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Lifelong Leadership Roles Prepared this Sommelier for Success

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Paul Carayas, GM/Wine Director of San Francisco’s Saison Cellar & Wine Bar, is an arbiter of affordable luxury With close to 30 years of industry experience, Paul Carayas, generalmanager and wine director of San Francisco’s Saison Cellar & WineBar, exemplifies leadership and hospitality, defying the stereotypes of snobbery that are often associated with the sommelier profession. Although he has studied with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Carayas credits astute mentorship and self education as the driving forces behind his obsession with wine. His success, however, could also be attributed in part to values he acquired early in life. Early leardership roles By the age of 15—when most teenagers would be relegated to jobs like bussing tables and washing dishes—he was working as a host in the small town of Surprise, Arizona. He credits the fact that he had the maturity and people skills to succeed in that role to the years he spent participating in the Boy Scouts of America. “I became an Eagle Scout when I was 13”—just 5–7% of Scouts earn that rank …

AI puts podcasters in jeopardy

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AI-generated podcast summarizes four recent articles With advances in artificial intelligence (AI) making huge strides, podcasters look to be on the endangered species list. NotebookLM has cranked out a realistic – if not completely accurate – ten-minute discussion of four of my recent wine related articles exploring Champagne production techniques, accountable sustainability, lower-alcohol Cabernet Sauvignon, and novice wine education. It was fascinating to see how the algorithem selected four topics from my archive, sussed out the key points of each article, and wove them together into a podcast that I found no more or less compelling than many I have listened to. For the record, I don’t find podcasts a particularly good use of my listening time. While there are exceptions, I prefer reading to listening to other people audbily processing content. That said, I encourage you read these brief articles – Rare perpetual reserve a hallmark at Champagne Palmer Solera wines are the secret sauce in Champagne producer’s blending process. In a tribute to the rare practice of aging reserve wines via the solera …

A Bolly Good Time

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In May, Cyril Delarue, a sixth-generation pro- prietor of Champagne Bollinger who oversees the producer’s U.S. interests, celebrated the release of the Bollinger 2008 R.D. Extra Brut ($360) at San Francisco restaurant The Progress. Delarue collaborated with The Progress chef-owner Stewart Brioza in creating a six-course menu that was paired with nine wines ranging in age from the nonvintage Special Cuvée Brut ($150) in magnum to the oldest wine of the evening, the 2002 La Grande Année ($250). The wines were ordered such that the 2002 and 2008 La Grande Année—the cuvée that is selected in superior vintages to become R.D., which stands for “recently disgorged”—were tasted first. The first vintage of the R.D. Extra Brut was made in 1952 and released in 1967; today, it continues to be highly sought after by collectors for its longevity. The 2008 R.D. Extra Brut is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay from 18 crus and simultaneously shows exuberant freshness and development withtoasty aromas, dried stone fruits, and distinct truffle notes that were mirrored in …

Unreaveling geologic metaphors

Unraveling Geologic Metaphors

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The discovery of more naturally-occurring compounds found both in soil and in wine prompts the winegrowers of Sancerre to abandon their geologic metaphor and take credit for winemaking choices that reflect their terroir.

Sneak peek at the Slow Wine Guide USA 2021 print edition

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Slow Wine debuts its first stand-alone guide which has been expanded to cover the wineries and wines from the United States’ major wine growing regions of California, Oregon and Washington and New York states.

Slow Wine Guide 2020 – your free digital edition

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Enjoy your free digital edition of the 2020 Slow Wine Guide.

World Bulk Wine Expo 2019

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Watch highlights from the 2019 World Bulk Wine Exposition.

Highlights from WSET Wine Education Week

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The SOMM Journal’s Global Wine Editor, Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET (’09), recently hosted three professional mixers marking the 50th anniversary of the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).

Parker Wong teamed up with three Sonoma wineries—Balletto
Vineyards, Sangiacomo Wines, and McEvoy Ranch—in welcoming WSET
alumni and students as well as members of the trade to taste and network
during Wine Education Week, held September 9–15. Three lucky attendees were awarded access to a Level 2 online certification course.

First-ever Slow Wine Guide to Oregon and second California edition coming online…

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First-ever Slow Wine Guide to Oregon and second California edition coming online… First-ever Slow Wine Guide to Oregon and second California edition coming online… — Read on dobianchi.com/2019/01/24/michael-alberty-wine-writer/

Vinexpo Explorer shines global spotlight on Sonoma County, Calif.

