09/10/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Although Thursdays, for me, are the beginning of the work week, I look forward to the end of this official week earnestly. This is historically one of the slowest restaurant weeks of the year- parents spend money on back-to-school stuff, not dining out. The restaurant I work at doesn't feel the crunch of the economy the same way the rest of the restaurants do (more on reasons for this later), but this week is still dismal for us.
I closed the place down tonight and never once had more than 3 tables at a time. I still managed to showcase Willakenzie Estate. I really support this winery, I like that they're OCSW certified sustainable (oh, you didn't know I was green? I won't berate you for your views, just drink good wine and we'll be cool), I think their winemaker is really on top of his game, and they hit some great price points- fairly and accurately. There are so many products that they produce, it's hard to talk about them briefly, but I showcased their intro-level Pinots (both Noir and Gris) to different tables tonight.
Towards the end of the evening I had resigned myself to making no headway towards my deficit in the contest, but my last table asked for a juicy spicy red, and some Yangarra Estates McLaren Vale Shiraz '06 is on the list. Not a huge bottle, but a little bit here and there helps.
Oh yeah- why don't we feel the crunch of the economy? Well, it's not entirely fair to say we don't feel it, we just absorb it better than many. The place I work is a showcase restaurant- we're 30 stories up in the sky for craps sake! Now, for you big city readers, 30 floors might not seem like much. However, those of you here in Portland know that there's only 1 building in town taller than Big Pink, and it doesn't have a restaurant in it... So! We get anniversaries. We get birthdays. We get celebrations of any and all sorts. We get business meetings. We also get tourists- people from all over the world. We still do over 200 covers on a slow night, and that's darn respectable in my eyes.
As always, if you would like more info about any of the wines that I talk about, feel free to shoot me a line or comment, and I'll get back to you.

09/08/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

What a drastically slow evening at the restaurant! I took four tables, and was out of the place by 8:30! A little Sokol Blosser Evolution hit the spot for those seeking something bright and refreshing after the afternoon heat (really?), and a half bottle of the Panther Creek Shea Vnyd to show off Oregon to a visitor from San Diego.

Joy of getting out early was that I was able to stop by Vino Paradiso and talk with Timothy about accommodating the upcoming Wine Wednesday in the Pearl! Look for an evite by the end of the week, it's coming together!

09/06-07/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Sunday/Monday on a Labor day weekend. Although the restaurant was slammed busy, it never felt overmuch for me. Take into consideration I was in a *tiny* section with a trainee who was taking all the tables. Sadly, I wasn't called upon to do much more than run food for other servers. Sold some juice both nights, made some minor additions to the contest. Beaux Freres Pinot hit hard on Monday- 3 bottles of the WV 06. Some Illahe and Capitello on Sunday, along with some rose of Pinot from Elk Cove and our last bottle of Beringer Private Reserve Chard.
Keeping it super brief, and I feel guilty about it.
I should wax poetical about the '06 Ferrari Carano Sienna we opened up last night. I won't thought- I'll merely say that it's young and tight, and oh so good. We stuffed a couple of NY strip steaks with about 1/2 a pound of blue cheese, seared them off and broiled them to med-rare. yeah.

09/05/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Saturday is never my favorite day of the week. The restaurant is always busy (it's Saturday, after all), but it's usually full of non-dining clientele. I just don't get people. If you're miserable, stay the hell home, none of the rest of us want to deal with you. Unfortunately, it seems that most people don't seem to get this, and feel that since it's the weekend, they MUST go OUT! OK, you have to go out? Fine- go somewhere that you'll at least be happy. Don't go to a restaurant you can't afford, and then complain that you're spending more than you want to. Go to a cheaper restaurant, have a *good* time!

Getting the drift of how my night went, and the type of people I was waiting on? Wait, it gets better...

I did sell some wine last night, and I also opened up a couple of nice Zins that a table brought in. Shall we discuss the falling star of Zinfandel? Do lets! It's my opinion that Zinfandel (Primitivo) is a waning force. I see less and less demand for it in restaurants. I find fewer labels in the wine-aisle at the grocery store, and less focus from the wholesale reps. Maybe I was just more inundated with the stuff when I was in California, but I think not. *I* think that the people got fed up with it. I was getting used to seeing HUGE fruit and %ABV zins (16%+), and I think we're developing as consumers (on the whole) to the point where that style isn't as desirable. For proofs of this I'll point at every article on Chardonnay in the last 2 years (just about everyone I can think of is pushing for cleaner expression of the grape). This desire for a clean expression isn't relegated to exclusively Chardonnay- the desire for clean juice is the desire for the JUICE to be clean, REGARDLESS of the varietal. As evidence: one of the few Zin producers I still see *regularly* in the market getting tons of appreciation is Ridge, a winery that has always been about great Zin without a crap-ton of over-oak fruit bombing.

