The Grapevine
Fall 2019
From the Host
Fall is Here!
It is hard to believe that fall is here and that the days are getting shorter and cooler! I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer and an awesome season. My wine philosophy changes as the seasons change and I love this time of year as to me it is the perfect time of year to drink pinot noir! I must admit I enjoy pinot noir all year long but on a cool evening with the leaves starting to change and a glass of wine in my hand makes me happy. It was Andre Tchelistcheff that declared “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir!”
Great things are being planned for the CMAA 2020 World Conference and Club Business Expo in Grapevine, TX. Ryan Brennan, CCM, and Blaine Burgess, CCM, CCE, have planned a great one-day Pre-Conference Workshop called “Wine Ed Gone Wild!” featuring Master Somms, Iconic Winery Owners and classic vintage tastings.
Blaine Burgess will be running the Wine Auction again and we look for all the CMAA Chapters and Wine Society members to support this great cause. Conference is in early February so wines will need to be shipped by early January so start collecting donations soon.
Jack Grehan has set up the Business Meeting and I am pleased to announce that Fred Dame, Master Sommelier, has been selected to be our presenter. Fred is a very interesting and entertaining speaker, with quite a few stories to tell. He has recently become Global Wine Ambassador for Daou Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles, CA.
The Annual Wine Dinner will be held at the Fort Worth Club and Colin Mack-Allen, CCM, and Karl Habib, CCM, have an amazing evening of fine wines from around the world and dinner planned. This will be a can’t miss event.
We hope to have a Chapter Representative meet and greet at conference to have the opportunity for the Board of Managers to meet with all the Chapter Representative attending conference. More details to follow but I look forward to the chance to meet and speak with all the Chapter Reps and say thank you for all your efforts!
Thank you to Jack Grehan on all the help with planning, organizing, and executing the recent BMI Wine and Food Experience in Napa, CA.
I am excited about the future of CMAA and the Wine Society and I look forward to a great year. My door, phone, and computer are always open and I want to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to me or any of my colleagues on the Board with questions, concerns, or suggestions!
“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”
― Ernest Hemingway
I raise a glass to all of you and wish you the very best!
Cheers,
Paul A. Smith III
2019 Host
Chapter & Member News
Recapping the BMI Wine & Food Experience: An Experience of Growth and Culture
Sarah Kuhl, CCM
The BMI Wine and Food Experience took place in Napa, California, September 23-26, with more than 30 club management professionals in attendance. The four-day program began with two days of education and instruction at the Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) Copia Campus, located in downtown Napa, and wineries located in Napa.
Day One: Culinary Experience & Wine Pairing
We started our morning by shocking the palate with the Kaiseki Food & Beverage Pairings. Beverages of cold press juices, Mead, Sour Ale, and Wine were paired with dishes to complement and enhance the flavors in both the food and beverages.
We separated into groups of three, where each team put out a three-course menu to be paired with three of the same wines for each course. After lunch, we calibrated our palates, learning how to understand our personal taste receptors through a unique tasting through taste profiles of sweetness, acidity, tannin, oak, and alcohol.
We ended day one with a tasting of Mayacamas current vintages of Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and ending with a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon at their downtown Napa tasting room. They bought the space for the tasting room after the 2017 fires burned down their newly built winery facilities. Mayacamas, known for being the first boutique winery in Napa Valley, which began making wine in 1889 and pioneering from 1941 to1968 with the Taylor Family.
Day Two: Global Cuisine, Buffet Lunch Production, & Mastering Wine as a Professional
Based on popularity and complexity of each of these region’s cuisine, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has come up with three global flavor schools: Latin, Mediterranean, and South East Asian. We took these specific flavors and broke them down with taste vs. flavor in conjunction with three different wines that ranged from high acid white to tannic red. Using food components to represent acid (lime), salt (soy sauce), tannin (Indian spice mix), and fat (coconut milk), we broke down best profiles and combinations for each wine and food.
In the afternoon, we rejoined our groups from Day 1 to create a buffet brunch menu, varying from traditional breakfast favorites to fresh salads, grilled and roasted meat, and fishes. Pairing the lunch with a build your own bar of Bloody Mary’s, Sangria, and Sparkling Wine Cocktails.
We ended the day with a discussion of where we are as wine and beverage professionals and creating personal goals for the industry.
