The Napa Blues

I haven't posted since I've moved.
I've wanted to... many, many times. There was one thing getting in the way.
Myself.
Frankly, I haven't been myself. Plagued by rain and cloudy skies, the occasional hail storm, and sheer unadulterated loneliness, I have come down with a nasty case of writers block. To be honest, I haven't wanted to do much of anything.
You see, before I moved here I was pretty spoiled. I had a wealth of friends ready, willing and happy to take me out any night of the week. I had a social calender Paris Hilton would've been exhausted by just looking at... and I loved it. It's no secret that I've had a bad year - and these friends not only got me out of the house - they got me out of my head.
When I moved 500 miles away from my touchstones, my anchors, I was lost. So here I am 2 months later, pity-partied out. Today, enough was enough.
No, I don't know anyone here... but I sure as hell am not going to meet anyone sitting on my sofa watching reruns of "How I Met Your Mother". Today, I got off my ass and did something about it.
The first call was to Napa Valley Vintners. Next weekend is the event of the year... Auction Napa Valley. This is where the most prestigious wineries in the Valley offer special lots of wine for private purchase. The Auction is, of course, not to be out done by the myriad dinners, receptions, and private tastings that occur in the swankiest of places over the course of 4 days. I acquired an "all access pass" to this event today. No, I won't be rubbing elbows with Mr. Coppola, or sitting at a beautifully decorated table with Mrs. Heidi Barrett, I will be doing what I do best... pouring wine and talking mercilessly about it. As a volunteer at Auction I am a schleper. I will set up and breakdown tables, lug wine glasses all over a 10 acre resort, pull corks till I have carpal tunnel and love every minute of it. But most importantly, I will meet people. Given the guest list at this brouhaha, I should have some pretty good stories come next weekend. Stay tuned...
As a back-up I also offered my services today to an organization called CASA. Court Appointed Special Advocate. I will be working with children that have become wards of the state. I cannot imagine a better way to spend my time. I realized today, while I was sitting at home alone, that this is my opportunity to give back. For months I was given the gift of preoccupancy. My wonderful friends took care of me and gave me strength and hope. Now, I have the gift of time to offer to someone else who may really need to get out of their own head too.


Bottoms Up,
Katie

Pass The Tissue - This One Made Me Cry

My last post was November... In the months between then and now my life has taken a dramatic turn. For those of you who haven't heard by now, I've been promoted and making a move to the Napa Valley. This should be the highlight of what was the worst year known to mankind and yet I find myself totally unable to enjoy the professional gift bestowed upon me. Why you ask? (Even if you didn't ask you know I'm going to tell you) Quite simply, it's because I recognize what I'm leaving behind. In the last 5 years here in the Coachella Valley I've built a business, a name for myself, and long lasting friendships. In short, I've created a beautiful life. I don't take that for granted. I've been given the opportunity to do what I love on a daily basis and earn a paycheck for it. A platform to spew my passion and "geek out" with other wine-minded individuals. Here, I am an anomaly. There, I am just another sommelier.
So, enough with the "poor little, newly promoted, moving to wine mecca, Katie" and on to the real reason for this post.
THANK YOU.
Thank you to my wine buyers. For being honest with me and not giving me the run around. I've long said to suppliers when they come into town on work-withs that I have the best buyers in the state. You say what you mean and you mean what you say. Thank you for supporting my little, never heard of brands. In a town where Rombauer and Silver Oak are still considered par excellence, you have embraced Cliff Lede and Zolo and Neil Ellis. Thank you for trusting me and my judgement. You will never know how much I appreciate the phone calls where you tell me you need a case of ________ wine and take my suggestion. You have put your faith in me and trust that I want the best for your business and wine list as much as you do.
Thank you to Cooking With Class, Sun City, Canyon Estates, The Citrus Club, Trilogy, and Copely's for giving me the opportunity to share my love with you. You have let me educate and entertain you, and it has been my pleasure. I will miss this most of all. After every event I experience a "runners high" that can only be described as addictive. The energy and enthusiasm that builds throughout the night is infectious. The support and feedback you have given me over the years has made Great Legs Wine Consulting possible.
Thank you to my ladies of wine night. Once a month I am surrounded by the strongest, most gracious, professional women in the valley. Through you lovely ladies, I have been exposed to the Women Leaders Forum, Olive Crest, Shelter From The Storm and Go Red. I truly believe it's because of you that I was among the desert's 40 under 40. I have never known a more dynamic and supportive group of women.
Lastly, thank you to Mindy, Garvey, Kelly and Gary, Nikky, Dar, Jason, Markus ...on and on and on. You have kept me sane, been my touchstone, and fed me copious amounts of alcohol when it was needed most.
Okay, so that's enough mushy stuff to last all year.
Now, it's time to get my cape (and my big-girl panties) on, and tackle my next adventure.
Cheers to the next chapter...

