The Omaha Metro
Event Report:
IWFS Rhine Cruise
Tasting and Dinner with Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
Upcoming Events.
What’s New
We had no events in August, and typically it takes two months for the events to catch up in the Gazette. Too many members were going to the IWFS Rhine Cruise.
Steve Hipple was awarded the André Simone Gold Medal during the Rhine River Cruise. This is the highest medal the IWFS awards. You must be on the Board of one of the three zones, which in Steve’s case is the Americas, Inc. It is only granted to individuals who have given many years of service, or who have been the Chairperson of the zone. Congratulations, Steve. You earned this one.
The film Widow Clicquot came to Filmstreams mid July for only a few weeks. It should be streaming soon if you missed it. Widow Clicquot details the life of the famous BarbeNicole Ponsardin who married Françoise Clicquot at the age of 21. She was widowed at the age of 27, in the year 1805. The movie is more of the emotional journey Barbe made both during her marriage and after Françoise’s death than her accomplishments in making Champagne. At first, her relationship with her husband was very loving, but he descended into madness and addiction, dying the movie suggests, of a laudanum (opium, morphine and codeine) overdose. The historical record, however, says he died of typhoid fever. But Françoise left Barbe the estate, an unusual move in the 19th century, because he felt she had the wherewithal and understanding of the vines to be successful. The movie details several early disasters that happened, preventing her from making a profit. All the men around her were trying to get her to sell the vineyards and winery, but she refused. Her first great success was in the Year of the Comet, 1811, where she sold her wine to Russia, which was illegal according to the Napoleonic Code. Napoleon would invade Russia the next year. She invented the riddling method to clarify Champagne, which was cloudy before her innovation. Riddling involves slowly twisting the bottles daily into a vertical position, moving the dead yeast cells or sediment to the cork, then popping the cork to dispel this dross, and finally topping the bottle back up. This was kept secret from her competitors for many years. Riddling is still used to this day. The Veuve (widow) also invented rosé Champagne by adding Pinot Noir still wine to give it the red color. The movie ends with our heroine in court. Her competitors were charging her with violating the Napoleonic Code and being a woman business owner, which was mostly not allowed at that time. She is credited with saving the Champagne industry, which was floundering after she took over the estate. If you ever had a glass of Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin, you would enjoy this film which empowers women.
You can do a hundred things right and someone will always point out the ONE thing you did wrong.
Tasting and Dinner with Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
Written
by Tom Murnan, Photos by Tom Murnan Dinner with Pierre-Emile Humbrecht and Clara Herrsherr 8/21/2024.
The top winery in Alsace, in my humble opinion, is Domaine Zind-Humbrecht (Z-H). We originally contacted Olivier Humbrecht, the current proprietor and set up this date, but in the end, he sent his son, Pierre-Emile, who is currently the winemaker, and his partner, Clara Herrsherr. Clara arrived in 2017 to work on her university thesis and has been there ever since. They presented a tasting in the lounge, and then joined us for dinner. The tasting included six wines, all but one from the 2022 vintage. They started with their lowest level wine, Zind, which consists of Chardonnay and Auxerrois. They then moved on to Muscat, Rieslings from the Calcaire and Roche Grantique vineyards. A Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire was next. The tasting wrapped up with the oldest wine, a 2018 Gewurztraminer from Roche Roulée. All the wines were dry. In Alsace, only the noble varietals are allowed: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc (Clevner or Auxerrois), Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Chasselas, and Pinot Noir. Chardonnay can be used in Crémant, their version of sparkling wine made in the Méthode Champenoise, or if declassified, i.e., no appellation.
Since I had a hand in contacting Z-H (I had Olivier’s email address), Mary and I were seated with the guests. This was a highlight of the cruise for me. Mary was busy playing matchmaker between Pierre and Clara, sometimes being blunt enough to ask him when he was going to marry Clara! For dinner, the entire wine lineup came from Z-H, including a Clos Windsbuhl ‘Method Traditionelle’ Chardonnay 2020 that is a departure from their more traditional still wines as this was a Crémant, or sparkling wine, which Z-H has not been making. Only 2000 bottles were made. Z-H is looking to debut Crémant in a couple of years. We also enjoyed a Grand Cru Riesling, a Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru Riesling which I have never seen for sale before, a Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Grand Cru 2016 that made you say, “Oh my God!” it was so fabulous. For dessert we had a Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Hengst Vendange Tardive, or late harvest, which was almost 23 years old. Z-H is working on a Pinot Noir, which might be released in two years. It would be their first red wine.
2024 UPCOMING OMAHA METRO EVENTS
NOV 03
DEC 15
DOLCE
A French Dinner at Dolce
Event Producers: Amanda Harrington & John Matthews
OAK HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
Regusci Wines
Event Producers: Susan Rauth & Brent Rasmussen, Tracy Hightower-Henne & Tom Henne
HAPPY HOLLOW CLUB
Joint event with the Omaha Branch
Holiday Event
Event Producers: Goldsteins & Wilkes
