Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/31323
THE MESSAGE ProWein Preview O photos by Rachel Burkons n page 74, we bring you an inside look at the ProWein expo that took place in late March, but we met so many great people in Germany that we had to share some here as well. Say hello to . . . Howard Rossbach, President of Firesteed and Cayalla wineries in Oregon, was part of the Oregon and Washington State wine debut at ProWein, and he looked forward to introducing new palates to the terroirs of the Pacifi c Northwest. “I’ve talked to a lot of people who’ve said they don’t know much about Oregon and Washington wines, but they certainly seem willing to learn!” John Slover. The “Half-Bottle Approach” at Ciano iano, the award-winning Italian restaurant in New York’s Flatiron District, is known for its earthy farm-to- table cuisine, but the restaurant’s bever- age program, overseen by Wine Director John Slover, gives patrons another rea- son to visit, as we discovered on a recent trip. Slover’s cocktail list offer a range of Italian classics, including an Aperol Spritz made with Aperol, Hendrick’s gin, fresh lime and Prosecco, and a seasonally- inspired Lemonata Menta using home- made limoncello, fresh lemon and mint. Slover’s wine program is also distinctive for his “half-bottle approach.” Diners can order any wine from the Market List by the half bottle; the rest of the bottle is then offered to other customers as a by-the-glass selection. C —Anthony Dias Blue Howard Rossbach. Julia Bertram. Agwa de Bolivia is a friend of THE TASTING PANEL’s, and we were happy to catch up with the European side of this unique spirit brand. We stopped and shared a Bolivian Kiss, this coca-leaf liqueur’s signature drink, with Daniel Kobuschewski, who is a Sales District Manager at Behn, the brand’s German distributer, and Alan Brogan, Commercial Director of Agwa’s parent company, Babco. The wines from Weingut Ernst Sebastian are not available yet in the United States, but one day they might be. (Hello, importers looking for bright, fruity Burgundian varietals from Germany!) If we can’t get the wines, perhaps one day the States will see more of Julia Bertram, a lively young woman from Dernau in the Ahr Valley, where her mother and aunt run the family’s winery. Julia is happily ensconced in an enological education, but one day hopes to have an internship at a California winery. She’s also currently representing her village in the competitions leading up to the crowning of the German Wine Queen, a prize honoring a young woman of the vine. But this is no beauty pageant; entrants must take part in rigorous examinations with questions about viticultural and winemaking techniques, as well as labeling, packaging and marketing. Good luck, Julia—we’ll be keeping an eye out for your talent! —Rachel Burkons 20 / the tasting panel / may 201 1