were from the Champagne region and already were producing fine champagne from a co-op in Bethon, France. In 1983 the family was traveling through New Mexico and met a group of European winemakers who had successfully planted vineyards in Engle, near the town of Truth or Consequence, 170 miles south of Albuquerque. The land was inexpensive and the opportunity golden. Gruet is now a nationally, if not internationally, recognized wine. The wines represent some of the best deals in sparkling wine. Three more whites, each equally crisp and refreshing, followed. Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio comes from the northernmost wine region in Italy and one of the oldest wine growing areas in Europe. Starborough Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Marlborough growing region of New Zealand, the center of some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. Jacob’s Creek Classic Chardonnay is produced in the Barossa Valley of Australia. It is one of the leading forces of Australian wine. Rounding out the evening as hamburgers and smoked sausage sizzled on the grill, the Deardorffs poured two appropriate red wines. As the sun slowly set, the Wine Stewards celebrated summer with good wine, good food and good friends.