The Wine Guild of Charlottesville

Wine Tasting: Justin Winery

Posted on Nov, 02. 2010 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

For the second tasting in a row, we’re bringing you a lineup that comes exclusively from one producer. However, while LIOCO is up and coming, Justin Vineyard & Winery has been around for awhile and established quite a name for itself as one of the premier producers in California’s Central Coast. Started in 1981, when there were less than 10 other wineries in Paso Robles (today there are several hundred), their focus is more traditional, old-world-styled wines, Bordeaux blends, etc., with that inescapable Californian pioneering spirit mixing things up. They’ve been one of my favorite Californian winemakers for quite some time, so I’m thrilled to have their wines available for tasting! Continue reading…

Wine Tasting: LIOCO Wines

Posted on Oct, 19. 2010 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

Last week, a few board members tried a lineup of samples from a small, burgeoning operation in California called LIOCO (a combination of the first part of the two winemakers' last names, Matt Licklider and Kevin O'Connor), and thought that their wines would be perfect for a tasting. Their motto, "pure, honest, principled wine", is something that really strikes me as refreshing in an industry so often poisoned by dishonest fluff, empty hyperbole and market-driven disappointments wrapped in the "cult" flag. These guys don't own any vineyards, they buy their fruit and thus can more easily select exactly what they want to produce the results they're after. They also don't actually own a winery, instead choosing to make their wine at a state-of-the-art cooperative. Continue reading...

Wine Tasting: German Wines 101

Posted on Sep, 13. 2010 by Staff

Categories: Events

The most important thing that you will do this week is to attend our German Wine Tasting on Wednesday the 15th from 5:30-7:30pm at the Guild office. Guild member Klaus Alt has graciously accepted our request to come in and give us some insight into German wine. This first tasting is a German Wine 101 event, I hope that we will be able to do a 201 and 301 throughout the fall and winter. This will be a great chance to really learn about one of the most complex wine systems and one of the greatest (and overlooked) wine producing regions in the world.

Klaus is an encyclopedia of knowledge about this subject and we are asking that as many of you as possible can show up by 6pm when we will begin as to really get the benefit of learning here we will have to address the group together. If you can't make it by 6pm come anyway and we will do our bext to catch you up.

Remember, this is the wine Guild, anything you thought you knew about wine before is now moot. Come Wednesday and understand German wine.

Notes from Last Night’s Tasting: Agosto en España

Posted on Aug, 06. 2010 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events, Wine

What a sweet summer lineup we had last night...plenty of you dropped by, and even though our 2 air conditioners weren't quite able to keep up with all that body heat, the chilled-down Txakolini surely was. Our "theme" was August in Spain; what I personally took home from it was an energetic mix of new and old world styling, steeped in tradition yet not afraid of innovation. That, to me, is Spain in a nutshell, and the contrast between the Muga and the Triton illustrated it exquisitely. My favorites: Continue reading...

Wine Tasting: A Killer Lineup!

Posted on Aug, 03. 2010 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

I just wanted to get this out so that you had ample time to clear your schedule for Wednesday evening -- if just for 30 minutes or so-- to taste this extraordinary lineup. Ellen from The County Vintner poured these for Kevin Sidders a couple weeks back and he was so impressed with the lineup as a whole, we've decided to bring it back for you.

Honestly, I'm very excited to try these after reading the descriptions below. The Muga's always been a favorite of mine---there are very few wines for the price (~$20) that age as well and as long as this (if you'll look at the notes, you'll see that the upper end of the window is 2026!!!)...and the other ones sound so curiously unique and interesting. All have very sweet price points. Anyway, take a look at the notes, and if you know what's good for you, you'll find a little time to drop by on Wednesday evening between 5:30 and 7:30! Continue reading...

Tasting Reminder…tonight, featuring Kysela and The Southern Hemisphere

Posted on Jul, 21. 2010 by Staff

Categories: Events

It's been quite awhile since Emily Papach and Kysela has joined us to pour their wines, and if you haven't had the pleasure of trying them before, then that's even more reason to come on out tonight. We'll have the AC cranked, and a lineup of cool stuff from Kysela, as well as some cheeses and oils to try. Be there...5:30 to 7:30.

Wine Dinner at Ventana

Posted on Jul, 16. 2010 by Staff

Categories: Events

So this is the last call for the Wine Dinner at Ventana restaurant next Tuesday night This dinner has come together wonderfully, we are about 3/4 booked up -- the menu looks fantastic.