Back to the wine of the night- I only moved one bottle that was part of the mini-contest. The other guy? Oh yeah, he killed it. This evening was incredibly demoralizing for me in the contest, and if it had happened in another week or two, it would be the nail in the coffin for the contest. As it stands, I will have an incredibly hard time coming back from this deficit, not for lack of sales-ability, simply from lack of wine left worth enough! He moved our last magnum of Pine Ridge Stag's Leap District '01 Cab, (3) bottles of the '04 Cardinale, and our last Cuvaison Cab. Should I go cry in the corner? Hell no. Part of it is obviously table placement- getting people in your section willing to drink wine and be open to suggestions. A big part of it is his salesmanship- he really did an amazing job last night, and praise should be heaped on for it. Alright, I won't throw the towel in yet...

09/04/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Closing the restaurant is rarely my bag. Closing on a Friday or Saturday (when the restaurant is open until 1AM) is even less my bag. Closing on a Friday that happens to be my girlfriend's birthday? Uber lame.

So! Make the best of a bad situation, sling some vino, have a good time! Moved some beautiful bubbles (99 Brut Rose from Veuve Clicquot), a stunning Seven Springs vnyd Pinot from Penner-Ash, and a flinty Kabinett Riesling from Markus Molitor. THAT was a happy 6 top!

Our mini-competition gets more difficult as we sell out of bottles, and last night I only moved 1 (the Chalone 05 Estate Pinot). It's ok- the other guy only moved 1 as well, and I continue to gain ground on him.

09/01-03/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Lazy lazy man. Tuesday the 1st was my Friday night, had Wednesday off, and Thursday was the beginning of my new week. A quick recap of sales: Tues night Yangarra Shiraz (was actually a very minor upsell, but FAR more suited to the menu for the couple) and King Estate Pinot Gris (when a table says it's their fave, you don't argue); Thurs lunch half bottle Willakenzie Pinot Gris, Thurs dinner Illahe Pinot (big upsell from Louis Jadot Beau Villages).

Both (ok, all three) shifts at work were frustrating to me. We'll leave it at that, with a serious undertone.

Other server has pulled ahead by a buck-60 in our mini contest. We go til the end of the month, and that's a pretty piddly-wink lead.

08/31/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

End of the month! I ended August on a high note, went to a great tasting at the Gerding Theater- Yamhill/Carlton AVA wineries, and had a really nice (mellow) evening at the restaurant.

I attended the trade portion of the tasting, earlier in the day than the public event. I read a really great piece on trade tastings not too long ago: http://vindulge.typepad.com/vindulge/2009/07/zap-tasting-and-my-thoughts-on-trade-events.html {sorry, I'm not nearly as saavy at this blogging thing as I might hope, so you must [I command you] copy and paste into a new browser tab, thank you}

My feelings are very similar- I, personally, am not a buyer, but I sell an awful lot of these wines on the dining room floor, and it's important that I know what the heck is in the bottle. Having said that, there were some really standout wines showcased!

There were 24 wineries showing over 50 different bottlings. Having to work after the tasting, I had to decline a few here and there- I only tasted through 16 of the wineries. Quick shout-out to the GIII Gewurzt blend from Resonance; Soter's 05 Brut Rose; Bishop Creek's 06 Pinot and Reserve Pinot; and the 08 Pinot Gris Roots Vineyard from Roots. These were just a *few* of the standouts for me, just about everything I tasted I enjoyed for some purpose or another.

The restaurant was a little slow; I only waited on two tables for the night. Both of the tables were having a great time, out enjoying the evening, and well inclined to "dine." Both tables ended up leaving wine selection to me- pairing against 3 different dishes for each table. I went with Pinot for both- Willakenzie's 06 Kiana and Chalone Estate's 05. I know it's heresy to sell California Pinot here in Oregon, but (contrary to previous catcalls from the peanut gallery) I'm pretty evenhanded in my recommendations globally. The table that had the Chalone were all locals, and didn't need to be wowed by what we all know we have here at home. They were interested in seeing something from afar, but not too different. Oh yeah, stellar deal was offered too.

