Nosh League: Silver Lake Winery tasting

Northwest Military Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

March 20, 2012 at 9:12am

NOSH LEAGUE'S APRIL GATHERING >>>

Of course, as with most learning, it helps to take notes during wine tastings. Notes are absolutely essential if you want to remember what you liked, what you didn't like, and why. Everyone's method of note taking is different, but here's how the Weekly Volcano's Nosh League does it: They write down the vintage and name of the wine (and the region/country of origin, if necessary). After that, they take notes in five categories: color (judged against a white background, though in a pinch white light will do), nose, palate, finish and balance. As they swirl, sniff, slosh and sip, they take notes.

Then, most wine tasters spit the wine into the container or bucket provided (not into the water pitcher), rinse out their mouth and glass with some water, and move on to the next wine.

Nosh Leagues don't spit.

They drink.

All of it.

And that's exactly what will happen at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 12 when the Weekly Volcano's foodie group gathers at the Mandolin Café to drink the wine of Silver Lake Winery and nosh on Chef Emily's appetizers.

How do Nosh League events work? A chef, distributor or owner educates the group on what the Leagues sip and nibble, while Pappi Swarner distributes free door prizes. It's a thing of beauty. At the Mandolin in April, owner Tom Montante, a board member at Silver Lake Winery, will pour two whites and three reds as he explains the inner and outer workings of one of this state's largest wineries.