The SOMM Journal

February/March 2015

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4 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 { letter from the publisher } There Are No Missing Links EVERY INDUSTRY HAS ITS CONNECTIONS. Ours take us to places where we can explore the world of wine and food and indulge our passion for luxuries that we can eat and drink. Can it get better than that? As a platform for the trade, it is our purpose to document the who and what: on- and off-premise people, wineries and their wines, craft spirits and their creators, chefs and their creative cuisine— and the myriad connections among all of them. Sometimes, we are fortunate enough to be the first to tell the story. It makes us feel special here at The SOMM Journal not only to be invited to launch events, but to host them. Recently, we successfully debuted some stunning 2010 Brunellos with Fred Dame, MS and the folks at Banfi Vintners in mid-January, and hosted Left and Right Coast coming-out parties for Roederer's abstract, edgy and spectacular zero dos- age 2006 Brut Nature (see page 40). This month's "live vicariously" features include a travel story to Provence (page 60) and tastings in Los Angeles and Miami of the fresh, food-friend- liness of Loire Valley rosés (page 75). Additionally, Master Sommeliers Bob Bath and Tim Gaiser lead an in-depth tasting and report on Australian Shiraz (page 5), and my feature on the astounding array of certified somms at Pebble Beach Resorts (page 53) continues to prove that the industry deems educa- tion essential in furthering this business of wine. The SOMM Journal is your link to exploration. We hope you'll be joining us March 13–15 in Napa for the Women of the Vine Symposium, one of the most impor tant gatherings for women to network with and mentor colleagues (yes, men are invited too). And save the date for an unprecedented event at The Culinary Institute at Greystone/Napa on April 26–29: The SOMM Summit, an intensive opportu- nity for wine students on all levels. And congratulations to Paul Hodgins, author of the "Good Libations" column in the Orange County Register's Food section, who is our scholarship winner for the Napa Wine Writer's Symposium. Hodgins's essay was selected amongst dozens and his article is published on page 37. Sponsoring tal- ent is an honor for us: We're happy to make that connection as well. selected contributors Andrew Chalk is a Dallas-based author who writes about wine, spirits, beer, food, restaurants, wineries and destinations all over the world. He is a contributing writer at John Mariani's Virtual Gourmet, contributing writer at Palate Press and editor at CraveDFW. He has also written for D Magazine and Food & Beverage Magazine. He holds the WSET Level 3 certification in wines and spirits. When not writing he can usually be found participating in his favorite sport of soccer. He also likes cooking, at which he is lousy but enthusiastic. Jiles Halling is an Englishman whose career in marketing and sales for major international wines and spirits brands took him to the USA, Japan and England before he came to live and work in the heart of the Champagne region in France. He has a wealth of knowledge about Champagne and is particularly interested in the lesser-known, independently-made champagnes known as grower Champagnes. For more, see mymaninchampagne.com. Fred Swan is a San Francisco Bay Area–based wine writer, wine judge and an instructor at San Francisco Wine School. He holds a Diploma from WSET and is a Certified Sommelier, California Wine Appellation Specialist, Certified Specialist of Wine and certified Italian Wine Professional. In 2009, he was awarded a fellowship by the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. In that same year, he was inducted into the Échansonnerie des Papes, the honorary society of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC. Stewart Prato is the French Import Manager in Southern California for Southern Wine & Spirits. With over 20 years in the hospitality business, he has worked for several Michelin- starred restaurants, luxury hotel properties and private country clubs. Stewart, who writes in this issue about his visit to Louis Latour in Burgundy (see p. 26), says, "Rarely in front of the camera, I couldn't resist a chance to snap a selfie in the legendary Corton vineyards." Alex Rubin is an award-winning photographer specializing in wine industry, advertising and com- mercial photography. Based in Napa, California, his clients include Oprah, Fortune 500 companies and renowned wineries. Alex travels regularly for projects all over wine country, the West Coast and to destinations worldwide. You can view more of his work at www. rubinphotography.com. David Mahoney has written for a variety of national and regional magazines, including Acura Style, The History Channel Magazine, Delta Sky, and Esquire. He was a senior editor at Sunset, one of the country's leading regional magazines, and was the editor of Minnesota Monthly. He was also the founding editor of Drinks and Real Food magazines, and serves as a judge for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. On the lawn in front of the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links (left to right): David Kristiansen, Level III Sommelier, The Lodge at Pebble Beach; Meridith May, The SOMM Journal; and Wendy Heilmann, Director of Wine and Spirits for Pebble Beach Resorts. PHOTO: JOHN CURLEY

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