Both of those Pinots counted towards the recently begun sell-off contest between me and another server at the restaurant. Good thing too: after two nights of $0 in wine sales, those two (and him having the night off) allowed me to gain a little ground. He's still got the lead, but within striking distance with one fine bottle...

Wine Wednesday in the Pearl- Update

I've been getting a lot of questions the last week or so as to what's going on for the next WWIP. Hopefully this will give some of you an insight into what's planning, and where I'm hoping to take these events in the future.

I'm still in the process of developing relationships with Pearl Neighborhood restaurants. My goal is to turn WWIP into a truly neighborhood event, not something that is my wine crawl on my day off. I'd like to have special deals offered to WWIP attendees at various places all night long.

My portion of the event is a little more focused this time around. Last month I enjoyed just having a whole bunch of people over to open some bottles and chat, a little networking as it were. I've had multiple requests for some wine-training to be involved, so this time I'll be presenting a class.

In my year and a half in Portland, I've only seen a handful of wines opened properly. Now, generally speaking, proper service etiquette isn't observed- you don't need to go through all the steps for popping a bottle at home, nor is it necessary to observe all the steps in most of our dining establishments. However, on those occasions when something really special is being opened up (even if the server doesn't think it's all that special, it might be special for the table), it's vital to observe the rituals. Although I think that Wine Opening 101 is a primarily industry focused class, there are some very valid reasons why consumers should attend as well.

Wine Opening 101- Learn the proper steps of opening wine: Still service; Presentation; Cork Presentation; Serviette Usage; Sparkling Service. This class is vital for any person seeking to work in the service industry where proper wine service might be required. This class is also extremely helpful for the consumer who is serious about proper dining (don't you want to know that your server is doing things *right*?).

I'm all for tipping 20-25% for service, but only if it's warranted. If my server can't open my wine properly, they're not getting that extra bump.

So, to summarize:

Next Wine Wednesday in the Pearl is scheduled for Sept 23, 2009.
Special wine deals at local Pearl restaurants to be announced!
Wine Opening 101 class at Asa Skylounge 6:30pm -8:30pm

The joy of the class at Asa? We're gonna drink all the wine we open up during class. The drawback? It will have a minor cost involved.
I'll start posting more aggressively as we get closer to the event, looking forward to seeing you all there!

8/29-30/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Lazy lazy man. This is a term I frequently use to describe myself, a term that other people scoff at. Maybe I'm not lazy in some regards, but the little things (ie. writing a damn blog daily) are what I refer to when I say lazy lazy man about myself.
Although my weekend at the restaurant was a lot of fun, it was not, for the most part, wine-fun. The dining room was remodeled Friday night, so Saturday we had a brand new floor plan. Some miscues here and there, but I think we've handled the transition well so far. I had many great tables over the weekend. People were mostly friendly and enjoying themselves. For those of you who follow along with my Recycling pictures, I have nothing more to add. No wine, just nice people who tipped well.
I kind of feel guilty about such a short post, but even a Somm doesn't drink wine everyday.

08/28/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

The difficulty (ok, ONE of the difficulties) I face frequently at my "day" job is that I'm not the Somm of the restaurant, but I *am* a Somm. I often feel like I'm "stepping on toes" when I help out with wine for my fellow servers. It's not so much an issue when I'm starting a table for a server who just hasn't shown up for work yet. It's a whole different ball game when a table asks me to open some wine for them as I stroll past the table.

I got to the restaurant 2 and a half hours before my shift was scheduled to begin. I like to be early. I can fold my napkins, buff out my section, make everything pretty, all long before people arrive and stress time starts. I also don't mind taking the early table now and again ;) I started a table for another server, opened up some Shafer Merlot '04 for them, and passed the table on. It was one of two tables that I started at 4pm, the absolute beginning of dinner for our restaurant. The other table I kept.

A very nice couple in town for a mini-family reunion, flew down from Spokane, WA. (Mad props to Horizon Air for being the best damn airline around!) Merlot really is making a comeback folks. After a nice app of scallops and goat cheese stuffed figs with a couple of Goose Martinis, they decided wine was appropriate with the meal. I love tables that are engaging. I mean- I'm damn charming at the table, and I love it when people will joke back with me, talk about what they enjoy in food, and are willing to listen to recommendations and descriptions. I think my point is this- I'm a professional, I can make your dining experience thrilling, and it's joyous to me to be able to perform on point for you. We discussed seafood, and moved to the beef. They were considering some white, we moved into- you guessed it, Merlot. The '04 Twomey showed beautifully next to the ribeye *and* the shortribs, everybody happy :)

This shift was the beginning of a mini-competition between another server and myself. We have at the restaurant 22 labels on/off the list of current inventory 5 bottles or less. The other server and I are going to sell the rest of these bottles out in the next month, to see who can empty the bins *and* make the most money off the remaining bottles. The Twomey was the only bottle I counted for me last night- he moved a Rosenblum Syrah and a Girard Petite Sirah. He's up by $20 on me. I'll get it back soon. We still haven't determined the prize for the competition; I'm sure it'll be stellar since it's coming out of the loser's pocket.

