The SOMM Journal

April / May 2017

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26 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2017 We've partnered with Chef's Roll & Somm's List, the global culinary and wine professional networks, to learn more about beverage experts from across the country. PHOTO: SERGEY KOLIVAYKO/FIELD GUIDE PHOTO: KAT ROBERTS Molly Brooks Level 3 Advanced Sommelier and National Account Manager at Truly Fine Wines in San Diego, CA Wine enjoyment is such an objective experience. Is much of what we taste in our heads—swayed by ratings, numbers, price point, etc.—or actually in the wine? This is one of the reasons we blind taste. Sommeliers blind taste as an exercise in objective assessment of quality and veracity of style. You can certainly find studies showing that when people taste a wine they know to be highly "valued" (by whatever metric), they rate it as more valuable as well, and vice versa. But enjoyment is a purely personal sensation. At a certain point, the value someone else has placed on a bottle is less relevant than the answer to the question, "Do I like this?" You carry varietals from some of the highest profile wineries in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico. How is Mexico's wine industry set to evolve in 2017? It's fun to watch such a young wine region develop. I always say that you have to know the rules before you can bend them, and I think that's what's happening right now. The most successful operations are those who look to successful wine regions for knowledge, and then build on it. Bordeaux and the Rhône wrote the book on blending, so putting Cab and Merlot together, or Grenache and Syrah, makes sense. But ultimately, the Valle's terroir is different from those regions, so producers are experimenting with many grapes to see what fits best. As their tourism industry continues to boom, we see more demand for these wines north of the border (since you can only take one bottle home with you across the border). Q: Q: Mark C. Roberts, CSW Founder/Owner of Wine Service Consulting Inc. in Spring Branch, TX You are the owner & founder of Wine Service Consulting Inc., providing professional and confidential wine consulting services to private collectors, wineries and intermodal shippers. How did your pas- sion and knowledge of wine start? Being an avid reader, I enjoyed Ian Fleming's James Bond novels when I was a teenager. When I first read in Goldfinger that Dom Pérignon '53 served above the temperature of 38 degrees just wasn't done, I was intrigued. Or in Diamonds Are Forever when Bond called out the bad guy dressed as a waiter that the 1955 Mouton-Rothschild is claret. I mean c'mon, Bond is cool and I wanted to drink what he drank, so I started studying about fine wine. What is your wine philosophy? Be polite, professional, and have a plan to serve everyone in the room. In this profession you have to be at the top of your game and always over-deliver to your clients while exceeding their expectations. Nothing is more important than a strong sense of moral ethics and business integrity. If you are a mixologist or wine professional interested in being featured here or want more information on Chef's Roll and Somm's List, please email featured@chefsroll.com. Q: Q:

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