Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/455266
92 / the tasting panel / january/february 2015 We Have a Winner! THE TASTING PANEL is proud to present a full scholarship to the 2015 Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley to Daniel J. Amatuzzi, whose essay below earned him a chance to learn from the best during the event February 17–20. Congratulations, Daniel! An Ode to the Wine Echo by Daniel J. Amatuzzi S ometimes the echo is fleeting, and sometimes it's more reso- nating, but regardless, a wine's presence is a reverberating echo that can penetrate the most impenetrable of people and the most impermeable of palates. I'm forever humbled by the journey that wine creates—from the people to the places—and the echoing sensations that it leaves in its fluid wake. The connectivity of something so simple creates unwavering power, immeasurable feelings and lasting value. The wines we enjoy the most in life are not so epic in appearance and prestige, but rather are those that create infinite pleasures trapped in time. They cement in our minds the happy memories of whom we drank with and where in the physical world we found ourselves. Although our ability to remember with clarity eventually slows with time, the echo of that setting will never truly fade away, and will always play at bed level as long as our hearts are true, and our appreciations sure. It brings a warming sensation over me when a customer timidly and hopelessly recalls a wine he or she once enjoyed—the one that "had a tree on the label." Ah, yes, the famous wine with "the tree on the label." While I have no idea which wine it was, and as I absorb the vague flavor descriptions the customer is rattling off when recalling how it tasted, I indulge in the echo and partake in the pleasures it once gave them that damp, starry night in the hills overlooking some foreign land I'll probably never visit, yet I can vividly see in my mind. Although the chances of the customer and I finding the exact wine they once had are nearly nil, it's likely the echo will lead us to another selection and, hopefully, another reiteration of the echo. A new echo that will take on its own identity down the corridor of our wine experience and carry the enthused wino to his or her next destination. With tens of billions of bottles produced each year, and with quality making its way down the price point, there's never been a better time dive into the deep end. The louder the splash, the greater the ripple. The greater the ripple, the louder the echo. About Daniel Amatuzzi Dan's tenure at famed New York restau- rants Del Posto, Jean Georges, Babbo, Otto and Eataly USA—where Dan currently manages the wine and bever- age program for all of their restaurants and retail operations—have shaped the foundation of his wine experiences and expertise. His website, wineforthestu- dent.com, is based on wine and spirits education, featuring interviews with winemakers, regional grape descrip- tions and wine recommendations. Dan's most popular publication, A First Course in Wine, is a comprehensive guide to understanding and enjoying wine (Race Point Publishing). In 2011, Zagat named Dan as one of New Yorks rising "30 under 30" culinary stars, and in January 2013, Forbes named Dan as one of the nation's "30 under 30" to watch in the food and wine industry. His works have appeared in various publications and he's been featured in Food and Wine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Radio, Cosmo Radio, WGN Chicago, NBC's Today Show, Fox's Good Day New York and MSNBC's The Cycle, among others. He holds a MBA degree from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU and is an Adjunct Professor at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at NYU. His most recent publication, How to Host a Wine Tasting Party: The Complete Kit, is a comprehensive kit for the enthusiastic wine tasting host. He is an honorary member of the International Order of Disciples of Escoffier. PHOTO TRACEY BACHMAN