The Somm Journal

4 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 WITH LAST MONTH'S KICK OFF of the seven-city LUXICON Tour from Treasury Wine Estates—with "treasured icons," aka the wines and the winemakers written about in this month's cover story (page 0I would lie to proudly reect on the seamless partnership that made the tour a success. On a perfect summer night in the Russian River Valley, the leadership of GuildSomm and SommFoundation converged for a dinner of Master Somm stars at Lynmar Estate. Hosted by Anisya and Lynn Fritz, the company was as charming as the library collection of aged Burgundies, Rhônes and Bordeaux. The dinner was exquisite, and it certainly felt like a debut party for the SommFoundation's best causes—read more on page 38. Here at The SOMM Journal, we are work - in toward fittin ooundationand its scholarship program—into as many of our events and ongoing partnerships as possible. Whether these educational schol - arships are merit-based or need-based, I am asking our wine and spirits marketing partners to help us be creative in coming up with more ideas on how to grow this program together. SommFoundation pro - vides wonderful mentorship to the up-and- coming somm community and the future buyers of your brands. You'll get to meet SommFoundation Chairman Jay James, MS, at SOMMCON in San Diego next month when he hosts our panel "Wines of Central Europe." We will taste through wines from Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Greece and Georgia. The panel runs from 2–3:30 p.m. on November 16. That same day from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., David Glancy, founder of the San Francisco Wine School, will moderate a panel on the sustainability and ageability of natural cork, with a tasting of rare and old wines. Sign up for our seminars now at www. sommconusa.com. Back to LUXICON and how SommFoundation's $3,600 scholarship awarded to three individuals in each city offers educational opportunities to someone already on his or her way: The money is awarded for the best score in a blind wine tasting at each stop. The part - nership with Treasury Wine Estates and SommFoundation is a best score for us all. ALIGNING ALLIES for the Highest Good { letter from the publisher } PHOTO: TIA GAVIN Meridith May with Master Sommeliers Gillian Ballance of Treasury Wine Estates and GuildSomm President Geoff Kruth at the SommFoundation dinner at Lynmar Estate in Sonoma. PHOTO: TIA GAVIN SommFoundation Chairman Jay James, MS. "SommFoundation provides wonderful mentorship to the up- and-coming somm com - munity and the future buyers of your brands."

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