Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 28, 1994 TAG: 9404280098
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARY JO SHANNON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Crittendens became interested in wines about 10 years ago, before their marriage, when Beth worked in public relations in the metropolitan Washington area. When one of her clients, a luxury line of rail cars, wanted an exciting, different event, Beth came up with a winner: a tasting featuring Virginia wines.
"Since Rob was in Covington [working at Westvaco] at the time," Beth said, "we traveled back and forth through Virginia, exploring vineyards between our two locations."
After their marriage, Westvaco sent them to Washington state, where they found themselves in the middle of wine country.
"Most people are aware of the California wines of Napa and Sonoma valleys but don't realize that Washington and Oregon are also known for their vineyards and wineries," Rob said. As members of the Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest, they learned much about wines, particularly about taste and use.
Many factors influence the flavor of wines - soil, climate, sunshine and rainfall, as well as the many varieties of grapes.
"Grapes in the same vineyard are different," Beth said. "Some rows will be exposed to more sunshine and may be harvested earlier than others in the same area."
Festivals often take place during the time of harvest, known as "crush."
The Crittendens actually stomped grapes with their bare feet when they attended the Woodinville Grape Stomp in Washington during "crush." Wineries no longer use this primitive method of extracting the juice; they now depend on machinery to crush the grapes without breaking the seeds.
Their interest in wines also took the Crittendens to Europe in May 1990. They visited vineyards and wineries in Bordeaux, France, and toured Italy, another European wine country.
When Westvaco returned them to Virginia, Rob and Beth were eager to introduce their neighbors to the casual fellowship of wine lovers they had experienced in the west.
Together, they founded the Roanoke Valley Wine Society, an organization open to all who want to learn more about wines. Membership benefits include a monthly newsletter, The Winepress, with information about upcoming events, lists of "best buys" and discounts at participating local wine outlets.
Annual dues of $30 for individuals or $45 per couple entitle members to attend the tastings held at Corned Beef & Co. on the Roanoke City Market for $7.50 instead of the $10 required for nonmembers. Members also receive a discount on items from the restaurant's menu, selected by Beth for their compatibility with the wines to be studied. Rob said dues and fees enable the society to "break even" but do not provide a profit.
The Crittendens operate the society's office out of their home near Daleville and have a separate telephone line with answering machine to provide information for inquiries.
The 20 guests at the first meeting in January were far fewer than the 350-member Seattle group, the model for the Roanoke organization. But the guests came from a large geographic area - Blacksburg, Lexington, Harrisonburg, Northern Virginia and the Roanoke Valley - and applications are received daily.
At tastings, the focus may be on reading labels, a particular country's wines or matching foods to wines.
Although six wines are usually sampled, one-ounce servings of each ensure that total consumption for a participant is equal to only one or 1 1/2 glasses of the beverage. The purpose is to savor the wine and to learn to detect the subtle scents of fruit, herbs or smokiness that characterize each variety.
"We walk them through the `inverted whistle,' a technique of slurping the wine to aerate it, so the flavor is more pronounced," Beth explained. "The inverted whistle is a great ice-breaker."
Instead of the usual approach - selecting a wine to accompany a meal - Beth said she often asks Rob to choose a wine, then plans her menu accordingly.
The Roanoke Valley Wine Society's next tasting will be April 28, when the society will sample wines of Australia. On May 26, International Gourmet will lead a tasting of favorite cabernet sauvignons. For more information, call (703) 992-3285.
by CNB