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...

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 :(

08/17/09 -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.