FIVE QUESTIONS 05/10/19

Five Questions with Chelsea Carrier, Bev, Director @ o ya, Covina + Rooftop @ the Park South Hotel

Chelsea Carrier (@chelseaecarrier) is the superstar that runs the beverage programs at o ya, Covina, and the Roof Top at the Park South Hotel.

Chelsea Carrier is originally from Houston, Texas. She started her career in hospitality working for restaurants such as Zahav and Lacroix in the Rittenhouse. Her love of wine came from her time working at Eleven Madison Park and NoMad NYC.

Five Questions

Which producer or area do you believe in that most people in the industry disagree with you on?

I think that the area of wine that most people in the industry disagree with me on is Italian white wine. Obviously, there are iconic producers that my peers support, but overall, I think that Italian white wines are overshadowed by the reds. I’m a firm believer that these wines can stand up to most luxury white wines from around the world.
My favorite Italian white wines come from more native or unknown grapes such as Greco di Tufo, Fiano, Falaghina, Friulano, and Carricante. Given the grapes, these wine are typically from lesser known appellations, which allows me to “nerd out” with my guests. Producers such as Marisa Cuomo, Quintodecimo, Benanti, and i Clivi are just a few that have elevated the image of these grapes. Personally, I love to decant these wines, so they are ready to be crushed as quickly as possible.

What are the components of an incredible omakase experience with wine?

The main component of an incredible omakase experience with wine is to think outside of the box. I would definitely not turn down drinking old Riesling and any Champagne with Japanese food, but in my opinion, it is not my favorite. From working with Japanese cuisine, I have realized that the structure of the food is different than any other. Acid, bitter, and body truly affect wine in an interesting way.
From this conclusion, I have fallen in love with white Rhône varieties with an omakase. The moderated acid, sense of minerality, and the body express themselves similarly to sake. Sake is the classic pairing. Finding wines that can be exchanged for sake is a wonderful challenge.

What are the challenges of running a multi-concept hotel wine program and how do you put your team in a position to succeed?

Stepping into the role of running a multi-concept hotel beverage program was challenging to say the least. The organization of inventory alone could be a full-time job, and my learning curve was steep. The challenges that a single-concept program faces are the same as a multi-concept. The struggle with storage, organization, education, implementation, service, and development of employees is just multiplied by the number of restaurants that are overseen.
The way that I try to face these challenges is by always thinking of what is best for my team. If my team is happy, fulfilled, and supported, it will reflect onto our guests. This being said, my first initiative was to consistently hold week education classes, bi-weekly R&D for cocktail development, bi-annual beverage goal setting, and creating a spreadsheet for beverage employee development. The more that I included the team, the more they wanted to help with organization, service improvements, and implementation. They feel attached to the programs, which is wildly rewarding to me.

Which trend or trends do you wish would go away?

The trend that I wish would go away would be the pretentious Sommelier. The original reason for the Sommelier was not only to be knowledgeable about wine, but to heighten the experience of the guest. I feel as though the old school idea was lost for a period of time with the glitz and glamour of the ‘Sommelier.’ I think that there are many emerging Sommeliers (ex: Jonathan Lopez of the Milling Room, Jhonel Faelnar of Atomix, Sarah Plath of NoMad, and Luke Boland of CrownShy) that are trying to shake this idea, but do think that we have some way to go.

“ ...I have fallen in love with white Rhône varieties with an omakase. The moderated acid, sense of minerality, and the body express themselves similarly to sake.

What is your philosophy on educating and motivating a large staff?

Being the daughter of a teacher, education has always been near to my heart. Also, it has always been tied directly to my motivation at work. This is why Cushman Concepts immediately felt like home when I found that their motto is ‘Forever the Student’. I try to encourage this motto through my philosophy on educating a large staff.
Essentially, my philosophy boils down to inclusion. I cannot teach at every line-up, education class, or every staff member with a team of over 50 dining room employees in 3 restaurants. Also, to my dismay, I am not an expert on every beverage topic, and not everyone learns from my teaching style. I need help from the beverage team. I ask that every member of the beverage team hosts one of our weekly education class or daily pre-shift. Due to the vast and varied knowledge of the team, we get to deep dive into every aspect of beverage (i.e. Sake, Coffee, Tea, Wine, Cocktails, Spirits, Beer, and Non-Alcoholic).
This inclusion of knowledge encourages varying teaching-styles as well. People learn in different ways. The higher quantity of people that teach, the wider net we cast. This education inclusion is the easiest way to invest in an employee. It will encourage their motivation and attachment to the guest’s experience, the restaurant’s success, and the beverage program’s elevation.

