The Wines & Vines of Umbria

• Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2010
• Time: Social wine pours at 7:15; Program begins at 7:30pm.
• Location: EB Hamilton Hall
• Presenter: Norm Banks
• Cost: $30 members; $35 Guests ($3 additional charge without a reservation.)
• Bring: Two wine glasses each person
• Reservations: Reserve by Saturday, September 4, to get the reservation discount.
  Call Ray and Patricia Maddix at: (360) 944-2051 or E-Mail Maddix @ comcast . net
• Printable Information: September Announcement

The CWES September 2010 program will feature the land, wineries and wines of Umbria, Italy. Recently back from a tour of all three, Board Member Norm Banks will be our presenter for this educational cross section of Tuscany's lesser known eastern neighbor.

Located in the center of Italy, land-locked Umbria has a long and complex history, including its own unique wine varietals. Crossroads of the Etruscan and Roman empires, and famous for its olives and olive oil, Umbria's inky black Sagrantino wine, and its aromatic whites (Grechetto and Trebbiano Spoletino) are not well known. They were grown for millennium, almost solely for local consumption, on farms, and in the imposing fortress cities and Monastery's of Umbria. However, travelers have appreciated the quality of Umbria's wines over the centuries, and in the early 1970's commercial wineries began to grow and bloom out of the family farms around the central town of Montefalco.

Wine maker Norm Banks will take us on a tour of Umbria, and their unique wines, in a manner similar to his well received program on The Wines of Chile he did for us last year. We are still finalizing the exact wines we will be using for this rare, one of a kind wine tasting experience.

Chefs JD Thomas, Michael Amore and Aaron Gurerra will prepare some great food bites to go along with these fantastic Umbrian wines. It should be a memorable experience.

Since I'm sure you'll enjoy the tasting, do your friends a favor and invite them to come with you. You'll both get free raffle tickets.

Let us know how many reservations you want to make and their names. Please let us know by Saturday September 4, 2010. Cost is $30 for members and $35 for guests, if made before September 4th ($33 and $38 after September 4th and at the door). This may be a well attended event, so it would be a good idea to get your reservation in as soon as possible.

Just a reminder, dues are now due for all members as of September (if you have not already paid, you can pay at the door). The cost is $18/year for the best education you can get on wines (this cost will be pro-rated).