A Closer Look, Las Sendas Golf Club…is a monthly column written for the Up Close Publication by Las Sendas Golf Club. In this column, you will get an in-depth look at upcoming entertainment, dining and golf events. Our brand is our mission—to reach out to the community with entertainment, dining and golf events as your pathway to fun, recreation and a pleasurable lifestyle.
WHAT'S NEW?
CULINARY EVENTS AT THE VISTAS PAVILION
CALLING ALL FOODIES
Wine Dinner Featuring Jax Vineyards
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015.
6 p.m. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Dinner.
Four-Course Dinner paired with Pinot Noir, Cab Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Dessert paired with Taureau Red.
$60 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Reserve early. Call us at (480) 396-4000, or email us at events@lassendas.com.
Wine Tasting
Learning how to taste wines is a straightforward adventure sure to deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. Look, smell, taste—starting with your basic senses and expanding. In no time, you will learn how to taste wines like the pros. Keep in mind the fact you can smell thousands of unique scents, but your taste perception is limited to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows you to discern flavor.
Color and Clarity
Pour a glass of wine into a suitable wine glass. Then, take a good look at the wine. Tilt the glass away from you, and check out the color of the wine, from the rim edges, to the middle of the glass (it’s helpful to have a white background—either paper, napkin or a white tablecloth).
What color is it? Look beyond red, white or blush. If it’s a red wine, is the color maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish? If it’s a white wine, is it clear, pale yellow, straw-like, light green, golden, amber or brown in appearance?
Move on to the wine’s opacity. Is the wine watery or dark, translucent or opaque, dull or brilliant, cloudy or clear? Can you see sediment? Tilt your glass a bit, give it a little swirl—look again. Is there sediment, bits of cork or any other floaters? An older red wine will often have more orange tinges on the edges of color than younger red wines. Older white wines are darker than younger white wines when comparing the same varietal at different ages.
Smell
Our sense of smell is critical in properly analyzing a glass of wine. To get a good impression of your wine’s aroma, swirl your glass for a solid 10 to 12 seconds (this helps vaporize some of the wine’s alcohol and release more of its natural aromas). Then, take a quick whiff to gain a first impression.
Now, stick your nose down into the glass, and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your second impressions? Do you smell oak, berry, flowers, vanilla or citrus? A wine’s aroma is an excellent indicator of its quality and unique characteristics. Swirl the wine, and let the aromas mix and mingle, and sniff again.
Taste
Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip, and let it roll around your mouth. There are three stages of taste: the Attack Phase, the Evolution Phase and the Finish.
The Attack Phase is the initial impression the wine makes on your palate. The Attack is comprised of four pieces of the wine puzzle: alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. These four puzzle pieces display initial sensations on the palate. Ideally, these components will be well balanced. One piece will not be more prominent than the others. These four pieces do not display a specific flavor per se. They meld together to offer impressions in intensity and complexity, soft or firm, light or heavy, crisp or creamy, sweet or dry, but not necessarily true flavors, like fruit or spice.
The Evolution Phase is next. Also called the mid-palate or middle range phase, this is the wine’s actual taste on the palate. In this phase, you are looking to discern the flavor profile of the wine. If it’s a red wine, you may start noting fruit—berry, plum, prune or fig; perhaps some spice—pepper, clove, cinnamon, or maybe a woody flavor, like oak, cedar or a detectable smokiness. If you are in the Evolution Phase of a white wine, you may taste apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits, or the taste may be more floral in nature, or consist of honey, butter, herbs or a bit of earthiness.
The Finish is appropriately labeled as the final phase. The wine’s finish is how long the flavor impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play. Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied (like the weight of water), medium-bodied (similar in weight to milk) or full-bodied (like the consistency of cream)? Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? Do you want another sip, or was the wine too bitter at the end? What was your last flavor impression—fruit, butter or oak? Does the taste persist, or is it short-lived? After you have taken the time to taste your wine, you might record some of your impressions.
From wine.about.com, Stacey Slinkard, Wine Expert
Chef’s Table—A Taste of New Orleans
Featuring Guest Chef Cory Mingo and Las Sendas Chef Robert Eckhardt
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, 7 p.m.
The Garden Room, Vistas Pavilion.
$49.95 per person plus tax and gratuity.
**Limited to 20 guests. So, reserve your seat early.
Our feature for September is a Taste of New Orleans, featuring Guest Chef Cory Mingo and our very own Las Sendas Chef Robert Eckhardt.
Executive Chef Cory Mingo developed a love of cooking, at a very young age, in his grandmother’s New Orleans kitchen. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, from Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Oregon, he focused his sights on the very best kitchens. He began his culinary career at The Space Needle and Jeremiah Towers’ Stars Bar and Dining, in Seattle, Washington. After relocating to Phoenix, he joined the culinary staff at The Latilla Room, at The Boulders Resort, where he learned from local chef Ron Dimas. He also held Chef de Cuisine positions at Desert Mountain, The Farm at South Mountain and The Wigwam Resort and Spa.
Chef Mingo is dedicated to sourcing the freshest ingredients, while using sound fundamental classics, to create a memorable culinary experience for every guest of Las Sendas Golf Club.
For reservations, call (480) 396-4000, or email us at events@lassendas.com. Our June, July and August events sold out within one week. So, don’t delay for this one.
