By Guest Author: Jenna Riggan – The latest SSU Wine Sense club meeting was full of conversation and member participation. Quivira Vineyards and Winery shared three of their lovely biodynamic wines with 23 students, who were both intrigued and impressed with the elements involved in biodynamic winemaking. Our chefs prepared a hearty meal of Lamb Shepherd’s Pie, a mixed green salad with fig vinaigrette, and an insanely delicious rum cake to be paired with the Quivira wines. For a fun twist, SSU Wine Sense officers also organized a blind tasting competition, where SSU Wine Sense members (and Quivira guest Nicholas Amtower!) were randomly assigned to teams and faced the challenge of deducing the varietal and price range of five different wines.
Favorite wine of the evening
The favorite wine of the evening from Quivira Vineyards and Winery was the 2010 Quivira Vineyards and Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley ($32). However, this wine is not your typical Sauvignon Blanc, it was actually 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Viognier. The nose on this wine was typical of a Viognier, with aromatics such as orange blossom, melon and white peach, as well as a body that stayed true to the refreshing, acidic and juicy characteristics of a Sauvignon Blanc. Quivira Vineyards and Winery is located in Dry Creek Valley, with a beautiful biodynamic estate and a total of 93 acres of vines. For more information, see http://www.quivirawine.com/index.html
Let the blind tasting battle begin!
Our members enthusiastically dove into discussions of what their wine could possibly be. Officers could hear questions and comments such as “Isn’t that too dark to be a Pinot Noir?” and “I think this is a Chardonnay because it feels buttery and creamy…but it’s definitely an affordable one.” The blind tasting allowed SSU Wine Sense members to open up and put the knowledge they accumulated from wine club meetings to the test. After tallying the scores, we can say that while our members were less adept at accurately guessing the price ranges, they were certainly more accurate in determining the varietals. And…they had fun while doing it!