I got home to another blind tasting- thanks baby! My logic on the wine in question was good, but I ruled out a crucial factor based on not tasting the acid enough. My initial conclusion was off by half the world (thinking OR PG, actually NZ SB), and as the wine warmed, it became much more obvious to me. The wine ('08 Nobilo Sauv Blanc, Marlborough NZ) never showed as much acid as I would have expected, but was much more typical of the style as it came up to the 40-45 degree range.

08/25/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Yesterday's post was sort of a "Debbie-Downer," and I'm still in the same funk for today's. It gets frustrating to watch so many wines go out that could be so much better. There are innumerable opportunities for salesmanship at our restaurant, and there are times when I feel that my co-workers drop the ball.

One of my co-workers who shares this view, and has some damn good ideas about wine also, proposed a challenge to me, a mini sales-contest between he and I. We've got something like 22 selections on or off list right now that are down to the last 1 or 2 bottles in house, and his proposal is to see who can move through the most of them. I might have some fun with this one, especially since it's just a friendly wager between friends. The last contest that the *restaurant* put out has left a sour taste in my mouth, and this is hardly the venue for it.

Didn't sell any wine all night long. One table brought in a 1992 Caymus Special Select, the cork was in beautiful shape. Should I rant about corkage fees? I've written notes about them in the past-

I'm all for Corkage fees. I'm sorry if this offends you, but I've a very strong restaurant background, and I firmly believe in corkage fees! (Cake-age fees too, but that's off topic) Further, I think it's appropriate for the restaurant to have a HIGHER corkage fee if you bring in a bottle that the restaurant carries.
Having said that, I must relate the following:

Tonight I waited on a party of four. They were a pair of affluent, well spoken, mid 40s couples. They brought in two bottles of wine- the '07 J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cab, and the '06 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cab. I'll not belabor the whole story of their dining experience, suffice it to say that I decanted both of these wines through a Rojaus Vine Decanter, with much explanation and flourish. Now, these people knew what they were drinking, and made no claims as to its' virtues, nor did they bat an eyelash at the corkage fees on the bill.

Here's my question- would you ever bring such a wine into a restaurant? I'm not belittling the wine, I've purchased the same CSM IW Cab for home consumption. I'm VERY familiar w/ the J. Lohr- having worked for a winery not more than a stone's throw from the Lohr vineyards in Paso (East Side baby!) Robles. These wines are great every-day drinking wines (for those enjoy who that particular style). They are NOT wines for memorable events. So again- would you take that type of a wine to a restaurant? Pay a corkage that's more expensive than the wine itself? Really?

So, I obviously don't harbor resentment to this couple for bringing in the '92. Maybe I'm just bummed that the couple didn't pour a taste for me?

I got home to a treat. My girlfriend bought a bottle of red and greeted me with a blind test. Awesome. I haven't been challenging myself on wine tasting lately, just enjoying it and taking it all in. I did okay on the test, nailed varietal, was 1 yr off vintage, and had region just not sub region. I asked my girlfriend to test me more often, as it dovetails nicely with so many of my current ambitions of furthering my Somm certifications.

08/24/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

I always wonder how I'm supposed to start these posts. Most of the time I just plow right in, but some days it doesn't feel right. I mean, this is basically a journal, but there are some people who periodically read it too, so some context might be appropriate, no?
Well, plow right in then- basically how I felt when I walked into the tasting Monday afternoon. I pride myself on punctuality; I'm almost never late, and I'm usually at least 15 minutes early for any appointment I might have. An oddity for me to be late, but bursting in mid-tasting, what poor form! Further made an ass of myself later on during the tasting, divulging cost of a wine in front of a customer. Thhhpppbbbbtttt....
The tasting(s) were nice, some great Pinot Blanc, nice big Paso reds, and a rare treat- a '00 Mendocino Cab- really well cellar-ed and well developed. Classic Mendo notes make me think Alexander Valley/Cab Franc/red leaf lettuce. Great leather and tobacco notes too. Drinking really well right now, but probably won't last another year or two, I hope we hop on it.