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Vinexpo Explorer presented the gathering of wine buyers and press from 27 countries with an opportunity to take a deep dive into the region and its terroir, personality, and the myriad wine styles produced in Sonoma County. Spirited interviewed some of these buyers, most of whom were first-time visitors to the region, to gather their firsthand impressions of Sonoma County wines.

14 Michael David Earthquake Lodi Wine Fr

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14 Michael David Earthquake Lodi Wine Fresh, ferrous mineral nose, deep boysenberry, cinnamon, black tea, licorice and plum tracing a long finish. #LodiWine #ZinfandelDay http://ow.ly/i/AvKBT

Day 1 of the IBWSS

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The International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show (IBWSS) kicked off in San Francisco on July 26 with a packed exhibition hall and a keynote address from Bobby Koch, President and CEO of the Wine Institute. That led to a full day of presentations, workshops and master classes from some of the top names in the bulk wine and spirits industry.

Wine Bloggers Conference to Take Place in Lodi, California from August 11-14

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Thanks for the summary, Kristy DeVaney! Wee you in Lodi!

What’s next for Australian vineyard machinery?

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Source: What’s next for Australian vineyard machinery?

Franzia’s Unified Keynote Speaks to Past, Present and Future

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In a rare and much anticipated public address, Bronco CEO Fred Franzia delivered the January 26 keynote speech and, with it, set the stage for the 2016 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento. Franzia paid homage to the founding figures of the California wine industry, including his uncle Ernest Gallo, with a look back at their history and, with his characteristic candor, tackled some of the trade’s most relevant topics. As the nation’s largest vineyard owner — Bronco Wine owns in excess of 40,000 acres — he was quick to count grape growers among the most interesting and opinionated people he deals with in the industry. He credited Central Valley growers with teaching him much through the many hours he’s spent in their company over the last 50 years. Expressing regard for his peers and fellow industry icons Robert Mondavi and Jess Jackson, Franzia pointed to their similar practice of always tasting blind and their keen ability to critique what they tasted. On the subject of industry growth, Franzia was at once optimistic and …

The Taste of Scent

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As anyone who has held their nose in an effort to swallow something unpleasant is aware, our ability to taste is inextricably linked to our sense of smell.

Wines of Lugana tasting

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Enjoy Alicia Cuarda-Cutler’s recap of the tasting I hosted for the producers of Lugana DOC. Alicia is a sommelier and my TA at Cabrilllo College.

Deborah Parker Wong’s photostream

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Deborah Parker Wong’s photostream on Flickr.

Smart Labels

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Wine labels work overtime on brand protection As the prestige sector of the wine industry scrambles to exercise more control over the wine fraud that’s running rampant in Asia’s emerging markets, the remaining 99% of the industry is pondering security measures and looking for clues as to the role digital communication will play in the future of brand marketing. For wineries whose products are destined for evolving and often unregulated overseas markets, the belief that price-point alone will provide protection from the unwanted attention of counterfeiters may be short-lived. In Shenzhen, China, authorities predict that the country will continue to struggle with fraud until consumers are able to identify obvious defects in wine. While gatekeepers and educators will continue to develop their ability, and reports of illness will raise public awareness, the foreseeable future represents a steep learning curve for Chinese consumers and an uphill battle for producers.  As the market for luxury wine (above $15) in Asia grows, the reputation of wines from any protected origin will continue to be at risk. French technology …

Rockin’ the Trocken

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Sommeliers the world over prize Riesling for its broad range of styles and trocken, or dry, Riesling is no exception. Alex Fox, [formerly] General Manager at San Francisco’s Bar Tartine, recently added several to his list. “If you are buildinga strong list of whites between $35 and $50, you really need these wines. The beauty of trocken Rieslings is that they are fully ripe, and they’re approachable when they are young.” While Fox and his peers introduce consumers to dry German Riesling through their wine-by-the-glass programs, only a fraction of the dry wines now available can be found on the U.S. market. Demand for Riesling in restaurants is growing; it’s second only to Pinot Gris in popularity and growing faster than Chardonnay, and many of Germany’s most compelling examples are still waiting to be discovered. Read complete article here Germany

Winning Wine Labels: Award-winning labels set standards for design and technology

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With the steady proliferation of domestic wine brands, label design can be a competitive advantage that helps speed the adoption of a new brand. It can also be used to improve the earning power of an existing brand. Thanks to the innovative use of printing technologies, wine labels are no longer confined to two-dimensional squares of paper; designers are creating three-dimensional labels using the bottle itself as their canvas and incorporating graphics that can instantly connect consumers to information about a brand via mobile technology. These trends and others can be seen hard at work in the award-winning packaging designs that have been singled out for recognition by wine industry and packaging design competitions. Winning Wine Labels