What to bring

WINE: Think all French wine is expensive? Think Again! Total Wine has chosen an accessible and interesting slate of estate bottled wines – supporting small businesses. All wines can be procured from Total Wine, multiple local locations. You can order and do curbside pick-up, ship (DC and VA) or choose local Door Dash day of delivery (Virginia only.) 

Albrecht Cremant Brut Rose Tradition – Sparkling Wine from Alsace       $24.99
Luquet Macon Villages Condemine – White Burgundy                             $22.99
2016 Chateau De Chantegrive Graves – Red Bordeaux                           $24.99

WHAT TO DO IF TOTAL WINE IS NOT CONVENIENT FOR YOU?
1. Show your local wine merchant this list and ask for recommendations
2. Hit up a fellow alum to help out (not that WCNCR is advising cross-MD state line illicit trade…And go lobby your State Representatives ;-)
3. Pull whatever libations or beverages you have at home and join for the fun and spirit of the season

BREAD: To clear palate between pairings, have a bread, preferably french (bread better than salty crackers.) If you are fortunate enough to be close to Bread Furst Bakery on Connecticut Avenue – go for the Palladin!

CHEESE: Pairings of Local Cheeses (available at all local Whole Foods)

• Firefly Farms Mountain Top $10-ish
• Cherry Glen Monocacy Ash $10-ish
• A hard cheese of your choice (because our Somm Paul likes curveballs questions, but he suggests not a hard blue)

DAY OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPTIMAL TASTING

Paul, as an expert, has these instructions for optimal tasting:

Please have those participating in the tasting chill all the wines in a refrigerator.

• Sparkling: 1.5 hours before the tasting
• White wine: 1 hour before the tasting
• Red wine: half an hour before the tasting

Then have them open the White Burgundy and Red Bordeaux about 15 minutes prior to the start of the event, so that they can breathe. We will open the sparkling wine together.

Looking forward to making this a fun and educational event for the Wharton Alumni Club!