About Us
The Pittsburgh East Chapter of the American Wine Society was founded in March of 1998. In February 1998 a meeting was held to determine if there was enough interest to form a chapter in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. The initial meeting was attended by 53 people, all strangers to each other and all sharing an interest in learning more about wine. Our chapter started with that meeting and has been meeting regularly ever since. We are one of the largest and most active chapters in the American Wine Society. The organization is non-profit - the fees paid by attendees and members are costs for the wines, cheeses, and hall rentals. It is a very affordable way to try wines and learn more about wines from experts in the wine industry, distributors, and experienced members. Please see our archives of past newsletters, you will find we have enjoyed wines from all areas of the world - many different grapes - from Champagne to table wines to dessert wines and Ports - we have explored them all! If you are interested in learning more about wine AWS Pittsburgh East Chapter is a fun way to learn. Guests are always welcome.
Meet our Board of Directors
Chairperson - Vacant -
Vice-Chair - Vacant- The Vice Chair is the wine sommelier for the group. The responsibilities include procuring wines and bringing
them to the meeting ready to be served at the correct temperatures. The vice-chair also organizes the wine pouring
for the tastings. The vice-chair will also fill in for the chairperson as needed during the meeting.
Secretary - Karen Hanks - The Secretary is our club historian. The Secretary takes minutes of the chapter meetings and board meetings.
Treasurer - Faye Wilson - The Treasureris responsible for all banking and record keeping of the checking account. The treasurer maintains a membership list for the chapter which is shared with the chairperson and communications director.
Program Chair- Vacant - This position schedules programs for the meetings for they year. In the past we have had some standard
meetings repeated yearly like the national tasting project and then we fill in with a variety of programs that we believe
will be interesting to the group. The program chair contacts guest speakers and schedules them to attend the meetings.
In the past, the program chair has also been our "wine expert" who selects the wines for our tastings in conjunction
with our vice-chair. The program chair also writes an article for the newsletter to explain the upcoming program and
invite members to attend.
Membership - Sam and Marsha Cuffia - Sam and Marsha have been members of the Pittsburgh East chapter since 2000. Home winemaking is a hobby enjoyed by both, always sharing with friends and relatives if a batch turns out good. Both are retired and enjoy traveling, especially if wine is involved. The membership person(s) is the first contact for new members and guests. It includes welcoming and inviting new
attendees to become members as well as sending a list monthly to the communications person to have the information
listed in the newsletter.
Communications - Angelo Baiocchi - The communications person is responsible to communicate chapter activities to the membership both thru email and regular mail. Good computer skills and a talent for putting information together in a pleasing and informative way are a must for this position.
Glass Coordinators - Don and Marty Baer - Don and Marty are charter members of the chapter—enjoying over 11 wonderful years of wine education and appreciation. Don is a winemaker and a member of the PA Liquor Control Board (PLCB) wine club. The glass coordinator(s) are responsible for maintaining records of glasses. The records track what cases are being washed by members, what cases are on hand, and providing that the correct glasses are available at the meetings.
Host Coordinator - Liz Pedley - The host coordinator is responsible for recruiting hosts for the meetings. The coordinator works with the hosts and chapter chair to plan the foods and supplies needed for the meetings.