Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
EDUCATION & ENTERTAINMENT Bottom row, left to right: Diane Pandolfini, wine buyer at SLS Hotel; Thiebaud Duccini, wine buyer at Café Pinot; Jennifer Blake, wine buyer at Whole Foods Venice Beach; Erik Kelly, wine buyer at Beverly Hills Cheese Store. Back Row: Bart Miali, Owner and wine buyer at El Vino Wine Store in Venice Beach; Ryan Frick, Sales Specialist with The Henry Wine Group; Jordan Ogron, wine buyer at Fig & Olive; Keith Mabry, wine buyer at K&L Hollywood; Max Marder, owner and wine buyer at Capo Restaurant; Raul Gonzales, General Manager and wine buyer at Public at the Hotel Roosevelt. Not pictured: Johnnie Jenkins, General Manager and wine buyer at Tar & Roses; Michael Carpenter, owner and wine buyer at Redd Collection. Bowling for Bubbles IT'S BRUT OR BRAWN AS HENRIOT HOSTS THE FIRST EVER SOMMELIER SMACKDOWN by Michelle Ball / photos by Jeremy Ball F ew people look forward to a classroom, especially if there's an exam involved. However, swap that classroom with one of the hippest bars in Hollywood, The Spare Room, add champagne, a little friendly competition, suede shoes and bowling and you get the irst ever Sommelier Smackdown by Henriot, Inc. The idea, designed by Jeff Nelson, Henriot's Southern California Regional Manager, was to transform the formal brand tasting into something that young sommeliers would ind entertaining, while reinforcing the history and signiicance of this iconic brand. "We felt that hosting a unique event that challenges the top wine people in Los Angeles would be a blast," Nelson explained. While each sommelier had a different advantage, ranging from being a Burgundy expert to having a discerning palate, the studious portions left the teams close to tied and the grand prize really came down to his or her precision on the bowling lane. Jeff Nelson, Henriot's Southern California Regional Manager, popping yet another magnum of Henriot Blanc de Blanc. Precompetition, sommelier's palates were prepped with the Henriot 1998 Cuvée des Enchanteleurs. 1 12 / the tasting panel / january 2013 Champagne Henriot was founded in Reims in 1808 and remains one of the few independent family-owned and -operated champagne houses in France. Sommeliers struggle on the written exam as they match regions and soil types, recall dates and test their knowledge of the gritty details of Burgundy and Henriot. Thiebaud Duccini of Café Pinot aims for the pins. Vintage bowling trophies and magnums of Henriot Blanc de Blanc were awarded to players of the winning team, while the sommelier with the most strikes took home a premier cru red Burgundy.