In September 2013, the Guild of Sommeliers sent several of our members to the region of Alto Adige for an immersion in its culture and wines. Following is their collective report on the region.
Versoaln: “The Oldest Vine in the World”By Mark Thostesen
A long, twisting drive up winding mountain roads provides vistas of sunset-drenched vineyards and foggy apple orchards. Alexandra, our local guide, speaks animatedly…
During my time in the food and wine world in New York City, Chicago and Aspen, I always thought that Las Vegas would be the last place I would ever end up working. That's where sommeliers go to die. After moving here seven years ago, my opinion certainly has changed...either that or I am already in heaven. Now I can understand why some wine people wouldn't want to sell '82 Bordeaux and DRC on a nightly basis, but why…
"The Beautiful South" trade tasting was held this past week in London, featuring hundreds of producers from three countries of the Southern Hemisphere: South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Wines of South Africa (WOSA) generously paid for three Master Sommeliers and 16 other members of the Guild of Sommeliers to travel to London for the event. We asked for a full report from the three Masters and comments from all Guild…
In my fourth and final article on Loire wines I cover the western end of the Loire Valley - Anjou, the Pays Nantais and the Vendée. Anjou is frequently linked with Saumur but as Anjou and the Nantais share the same geological structure it makes equal sense to link these two adjacent areas. Both are part of the hard, igneous rock of Brittany - very different from the clay and limestone of the Paris Basin that runs eastward…
As a wine director there are multiple reasons to search out and purchase wines in the auction market. I began my own foray into buying at auction years ago, as the wine director of Redd (in Yountville, CA), when I got access to older vintages and pricing...
A few months ago, perhaps on a random whim, Ray Isle of Food & Wine Magazine invited me to be one of the five sommeliers pouring for the Reserve Tasting tent of Food & Wine’s Aspen Classic, the pinnacle of that organization’s various summer fests. I took it as a real honor. But these kinds of events usually bring a mixed bag of experiences--the good, the bad, and the somewhat, well, grotesque (a number…
Front Row Seat
By now, wine professionals and consumers outside of the wine industry have hopefully had a chance to see the year’s hottest documentary, SOMM. It’s not hard to get excited about the film as it gives the layperson visibility into our world and what its like to be a sommelier. Ian, Brian, DLynn and Dustin are like the new John, Paul, George and Ringo of wine. Musical artist, Pink tweeted out to her 17 million…