Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/14611
Recruiting Members The national organization is broken up into individual chapters throughout the country and anybody can start a chapter. Hames says there’s not a rigid structure on local chapters. “We let them do what the members want to do,” Hames says. “Some handle it formal; some are social. We want to make it fun for people and let them decide.” Think about the kind of rewards that a restaurant could reap from starting a wine club affiliated with the American Wine Society. Not only does a restaurant provide a place for the monthly meeting and builds a strong, consistent client base of tremendous wine enthusiasts, the restaurant brand is associated with a prestigious wine organization. “The Springfield, OH, chapter was started in a wine store,” says AWS President Willis Parker. “That is an easy way to generate customers.” Strategically, it also makes sense for retailers, restaurants and bars to target American Wine Society members. That’s exactly what retailers and restaurants have done across the country. In January, the Denver chapter met at the Cork House Wine Restaurant, tasting Spanish wines. Specifically, they enjoyed 2003 Llopart Brut Cava, 2008 La Cana Albariño, 2008 Muga White Rioja and several others. The Perkiomen Valley, PA, chap- ter gathered at the Pond Restaurant in Radnor, pairing 2007 Alkoomi Riesling with foie gras; 2008 Woop Woop Verdelho with fig, prosciutto, gorgonzola and walnut halves; 2006 Kenwood Pinot Noir with butternut squash soup; and 2005 Tax Goat Rock Syrah with couscous à l’agneau. The Columbus, OH, chapter enjoyed Tuscan wine and foods at the Caffé Daniela. At any one of these meetings, members will spend several thousand dollars, enjoying them- selves and educating their palates. “We are not telling people what to drink,” Hames says. “We are telling people to learn more about wine and let them decide.” Education The American Wine Society is constantly educating its members through newsletters, magazines, meetings, an annual conference with speakers and tastings and its national tasting projects. Chapters invite speakers to meetings. At a Pennsylvania chapter, Anca Stedman of Canal Wines in Marlton, New Jersey, presented “Spanish Wines You Never Heard of or Tasted.” In Detroit, Papa Joe’s Markets Sommelier Jon Patrus presented Pinot Noir wines. In Scranton, PA, wine educator and importer Phil Ward of the Opici Wine Company gave a history lesson on Italian wine from Umbria, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. The likes of Robert Mondavi and Kevin Zraly have presented at the American Wine Society conference. In November of this year, the annual conference will feature a guided tasting of the wines of Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur, followed by a lunch paired with selected wines from the region—all part of Planet Bordeaux, a new global marketing campaign created by the Syndicat de Bordeaux et Bordeaux Supérieur, supported by the European Union. Stay tuned for more information. “Distributors know when they have some- body important in town or a particular product they want to market, we have serious consum- ers to market to,” Hames says. For the 2010 National Tasting Project, mem- bers received wines from Chile and Argentina as well as detailed descriptions about the wine and the region’s history. Each chapter will taste the wines, rate them and send their notes. These membership ratings are more influential than the wine-blogging populace, Parker says. “Our membership won’t fall in love with a wine just because somebody says it’s great,” Parker says. “The proof is in the glass.” Sounds like a good customer. www.americanwinesociety.org august 2010 / the tasting panel / 71