You recently passed the Advanced level court of Master Sommelier exam – if you had to do it again, what would you change in your full process (study through exam)?

This is an insightful question because I have deeply contemplated this idea as I prepare for my Master’s track. It is a challenging topic for me because I was successful in my first attempt at the exam. I think to myself, ‘Must have done something right to succeed on the first try’, but the other thought that I have is, ‘Was my journey enjoyable or was it too in-balancing to my work/life/study balance?’.
The conclusion that I have made is that I wouldn’t change a thing. I will study, taste, and practice in the same methods during my Master’s journey. The one idea that I have decided to focus more heavily is the balance of life. I want to enjoy this last step, and be proud of how I passed. So, I have decided to take my time, and accept that this journey will take many years.

Note*: All answers are edited for spelling, punctuation and posted without cuts.

FIVE QUESTIONS 02/28/19

Five Questions with Percy Rodríguez, Bev. Director |Laurent Tourondel Hospitality

Percy Rodríguez (@percyjrodriguez) is the Beverage Director for Chef Laurent Tourondel‘s restaurants (L’Amico, The Vine) within the Hotel Eventi in NYC, (part of the Kimpton Hotels and Restaurant Group), along with Sag Pizza in Sag Harbor.

Percy is one of the most professional and likable Beverage Directors I have ever worked with. He also never seems to be in a rush, which is incredible considering what he is running in the day-to-day.

There are only a handful of Beverage Directors in NYC overseeing multiple concepts like Percy – check out the Bonus question on Spirits buying.

Five Questions

Which producer or area do you believe in that most people in the industry disagree with you on?

Domestic wines that aren’t from either coast. Y’all, Missouri makes PET-NATS NOW!! Y’ALL.

You run the beverage program for multiple concepts within a Hotel – What are the challenges, and what have you found that works to get past those challenges?

My biggest challenges are time and quality staff. I never have enough of either, and as far as I can tell, that is industry standard. We are busy enough at this property that there is never a moment where there isn’t something to do. And when I delegate to my leaders, I need to trust that their work will meet my standards, as I don’t have the time to double check everyone’s work (whether it be syrup production, staff education, stocking, cleaning schedules, etc). I’m now in my fourth year here, and, not to take away from the staff I’ve had work for me up until now, but I am only now getting to a place where I am happy with almost all facets of my team. It’s simply that difficult to find hard-working, dedicated staff. AND THEN, when you have them, you have to retain them. I believe a connection to staff, however small, is imperative to minimizing turnover. I always engage my beverage staff (polishers, barbacks, receivers, bartenders, etc) in small talk, their last shifts, any issues I can help with. It keeps everyone loose and they know I have their back. With my core team, I’m more invested. You have to push their education, you have to push and nurture their drive, you have to ride the waves of personal lives and relationships because at the end of the day, it all affects the bottom line (you can’t have a depressed sommelier on the floor).

With regards to time, it really is a lesson in discipline. Of COURSE, I’d love to go to all of the tastings and lunches and dinners and trips and taste all the wine and spirits and beers that are being hawked. But I also have invoices to allocate, inventory, BEO meetings, PNL meetings, hiring and training, and and AND. If you want any type of longevity in this game, you need to pace yourself and focus on the immediate tasks at hand. When things are consistently good at work, then you can go have an occasional, semi-indulgent lunch with a winemaker. You do it too much though, and people start to ask where you are.

If you could ask one question of another wine director, what would it be?

What are you doing to drive sales while increasing the visibility of your program(s)?

Which trend or trends do you wish would go away?

As a buyer: Rosé season. I like Rosé. I drink Rosé. I hate that every February I have to f**king decide what I’m going to pour in four months.
As a creative: wack garnishes in cocktails. I get that everything has to stand out from a social media perspective and I GET that people order with their eyes as the rum punch with pink sparklers and dehydrated micro production black mission figs gets run through the dining room or bar, but please stop. Please.