Most of my tables were in and out eaters- one course and run sort of folk. I did have a larger party celebrating a birthday (supposedly {supposably?} on the sly). Moved the birthday into some Beaux Freres WV Pinot '06, and some '06 Ridge Santa Cruz Estate Chard. This party was one of those that could easily start a whole new blog post ranting about diners not allowing the restaurant to do it's job for you in creating a dining experience, but I digress here.
The Beaux Freres is always a crowd pleaser, and it did not fail here either. Ridge is one of my favorite wineries, and it's always a pleasure to show off their products, red or white. Both of these wines are products that are leaving our list. I love that I get to play with the prices on these wines, I love offering great deals on wines I love to people who appreciate it. It's a bummer that all these wines I love are leaving the list. It's not that the wines that are staying on the list are wines I'm unhappy with- much to the contrary; Many of the wines that have recently been brought in are wines that I've had a hand in selecting, and are products that I can really stand behind (and do!).

I got home and helped the lady make a wonderful steak salad for dinner. Deeply considered opening up the 05 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee, but I really do want to let that age a bit more. Ended up leaving the vino in the bottle, some days it happens :(

08/23/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

Lazy Sundays. I sit outside the US Bancorp Tower and read my book just about every day before I go in to work, and Sundays always seem to be the most mellow- the fewest people around. That was exactly the sort of feeling the restaurant held for most of the night. I had one table looking at some Riesling, and I steered them into a Kabinett from Markus Molitor.

There are some days that I'm a little embarrassed to even talk about what I do at the restaurant. I sit here in retrospect, looking at this one tiny little blurb of wine talk, and I think: "am I really going to post this for any-old-body to read? Is this worth the attention of said any-old-body?" The simple answer is yes, and no, in that order. My little daily journal here in dated format really doesn't warrant the reading from many people. This is not a blog that will ever be a hugely followed/read document. My ramblings about what I sold or watched go out in the restaurant in which I am employed (which, by the way, moved some really nice bottles last night- kudos to other servers!) don't serve any *purpose* that I can note.

My co-workers ask me almost every night why I'm taking a picture of some empty wine-bottles, and I just kind of shrug it off. The pictures sure aren't vanity- I mean, why would I post pics of Columbia Crest Merlot (or any other bottle that retails for $8?). Documentary? Well, I suppose some day it might have that sort of purpose. Really though? I like looking at the trends, I like seeing the patterns, the repetitions. It allows me to see my comfort zone, and see how I can stretch that and encompass new things.

This blog has a very similar goal- I can read a little more in depth about my corresponding pictures, and see what the mood was around those bottles (perhaps taking some strain off an already overloaded memory).

So is it worth you reading? Probably not. But- I like to think of myself as witty, and sometimes I think others find me funny too. So maybe for fun you read about my life and maybe I make you laugh sometimes; I don't mind being the butt of the joke for "big sale of the night" winner with the lone bottle of Apex II cab.

08/22/09 - My life as a working Sommelier

I spent much of the day outlining courses for future trainings. Once upon a time I had all this stuff outlined, .pdfs ready. Once upon a time I'd done all this before- the basic principles don't change. Sadly, it's been a number of years since I have done any professional wine training, and I've lost a computer, an external hard drive, and many many discs in the past two years. So, the day was spent planning out (from memory and resources I still have) classes for the service industry. I still have several classes to outline- not just for servers though. I also have several management classes, a few classes for consumers, and even a class for retail specific portions of the industry!

I've been so focused on Wine Wednesday in the Pearl events, on working at the Grill, and on developing client relationships that I've really dropped the ball on further web-site development over the last week or two.

The restaurant was full for the evening, but with 15 servers on the floor, it doesn't feel too slammed if your tables aren't needy. I had a two table section, so I moseyed around the floor at a quite leisurely pace. My own tables ordered some wine from me, unquestionably "ordered" wine. Well, the Columbia Crest Merlot and the Torii Mor Pinot were orders. The Elk Cove Rose of Pinot was my recommendation from our list of *2* roses. I was also able to get over to the bar and sell a bottle of BV Tapestry.
I actually quite enjoy having a slightly slower section, having the ability to roam the floor and help out selling wine. Naturally, if the restaurant offered a position as a steward or somm, I'd seriously consider it. That doesn't quite show signs of happening, but my manager did come to me the other day to ask my thoughts about supervising the floor once in a while...

