The SOMM Journal

April / May 2018

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{ SOMMjournal.com }  93 CERTIFIED SOMMELIER MARY THOMPSON FINDS COMMON GROUND IN THE WORLD OF PREMIUM MEZCAL As a sought-after restaurant manager in Southern California, Cer tified Sommelier Mary Thompson has had a hand in several high-end wine programs. But now, as General Man- ager at Santa Monica–based Mexican marvel Tallula's, she's branching out from her wine roots to the world of agave spirits. "I am coming from a totally different background," she confesses. "I'm trying to learn to taste spirits with the same analytical mind I use to taste wine." Despite some initial uncertainty, Thompson says the adjustment has been relatively easy. "Agave is all terroir-oriented—the flavors really come from a place and time," she adds. "That quality isn't super prevalent in spirits, but I love it. With agave, there's a lot of crossover and opportunity to learn about the expression from the origin or the orchard." The similarities don't stop there. "There are varietals within agave just like with wine, and they really affect the flavor of the spirit," she says. The aging process is similarly impactful when it comes to the taste profile of the final product: "There's been an influx of smoky peatiness [within the category], and it's easy to draw comparisons with mezcal and wine aging in new oak barrels." As Thompson builds her bar program, she's excited to "tell great stories of families and people instead of so many brands owned by 'XYZ' corporate conglomerates." Her list is heavy on tequilas and mezcals, including a "meaty mezcal" category boasting Pechuga and Iberico ham distillations, but Thompson also offers sotol (the mezcal cousin is made from Dasylirion wheeleri, a plant also known as desert spoon that's similar to yucca) and is in the process of adding flights to the menu as well. "I've been bitten by natural curiosity and now I'm obsessing [over spirits] until I feel I can really speak about them," Thompson says. "I won't be able to stop until I answer all the questions, but with mezcal, is that ever even possible?" Wild at Heart LOS AMANTES SILVESTRES STICKS TO TRADITION Created by influential Oaxacan artist Guillermo Olguín and restaurateur Ignacio Carballido, ultra-premium brand Mezcal Los Amantes utilizes production methods that stay true to Mexican traditions: 100-percent or - ganic agave cultivation and harvesting, native yeast fermentation, and small- batch distillation overseen by Master Distiller Eric Hernandez. The label's newest offering is an extremely-limited release of Silvestres, an expression made from wild-grown agaves sourced from the Tlacolula region of Oaxaca. Mary Thompson is the General Manager at Tallula's in Santa Monica, CA. Mez-Merised It's an understatement to say that agave spirits are having a well-deserved moment within a crowded field of finely-crafted spirits. To celebrate the artistry of Mexico's mezcaleros, we've rounded up a couple of our favorite mezcal expressions. Tastes PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY THOMPSON Los Amantes Silvestres is made of wild-grown agave.

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