What In The Hell Is A Sommelier?!

At my tastings I encourage questions - and I get lots and lots of them. In my mind they're all valid (no really!) because to me, there's nothing worse than a "wine expert" that won't ask about what he doesn't know because he thinks he should already know. However, some questions are better than others. Hmm, dare I say more intriguing than others. At a recent wine dinner I was asked the greatest question yet...
I was blabbing on and on about quality to value ratios, and seeking out great wines for the price, and finding "hidden gems". Looking back now, I realize how cryptic that must sound. Sorta like a used car salesman saying "just trust me". But until this one night, no one had challenged me to elaborate.
"How do you know what a good wine is?"
I loved this question. I loved it for it's thoughtfulness and it's complexity. I loved it because the person that asked was completely unaware of how profound the question was. I had no idea how good the discussion that followed was going to get.
As I started rattling off a wines' quality criteria, someone in the crowd piped in "yeah, not to mention you like the stuff!"
They were wrong. Dead wrong. But it made for a great segue into the mind of a Sommelier.
I was immediately thrust back seven years ago, tasting and training with the Master Sommelier who became my mentor. There I was, with myriad wine flights in front me, the methods of deduction filling my mind, trying to be so professional. After the first flight was tasted and notes recorded, the question was asked - "which of those was a quality wine?"
I made the mistake of offering up my personal opinion once. Only once.
"Katie Finn, I don't give a good God damn what you think about this wine. This isn't about you. Now, pull your head outta your ass and analyze these wines like a professional."
It was both jarring and enlightening. That was the first time I really tasted wine. That was the first time I understood what it meant to be a Sommelier.
My job wasn't to drink wine like a consumer. My job was to do what the consumer can't. I needed to look at wine subjectively. Was it balanced? Were the flavors integrated? Was it seamless across the palate? Did it have a sense of place? Was it priced appropriately?
Whether I liked it or not was irrelevant. I wasn't the one buying it. All of a sudden I saw the bigger picture. There was someone out there that would like this wine... my job became deciphering whether or not it was worth what the producer was asking and if it made sense on this particular wine list.
Over the years, this concept of keeping my own personal preference away from my profession has become almost a joke between me and my friends. As we have all discovered, what I like will most certainly be the most unpopular wine at any gathering. It seems I have a real affinity for "stinky wine". Now, imagine if the only wine I ever placed on a wine list was wine that I liked? I'd better have a high corkage fee or I'd be out of business really fast. If you've ever been to one of my tastings you'll notice one common thread. Every wine I serve will be diametrically opposed to the last. If I start with a light fresh and crisp white, the next will be a full bodied, creamy oaked white. The method to the madness is simple - if all the wines drink in the same style and you don't like one - you aren't going to like any of them. Everyone's palate is different. Everyone has varying degrees of sensitivity to things like sweet, bitter and salty. My goal is to make everyone happy. Or at least not piss everyone off.
I was lucky. I learned from a Master who truly understands what this title represents. This position exists for people who love wine. It exists so the consumer doesn't get ripped off (ideally). We are matchmakers. We find the right wine for the right person. We save you time, money, and the frustration of another disappointing bottle. We offer up wildly new and exciting bottles from grapes you didn't even know exist. And we will happily give you your security blanket bottle of Cabernet.
I am lucky. I love what I do.
Now, sit back, relax, and just trust me.

Because Cooking Is Good For The Soul..

So I've never posted a recipe before. Mainly beacuse this wasn't meant to be a foodie site, but focused on wine knowledge and the occasional ranting. However, I uploaded a photo of my dinner last night, only because it looked so tasty, and I received several comments requesting a recipe.
So here it goes...

Greek Lemon Chicken with Patates

1 package of chicken thighs
1 package of chicken breasts or drumsticks (whichever you prefer, although I have to say anything with skin and bone is going to be MUCH more flavorful )
6 cloves of crushed garlic
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of olive oil
Juice of 3 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of oregano
Baby red potatoes quartered with skin on ( I count on 2 per person)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a skillet and brown chicken on all sides.
Once browned, place chicken in a glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and oregano. Mix well and pour over chicken. Top with butter and cinnamon.

For the potatoes:
I quarter them, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and broil them on high while I'm browning the chicken. Once the chicken goes into the baking dish, I pull out the taters and throw them into the dish with the chicken.

Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the chicken feels done. Make sure to baste with pan juices during the cooking time.

