Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/97133
THE MESSAGE Armed with Talent W Bond and Bollinger Rita Barsoumian of The Wine Merchant with Jon Newlon, VP/GM of American Wine & Spirits of CA. I 20 / the tasting panel / december 2012 Karlsson���s Limited-Edition Vodkas in L.A. T PHOTO: DAVID GADD n November, in coordination with the release of the latest Bond lick, Skyfall, The Wine Merchant in Beverly Hills held a salute to Bollinger Champagne and the co-producers of the 007 franchise, Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson. Dennis Overstreet of The Wine Merchant explains the relationship: ���I had been a dear friend to Cubby Broccoli, the creator of the Bond movies, for many years. Some years ago, he was looking for a new champagne for Bond to drink in the movies. I recommended Bollinger and introduced them to each other and that relationship between Bollinger and Bond has existed since then.��� A small reception before the Bond movie, it was an intimate gettogether of friends and colleagues to celebrate a strong working relationship and the success of another fantastic movie. According to Dennis, ���The event was a lot of fun. The new movie takes on a new character for Bond and I think that it coincides perfectly with Bollinger.��� ���Breanne DeMore om Michaelsen, Marketing Operations Manager for Karlsson���s Vodka, was in Los Angeles in November for the launch of a new single-varietal expression of Karlsson���s at West Hollywood bistro Comme ��a. Trade and media guests were treated to side-byside tastes of Karlsson���s two limited-edition releases, as well as cocktails made from brand lagship Karlsson���s Gold. Fewer than 2,000 bottles were produced of new Karlsson���s Vodka Batch 2009, made from the 2009 harvest of rare Gammel Svensk R��d potatoes grown on Cape Bj��re in southern Sweden. For comparison, Michaelsen also Tom Michaelsen of Karlsson���s Vodka. poured Karlsson���s Vodka Batch 2008; distilled from Solist virgin new potatoes, it is a major component in Karlsson���s Gold and was released as a separate bottling earlier this year. Both limited- edition vodkas retail for $75���$80 per 750 ml. bottle and are suitable for sipping. ���David Gadd PHOTO: MARIA SCHRIBER hen Benny Bohm irst arrived in Los Angeles from his native Vienna, Austria, he got a job selling glass bowls and cooking utensils door-to-door. . . and not in the best neighborhoods. He soon transitioned to on-premise. ���I was a barista before Starbucks even existed,��� he tells THE TASTING PANEL. After managing several small restaurants around town, he landed the job as Kitchen Manager for the newly conceived AMMO restaurant in the heart of Hollywood. What began as a catering company blossomed to a full-bore restaurant, ahead of its time in 1998 with the concept of local, sustainable fare, sourced from farmers��� markets. ���We still deliver,��� offers Bohm, who said that once they were Benny Bohm of AMMO the only delivery ticket in the area. restaurant, Los Angeles. The small but bustling AMMO offers a stimulating, thought-provoking wine list, thanks to Bohm. ���There will always be a Gr��ner by the glass on the list,��� the Austrian insists. When approached by the Hammer Museum to come up with a new concept for their caf��, AMMO won out over some ierce���and high-proile��� competition. Bohm���s smaller wine list at the museum features everything French. ���We upped the creative level, and made way for the Rh��ne, Alsace and the Loire in addition to Burgundy and Bordeaux.��� ���M. M.