Day Three: Winery Visits & The Business Side of the Industry
We began the discussion with a panel moderated by Geni Whitehouse, CPA, CITP, of Brotemarkle, Davis & Co accounting firm. The panel included Violet Grgich, President of Grgich Hills Estate; Tracy Smith, General Manager of Sominum Wine; Jack Grehan, General Manager of Meadow Club in Marin County, CA; and Sarah Kuhl, CCM, Assistant General Manager of Beach Point Club. The panel began with the discussion of trends in the industry and ways for wineries to create and maintain a connection with the club industry. Each topic lingered out to the rest of the group for further discussions, giving both the wineries and the club managers a better understanding of each other’s expectations and struggles to cultivate and maintain a relationship.
Our first winery tour and tasting was at Robert Sinskey Vineyards, located along the Silverado Trail in the Stag’s Leap District. Phil Abraham, the General Manager, took us out on to the estate vineyards. These vineyards have recently been re-planted as they were damaged in the 2017 fires. The winery has been organically farming since 1991.
We moved onto Groth Vineyards and Winery, where we were greeted by Suzanne Groth, second generation President & CEO, and Cameron Perry, Director of Wine Growing. As we travelled through the winery with a glass of their estate Sauvignon Blanc, Cameron spoke about the hiring and labor environment and the challenges they face. Within the last few years, the winery has put into place an Automated Pump Device through a system called TankNet. TankNet also has many other features, which Cameron can control and monitor remotely through an app. This allows the winery to offset some of the labor needs to allow it to run properly.
Day 3 ended at Compline Wines, a restaurant located in downtown Napa. There we were greeted by Master Sommelier and Owner of Compline, Matt Stamp. Matt took us through a blind tasting of Old World vs. New World Wines and following up with a family style dinner to pair with the wines.
Day Four: Winery Visits & Napa Rocks Presentation
By Day Four, it became very apparent to us that it was Harvest, with trucks of grapes entering into the wineries and being unloaded to start production. Our first visit was at Grgich Hills. There we were greeted by Ivo Jeramaz, Winemaker and Vice President of Vineyards & Production, and a glass of Fume-Blanc. Ivo took us through his style of vineyard cultivation and wine making as we walked through the facility and ended at the Ranch House to taste through the current vintages of the Estate wines.
Next, we travelled to Flora Springs where we were greeted by Richard Tiedemann, Director of Winery Relations; John Komes, President & Proprietor; and Brett Van Emst of Napa Valley Vintners; and of course, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. As we enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc, Brett took us through the history of Napa Valley, how wine growing began, and where it is at today.
Richard took us through the caves of Flora Springs and talked about the history of the winery, production and wine growing for not only their label, but also some of the great Napa Valley Wineries. We ended our day and, ultimately, our BMI program with a lunch overlooking the estate vineyards with John sharing stories of his family and the people he has met and influenced with his wines —all while drinking their iconic Trilogy Red Wine Blend.
Each day was a unique look into the industry of not only wine and food, but the exclusivity of the hospitality industry. It was definitely an experience of growth and culture.
View the complete gallery of event photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/140170873@N08/albums/72157711264747202.
Society Happenings
2020 Pre-Conference Wine Workshop: Wine Ed Gone Wild!
The CMAA Wine Society presents Wine Ed Gone Wild! On Friday, February 7, 2020, in conjunction with the CMAA 2020 World Conference and Club Business Expo in Grapevine, TX. The workshop will feature Master Sommeliers, Iconic Winery Owners and classic vintage tastings. The workshop will take place at off-site locations including Pappas Brothers Steakhouse and Brook Hollow Golf Club.
Developing & Elevating Your Wine Program, Jack Mason, MS & Barbara Werley, MS
Join Master Sommeliers Barbara Werley and Jack Mason as they discuss best practices for developing a practical and thoughtful wine program that speaks to individual membership. The presentation and discussion will be centered around examining the techniques of wine list development, the operational decisions of selling and serving wine as well as current trends in the market.
Ageability of Chardonnay, David Ramey, Owner of Ramey Wine Cellars
Do you wonder why some Chardonnays age beautifully while others turn golden and sherry-like in a few years? Have you been burned buying bottles of white Burgundy only to find them suffering from the dread premox? Did you think you were buying white wine for the cellar but later realized you had purchased orange wine? Join David Ramey as he explains the causes of this unnecessary evolution. More chemistry than you’ve been exposed to since high school! He’ll cover the ins and outs of bottle closures—raw cork plugs, technical corks, screwcaps, plastic plugs, Vinoloks… No course prerequisites necessary! Yummy Chardonnays to taste in the lab portion of this class. Don’t miss it!