I served this with the De Tierra "Tin Man" Chardonnay from Monterey. An unoaked Chard that rekindled my love affair with this poor little bastardized grape. It reminded me of what Chardonnay is supposed to taste like once you strip away all the winemaker manipulation. Gone are the flavors of butterscotch, toffee'd popcorn, hot butter, and toasted hazelnuts. This may sound good in theory, but really people,  do you want your wine tasting like a county fair midway? Hitting your palate like a gallon of maple syrup? I know how wildly popular this style is, and far be it for me to tell someone not to drink what they like, but I just don't dig it. What I crave is crisp and fresh with aromas of Granny Smith apple, Anjou pears, a little flinty minerality... oh yeahh. This winery was just named "Winery of the Year" by the San Fransisco Cronical and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The winemaker, David Coventry, has an unyielding passion, and a huge commitment to organic farming. He makes a piddly amount of wine, and is obviously not in it for the money or notoriety. Here is a winery without ego or pretense. In case you couldn't tell, I really like these guys.

There you go. Grab a bottle of De Tierra goodness, whip up some Greek Chicken, and tap into your inner Julia.

Here's to your health

This Wine Reminds Me of a Cat O' Nine Tails

Sophisticated and balanced with a hint of pretension.
Elegant and silky with a feminine nuance reminiscent of the old west.
Forward and brazen with a left hook that will leave you speechless.
Seriously? What does this mean?
As an avid "reviewer" of wines, which, let's be honest, means I get to drink for a living, I am continually perplexed by this verbiage. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it confuses the hell out me. I look at it this way: wine is a lot like art and music. It is plagued by critics trying to one up each other in a verbal assault of describing tangible items in a way that sound human and mysterious.
I'm guilty of this too. I've been known to describe certain Napa Cabernets as "teenagers at prom ready to give it up on the first date". Not the most tactful way to describe a wine, I know. But you get the point.
Words like fleshy, sexy, demure, and overt are a wine writers way of reinventing the wheel and keeping it interesting.  Who wants to read the same old descriptors of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc over and over? Gooseberry, cat pee, fresh grass, blah, blah, blah. How many times can one read (or write) about caramel, butterscotch, and toasted oak? The flavor profiles haven't changed - the times have.
But back to the question - what does a "sexy wine" mean? How does wine "dance across your palate?" It's so hard to interpret descriptions that have nothing to do with fruit. How would you describe an apple? Would you say it was crisp and tart with a little sweetness on the finish. Or would you say it was sassy and flirty with a voluptuous side. Are they one in the same? I am told more often than not by people clearly frustrated with a nouveau wine culture, that they don't know how to "talk wine". They can't relate.
In this profession, I made it my mission to make wine less confusing, more approachable, easier to understand. Does that mean what I say then has to be boring or predictable? I think we can have it both ways (pardon the pun). Nothing says we can't get frisky with our descriptors as long as we can back it up with something quantifiable. As long as we're not turning wine writing into the equivalent of  Fredericks of Hollywood without real knowledge to back it up. A bra stuffed with toilet paper will be discovered eventually.
At my tastings, as much as I put on a show, most of my entertainment value comes from true historical facts that I couldn't possibly make up. I told a story the other night about "Sarah's Vineyard" and Marilyn Olsen. Before this woman could sell her winery in 2001, she had to embark on an emotional three day vision quest, in a teepee, to grant permission from spirits, to sell the joint. Honestly, with a story like that, who needs to use naughty words to captivate?

While I'm on the subject, it should be said that, while writing this I'm drinking an Argentine Malbec that's one part Dolly Parton, one part J. LO. Figure it out.
Cheers!