Holiday Parties—Now Booking for November and December. Prime dates are going fast.
The holidays are a time to get together and celebrate. The Vistas Pavilion is a great place to host your holiday party event. Choose from our luncheon and dinner buffets and plated menus, or create your own. Our menus include Chef Robert’s specials, such as honey glazed ham, sage roasted turkey, banana pumpkin bread pudding and more.
We will dazzle your guests with our holiday décor, including lights, centerpieces, trees and, most of all,
our spectacular Valley views, as well as our oversized wraparound deck.
Give your holiday party a personal touch, with a casual evening of cocktails, appetizers and culinary stations. Consider the addition of a wine tasting bar—our world is open to all your amazing ideas to celebrate with friends, family and co-workers.
For further information, and to book your event, call us at (480) 396-4000, or email us at events@lassendas.com.
FALL FRIDAYS
Vistas Pavilion Event Promotion
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Special Celebrations
Book and host your event on a Friday in October or November 2015, and receive:
- A complimentary one-hour reception, including two complimentary appetizers.
- Dance floor, audio and video system included.
**For further information, call (480) 396-4000, or email us at events@lassendas.com. Other dates also are available. For events with a food and beverage minimum of $2,500.
GOLF
September Golf Specials
Stop by and check out our Las Sendas Summer Raffle. For less than $5 a ticket, you have 18 chances to win an awesome prize, from a Titleist driver, to a sleeve of Callaway Chrome golf balls, as well as a lot of fun gifts in between. Hurry up and buy your square today. We are close to sold out.
Green Fee Rates—Aug. 28 through Sept. 27, 2015.
$43.99 plus tax weekdays.
$53.99 plus tax weekends and holidays.
For our best rates and specials, always check our website first at lassendas.com.
BOGO Card
SPECIAL—Las Sendas Golf Club is still offering the BOGO Card for $34.99 plus tax for a twosome of golf after 9:30 a.m.
**Valid through Sept. 27, 2015.
All of our rates include green fees, golf cart and practice golf balls.
LABOR DAY SALE—The Golf Shop
Sept. 4 through 7, 2015
Golf apparel and equipment on clearance.
Come check out the rock-bottom prices. Spend $200 or more, and receive a special gift.
MEMBERSHIPS
Las Sendas Golf Club Memberships—Play Free Through Oct. 31, 2015
You already know about Las Sendas and what the club has to offer, but now you may be thinking to delay your decision about joining until November. Our programs are selling, and selling now. There are only a few proxy memberships remaining, which are sure to go by October.
Join now on any program—and play for free, through Oct. 31, 2015, with your deposit on one of the membership programs:
Proxy Membership—no initiation fee. Join and play now, and dues start Nov. 1, 2015.
- Open to residents of Las Sendas, Red Mountain Ranch, Mountain Bridge and surrounding areas.
- Proxy members pay monthly dues only and have unlimited golf privileges.
- Use of practice facilities, locker, club storage and participation in all member events.
- Monthly dues are $590 for a single, and $690 for a couple.
Non-Refundable Golf Membership—$15,000—Seven Remaining
- Immediate golf membership privileges.
- Monthly dues are $359 for a single, and $477 for a couple.
- Option up to five years to become 80 percent refundable. Save $6,000.
Fully Refundable Golf Membership—$45,000—Two Remaining
- Free dues and cart fees for the first year.
- Currency at Par for Canadian members.
- Free E-Z-GO base model golf cart for American members.
- Immediate full golf membership privileges.
- Over $12,000 of included features and savings.
- Annual or Seasonal Dues packages.
For a comparison chart of membership options, check out www.lassendas.com, under Membership Programs.
For more information, contact Wayne Crandall at (480) 396-4000, or email Wayne at wcrandall@lassendas.com.
THE PATIO AND THE GRILLE
NEW SUMMER SPECIALS
MON–Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Ragu: $15.95
TUE–Flatbread and a Bottle of Wine: $19.95
WED–Wine Down Wednesday: Half Price Wine–Most Bottles
THU– 10-ounce Prime Rib, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables: $17.95
Add Glass of Wine $3
FRI–Shrimp Fry: Crispy Shrimp, Fries and Apple Slaw: $16.50
SAT–Tender Beef Brisket, Roasted Potatoes, Summer Vegetables: $14.95
SUN–Pasta Night Special with menu created weekly: $14.95, Kids (6 – 12) $8.95
GOLF ACADEMY
Fall Lessons
Fall Special—Buy three lessons, and get the fourth lesson for free. Must be purchased before Oct. 15, 2015 and used before Jan. 1, 2016.
Monthly Committed Players Program—Purchase the Committed Players package for the month of September or November, and receive a $100 discount.
For more information, contact David Huffman, Las Sendas Golf Academy, at (480) 677-1533, or email David at davidhuffmangolf@gmail.com.
Junior Golf Sticks Program
Join in on the fun. Our Junior Golf Sticks Program begins on Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. There are 20 Fridays of group lessons, starting as low as $20 per Friday. We have a flexible sign-up. Jump in any time. Attend all group lessons, or pick and choose your Fridays. Registration forms and additional information are available in the Las Sendas Golf Shop. You also can contact Tracy Berman at tberman@lassendas.com, or call her cell at (602) 920-8208.