Wisconsin Vintners Association

Wisconsin Vintners Association

(Home Wine Makers Club)

Critical Wine Tasting

The March 2010 membership meeting of the Wisconsin Vintners Association will begin at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, March 10th at Clifford’s Restaurant, 10418 Forest Home Ave, Hales Corners, WI. The program will be a critical wine tasting of commercial wines. We will have table captains leading small groups to evaluate flights of four wines. We will be using the same judging sheets that are used at our club wine judging and at the WI State Fair wine judging. This program should help you evaluate your own homemade wines and make you a better winemaker. Please bring an empty wine glass or two.

This month’s pre-meeting dinner wine prize is a bottle of Martin Ray Pinot Noir 2005. This is a 100% varietal Pinot Noir grown in California.

President's Blog

The dinner dance was a big success. Thanks to all that worked on the planning, worked at the games, donated door prizes and those that just attended and took part in the activities. We had 221 in attendance, which was one of our better turnouts, and at least 24 hotel rooms were reserved. We will try to go back to the Radisson next year.

Don Betlej has been working hard to get the club judging and the Wisconsin State Fair information out, so be sure to enter some wines in both contests. These contests are a lot of work so we would appreciate all the help we can get. The deadline to enter the Club Judging is March 6th.

Nominations will soon be made to serve on the WVA board. If you are interested in serving on the nominations committee or are willing to serve on the board, please talk to me or one of the board members.

I am sorry to hear of the passing of Mary Uthemann. She will be missed, as most of us learned a lot from her in our early years of winemaking.

Howard Hasselkus

Welcome New Members

Let’s all welcome our newest members: Victor & Bernadette Erickson of West Bend and Tom & Linda Wirtz of Racine, WI. Thanks for joining and welcome to our club!

Annual Club Judging is Sunday, March 14

This year’s Club Judging will be held on Sunday March 14, 2010. This annual competition is open to all club members. Please mark down this date. We will be looking for members to help out with set up, wine stewarding, judging (apprentice judges welcome) etc. No experience necessary for most of the jobs.

The purpose of this event is threefold:

• An opportunity for club members to have their wines evaluated in a formal manner, based upon similar judging criteria used by major wine competitions around the country.

• Club members can get an early indication of their wine’s potential to receive an award at the Wisconsin State Fair that is held later in the year.

• The Club Judging provides a training opportunity for prospective wine judges and stewards. The WVA provides the judges and stewards used in the WI State Fair competition.

2010 Rules & Regulations (PDF)

The ribbons awarded to the winners are created by the club and there is a traveling wall plaque for the Best of Show winner, currently in Larry Legare’s possession.

Board of Directors for 2009/2010

President: Howard Hasselkus (one year)
Vice President: Thomas Courtney (one year)
Recording Secretary: David Brandt (one year)
Corresponding Secretary: Don Betlej (one year)
Treasurer: Mike Bell (one year)
Sergeant-at-Arms: Mary Howell (one year)
Trustees: Len Montalbano (two years), George Scovronski (one year)
Board Members-at-Large: Rick Markham (two years), Mike Szabo (two years), Erv Herman (one year), F Jerry Wanty (one year)

Calendar of Events

March 10th Wednesday - WVA membership meeting at Clifford’s in Hales Corners, WI, 7:30 PM

March 14th Sunday - Annual club wine judging, 9:00 AM at Clifford’s, Hales Corners, WI.

April 7th Wednesday - Board of Directors meeting at the home of Howard & Sally Hasselkus, 7:00 PM

April 14th Wednesday - WVA membership meeting at Clifford’s in Hales Corners, WI, 7:30 PM

Special Thanks To Clifford's For The Use Of Their Hall!

10418 W. FOREST HOME AVE

HALES CORNERS, WI

(414) 425-6226

www.cliffordsfinefood.com

Map

Please Support Our Sponsor!

ABOUT THE WISCONSIN VINTNERS

ASSOCIATION

The Wisconsin Vintners Association of Milwaukee was organized in 1970. Membership is open to anyone over 21 years old who has an interest in wine making. Our mission is educating our members in the many styles of wine and techniques while promoting the responsible use of alcohol.

Regular monthly meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at Clifford's Supper Club, 10418 West Forest Home Ave. Hales Corners, WI. at 7:30PM. Usually we feature a speaker and offer tasting and evaluation of different varieties of wines.

To join our organization please click on and complete the following:

WVA Membership Application (PDF)