Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/288975
april 2014 / the tasting panel / 71 As an example, last year you had Lincoln as a featured mark at the Concours d'Elegance. Five hundred for dinner. Were they engaged in the wine selection? Lincoln was very particular. They were at The Beach & Tennis Club. They wanted all American brands, and specifi- cally signature brands. As a result, we looked at wines like Joseph Phelps Insignia, Opus One, Robert Mondavi Reserve and so on. Well, now we are going to drink a French classic from California: Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine from Mendocino. Is there anything better than sipping this superb example with this view? This is beautiful wherever you drink it. We once approached them about creating a Pebble Beach Sparkling Wine. Who knows, it may happen one day. We do pour it by the glass here. It's pristine, it's dry and it's crisp. Delicious. Of all the extraordinary events you do here, what's your favorite? I know I'm putting you on the spot. Thanks for that question, Fred. I'd have to say the Pebble Beach Food & Wine is my favorite. All those incredible chefs, sommeliers, wines and fine cuisine; I love every wildly busy moment. We begin polishing glasses weeks in advance. The other events are much more about logistics and event management. What's the most tasking of the events here? Definitely the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. We are using the all our proper- ties plus the private venues. That is a tremendous amount of territory to cover and manage. The weather can be very challenging; we have all the pros to take care of and of course the corporate business is phenomenal. How many bottles of wine would you serve on the Sunday of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance? Hundreds if not approach- ing a thousand bottles. The Lodge has a full time Lead Sommelier that works between the restaurants, The Bench, The Tap Room and Stillwater Bar & Grill. David Kristiansen has passed one part of his Master Sommelier Diploma. This is a great asset for you to have. Yes, and we are hopeful that he will finish his Diploma this year. Education has always been a major part of your wine program. I think I have taught more Court courses here than anywhere else. I hope you have! We can't emphasize enough that our team must continually polish their knowledge and skill set. We've put more than 90 people through the Introductory Course, 20 of which went on to pass Certified and 15 more are studying to take the Level Two exam this June. So what's Wendy's guilty pleasure when she drinks wine? It depends on my mood and what the weather is like. On a sunny day I can tell you that I love dry rosé. I am a big fan of Etude's, but my favorites actually are German rosés of Pinot Noir. On a cold or rainy day, I prefer a hearty Pinot Noir. Any favorites? Talbott of course. I love Dan Karlsen's wines and they are local heroes to us. Sleepy Hollow is a wonderful vineyard. And of course Brooks from Oregon. It's rustic, with dark fruit and a lot of earthy notes to it. What do golfers drink? Vodka, Scotch and bourbon. . . And they love big California Cabernet Sauvignon. When they finish playing any of the golf courses here at Pebble Beach Resorts—on the bucket list of every golfer in the world—they celebrate with the best. What would you change about the world of wine as it exists today? I know that you were one of the first to implement keg wines in The Bench. Yes, no cork taint or oxidation; the wines are always fresh. Selfishly, what I would love to have here is a wine bar. Wow that would be incredible wouldn't it? Wendy's Wine Bar—I like it; a girl can dream! But what about wine?—and remember you can only use your powers for good. I would love our guests to be even more open-minded to trying new wines. We have so many unique and delicious wines on our list here and I would like to see more of them hitting the table top. "We can't emphasize enough that our team must continually polish their knowledge and skill set." TP0414_034-71.indd 71 3/21/14 2:42 PM