Calling All Cork Dorks

I'm back from what was, quite possibly, the greatest week ever. I attended the annual Society of Wine Educators Conference in Washington D.C. and ever since I returned home, I've been trying to organize my thoughts to share this experience with everybody. This has proven not to be the easiest task for a couple of reasons. First and foremost it's very difficult to recall the details of a conference dedicated to drinking. When your Wednesday morning looks a lot like most people's Friday night, things can get a little fuzzy.
Believe it or not I can be a relatively shy person, and it's never easy to walk into a room full of people, not knowing a soul, and strike up some sort of meaningful conversation. At least conversation that's interesting enough to keep someone standing next to you so you don't look like that person that no one wants to talk to. Much to my surprise, I had no trouble at all meeting people and making instant friends. I will admit, I had some help in this department. I'd like to take a moment and personally thank Mr. Tony Bourdain. No, he wasn't there, not physically anyway. I discovered early in the trip that all I had to do was pull out "Medium Raw", Anthony Bourdain's latest memoir/culinary rant,  and I no sooner got through one paragraph without someone wanting to talk to me about the book. Voila! Instant connection.
Over the course of 3 days, I met some of the most influential, successful, icons of the wine world. Doug Frost, my mentor and personal hero, Paul Wagner, Michael Weiss, Miss Jane Nickles, Laura Catena, Jay Youmans, Terry Theise. Now I know these names mean nothing to the average joe, but to me, this was like being a Trekkie and meeting Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. This was a BIG deal.
Once I got my exam over with and feeling pretty good about it (when it was over I wanted to run into the lobby and scream out "YEESSS!!!) it was time to relax and drink some of the best wine in the world. Only to be made better by listening to the foremost authorities on the subjects at hand.
Everyday from 8 am to 6 pm I was a student again - one of my favorite things to be - immersed in my all time favorite subject. I learned new teaching techniques, heard funny anecdotal stories I will "retell", and was joyously proven wrong on previous food and wine pairing methods. I was forced to rethink my stand on wines from Lodi (thank you Mark Chandler), and was reassured in my stand on the fact that price does NOT reflect quality (thank you Paul Wagner).
When the school day was done, the culinary extravaganza was just beginning. Armed with a laundry list of restaurants and wine bars, I set out to eat my way through D.C.  My "no wine list left unturned" mission had another willing participant... the added bonus of being accompanied by a friend who loves to eat and drink as much as I do (thank you Mindy Reed). After days and nights of extensive "research", I can say with confidence that there is no greater authority on the D.C. restaurant scene than Mindy or myself. 15 restaurants in 6 days people. I rest my case.
The weekend was spent exploring what I think might be the greatest city in America. Arlington Cemetery made me cry. The Lincoln Memorial restored my hope. The Hope Diamond made me realize I live in a ridiculously affluent area ( I've seen so many huge diamonds that the most famous diamond in the world left me unimpressed?! Sheesh).

I saw Abe Lincolns top hat, Dorothy's ruby slippers, Julia Child's kitchen, and the original Star Spangled Banner. I made my way to We the Pizza, Spike Mendelsohn's new diggs, and can say that the hour long wait for a slice of pizza was the most ridiculous waste of time ever. I can also say that Bill Cosby is right on the money about Ben's Chili Bowl. That was a damn good chili dog.

I met Jeremy Lippman. Who in the hell is Jeremy Lippman you ask? Well, if you ever saw a little movie called Wedding Crashers, he's the character played by Vince Vaughn. I know, I know, you shouldn't believe everything your cute bartender tells you. As much as I thought he was pulling my leg, it turns out to be true. Go figure.
I now have an unyielding passion for a little grape called Touriga Nacional. If you've never had red wine from Portugal, not Port mind you but red table wine, do yourself a favor and get some.
Encruzado and Periquita may be may favorite new summer whites.
I tasted 12 Chateauneuf-du-Papes in a row, only to confirm what I already knew... you never get over your first love.

Now home, a few pounds heavier and whole lot smarter, it feels like a dream. A wonderful, exhausting, drunken, food induced coma.
Can't wait till next year.
Cheers.

There's Already Enough Water in Wine

At every wine tasting there are a few obligatory props that are always present. Cocktail napkins for the messy folks. Paper and pencils for those who keep meticulous wine records, or at least want to look like they do. Dump buckets, and water pitchers. The dump buckets, I find, are either the one thing at the end of a successful tasting that need not be washed or they need to be emptied every 10 minutes and are accompanied by an overall aire of discontent.
The water pitchers are the real bone of contention here. They are a necessary evil at a grand tasting (Grand tasting meaning that multiple vendors are peddling their hooch). At these events the probability that you will switch from white wine to red wine and back to white wine are more than likely. It is always encouraged to go back and "revisit" a wine you liked. There is a chance of intoxication, where you may in all likelihood, forget that you hate port, only to consume 3 different samples of it before wanting to go back and taste that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. All of these reasons make water pitchers a viable tool.
However, in reality, the water pitcher is the most over used (read: abused) item at a tasting. Every time you "rinse" your glass, you are diluting your next taste of wine. Every time you leave water in your glass you are changing the dynamics and texture of that wine.
I previously posted that wine pourers, for the most part, know what their doing. We won't serve you an Australian Shiraz followed by an Italian Pinot Grigio. We wouldn't think of pouring that Napa Valley Merlot before you've tasted the French Pinot Noir. That would be cruel. Believe it or not, we want you to like the wine. All of it. As a matter of fact, we're hoping you like it so much that you can't bear the thought of leaving without 4 or 5 cases of the stuff. It is in our best interest to line up the wines in a way that you needn't do any work. Your job is to taste and evaluate the wines, not to clean the glassware.
I recognize that wine tasting, in a room full of your peers, can come with a certain level of anxiety. Nobody wants to look like they don't know what they're doing. I am a firm believer that that's how many of these "traditions and rituals" are perpetuated (like the old smelling the cork routine). Remember this... there is no instruction book on how to taste wine ( okay, so there is, but who cares ) and wine is, last time I checked, still just a beverage that is meant to be consumed and enjoyed.
So relax, sip your wine, and put the water pitcher down.