What do you want people to know about your program?

I want people to know that we will make time for them. What do I mean? I had this post-middle-aged couple come in the other day. L’Amico was packed and already on a wait at 6pm (any time Billy Joel plays MSG, this is the case). The woman mentioned they were going to the concert and were looking for a quick bite and a drink, nothing fancy, and didn’t look overly hopeful that we would be able to accommodate them. We didn’t have anything in L’Amico but I mentioned I had a few open tables in our other restaurant The Vine, which is through the hotel lobby. I walked them over, made small talk with them, introduced them to the host and got them settled, letting them know they were in good hands. An hour later, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and this couple was incredibly gracious, said they looked forward to coming back, and couldn’t have been happier. Had I just told them how to get to the other resto I doubt their experience would have changed much, but seeing someone take the extra 30 seconds to make their experience personal has a tremendous amount of weight with customers.

“ I like Rosé. I drink Rosé. I hate that every February I have to f**king decide what I’m going to pour in four months.

DOUBLE-BONUS

What advice do you have for to a wine director stepping into buying spirits, as well?

Always ask if there’s a bigger drop, deeper deal. Ask to be connected directly to the brand’s ambassador/mgr for activations, events, happy hours, etc. Don’t say yes to everything a liquor distributor tries to sell you on. And every now and then, when salespeople reach out for a favor (to hit a sales goal or get a trip, whatever it is), help them out if you’re able. Get that weird bottle of rum they need to move to get a bonus or something. You never know when you’ll be in the shits and you need cases of something ASAP. Playing the game a little bit once in a while goes a long way.

Are there any regions or wineries in Italy that are underrated? Which are overrated?

Amarone is overrated, and Fiano from Campania is underrated, by a freaking mile. I don’t care if it’s from Avellino or Paestum or Cilento or Irpinia or where ever: it’s almost always good if not great, ranging from clean and simple to nuanced and strikingly delicious.

Note*: All answers are edited for spelling and posted without cuts.

FIVE QUESTIONS 01/31/19

Five Questions with Andrew Newlin, GM and Wine Director at Raoul’s

Five Questions with Andy Newlin, one of the most hilarious and intelligent wine buyers in the city. And if you haven’t been to Raoul’s, what’s wrong with you?

Bio

Andrew Newlin grew up in Delaware the fourth of five boys, got a BFA in dramatic arts, and then moved to NYC in 2000. After an internship at Food and Wine Magazine, he worked at Balthazar, going in on days off to hang out with Wine Director Chris Goodhart and do odd jobs. Andrew then spent 10 years at Per Se, working for 6 years on the Sommelier team under Michel Couvreux. Andrew is now the GM and Wine Director of Raoul’s and lives on the UWS with his wife and two children.

FIVE QUESTIONS

Which wine (or wines) do you believe in that your colleagues in the industry disagree with you on?

I would say that there are those in the industry who for whatever reason look down a delicious and classic California Chardonnay. I love that big and ripe, tropical flavor. I do think that it must be balanced out. But I hate it when you get a California wine that feels like they are fighting nature and picking too early to make it into something it is not.

What is the difference between a Wine Director and a Sommelier?

A Sommelier is someone who works the floor and should be great at listing and selling. They may or may not have hand in ordering the wines and some of the beverages. They are usually in the tip pool and have a lot of guest contact. It is rare that a Sommelier will have a team working for him or her. If so, she would be the Head Sommelier.

I think a Beverage Director is a bit more of an administrative position with a closer relationship to the owner or the GM. They have a firmer grasp on the numbers of the business and should be skilled at delegating. A great beverage director knows how to make a wine list that is interesting, compelling and can be navigated by the guests without the need of too much help from the staff. There shouldn’t be pit falls and everything should taste good.

If you could ask one question of other Wine Directors in the city, what would it be?

I am always curious how people set their mark-ups. I think it can tell you a lot about the business. How did they get to this number? And what does it say about the management of the business? A low cost of goods is great, but I don’t love ripping people off. It is a balance.

“ ...I hate it when you get a California wine that feels like they are fighting nature and picking too early to make it into something it is not.

Which trend or trends do you wish would go away?

A natural wine is not good just because it is natural. I like wines that are clean and pure with a sense of place. When all you taste is the style, it could be anything.

