Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/303138
8 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | MAY 2014 Memories: 1969 By Peter Christian 2011 Gramercy Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, "Lower East" Tasting Notes: This wine is like a ghost. You won't find it on the Gramercy website or in the Gramercy tasting room. With much of its supply allocated directly to restaurants, it's a phantom to most. A beautiful phantom, that is. Right now, this wonderfully balanced cool vintage wine is hitting on all four corners of Cabernet: fruit (black currant and blackberry), earth (graphite and soil), herb (jalapeño, beetroot), and barrel (espresso bean). A perfect food pairing for this wine would be the Grilled Double R Ranch New York Strip Steak featured on Torchy's menu. Discovery: Gramercy Cellars is the 5,000-case winery founded in 2005 by master sommelier Greg Harrington, the youngest person to achieve master sommelier status in the country. Greg and his wife, Pam, partner with the best vineyards, harvest perfectly ripened grapes, intervene minimally in the winemaking process, and use as little new oak as possible to achieve their well-balanced wines. A backyard picnic in Brooklyn hosted by the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance led Greg to Eastern Washington. —Peter Christian is WAC Vice President Food & Beverage. Sommelier's Selection By Dee Sanwick, History Committee Chair ATHLETIC EXPANSION Remodeling plans for all athletic facilities, plus the addition of men's conditioning, handball and squash courts, a spectators' gallery, running track, and two floors of overnight accommodations for non-residents and their families were approved. Construction was estimated to cost about $2 million and last a year. JURY DRAMA The WAC Drama Club performed a spring production of Twelve Angry Women, about the intricacies of decision-making in the jury room. Tickets were complimentary. MOM'S DAY Mother's Day is always a special occasion at the WAC. The Club spoiled mothers who celebrated at the Club with flowers, a fancy dinner, "red carpet" treatment, and a corsage. LONDON LOVING On May 7, 164 WAC members fastened their seatbelts and flew to London. A postcard received on May 12 verified that the members landed safely in London. The trip included a one-month European tour, starting with the Thames Barrier and winding up with the windmills and tulips of Amsterdam. { BUZZ } SOAKING UP THE SUN Members feeling pale were able to spend afternoons sunbathing on the rooftops of the 10th and 21st floors. COOLING THE CLUB A 260-foot crane lifted two steel beams to the top of the WAC. The three-hour lifting operation resulted in a new cooling system for the Club. Members and guests alike were thrilled to say goodbye to hot summers in the WAC. Special events for special athletes SPECIAL OLYMPICS WASHINGTON, a WAC Community Partner, will host its Breakfast with Champions on Friday, May 9, at the Washington State Convention Center, a block from the WAC. e event begins at 7:30 am and is one of Special Olympics' largest fundraisers of the year. Television and movie actor John C. McGinley will serve as guest speaker. His 17-year-old son has Down syndrome. McGinley serves as an ambassador for Special Olympics and the National Down Syndrome Society. Also taking place this month, the annual Special Olympics Washington Power Lifting Invitational returns to the 4th Floor of the WAC. e event will take place on Sunday, May 18, in the exercise studios. To sign up for the Breakfast with Champions or for more information on either event, contact WAC Senior Vice President Athletics, Special Projects & Community Partners Wayne Milner at wmilner@wac.net. Check out WAC Magazine online at wacmagazine.com. You can view the current issue and our archive. Get your fix online M AY | 2 0 1 4 L U K E R U TA N 2 0 1 4 W A S H I N G T O N A T H L E T I C C L U B ® ® M A G A Z I N E www.wac.net M A Y Close Connections Members discover lasting friendships at the Club