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w i n t e r 2 0 1 7 | 3 1 Sommelier Marnie Old collaborated with Boisset Collection to create the Spectrum of Style. A wine and food pairing exercise with simple items for easy experimentation. PHOTO: JOHN CURLEY PHOTO: JOHN CURLEY BOISSET COLLECTION STREAMLINES SELECTING WINE Arguably, the biggest hurdle in introducing many stellar wines from many different regions—both domestic and foreign—is that most people do not understand which style of wine is actually in the bottle. Boisset Collection—the port- folio of French and California wines that includes offerings from Burgundy, Champagne, the South of France, Napa Val- ley and Sonoma, among others—shows forethought in their attempt to simplify their expansive range so that consumers can understand what they are buying. In consultation with sommelier Marnie Old, the company's Spectrum of Style pro- gram debuts early next year and will eventually be applied to all the offerings in Boisset Collection's catalogue. "We are trying to make wine easier to understand with- out dumbing it down," explains Old. The Spectrum of Style breaks wines down into five easily discernable categories, two for white and three for red. White wines can be thought of as Vivacious or Voluptuous while red wines divide into Elegant, Sensuous or Powerful. "We want someone to be able to say, 'I like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, so which of these wines will I like?'" says Old, when we spoke with her at DeLoach Vineyards, a Boisset Collection estate in Sonoma's Russian River Valley. Looking at the Spectrum of Style flavor and structure chart, wines similar in style can be easily ascertained. The same idea applies to each category of wine. By breaking down the barriers of confusing labels, Boisset makes buying the wine style you want easier. Olds takes this simplification of wine a step further by implementing a wine and food pairing exercise in order to determine how the identifiable structural components in wine—acidity, tannin, alcohol, fruit—react to the basic tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami. A simple plate of tomatoes, lemon, nuts, cheese, salami and honey allows an easy experimental tasting to take place. —Allyson Gorsuch The Spectrum of Style simplifies wine into five categories. In addition to the jewelry adorning the bottle, a limited-edition gift set includes a glass-topper and wearable brooch so that the striking, clear glass bottle may become a decanter for future use. PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISSET COLLECTION A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot from Rutherford and mountain fruit from Napa's eastern hills, the wine marries "the feminine and the masculine, the sensory and the vision. I wanted to create a wine I adore," explains Boisset. Sharing wine elicits individual memories of a singular moment, and once the wine is finished, Boisset believes it is difficult to harness that memory. By designing a bottle meant to be kept and used again, he renders recalling that memory more attain- able, and the sexy, clear glass bottle comes with an elegant bottle-topper for future use as a decanter. It is the unique brooch that adorns the bottle, however, that most excites Boisset. "Wine and jewelry: they are two of the most incredible things on earth. If you think about it, they have a lot in common, from the soil to the geology to the gemology. I believe this is quite exciting to talk about." Each brooch is 22 karat gold–plated and utilizes Swarovski crystal, the designs intermingling the familiar with the abstract magnificently. Boisset has also started a line of jewelry and accessories inspired by the Surrealist—from brooches to earrings to necklaces, bracelets and more. "You have a vision of a winery and a brand, and you stay true to that in the style of the wine," says Boisset. The Surrealist amasses inspiration from energy and emotion, meld- ing them into the most beautifully executed packaging. The wine debuted in 2012 and retails for $350. PHOTO: JOHN CURLEY Simplifying the Sensory ■cr ■cr