Practical Elements of Wine and Food Paring, Melissa Monosoff, MS
Join us for a working lunch with Master Sommelier Melissa Monosoff who will share some sommelier secrets to great food and wine pairing. She will break down practical pairings and interactions that can be applied to many different cuisines and beverages. This practical experience and demonstration with lunch will show how and why certain parings work while others do not.
Decades of Napa Valley Master Class, The Evolution of Style, Jeff Smith, Owner of Hourglass
Napa Valley has gone through an amazing metamorphosis over the past 50 years. It has evolved from a sleepy ag community, to one of the world’s premier wine growing regions. Jeff Smith, founder of the Hourglass Wine Company, had the great fortune to grow up in St. Helena with backstage access to Napa’s unique rise to prominence. With a seat at the dinner table of many of the founding families that transformed the Valley, he gained an unusual insider’s perspective on Napa’s prominent role in the American food and wine revolution.
In this Master Class, Smith will walk you through 50 years of winemaking and the evolution of style in Napa. Part vintner perspective, part wine geek, part historian, part chronicler of style, Smith will dig into what makes Napa so unique and how its evolution came about through personalized stories and a sensory evaluation of the changing wine styles. You will taste wines from each decade reaching back to the 70s, and breakdown how and why they came into existence.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to delve into the backstory of Napa Valley, and gain a unique perspective on America’s premiere wine growing region.
The day long workshop will conclude in the evening with a cocktail reception before returning to the Gaylord Texan.
Access the complete Pre-Conference Workshop agenda and speaker profiles. Registration opens at www.cmaa.org/conference in mid-October. Subject to minimum registration requirements.
Annual Wine Auctions: Get Started on Your Chapter’s Donation
It’s time to start gathering your Chapter’s Annual Wine Auction donations! The 2019 wine auctions raised more than $85,000 with a portion of the proceeds benefitting The Club Foundation.
Collect: The 2019 Bucky winners donated more than $29,000 worth of wine for the Overall Bucky. Winners walked away with their corresponding Bucky Trophy to display for a year, a $1,000 education grant from The Club Foundation and bragging rights. Does your chapter have what it takes to donate that much, or more, wine?
Ship: The Wine Society is happy to reimburse chapters for shipping expenses if they follow a few simple rules:
- All donations must be shipped to the Auction Clearinghouse by January 30, 2020.
- Wine donations must be at least $25 per bottle and $500 in wholesale value.
- Professional shipping materials, such as cardboard boxes and Styrofoam bottle holders, are also reimbursed. The reimbursement will not cover any other supplies utilized in the shipping process.
- Only one reimbursement request may be submitted per chapter on the official Reimbursement Form.
Don’t forget: For your donation to be included in the Bucky calculation, you must fill out the Auction Donation Form at time of shipping.
Please ship your donations to the following address beginning before January 30, 2020:
IWS Auction Donation
Attn: Raymond DeTullio
Lakewood Country Club
6430 Gaston Ave.
Dallas, TX 75214
The Auction Chairmen would like to thank Lakewood Country Club for being the 2020 Auction Clearinghouse. For more information on the 2020 CMAA Wine Society Auctions, please contact Sara Thom at 703-739-9500 or via email at sara.thom@cmaa.org.
Welcome Our Newest Members!
This quarter, the Wine Society welcomed nine new members:
- Dana Cancellaro, CCM, Village Club of Sands Point
- Christine Cassano, Philadelphia Cricket Club
- Genna Downs, Noyac Golf Club
- Peter Fischl, Salem Country Club
- Ronald Amos Harper, Jr., The Pinnacle Club, Inc.
- Joseph Mendez, CCM, CCE, Germantown Cricket Club
- Jonathan E. Prostak, Saucon Valley Country Club
- Jesse Smith, CCM, Noyac Golf Club
- Dale G. Telford, CCM, CCE, Casper Country Club
Do you know someone who might be interested in joining the CMAA Wine Society, but they’re not a CMAA member? They’re in luck with the Wine Society’s Associate Membership!
Associate Membership in the Wine Society shall be open to individuals who are 21 years of age or older and are not members of CMAA. These individuals must be from a club that has a CMAA and Wine Society member to sponsor them. The membership is nontransferable and nonrefundable if the individual leaves employment at the club and moves to a property that is without a CMAA and Wine Society member. They shall be admitted to membership following the receipt of a completed application, a sponsor endorsement, and payment of dues.
