Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1013885
august 2018 / the tasting panel / 51 While sometimes I consider the wine first, like with specific themed events, the food is the draw. Our chef here does a great job, so the focus is always on the result. Both of us understand that our membership must remain engaged by creativity and execution. What has changed in the decade you've been here? When I first arrived, it was golf first and everything else second, but I believe the family experience has become equally important. So, what do the members drink: red or white? It's about 50-50. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the most popular wines by a long shot. We've discovered that other varieties such as Pinot Gris and Albariño for whites and Rhône blends for reds are really doing well by the glass. Pinot Noir exceeds Napa Cab here? Is it the proximity to Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia Highlands? I'm sure if we were in St. Helena it would be a different story. Frankly, I didn't buy Cabernet for the first few years as we had a sizeable inventory when I arrived. Once we went through those vintages, we began to enhance the list. I have to say that price is a factor, even with the fact that we don't have to maintain standard restaurant mark-ups. Well, since we're on the topic, I brought you a wine to taste today. It's from a very small winery in Calistoga called Hindsight: only three acres producing two tons per acre. Sometimes I don't think Calistoga gets the love it deserves. This is a delicious wine. It screams Napa Valley: plush rich fruit. It was a touch oaky when we opened it but has really settled into a classic wine. What's interesting is that our membership has a lot of interest in discovery, so wines like this do well here. Does French wine also sell well? It's a good seller but not huge. We do particularly well with white Burgundy and Italy. I have been waiting for Australia to come into play but it's just not happening. We do fairly well with Argentine wines. What about sparkling wine? Hey, it's a country club! We do very well with Champagne and sparkling wines, both by the glass and the bottle. It is very seasonal except for events. Has the rosé revolution touched you? It sure has! Every month we feature wine specials that are usually themed by country or variety. This summer, it's all about rosé. I believe that now they're made with intent, so the quality has improved tremendously. Please tell me you don't have orange wine on the list. I do not have orange wine on the list. I want wines to be representative of the region and variety. What about special wine events? Absolutely. We do between eight to ten events with our fall wine and food festival being our biggest. This year we dedicated the funds raised to wine-country fire relief. We are also able to do tastings on the spur of the moment, which is a lot of fun. And staff training? Every week and anytime we intro- duce a new dish or wine. It's ongoing and we have excellent longevity of employees. What's been the hardest adjust- ment from the commercial restaurant world? Understanding that this is the members' club. I am always asking how things are and what we need to change to make them better. We get great feedback and are able to respond immediately. I work the floor a lot and still love it! Randy Bertao has spent 11 years as the General Manager at the Los Altos Golf and Country Club.