08/21/09 -My life as a working Sommelier

I've had the distinct pleasure of waiting on people from all over the world in my career, especially since beginning last year as a waiter at the Portland City Grill. In the last week I've found myself in front of people from all over the U.S., for business trips, family reunions, weddings, etc. I really get a kick out of showing off Oregon Pinots to people, especially people who are interested in learning more.

A wedding rehearsal dinner came in last night, I showed them a new offering from a renowned wine maker- Dukes Family Vnyd "Alyssa" Pinot 2006, Willamette Valley (Gary Andrus, Winemaker). I also showed off the Ribbon Ridge (probably the favorite region amongst my co-workers) in the form of Beaux Freres' Estate Pinot 2006. White? Yes! King Estate's Domain Pinot Gris 2007.

I wish that I could show people what these reds will taste like in 10 or even 15 years, but I'm happy to get the ooh's and ahh's over the youthful examples as well.

Some discussion with the wine buyer at the restaurant. He's instituted a *ton* of changes this year, with *many* more planned. It's a huge and onerous task, and he's done an admirable job of it. I look forward to seeing what's in store for PCG.

The evening ended with beer for me. There's something magical about a cold beer at the end of the day, and my "every-day" sort of beer props go to Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve. Dirt cheap, and by far more palatable than the other stuff in the price range. Keep a six in the fridge, you never know when company'll stop by, and you don't have to be embarrassed of it ;)

08/20/09 -My life as a working Sommelier

Tedium rings true in any profession, even one where you deal with different people everyday. I ended last work week in a lull, selling nothing. I started this work week in a better place- the section I was in tonight and will be again tomorrow is almost exclusively for larger parties- groups of 5 to 16.

I didn't by any means "rock it" tonight. I had one table enjoy some wine- sold them into a bottle of Ridge 06 Santa Cruz Estate Chardonnay and a bottle of Illahe 07 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Part of the table was from Florida, and it's always nice to show off something from Oregon that is new and up-coming. I really dig on Illahe's entry level Pinot- big cherry cheesecake on the nose, soft and easy. The acids are bright, the finish is firm, the price is great.

The Chard brought an interesting point up- one which I have pondered greatly in my life. The taster noted that it was "very oak-y," which is not how I described the wine, having never found it to have tasted in that manner myself. The point is this- what one person tastes is almost never the exact same as what another might taste. And how do I know what you taste is the same even if it's an agreed upon thing like an avocado or a tomato?

People ask me frequently how they can learn more about wine, and my usual answer is to drink as much as possible. I think it's really important to pick up a mag or two on wine also- not for scores or even the opinions of wine writers, but just to have the descriptions there. I think it's great to "train" your mouth to associate what you taste with descriptors that people will understand. Buy a bottle that's been reviewed in your magazine, and taste that wine properly. Then read through what the reviewer wrote, and see if you can align what you taste with what the reviewer says they tasted. Frequently you will not taste the exact same thing as the reviewer, but if you understand what the reviewer means when they say any given flavor, then you'll have a much better ability to buy wines that will please your face!

That was my day in wine.

Wine Wednesday - Ahh a day off!

I've mentioned before that I have an odd work week. I do it to myself most of the time. I usually work six nights a week at the restaurant (not to mention the extra hours I put in researching and networking). Wednesday! Joyous Wine Wednesday! It's my day off- and I take advantage of it.

My girlfriend and I work in different industries, and although she tries hard to stay up when I get home, we simply don't have that much time together during my work week. Wednesdays! Date time!

Had a great day off yesterday. Started the day with a tour of the Historic Benson Hotel in downtown PDX. Every President since 1912 has stayed there in some capacity or another. Great tour, lots of history. Plus, scored a gift certificate for dinner at the London Grill (future Wednesday date!). We've eaten at the London Grill before, and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Went on to a late lunch at 10-01. That is one *serious* wine list, and I'd like to take a moment to give MAD props to Erika for putting it together. The list is so well organized, I'm really floundering for words to praise it enough.
We had a half bottle of Lange Reserve Pinot 06 with lunch. I think it might need some time in bottle still...

A little afternoon siesta/nap, and we headed out to have some dinner via happy hour at Bar Due at Fratelli. "Sangiovese" was all the bartender told me about the red. :)

I'm getting ready to head into the restaurant, it's time to get back to the grind. I've got banquets tonight and tomorrow, and I plan on rocking some magnums. Something about the big bottles...

