Sommelier Study Group

Every Friday I meet with 2 ladies to study wine.  Their names are  Barbara and Ruth.  Barbara is the first sommelier I ever met.  She came into the wine store I work at just after it opened to introduce herself and offer her services (she owns a wine consulting company called Pairing to Perfection).  She told me about a wine study group.  At the time I didn't quite understand what she was talking about.  Once I got the wine bug I remembered her and contacted her about the study group and we began meeting together for study  Barbara has already passed her level 1 sommelier exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying to take her level 2 exam in April. She acts like she is my peer but she is really my wine mentor!  Ruth is the dining captain at a country club and she is going to take the level 1 exam with me next month.  She also knows a great deal about wine from all her experience in the restaurant industry.  I am very grateful God has brought these ladies into my life to walk alongside me on my road to sommelier.  They are both very knowledgeable, gracious, and fun.  

A typical study session sees the three of us discussing a particular region we have studied for the week and tasting a few wines from that region.  Our last session was extra special as we had a delicious lunch together.  Barbara cooked a lamb stew topped with lemon and cilantro.  I baked some fresh breads and Ruth brought a fresh fruit salad made of the fruit flavors you typically find in red wines.  This study session was on California and we enjoyed studying three Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa and Sonoma with our stew.   Matt was able to join us for this session since he didn't have to work until the afternoon.

Barbara's amazing lamb stew

Ruth, me and Matt

the 3 Cabernet Sauvignons

Washington State Trade Show

Earlier this week I attended the Washington State Trade Wine Show up in Minneapolis with the 2 ladies who are in my sommelier study group.  There were over 25 different Washington winerys present with a slew of wines.  I have been getting into Rieslings lately so I made sure to taste every Riesling they had.  The most interesting one was Snoqualmie Naked Riesling 2010 out of Horse Heaven Hills in Colombia Valley.   It had a very interesting petro note to it that set it apart from all the other Rieslings I tried that day.  It retails for around $12 a bottle, is made from organically grown grapes, and is off-dry in style.  Yum.

The show was filled with many good wines as Washington is known for it's skill with Cabernets Sauvingons, Merlots, Red Blends, and Rieslings.  But the only wine that really stood out to me as exceptional was a Petite Sirah by Dusted Valley Wines.  I liked it so much I went back for a second taste before we left.  Unfortunately it retails for around $42 a bottle so I don't see myself buying it anytime soon.  But if you want to treat yourself to an ultra smooth and luscious Petite Sirah this is surely one to consider.

The day after the wine show my study buddy sent me this quick little video which was made at the show...

Wine Merchants Trade Show: Italian Extravaganza

There are many benefits for the wine lover working in the wine field such as attending trade shows.  Today I  attended such a show put on by the distributor Wine Merchants at the Westin Minneapolis.  Distributors generally do trade shows quarterly as they want to showcase new products.  The theme of today's trade show was "Italian Extravaganza" and there were over 100 wines and spirits to taste.  Upon arrival you are given a list of all the products with pricing as well as a wine glass.  Then you make your way slowly through each of the 7 tables, starting with the white wines, moving to red wines, then the sparkling and dessert wines and finally ending up at the last table containing spirits.  There are about 15 different bottles on each table to choose from and you are allowed to taste as many or as few as you want.  In the middle of the room there is a table of finger foods to help you cleanse your palette and to help you make it through standing!

Italian wines have been a favorite of mine (particularly Chiantis) since I started drinking wine in Europe so I was excited to try a few I have only read about. And since I cannot taste anywhere near 100 wines I concentrated mostly on wines I had never had. Some that I tasted for the first time today were Dolcetto, Amarone, Soave, Vin  Santo, Montepulciano D'Abbruzzo, Franciacorta and Brunnelo.  I had very high expectations for the Brunello, thinking it would surely blow my mind.  I tried two different ones (one of which retails for around $105 a bottle!) and, don't get me wrong, they were good but the wine that took the cake for me was the Berlucchi 61 Brut Franciacorta.  This is a sparkling wine made in the traditional champagne style, using 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir.  It retails for about $36 a bottle.  Now let me say there are sparkling wines and then there are sparkling wines made in the Champagne style- these are mind blowing.  The depth of flavor is fascinating!  I hope to get my hands on a bottle of this Berlucchi to enjoy at home and then I can tell you more about it.  Suffice it to say Franciacorta is Italy's premier sparkling wine and is definitely worth the small splurge.

The next trade show is right around the corner featuring the wines of Washington state. Until then...