The Tasting Panel magazine

May 2013

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T he perfect food and wine pairing can be the most beautiful harmony to our taste buds—but what about the perfect wine/song pairing? "It just started as ten or twelve people sitting around my dining room table. We would play music between the tastings and then our guests started voting on which song matched which wine better," explains Chris Hammond, co-founder of Las Vegas–based wine event production company Rock 'n Roll Wine. Hammond's business partner, Sonny Barton, adds, "Our original goal was to just take the pretentiousness out of wine and make it more approachable. We weren't expecting that music would be the tool that would allow us to do that." Through their musical intervals, the partners realized that many of the tones and expressions found in wine could also be found in music. Music, with its various genres, styles and moods, then became a means for Hammond and Barton to better describe the wine and make it more approachable. "Making the association of a style of wine with music allows the taster to better connect with the wine," Barton explains. Hammond and Barton's tastings have continued to grow over time into the 200- to 350-person themed events they are today, now held bi-monthly. "Our events are 50 percent wine tasting, 50 percent concert but 100 percent a good time," says Barton. The company provides a different mix of venues, varietals and music genres with each new event. "The greatest thing about wine is the experience," says Hammond. "We just want to celebrate that experience with good wine, great friends and awesome music." With the success of these big events, the duo was able to start making their own wine: a white blend, Rhapsody, and a red blend, The Grotto. In an effort to expose these wines, and get back to their roots of connecting with people on more personal level, Hammond and Barton kicked off their Wine Lounge Thursdays. These complimentary tastings last two hours and are located at a different Las Vegas venue every week. To find out where the next Wine Lounge Thursday will be, check out www.rocknrollwine.com. Sonny Barton shows guests how the Vinturi Aerator works. On the Aer with Vinturi Rock 'n Roll Wine partner Sonny Barton knew that he wanted Vinturi Aerators at his events from the moment he irst witnessed them in action. "It was unbelievable: night and day, Barton says. "I just " thought, 'I want these at our events.'" He immediately began incorporating the Vinturi Aerators into Wine Lounge Thursdays, and they were an instant hit. "I have never, ever demonstrated a Vinturi Aerator without having someone be blown away, says Barton. "People just love it. " " Rock 'n Roll Wine co-founder Chris Hammond also views the aerator as a learning tool for his patrons. "Not only does it offer us a great way to interact with our guests; the Vinturi Aerators can be used to educate them on the simple fact that wine does change and evolve. He puts it " in his own terms, "A wine can start out as a Guns N' Roses song but quickly becomes a smooth Marvin Gaye after the Vinturi Aerator. " For more information on the benefits of Vinturi's On-Premise program, please contact Todd Kunesh, todd@vinturi.com/702-375-8100. For general information, please visit www.vinturi.com or call 1-877-VINTURI (846-8874). may 2013 / the tasting panel / 99

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