Displaying items by tag: May MattaAliah

Summary: 

Armagnac is finally having its moment! The latest 2016 numbers from the BNIA, the Inter professional Bureau for Armagnac (http://www.armagnac.fr/en), shows the US firmly leading as the Number 1 export market for Armagnac, with sales growing 33% by volume and 19% in value. What was once France’s best-kept secret is now everyone's favorite new spirit discovery! Bartenders, importers, restaurants and retailers have all embraced this small region producing the world’s oldest brandy.

With annual production still hovering around the 6 million-bottle mark, Armagnac is the original artisanal craft spirit. 20% of distillation in the region still takes place by roving distillers that criss-cross the countryside, travelling from farm to farm to distil their wines in the late fall. Maturation takes place in century-old cellars lined with 400L barrels mostly produced from the local oak. Tucked away in the dusty corners of the cellars, you will find hand-blown bottles holding vintage Armagnac, dating back to the late 19th century in some cases.

Join May Matta-Aliah, the official BNIA Armagnac Educator who has been working with the region since 2009, for an informational webinar about Armagnac. May will provide some historical background on Armagnac then bring it to the modern day to discuss some of the trends and changes that the region has been witnessing in the last decade. Finally, May will share some delicious Armagnac cocktail recipes with you to inspire you not only to enjoy the spirit neat but to have some fun mixing it up.

Presenter: May Matta-Aliah, DWS, FWS

May is a New York based wine educator and President of In the Grape. She is a seasoned presenter, an accredited educator, and brings over 15 years of experience and knowledge to all her work. Since 2009 May has represented Armagnac in the US as the Official Ambassador to the region.

May is a firm believer in making wine and spirits education accessible to everyone from wine and spirits trade professionals to curious appreciators. Her experience includes a long-standing affiliation with the prestigious International Wine Center, where she has been teaching the classes of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, to frequently sold-out consumer classes at a variety of venues around New York City.

She has designed and taught custom courses to industry organizations and presented at large trade conferences such as Tales of the Cocktail, San Antonio Cocktail Classic, New York Wine Expo, Society of Wine Educator Annual Conference and the French Wine Society Annual Conference.

May’s numerous accreditations include the Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), she is a French Wine Scholar (FWS) from the Wine Scholar Guild, as well as the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) through the Society of Wine Educators.

Summary: 

Contrary to popular belief Franciacorta is not a new wine region in fact wines have been produced in this region since the sixteenth century. However, the modern history of the region began in 1961 with the production of the first sparkling wine in the region by Franco Ziliani, winemaker at the Guido Berlucchi winery.

The popularity of these wines attracted the attention of successful entrepreneurs from neighboring Milan and Brescia and by 1967, when the area received its Controlled Designation of Origin (DOC) 11 producers were making sparkling Franciacorta.

In 1990 the voluntary consortium was created ensuring a focus on only the highest quality methods, which resulted in the region gaining DOCG status in 1995.

Today Franciacorta is synonymous with the finest sparkling wines coming out of Italy, produced according to the strictest methods in the world for this type of wine.

Join May Matta-Aliah, Regional Educator, and learn how the vision and passion of one man lead to the creation of a classic sparkling wine region.

Presenter: May Matta-Aliah

Summary: 

Two languages spoken side by side is only one of the many unique characteristics of this stunning wine region, formerly a part of Austria, and since 1919, a part of Italy. Today it embraces the best of both cultures and languages but identifies as purely South Tyrolean.
 
Nestled in the northeastern part of the country, in the shadow of the dramatic Dolomite Mountain peaks, Italy’s northernmost wine region enjoys a perfect balance between the brisk Alpine air and the Mediterranean sun. Here, beautiful high-altitude, terraced vineyards are set against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains where aromatic grape varieties thrive in the long sunny growing season.
 
Join May Matta-Aliah, Regional Ambassador, to learn what makes this small jewel of a wine region capable of producing the highest percentage of DOC/DOP wines in the country.

Presenter: May Matta-Aliah, DWS, FWS

May is a New York based wine educator and President of In the Grape. She is a seasoned presenter, an accredited educator, and brings over 15 years of experience and knowledge to all her work.

In her teachings, May leverages her wide breadth of knowledge, her hands-on industry experience along with insights gained from her extensive travel to the world’s wine regions.

May is a firm believer in making wine and spirits education accessible to everyone from wine trade professionals to curious appreciators. Her experience includes a long-standing affiliation with the prestigious International Wine Center, where she has been teaching the classes of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, to frequently sold-out consumer classes at a variety of venues around New York City.

She has designed and taught custom courses to industry organizations and presented at large trade conferences such as Tales of the Cocktail, San Antonio Cocktail Classic, New York Wine Expo, Society of Wine Educator Annual Conference and the Wine Scholar Guild Conference.