The SOMM Journal

December 2014/January 2015

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4 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/2015 { letter from the publisher } Good Will Is Priceless IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE I PURCHASED THE SOMMELIER JOURNAL name and took the reins at The SOMM Journal. What I couldn't have anticipated—and what turned out to be the best part of the deal—was the enormous amount of good will that came with that name. Letters and email have poured in from across the country and even around the world congratulating me and my team for reviving this important and unique publication, which, as I have learned, holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of somms and others in the wine and hospitality business. Meanwhile, founder and former publisher David Vogels, now free from the business of running the magazine, will continue to be a voice for us as he travels around the world to pursue his love of wine. As this issue delivers us into the New Year, I am looking forward to being a part of many warm and productive gatherings with our readers: the somms, the wine buyers, craft spirits specialists, distribu- tors, chefs, importers and F&B directors who continue to request our publication. In fact, our print distribution has doubled since the re-debut issue in June; our online presence has also outpaced our expectations. In the social media realm, our growth has been exponential. Head over to The SOMM Journal Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/SommelierJournal) any day of the week, and you'll find thousands of people from all over the world discussing everything from the merits of Turkish grape varieties, to whether they'd prefer to be called a "somm" or "sommelier." We're seeing similar active engagement on Twitter (@SommJ), and are even making inroads to social message board site Reddit, where our Editor- in-Chief Anthony Dias Blue will be hosting a holiday wine AMA (Ask Me Anything) on December 12. The growth stems from your acknowledgement that we're doing something right. It will be my job to keep that Good Will in place: offering up educational vinous travelogues and formatting our features that you can use to teach your staff, use as a study guide or just live vicariously through each journey. The bottom line is to provide a service for the service industry. And watch for those invita- tions from me as The Somm Journal hosts group lunches, dinners and tastings around the country. Happy New Year, and we'll see you in February! selected contributors ADAM JAMES has been a professional photographer for eight years, from taking stills on film sets to covering stories about the best bars and restaurants in Los Angeles. Originally from Griffin, Georgia, he now resides in Orange County, California with his wife Vanessa and dog Lucy. In his spare time he can be found at local museums finding inspiration, or scuba diving in the cold coastal waters. Seem more at www. AJStills.com. ROXANNE LANGER—sommelier, wine writer, international wine judge and author of two books: The 60-Minute Wine MBA and Wine at Thanksgiving: Talking Turkey with Glass in Hand—has moved from the tasting rooms of Napa Valley to management positions in global wine sales, public relations and marketing. For the last ten years, Langer has been the President of WineFUNdamentals, a wine edutainment company that provides wine programs for corporations and associations across the United States. Langer resides with her husband and two children in the wine country of the Sierra Nevada Foothills. FRED SWAN is a San Francisco Bay Area–based wine writer, judge and an instructor for the San Francisco Wine School. He holds the WSET Diploma and is a Certified Sommelier, California Wine Appellation Specialist and Certified Specialist of Wine. In 2009, he was inducted into the Éschansonnerie des Papes, the honor- ary society of the Châteauneuf-du- Pape AOC, and awarded a fellowship by the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. JULIE RUVO TORRES worked for Southern Wine & Spirits for eight years, in both New York and San Francisco, as liquor and wine rep and later as a fine wine Import Specialist. She received her Sommelier certification from the Sommelier Society of America. Currently, she is a freelance contributor for local food blog, Our Lovely Kitchen, as well as developing her own lifestyle website. Julie holds a Journalism degree from Northeastern University in Boston. When she is not writing, she is generally planning her next meal. The SOMM Journal and Fred Dame, MS, VP Prestige Accounts/ American Wine &Spirits of CA, join Castello Banfi family proprietor Cristina Mariani-May on January 13 in Los Angeles to unveil the five-star 2010 vintage of her Brunello di Montalcino. More info to come this month! Exclusive Invitation-Only Event!

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