Welcome to the Red River Valley chapter of the American Wine Society

The AWS is an organization for anyone who is interested in wine, wine appreciation, wine making, and wine education. The Red River Valley Chapter is dedicated to expanding the knowledge of wine in all regards. We are a friendly group of wine enthusiasts and welcome all who want to learn more about the joys and pleasures of wine. Don’t know much about wine? That’s ok. We’ll learn together. We hold monthly Fargo wine tastings scheduled on the second Saturday of the month. Guests are invited to join and may attend up to three events before becoming a member. If you are interested in joining and wish to learn more, please check us out. ~Greg Cook, Chapter Chair

Our next tasting event . . . 

Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is a red grape variety that is predominantly grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. It is known for producing wines that are high in tannins and acidity, with complex aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, tar, and rose petals. These wines...

Sherry and Madeira

In the world of fortified wines (wines with added spirits), we are mostly familiar with ports. But there is a whole world of fortified wines made in many different styles. We will be exploring sherry and madeira wines from Spain and Portugal. Sherry originates from...

One-Offs

You know those wines that are so unique and special that you couldn't find enough examples to build a whole tasting around? Those would be the one-offs. We thought, why not do a tasting dedicated just to those wines that are too cool to ignore? This is not your...

Spätburgunder – German Pinot Noir

German wine identity is so closely tied to the Riesling grape. Many people may be surprised to learn that Germany is the world's third largest producer of Pinot Noir! This noble grape, called Spätburgunder in German, refers to a grape that is late-ripening (spät)...

Rocking the Cradle

Stretching from the Black Sea east to the Caspian Sea lies the Caucasus mountain range. Historical and scientific evidence points to this area as the birthplace of modern vinifera wine grapes. Grapes have been cultivated and fermented into wines for over 8000 years in...

Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

The Central Coast of California stretches some 250 miles from south of the San Francisco Bay down to Santa Barbara County. Cool breezes from the Pacific combined with gravely fertile soil renders an extended growing season that yields concentrated wines with good...

World GSM

Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre! These are three important grapes that characterize the red wine blends of the Rhone Valley of France. Grenach is boisterous and fruity whereas Syrah and Mourvèdre tend to be dark and peppery. Blended together, they make for incredibly...

Rioja

Rioja is a designated wine region in north central Spain that includes the communities of La Rioja, Navarra and the Basque province of Álava. The typical red grape varieties of the region include Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Manzuelo and Graciano. More recently an...

Santa Barbara Pinot Noir

Made famous by the movie Sideways about the Santa Barbara wine region, the delicate and versatile Pinot Noir grape calls Burgundy, France home. But now it’s grown across the world and boy does it express terroir and regional differences. Over the years we have tried...

McLaren Vale Shiraz

The McLaren Vale wine region is located in South Australia south of Adelaide. By far, Shiraz is the most widely grown grape in this region. We have enjoyed Syrah/shiraz from all over the world, but they have made it something special in McLaren Vale. So, we decided to...