2012 Calendar
Meetings are Friday Night Social Wines at 6:30, Tasting / Presentation at 7:00PM
| Date | Topic | Presenter | Snacks | Location |
| January 20 | Bordeaux Wines and Things Like Them | Ron Natalie | Margy Natalie / Vicki Caruso | Ron and Margy's |
| February 17 | Introduction to Wine Judging | Rege and Jane Duralia | Margy Natalie | Ron and Margy's |
| March 16 | Spring Into Summer | Margy Natalie | Ron and Margy | Ron and Margy's |
| April 27 | A Grape by Any Other Name | Ron Natalie | Ron Natalie | Mike and Julie Jetzer |
| May 27 | Picnic and Wine Party at Ron and Margy Natalie's | |||
| June 22 | Italian Wines | Bonner Guilford | Bonner & Diane Guilford | Ron and Margy's |
| July | Summer Break | |||
| August 17 | White Wines | Barb Perkins | Barb & Julie | Barb Perkins |
| September 14 | National Tasting Project | Rege Duralia | Ron and Margy | Ron and Margy's |
| October | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| November 8-12 | AWS National Convetion, Portland, Oregon | |||
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What if I get halfway there and realize I forgot my glasses?!!?
A: Don't worry, we have extras, but it's much easier for each person to take home and wash 2 glasses then it is for one person to wash 70.
Q: If I want to present do I have to have it at my house?
A: No, we set this year's schedule so we can have all the meetings in our hangar, but if you do want to have one at your place that's fine as well.
Q: Should I bring a dish?
A: No, for each meeting someone will prepare the snack trays. If you want to volunteer to do the snacks for a meeting that would be GREAT!
Q: What is the tasting fee used for?
A: The presenter buys all the wine and then the chapter will reimburse them for the wine, the same goes for whoever is preparing the snacks. Hopefully everything averages out in the end with a bit left over for Chapter things.
Q: If I want to become member, what do I have to join?
A: You may attend up to 3 AWS meetings as a guest. If you intend to come to more, then you must join:
The Nataional American Wine Society - The Society provides many resources as well as insurance for Chapter events, etc. It's $49 a year for individuals, $62 a year for couples (2 adults at the same address). You can join online at this web page.
The chapter - We'll decide on the fee at the meeting, the chapter we belong to in VA is $5 a year. All chapter members must belong to the National AWS.
Q: I'm interested in presenting, but I'm no wine expert.
A: It's not required. Pick a topic that interests you, go shopping for the wine (we typically have 6-10 wines during the formal tasting, plus a 6 or so cheaper, perhaps related, perhaps not bottles for the premeeting social), and think about something to say about them. Topics can include wine regions (perhaps where you've been or where you'd like to go), kinds of wines, wines that fit a category (different vintages of the same wine, wines rated over 90 points but cost under $20, wines that go good with barbecue, etc…). We try to shoot to keep the wine budget at $300-350 per tasting.
Q: What do I do next?
A: Contact Ron and Margy to get on the calendar, we'll get the word out. If you're hosting it at a location other than our place, we have the entire chatper suppies (knives, plates, water pitchers, name tags) in two large purple storage tubs.
Q: Do I have to make a powerpoint?
A: Nope, you can talk without it if you like. If you would assistance or would like to borrow Ron's projector, that can be arranged.