08/17/09 -My life as a working Sommelier

My work week is not the normal work week; I start my days late, and the weekend is my busy time. Considering this, it's very odd for me to be up and active on a Monday morning- but there I was.
I started my day with a lot of e-mails and various correspondence. Several clients and potential clients- discussing cellar development, industry training, and just plain what's good right now wine talk.
I also have been working on putting together next month's Wine Wednesday in the Pearl event. The date is set for 9/23, and I'm still in discussion with restaurants in the neighborhood to see if we can get some special deals set up for the night. I received several requests for some training/instructional pieces to be included in the next event, and I am happy to comply! Look for part of the event next month to include a training session for industry folk (and for those who simply wish to know more!) on proper opening procedures.
My night at the restaurant was pretty abysmal. Saw some nice wine on the floor, talked a little bit about some Dominus with another server's table (he ended up taking the Chimney Rock Stag's Leap District instead), and for the second time in the last three days, I didn't have any pictures to post to my recycling folder. Bummer. At least I got out early.
I got home to some beautiful fresh home made pesto, courtesy my girlfriend. She sauteed some onions and mushrooms, fried some bacon, tossed it all w/ some Parm and bow-tie pasta. Yum. Definitely needed something more than a Pacifico for this, and although I was enjoying some Vinho Verde with cheese course, I thought that a red would be nice with the pasta.

Cheeses: Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog (goat); Brie de Paris (cow); blue (cow- goldshaft somethin-or-other). Served w/ Fuji apple slices and baguette.

Vinho Verde- Alianca Branco (DOC); 9% ABV, $8.99 Whole Foods- light and refreshing, a little Co2 spritz, granny smith apples, lime essence on the nose, easy.

(I didn't take/make notes on the red last night. From memory:)

06 Ridge Lytton Springs- 80% Zin, 16% Petite Syrah, 4% Carignane; 14.7% ABV (375ml)
Eye- Deep garnet in the glass, virtually nil rim variation. Unctuous, deep. This wine appears to be a bruiser.
Nose- Butterscotch, Werthers' Originals, deep plum, approaching prune. Fruit is under all that earth and cinnamon and cardamon-sweet spice.
Mouth- Far brighter than the nose would've suggested! Cran-fruit, Santa Maria Plum-skin tartness, with rich mouth, lush-all-over-the-tongue smoothness. Tannins were gorgeously integrated and smooth.

08/16/09- My life as a working Sommelier

Another rough night at the restaurant, one which, contrary to my early predictions about Sunday bringing out diners vs. eaters, involved little dining and much eating. If you'll allow me a bit of a rant (non-industry, skip to next paragraph...): Do your damn sidework. I absolutely HATE having to double or triple my workload because of the lack of work-ethic on the part of others. Nuff said? ok.

Not much wine in my section to speak of, turned a couple glasses into a bottle of Apex II Cab (WA), but no big sales to speak of. The restaurant still sent out some nice bottles, and I'd like to think that I could've helped out some in that realm (if I weren't so busy doing other people's sidework).

8/15/09- My life as a working Sommelier

Rough night at the restaurant tonight- section 2 has the tables closest to the kitchen- and most likely to be refused by a party. I ended up selling 2 glasses of wine this evening, it was awesome. First night in awhile at work where I haven't had a picture to post for my recycling folder.

Luckily, presents awaited at home! A revisit of both the Sequel and EFESTE syrahs from last night. The Sequel may very well be my fave Syrah out there. EFESTE was still delicious and lush, but definitely more muted today (expected, remember that these were opened 2 days ago...).

08/14/09 -My life as a working Sommelier

I have in both my Facebook and Twitter account info pages the line: "The real life of a working sommelier," and I've attempted to "keep it real" for both of those sites. I don't often erase my posts, and I've been known to post things after a 5th or 6th bottle of wine. This blog will be a continuation of those two formats, and I hope to offer some tasting notes along the way.

Today at the restaurant was a relatively slow wine day. My first table of the night was a birthday for mom, with daughter and boyfriend attending. Upsold from Stag's Leap Petite into Stag's Leap "Ne Cede Malis" Petite Syrah. Mom ordered lamb, boyfriend had Sturgeon coming. She decided to grab a half bottle of Louis Jadot '06 Pouilly Fuisse for him and his Sturgeon. I turned that into a full bottle of the Joseph Drouhin '07 Pouilly; Last bottle in house always deserves a discount, and we've got the cork handy if you want to take it home, which, in this case, they did.

