Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
n s SPEED TASTING REPORT THE TASTING PANEL RECRUITED TOP WINE BUYERS TO JOIN THE RHÔNE-UNION FOR A BLIND SPEED TASTING photos by Jeremy Ball M ourvèdre, Viognier, Grenache and Syrah, unite! Roussanne and Marsanne, show us your style! Blended or stand-alone varietals, our panel of Southern California–based somms and wine buyers bravely tasted these splendid wines. Where: STONEHAUS at The Westlake Village Inn 32089 Agoura Road, Westlake Village, CA (just north of Los Angeles) Format: Fourteen wines tasted blind. Our panel of expert palates wrote notes on each. Then, one-by-one, suppliers came in to reveal the wines with a ten-minute presentation. from left to right: Spencer Cruse, Beverage Director, Drago Centro, Downtown L.A.; Jerry Garbus, General Manager, MB Post, Manhattan Beach; our host, Bill Brandel, Wine Director, STONEHAUS at The Westlake Village Inn, Westlake Village; Benny Bohm, General Manager, Ammo, Hollywood; Anthony Dias Blue, Editor in Chief, THE TASTING PANEL Magazine; Anthony Lerner, Comme Ça, West Hollywood; Daniel Bailey, Sommelier/Wine Buyer, Mastro's Steakhouse, Beverly Hills; Matthew Kaner, General Manager & Wine Director, Bar Covell, Hollywood; Jonathan Mitchell, General Manager, Locanda del Lago, Santa Monica. january 2013 / the tasting panel / 127