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90 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018/2019 Perhaps it was this very experience that prompted Morano to quickly and enthusi- astically agree to join Wines of Portugal U.S. Ambassador Eugénio Jardim in spreading the gospel of Portuguese wines stateside. The pair recently traveled to Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, and Washington, D.C., to award five of the best somms in the country with their own trips to the European country. "Portugal is an untapped wealth of culture, food, wine, music, and so many other things," Jardim reflected after the Seattle stop. "I always say make me fall in love with the country and I'll fall in love with your wines, but the wines are not just this or that. They cover the gamut from sparkling, zingy, zippy, and bubbly to the most decadent, unctuous sweet reds or even amber Moscatels. It's wrong to put Portugal into a small box—the box is actually huge." This Portuguese box Jardim and Morano emptied in each city proved quite substan - tial, indeed, as Jardim reviewed the immense scope of the country's wine history, grow- ing regions, classification system, soil types, climate, and other related topics. Morano then augmented Jardim's information with a synopsis of the country's grapes and blends followed by a tasting of eight wines. These combined elements served to provide an incredibly thorough review before the written and oral exams. A helpful discussion also ensued around how to best approach Portuguese wines both on- and off-premise. Although pronunciations can often be challenging for guests, Jardim sug - gested that simply using the term "old vines" can minimize the intimidation factor. Drawing parallels from these less-familiar grapes to more common varieties—for example, Vinho Verde to Sauvignon Blanc, Encruzado to Char- donnay, and Touriga Nacional to Cabernet Sauvignon—might be helpful, too; according to Jardim, it's worth the extra effort, as Portu- guese wines can be "a refreshing, food-friendly alternative that overdelivers in price." The Competition Heats Up in L.A. First place: Ryan Kraemer, Sommelier for 71 Above Second place: Brian Kulich, Sommelier for Charlie Palmer Group Third place: Ryan Bailey, Wine Director for NoMad Los Angeles Wines of Por tugal kicked off its tour in perhaps the most competitive of the five cities—Los Angeles—but the Angeleno somms were just as passionate as they were ambitious (a somm from Napa and another from Santa Barbara also made appearances). Alicia Ajolo, Sommelier for Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, was quite receptive to the Covela 2017 Rosé. "It's so versatile—it really pulls you in as it warms in the glass," she explained. "You get these red florals on the nose and this beautiful, elegant, weighty body. This [wine] could be a great way to change a guest's perception of rosé given its weight." First-place winner Ryan Kraemer, Som - melier for 71 Above in downtown L.A., had much to say about Portuguese wines in general, but perhaps his most knowledgeable insight came regarding the Luis Pato 2013 Vinhas Velhas Tinto. "What I like about Luis Pato is that you can always find great vintages at amazing prices," he told The SOMM Journal. "You can have a wine on your list for around $100 with 17 years of age and recommend it to someone who is looking for something with some age to it but doesn't want to spend a ton of money." Wines of Portugal U.S. Ambassador Eugénio Jardim (second from left) with the top three L.A. somms: Ryan Bailey, Ryan Kraemer, and Brian Kulich. Good sportsmanship! Pictured from left to right, L.A.- based somm Rick Arline, first-place winner Ryan Kraemer, and Montage Beverly Hills Beverage Manager Oscar Chinchilla celebrate Kraemer's win. PHOTO: TODD WESTPHAL PHOTO: TODD WESTPHAL