The Omaha Wine & Food Gazette Sep 2025

The Omaha

Notice about reservations for non-members at Branch events

What’s New

Over the past few months, we’ve noticed that some members have been forwarding their personal email invitations for Branch events to non-members so they can make their own reservations. In some cases, those non-members have then forwarded the invitation to others, creating additional unauthorized reservations.

Please remember: IWFS Omaha is a member organization.

• All event reservations — for both members and their guests — must be made using the member’s name and email address and paid for by the member.

• If you’d like someone to review the menu and other details before committing, click the link to the PDF announcement, download it, and send it to your prospective guest.

• If you have already made your reservation and would like to add a guest, simply use your own (same) email address with their name as the attendee. Indicate in the notes that the attendee is your guest.

• If you would like a guest to reimburse you for their reservation, please handle payment arrangements directly with them.

• If you need a guest to pay for their own reservation, please contact John Matthews. He will send them an invoice, and once payment is received, we will create their reservation.

Thank you for helping us maintain a smooth reservation process and uphold the integrity of our events.

Cheers!

Tom Murnan

Best of the Cockle Bur compiled & edited by Harry B. Otis, 3rd President 1973-1974 Event Report. Summer Stag at Mahogany. Upcoming Events.

“Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.”

- Benjamin Franklin

Summer Stag at Mahogany

Written by Tom Murnan, Photos by Tom Murnan

The Mahogany Stag is always one that sells out quickly, prompted in part by its smallish party room that only holds 24 people comfortably. In line with our new aim to present higher end wines, we had a sit-down tasting featuring Sine Qua Non Piranha Waterdance 2014, which received a 100-point rating from the Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown, and compared it to a Vina Don Melchor Cabernet 2018 from Chile. It received a 95 rating from the Wine Spectator. Sine qua non is Latin for without which not, in its literal rendition, but more understandable as a thing that is absolutely necessary, or an essential condition. Established in 1994, it is a Rhȏne Ranger winery where Grenache and Syrah are highlighted. The winery is located just north of Los Angles in Ventura County. Elaine and Manfred Krankl’s aim was to make a Rhȏne varietal wine that was so delicious that it would be indispensable, hence the name Sine Qua Non. The first vintage was 4½ barrels of Syrah. Now, there are 4 different vineyard sites. The same wine is rarely made twice. The 2014 Waterdance is comprised of 81% Syrah, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Mouvèdre, 4% Touriga Nacional and 1% Graciano. The last two grapes hail from Spain. The interesting thing to me was that we strayed away from Napa Valley on this delicious wine.

The Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Vineyard 2018 was given 95 points by the Wine Spectator and 98 points by British wine writer Tim Atkin. It was one of the highest rated wines in the winery’s history. This blend included 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot and comes from the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The winery began in 1883 when Don Melchor Concha y Toro began planting Bordeaux varietals at the foot of the Andes Mountains in Chile. In 1984, French wine master Emile Peynaud tried a Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon and recognized the excellence of the terroir. He and Jacques Boissenot consulted with the winery to make improvements. 1987 was the first year after the improvements and redefined Chilean viticulture. By 2014, Don Melchor appeared as one of the Wine Spectator’s 100 best wineries with a 9th place appearance.

I found the Waterdance had great depth of flavor, more complexity and integration than the Melchor, but both were early drinking and elegant. Mahogany did a great job with its typical steakhouse menu. Everything was quite tasty. I loved my 14 oz Prime Ribeye.