The Somm Journal

30 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 We've partnered with Chef's Roll & Somm's List, the global culinary and wine professional networks, to learn more about beverage experts from across the country. If you are a mixologist or wine professional interested in being featured here or want more information on Chef's Roll and Somm's List, please email featured@chefsroll.com. Tina Morey Owner/Producer of #winestudio in Virginia Beach, VA You are the owner of #winestudio, which offers an array of classes on wine education and generates online interaction. How would you describe a typical #winestudio online/ social media conversation? It's akin to a month-long webinar, but of course with a conversational element that makes it more inviting. And unlike a webinar where you must sign in, #winestudio can be anonymous—just type in the hashtag and follow the conversation. It makes the program inclusionary for all involved, whether it's sommeliers, import - ers, winemakers, instructors, writers [or] wine lovers. What has been the most surprising #winestudio conversation as of late? The recent July program featured no wine whatsoever, but its central theme was the challenges of working with wine. I made calls to a few key wine writers and the program pretty much wrote itself, centering around how we stay healthy in careers where eating and drinking is the job. It can be a fast-paced, oerindulent scene where any fall icti, so findin that balance between doing your job and staying healthy can be rough. What are some global wine trends that you are the most excited about in the next year? What gets me really excited is Sherry. It is the ultimate by-the-glass wine; there are so many different styles! With all of our fabulous seafood and vegetarian restaurants around the country, it's a wonder Sherry isn't a prominent selection. At the very least we need to bring back the after - noon Sherry tipple! Brandon Montilione Sommelier at Brunos Italian Kitchen in Brea, CA When curating the wine selection at Brunos, what are some key things you look for? Beyond the obvious answer of versatility and likeability, the most important element in our wine list is approachability. Our menu ranges from $32 bottles all the way up to $120, but what makes our menu stand out from the rest is that every Wednesday we offer 50 percent off all of our wines. That makes our $120 Brunello much more appealing to the typical weekly dinner. You offer a uniquely-structured wine list at Brunos. How was this created and why? We recently changed the layout of our wine menu to offer a three-tier menu arranged by light-, medium- and full-bodied wines. This allows us to offer numerous wines by the glass that in the past we were not able to provide to our guests. What has been the most memorable bottle of wine you've had the pleasure of tasting? A 2004 Château de la Gardine Châteauneuf-du- Pape. This wine was a treat for my general manager and myself when we hit our budget goals for the year. Mary McAuley Owner/Founder of Ripe Life Wines in New York City Ripe Life Wines has exploded since your initial Clambake Chardonnay release in 2013. How has the business evolved since? Ripe Life hasn't really evolved too much in terms of production, but something that's changed over the years is the focus on how we market the wine. Originally, all the emphasis was on how well the wine pairs with a clambake. We've started to stress now, which we didn't enough in the beginning, how chasing that aor profile to atch a clabae reuired us to be a rape-to-lass wine copany, focusin on eerythin from farming methods, soil types, sun direction, ripeness levels at harvest and so on. When pairing a wine to a specific dish and/or event, what are the specific qualities and notes you look for? Rules are meant to be broken sometimes, but typically price is important when it comes to the setting or event. Certain events call for a fine wine, a preiu wine or a table wine. Considerin the structure of the wine narrows down your options sinificantly. t the end of the day, the rule of thumb is light with light, heavy with heavy—neither the food nor the wine should overpower the other. Consistency is key when delivering a product like Clambake Chardonnay. What is Ripe Life's tactic for consistency? Consistency in uality 00 percent. ine is an aricultural product if youre ain craft wine, you et one shot per year, as theres only one harvest. We pick our grapes at peak ripeness and make our wine using the best practices to produce the most beautiful expression of the fruit. That includes letting the wine bespeak of its native varietal and environment. PHOTO COURTESY OF #WINESTUDIO PHOTO COURTESY OF BRUNOS ITALIAN KITCHEN PHOTO COURTESY OF RIPE LIFE WINES

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