Archive for February, 2015
SPAIN’S PRIVATE VINTNERS CLUB – GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPANA
Finca Sandoval owner and journalist Victor de la Serna and Carlos Falcó Fernandez de Córdova, Marquis de Griñon, presented a selection of two white and six red single estate wines yesterday at Absinthe in San Francisco that was well-attended by SF Bay area wine trade and media. Grandes Pagos de Espana, or GPE, was formed […]
IT’S ONLY NATURAL. SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC WINES ARE BECOMING THE NORM
THE SOMM JOURNAL OCT-NOV 2014 Sustainable, organic, and biodynamic, known and discussed by the trade now as SOB, are three tiers of natural wine production. The health of the land, the plants, the animal and human community in and around the land, and the end-users are all taken into consideration. Sustainable farming takes a […]
CALIFORNIA MEETS MEDITERRANEAN – RICH REDS THAT ARE RIPE AND REFRESHING
THE SOMM JOURNAL FEB-MARCH 2015 One night this past fall I was advising a group of bankers about wines and the topic of Old Vine Zinfandel came up. Though they had selected an Amador Zin, I couldn’t help but rave about the hidden treasures in Lodi, where growers have something special yet they don’t […]
BLACK BEAUTY – SICILY’S SIGNATURE NERO D’AVOLA COMES IN A RANGE OF STYLES & PRICES
THE SOMM JOURNAL DEC-JAN 2014/2015 Lovers of esoteric grapes have plenty to choose from in Italy. One of those grapes, however, is enjoying a popularity that puts it squarely in the ranks of Italy’s top reds. Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s prime red grape, is now in the country’s top five, joining Nebbiolo (Barolo), Sangiovese (Brunello), Corvina […]
DIGGING DEEPER – NEW THOUGHTS ON THE BIRTHPLACE OF GRENACHE
THE SOMM JOURNAL OCT-NOV 2014 Any student of Sardinian wine will discover that the island’s beloved Cannonau grape is actually Grenache, or Garnacha. The common thought was that Cannonau was Garnacha brought from Spain to the island of Sardinia 500 years ago. But seeds tested from archaeological ruins of Sardinian Nuraghes – megalithic fortresses from […]
ROSY PICTURE – IT’S TIME TO THINK ABOUT EXPANDING PINK WINE OPTIONS
THE SOMM JOURNAL AUG-SEPT 2014 At a private beach club in Ramatuelle, under the shade of pine, feet nestled into soft Provencal sand, I learned about wine in the best possible way. I observed a pack of playboys moving in on a bevy of beautiful women who were busy nibbling on seafood and sipping rosé. […]
TAP IT – PRODUCERS AND BUYERS AGREE: KEG WINE IS HERE TO STAY
THE SOMM JOURNAL JUNE-JULY 2014 During my almost 11-year tenure as Adjunct Instructor at the CIA’s Rudd Center for Professional Development in Napa Valley, I witnessed the birth of wine on tap. Wine Director Traci Dutton was an early adapter, offering a local Sauvignon Blanc on tap at $5 a glass. She was thrilled to pass along cost […]
Wine and Dine Your Valentine
After New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day is the second worse night to dine out. Expectations are high, menus are fixed, everyone is rushed and stressed, and overall quality of food and experience is diminished. To make matters worse, this year it falls on a Saturday, already one of the busiest nights for many establishments. As […]
Why Somms Love Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir, “peeno nwaahhr”, is a favorite of sommeliers and winemakers alike. Why? First of all, this noble red variety from France’s Burgundy region makes an intensely flavored, complex, high acid wine with incredible longevity. As the climate gets warmer, the fruit becomes riper and more obvious, and the acid softens a bit. The net […]
Origins of the Sommelier
The word “sommelier”, or wine waiter, may have stemmed from the old French words “sommerier”, “somier”, and “bête de somme”. In this old French language, a “bête de somme” was a “beast of burden” and the “sommelier” was its herdsman. Later, the word became more specialized and referred to the official responsible for the transport […]
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