I have tasted all of the wines already for this evening and they are showing perfectly. The featured estate for this dinner is Vigna Dogarina from the Veneto region in Northern Italy. We will try two Prosecco which is a specialty of the house, two excellent dry whites from the estate and two 'Super Veneto' style reds blending Bordeaux varietals with the indigenous grapes of the region. There will also be one selection from Tuscanny, a 2005 Chianti Classico from Cavallina. Continue reading...

REMINDER: Special “5th Wednesday” Tasting Tonight!

Posted on Jun, 30. 2010 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

This is just one last little reminder that, well, it's on. We have a bunch of great wine waiting for you to taste, with Terry Shiple and Billy Koenig there to school us on them; also, the folks from the great local cheesemaker Everona Dairy will be in attendance, serving up some of their excellent cheese for us. We hope to see you there---even if you haven't responded to our prior 'headcount' emails. As I mentioned previously, we only have a few of these a year (there aren't many months with 5 Wednesdays), so don't miss out.

Also, please check in with a Board Member (if you're new, just look for the guys with the Wine Guild buttons on their shirts) when you arrive and let us know how many are in your party.

Tasting Great Wine Tonight!

Posted on Jun, 16. 2010 by Will Richey

Categories: Events

So when I say great wine I do not mean expensive wine or even highly rated wine, I mean wine we, here at the Guild, love to drink.

Tonight we have Mr Kevin Schultz (pictured) of Dionysos Imports with a slew of new wines from their newly arrived French Container. There will be:
Continue reading...

Saturday Hours: 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Posted on Jun, 11. 2010 by Will Richey

Categories: Events, Food, Wine

There are a lot of reasons to come by tomorrow during our new Saturday hours (10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.). Most of all to see the handsome Mr. Sidders, and the debonair Mr. Davis. Beyond that we have compiled some pretty compelling things: Continue reading...

Notes from the JWSieg Tasting

Posted on Jun, 09. 2010 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events, Wine

This is, admittedly, a little belated, but Thursday's storms threw a nice little wrench into last week's gears. In any case, we had Billy Koenig from JWSieg Wines pouring 6 very different wines for us. You guys keep showing up in droves every other wednesday, which is not only encouraging for us, but it also wows our distributor reps. Buying power...that's right! Continue reading...

l’etoile Wine Dinner Review & Photos

Posted on Jun, 09. 2010 by Will Richey

Categories: Events

PHOTOS: Click here for photos from the evening.

Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month's newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Wow! Let me say it again, Wow! The excerpt from Stevens' poem above is one of the only ways I know how to express it.

That was a great dinner last night. A big thank you to Mark Gresge at l'etoile for a fantastic and perfectly matched line up of succulent courses. Thank you also to Williams Corner wine for providing such interesting wines for us to taste. And most of all thank you to you all for attending, I hope you had as much fun as I did. We will keep doing these dinners as long as you find them interesting. this was one of our most successful dinners to date. Continue reading...

Wine Tasting: Sieg’s New and Old

Posted on Jun, 01. 2010 by Michael Davis

Categories: Events

This Wednesday, June 2nd from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M., we're hosting Billy Koenig from Sieg...a distributor that's in the midst of somewhat of a renaissance. Well-known, for years, for their macro-brewery (Bud, et al) focus, they picked up Monsieur Touton a couple years back (in addition to some other cool/famous brands), and have very recently scored the killer portfolio of Terry Shiple - one of the best palates in the business (and one of the nicest guys you'll have the pleasure to meet). We're psyched to have his stuff at our fingertips, and you should be too (you'll see!). Billy will have a few of Terry's selections at tomorrow's tasting, along with some other new European wines, so it's certainly something that everyone should check out. Remember to bring a friend. Guests are always welcome.

June 8th Wine Dinner at l’etoile.

Posted on May, 20. 2010 by Will Richey

Categories: Events

The Wine Dinner is filling up fast but we still have a few spaces left. if you have not signed up yet now is the time. I have the wines and menu now, this will be a top end event.

Walk in and be handed a glass of:
2002 Cremant de Alsace

Something to snack on while we wait:
Country Pate with cornichons and pickled onion

A Course for old White Wines:
Chicken and Tolouse sausage roulade with wild mushroom voulote
1991 Domaine Klein Muscat & 1985 Domaine Klein Riesling
Continue reading...

Wine Tasting: Europe with Clement Brown.

Posted on May, 18. 2010 by Michael Davis

Categories: Events

This Wednesday, May 19th from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. we welcome our favorite hedonist wine distributor, Clement Brown to the Guild. He will be pouring an array of European wines and entertaining us with stories of how he once ate pudding out of Barbara Eden's navel. Bring a friend. Guests are always welcome.