David L. Kahn Wine Tasting Club
	Home Links
	I started the Wine Tasting Club in November 2000 since I enjoy wine and I wanted to learn more about different wines. Specifically, I was looking for an opportunity to sample several wines at the same time to compare them. When I order a bottle of wine with my dinner at a restaurant, I can decide if I like it and can even identify specific things which I like or dislike. While this is enjoyable, I found that the absence of a timely comparison limited the learning process. I had been a member of a wine tasting club in the late 1970's, so I knew a little bit about what was involved in running a tasting. I'd talked about starting the club for a few years and then I saw wine glasses at Linens 'N Things for $9.99/dozen. With 8 dozen glasses stashed in the closet, the rest of the details fell into place. All of our tastings are done "blind". I wrap each of the bottles to hide their identity, and someone else hangs numbered tags from the necks of each bottle. When we pour and taste, no one has any idea which wine is which. Each taster has a note sheet with a list of the wines we are tasting, and space for their comments. I also prepare a handout (typically 15-25 pages) with some background information on the category of wine we are tasting, the producers of the wines we are tasting, and reviews of the specific wines we are tasting. Most of this research is gleaned from the Web, and selected handouts are available here in PDF format. My summary of each tasting refers to specific wines, but keep in mind that we didn't know which wine we were describing when we formed our opinions.
	Current Plans
	Our next scheduled tastings are:   Mar 18, 2006 - NV Tawny Port   May 6, 2006 - "Washington State - White   Jul 22, 2006 - Tempranillo   Sep ??, 2006 - Chardonnay (Oaked vs. Unoaked)   Nov ??, 2006 - Comparing Red Varietals   Jan ??, 2007 - Wine with Fish   Mar ??, 2007 - TBD - White   May ??, 2007 - Merlot   Jul ??, 2007 - Wines of NY   Sep ??, 2007 - California Zinfandel   Nov ??, 2007 - Champagne Our tastings are scheduled near the 15th of each odd-numbered month. The date for the September 2006 tasting will be announced in July. The November through July tasting dates will be set in late August.
	I continue to investigate new and interesting options for future tastings, and will revisit past tastings based on the group's interest. I'm thinking about a special tasting (separate from our regular schedule) for sake, and a 'tasting' with the Wine Essence Tasting Kit offered by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
	Past Tastings
	Tasting #32 Jan 21, 2006   Wine with Curry Tasting #31 Nov 12, 2005   Champagne Tasting #30 Sep 17, 2005   Off The Wall Reds Tasting #29 Jul 9, 2005   Viognier Tasting #28 May 21, 2005   Blush wine Tasting #27 Mar 19, 2005   Malbec Tasting #26 Jan 8, 2005   Wine with Chocolate Tasting #25 Nov 13, 2004   Dessert Wine (special) Tasting #24 Sep 11, 2004   Pinot Noir Tasting #23 Jul 17, 2004   Riesling Around The World Tasting #22 May 22, 2004   Wines From South Africa Tasting #21 Mar 13, 2004   Primitivo (Italian Zinfandel) Tasting #20 Jan 10, 2004   Comparing White Varietals Tasting #19 Nov 15, 2003   Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting #18 Sep 20, 2003   Interesting Dessert Wines Special #2 Aug 17, 2003   Wine Tasting BBQ Tasting #17 Jul 19, 2003   Burgundy Tasting #16 May 10, 2003   Australia/New Zealand White Wine Tasting #15 Mar 15, 2003   Sherry Tasting #14 Jan 11, 2003   Pasta Dinner with Wine Tasting #13 Nov 16, 2002   Sparkling Wine Special #1 Oct 4, 2002   Single Malt Scotch Tasting #12 Sep 14, 2002   Zinfandel Tasting #11 Jul 13, 2002   Pinot Grigio Tasting #10 May 11, 2002   French Red Wine Tasting #9 Mar 16, 2002   Sauvignon Blanc Tasting #8 Jan 12, 2002   Port Tasting #7 Nov 10, 2001   Champagne Tasting #6 Sep 15, 2001   Chianti Tasting #5 Jul 14, 2001   German White Wines Tasting #4 May 12, 2001   Syrah Tasting #3 Mar 17, 2001   Dessert Wine Tasting #2 Jan 20, 2001   Merlot Tasting #1 Nov 18, 2000   Chardonnay: California vs. France
	I've included links to a variety of sites related to each tasting on the pages for the individual tastings. If you click Links here or in the header, I've provided some general links about wines and wine tasting.