Take Five
In the Spotlight with Cody Wright
Karl Habib, CCM, Kitchenmaster
Cody Wright is the Winemaker and Proprietor of Purple Hands Wine in Dundee, OR. He is also the son of iconic winemaker, Ken Wright, who founded Ken Wright Cellars in Carlton, OR, in 1994.
What is your management philosophy?
My management philosophy is built on hiring quality people. My father always you can teach someone anything but character. I like to give people freedom of expression and opportunity to make gentle mistakes so they can have ownership over problem solving.
Were you in leadership roles when you were younger?
I was in sports growing up but was working in the family business of making wine and working in the vineyards from a young age, my mother and father had me with heavy chore lists that I had to complete before I was ever able to do anything else.
How have your parents influenced your leadership style?
Their drive and ownership of their decisions and intent to the highest quality of work has been a big part of my life.
Were there any expressions they would repeat around the dinner table?
My father was very serious about table manners and that was a fine line through my childhood.
What were some early lessons for you as a young manager?
You are only as good as your word and the quality of your work. I’m the kind of person that likes to let my work speak for me, so it needs to be the highest quality.
Where did you go to college?
I went to the University of Oregon and graduated with double major in Science.
What’s the biggest challenge facing the wine industry today?
Labor is one of the biggest challenges. Next is sales. The market is getting very monetized. With fewer and fewer distributors, just really big ones, there is not nearly as much room for everyone as there once was.
Tell us about your family and children.
I’ve been married for eight years now. My wife and I run the company. Her name is Marque Wright. We have two children. My son, Tyrus, is five, and my daughter, Wynnie, is two. We live on a farm of 26 acres and have planted 12 of it to pinot noir. The Vineyard is called West Wind and it’s on the Ribbon Ridge AVA, that is where we live.
What don’t most people know about Oregon wine country?
We are 40 miles from the beach, we are the seed capital of the world, our sedimentary soils are 150 million years old, and the volcanic soils are 50 million.
Favorite bottle of wine?
Beaux Frères upper terrace.
Favorite food?
Sushi
Favorite vacation spot?
Caribbean or Selkirk mountains
Favorite part of the job?
The details.
Are you a golfer?
Yes. I love golf. I’m about a 14 handicap.
Idea Fair
Which Beer Makes You Hoppy?
Tamer El-Adawy, from Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield, IL, shared this idea in the Beverage Concepts category
“While brainstorming ideas for the new bar, we considered the craft beer boom. We knew we needed to incorporate this trend, so besides adding more taps so we could pour more craft beer options, we decided to take it a step further. We felt a partnership with a brewery to develop an exclusive Sunset Ridge brew would be a great way to set ourselves apart from what other clubs were doing and create excitement among the members. Before long, the project was set in motion!
First, we had to find the right brewer. We wanted to stay locally in Chicago as we felt the beer scene here was (and is) phenomenal and it was important that we give back by helping our local economy. After contacting several brewers in the area to discuss the opportunity, it wasn’t long before we found a perfect match.
As we neared the opening of the new bar, we brought in the help of our membership. We needed their taste buds and input to help us narrow down several test beer options the brewer had developed to select the one that fit Sunset Ridge. Two months before the opening our new bar, we hosted an event “Which Beer Makes You Hoppy?” The membership sampled five different beers and our chef provided samples of new menu options that would be available after the bar and dining areas were open. The membership tasted the brews blindly and used a scorecard to rate the different options. In the end, our members selected the beer that would become the Club’s very own.
On the day of our bar opening, Sunset Amber was on tap for all our membership to try. Since them, we have added a second rotating option from the same brewer. This rotating option changes seasonally, according to the whim of the brewery. The partnership and exclusive beers have a huge success for our members and the Club! It has added a trendy, fun offering while also increasing the sense of community.”
Wine Industry Trends, News, & Stats
Drink While Doing Yoga
Beer yoga and wine hikes are examples of the growing trend of combining alcohol and wellness activities. Agua Serena Spa in California offers "Scotch and Stretching" and "Vino and Vinyasa."
Hospitality Industry Taps into Beer's Popularity
With beer being the third-most popular beverage after water and tea, the hospitality industry is working hard to capitalize on it, and some travelers now plan vacations around the brew. From BrewDog Airlines to Italian artisan beer-tasting vacations and from city-tour pedal pubs to beer-infused spa treatments, a range of companies are creating plenty of ways to tap its potential.
Research Question: What is the Median Club Beverage Revenue?
This information can be found in the recently released 2019 Finance and Operations Report
If you have any questions, please reach out to CMAA’s Research team.