The "Wine from our Cellar" Group Meets at "Tenuata Castelli" in Falls Church, Virginia. Theme: The Truly Great ABC Wines Amarone, Brunello & Champagne (October 2026)

Annette and I belong to the "Wine from our Cellar" group of wine and food lovers that meet regularly, perhaps 4 times per year, at the home of one of the members for a small-bite wine-pairing dinner. Each guest brings one bottle of wine from his or her cellar with a small-bite dish.

This time the "Wine from our Cellar" Group met at the home of Brian and Stephanie Castelli in Falls Church. The theme was: The truly great ABC's of wine: Amarone, Brunello and Champagne. An exception for the B may Bordeaux or Burgundy. 

 

There were 17 of us with 14 bringing Amarone, Brunello and Champagne. The 3 other wines were from Saint Emilion, Chianti Classico and Sauternes.

 

Annette Schiller brought an 2016 @AR Lenoble Champagne Extra Brut, Intense, with a Shrimp Cocktail.

 

I brought a 2015 @Chateau Climens Cypres de Climens Sauternes with a Blue Cheese Snack. 

 

For me, the stars of the evening were the 2010 and 2015 @Renieri Brunello di Montalcino which Fuad and Brian brought. 

 

Thank you Stephanie and Brian for hosting.

 

The Group

 

 

Annette's Course

 

Christian's Course

 

Plating

 

The Wines

 

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: Small Group (12 people) Wine Tours to Europe (Italy and Germany) this Year (2026) by ombiasy WineTours with Annette Schiller  

Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours (June 28 to July 8, Summary)

Tuscany - Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Super Tuscans, Maremma, Bolgheri - 2026 by ombiasy Wine Tours, led by Annette Schiller (Summery, June 8-18)

 

Overview: Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours led by Annette Schiller - Facebook Day-by-day Postings 

Overview: Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours led by Annette Schiller - Facebook Day-by-day Postings

Summary of Loire Valley 2025 by ombiasy WineTours, led by Annette Schiller: Wine, Food, History, Culture 

Summary: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Summary: From Lyon to Paris - Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (July 02 - 13, 2023)

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The 2025 American Wine Society National Conference in Chantilly/ Virginia/ USA, with Annette and Christian Schiller: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Kékfrankos - Blaufränkisch - Lemberger: A Grape’s Immigration Story From Central Europe To The US West Coast - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller

schiller-wine Blog of Christian Schiller Top Washington DC Alcohol Blog (December, 2024)

2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a 45 Years Old Wine Brotherhood in the Famous Wine Village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, with Annette Schiller, Founding Member, and Christian Schiller

Masterclass - The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference March 2024 

Dinner at JAN in Munich, Germany, with Jan Hartwig, one of the ten German 3-star Michelin Chefs (September 2024) 

Hans Rebholz, Weingut Oekonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz, Presenting his Wines at the German Embassy in Washington DC, USA (January 2025) 

2025 Rieslingfeier Gala Dinner in New York City, Sky Loft, 32nd Floor of 50 Hudson Yard, with 15 #worldclass Winemakers from Germany + Austria and Estimated 300 Wines, many 20, 30, 40 Years old, many Larger Format and almost all Ultra-premium 

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists (January 2025)

 

Annette and Christian Schiller Awarded German Wine Society Silver Medallion for their Superior Knowledge of German Wine (USA, Washington DC, December 12, 2025) of the Washington DC Chapter of the German Wine Society USA (via Zoom), February 21, 2026