A wine locker holder came in to my section (several in the restaurant tonight, actually), and asked for a bottle of the 06 Justin Justification out of his locker. Happy to oblige sir! Also happy to recommend that last bottle of '98 Cakebread Cab as a follow up ;)

Pictures of my night in wine, are, as always, available through the recycling folder of my photos over on Facebook.

The restaurant was hopping tonight, lots of business. I didn't get home until pushing midnight, and the two bottle sitting in front of me are a little daunting as I sit down to write my notes:
-a quick note on my notes tonight- I write these unedited notes as I taste.

2006 EFESTE "Ceidleigh" (pronounced Kay-Lee) Syrah- Red Mountain, WA - The bottle was opened yesterday afternoon, corked hard last night at just over 3/4 full. My g/f opened this one up earlier tonight, probably about 10pm, and as I sit here at 1:33AM, there is just over half a bottle left. The ABV is claimed (do I really have to digress into a discussion of what ABV stated vs. ABS actual is?) at 15.2%.
Eye-Beautiful deep garnet in the glass, very light rim variation. Does appear bright, but slightly ... gritty? ... big fat legs last for a long time.
Nose- Huge chocolate raspberry on the nose, TONS of darker cherry notes, some coriander spice. Some heat does show in nose.
Mouth- Wow. This thing is LUSH. Big blueberry notes, bright Rainier cherries, bright black pepper notes, nice tannic structure (even after a day semi-open!). Initial taste is dark, but mid palate is MUCH brighter. Finish brings forth some very pleasing acid, and carries those pepper/coriander (confirming the nose!) notes long after the taste. Oak notes (chocolate) are definitely confirmed.
I don't know the price point on this one (sorry guys!), but I'm really enjoying it no matter what it costs!

2006 Sequel Syrah- Columbia Valley WA- This bottle was also opened yesterday afternoon, and corked hard last night at just over 1/2 full. (Corked hard? Yeah, I'll push the original cork in flush w/ the bottle neck) The bottle is still "sealed" now at 1:42 AM, and the corkscrew's ready. Claimed ABV 14.7%
A note before I pour- Have you heard of Penfold's Grange? Arguably the finest Shiraz ever produced from Australia- made by John Duval. Sequel? Get *it*? Part of the Long Shadows Collection (if you needed more incentive).
Eye- Beautiful dark raspberry in the glass (colour speak) with very little rim variation. Legs up nicely, and they run that same raspberry hue.
Nose- Definitely pick up cherry notes (darker, almost black cherry), but the earth notes are more prominent here. No noticeable "heat," but lots of damp forest floor, humus (not the garbanzo kind), and some Eucalyptus! There are notes of cedar and darker berries as well.
Mouth- Very austere. This is a huge departure from the bruiser we just tasted in the EFESTE. The cherries are extremely bright, the feel is round and soft, the tannins are so smooth it's hard to tell where the taste ended and the finish begins/continues/ends. Some menthol/eucalyptus is confirmed, along with sweet spice and oak. This is a truly gorgeous wine, very feminine for a Syrah, but just beautiful.
Again, I don't know price point (I remember selling this for 90+ in California 2 years ago), but I dig this one fiercely. Sequel? Far better than most for that genre!


OK! it's 2AM, that's what wine I did today. sleep tight, or, as may be more accurate- good morning!

Beginnings

I find beginnings to be a hugely interesting concept, considering myself a novice philosopher of sorts. Looking closely (microscopically closely) at things, we find the basic atoms, always there. So to "create" something that already exists at some level? This also explains my fascination with wine- to bring about such a device that so expertly expresses emotions through senses from so base a material!

So here is the "beginning" of my next venture- as a Personal Sommelier and Wine Consultant. Naturally, this has been brought about from many base atoms- elements that have existed for a long time before I began to gather them hither.

Transitions- now perhaps that is a more apt term. My website is under construction (EARLY construction; domain name? pending...), and so this blog, too, will transition into the new website.

And Evolutions? Well, Wine Wednesday in the Pearl falls into this category- a launchpad. Two days ago was the inaugural event, with nearly 25 people crowding into the lobby at Asa when the rain kept us from the 16th floor patio. We had between 15 and 20 show up at Vino Paradiso for happy hour. I'm excited to see how this can grow; I look forward to partnering with more restaurants and wine shops in the Pearl to make this a whole community event.

I'm off to work at the restaurant now. I really enjoy my work there, and I plan on continuing there as this new phase of my life "begins/transitions/evolves."