What do you want people to know about your beverage program at Raoul’s?

We try to be dynamic. You can get very involved wine experience; we have some very cool things here, or you can just have a casual glass. What is most important to us is that you have a good time. That being said, you should try the DRC. It’s delicious.

Bonus: What is the most underrated wine or area, and what is the most overrated?

Overrated: Clos Rougeard and Dagueneau are two that come to mind. They can be great, but I have a hard time with all of the hype. I also don’t get the love for Chateau Musar.

Underrated: Bandol Reds!

*Note: All answers are spell-checked and posted without cuts.

FIVE QUESTIONS 01/01/18

Five Questions with Caitlin Doonan, Assistant Director of F + B at the William Vale Hotel

Caitlin Doonan currently works for NoHo Hospitality as the Assistant Director of Food and Beverage at The William Vale Hotel, working with 7 venues including Westlight, Leuca, and Mister Dips. Before making the jump across the East River, She was on the opening team and spent four years at Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette’s Toro NYC as the Beverage Director and GM. Caitlin has previously worked for David Chang at Momofuku (Ma Peche), and Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Market, Spice Market), and others.

Five Questions with Caitlin Doonan

Which wine (or wines) do you believe in that your colleagues in the industry disagree with you on?

I would imagine there are quite a few! Spanish Bubbles is definitely a category I love more than most of my peers who seem to vastly prefer Champagne. Now, of course, there are many Champagne producers I love and drink regularly, but I have a special place in my heart for the traditional method Sparkling wines from Penedes. When you taste fine examples of Spanish Sparkling, from producers like Recaredo, Gramona, Raventos i Blanc, Castellroig and more, there is a core of ripe fruit, provided by the bright Mediterranean sunshine, that doesn’t exist in most Champagne. To say Spanish Sparkling is good if it tastes more like Champagne is crazy. If you travel to both places, you know this would be very odd, but I hope that one day the excellent Sparkling wines from Spain will be a part of the same conversation regarding excellence, complexity, and quality as their counterparts in France.

Which trend or trends in wine (or spirits) do you wish would go away?

Pretty much everything! The only trend I’m truly supportive of is the drive to educate more – ourselves, our staff, our guests. But perhaps I’m dodging the question. The trend that probably annoys me the most is many wine lists starting to look the same. There’s too much “wine list as ego boost.” If a wine list says more about the Wine Director than anything else, it might be full of allocated gems, but it’s probably pretty boring.
And it must be said, the trend of many powerful men in the Restaurant industry turning out to be disgusting predators – yea, I’m ALL SET with that. Achieving excellence in this industry requires passion, vulnerability, dedication, and focus on the highest of levels – this is business and it’s art – the last thing anyone needs is their boss making their workplace toxic. People who need to make others feel small so they can feel big have no place in this industry. I am infuriated that so many people have had to put up with this kind of abuse to pursue something they love. I applaud the victims who’ve spoken out – their courage should be revered by all of us, and I find the response by those who enabled this behavior for decades to be craven, weak and lacking soul. We have so much work to do.

If you could ask one question of other wine directors in the city, what would it be?

How do you approach education? I view this part of my job as the most important, but it sure is a challenge finding the time! I’m always interested in how my peers approach educating their staffs, and themselves.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for beverage directors in the next five years?

One of the things I think about every day is how to make sure my team feels valued. The great thing about millennials is that they feel they have something to say, and they want to say it loudly. Point of view and a drive to share it are marks of an exciting generation! But they also have high expectations of their leaders. I try to meet those, and I’m sure many days I fall short, but it’s on my mind every day. Definitely a challenge. I also think one thing we’ll continue to see as the minimum wages rise (a great thing – living in NYC on $11/hr is a joke) is the consolidation of positions. Seeing the value of a beverage director to a business requires foresight and a bit of creativity – it’s not always as obvious as the value of a General Manager. I hope that will change. I hope the great beverage directors become business owners!

You wrote an important wine list for Spanish wine at Toro NYC with an impressive array of Sherry, Village, and Bodega Rioja, etc. –
What is the biggest barrier for Spanish wine today? And, what has the most promise?

Oof! What a question! First, I have to say that Toro was the best playground for my 4 years there. The wine list evolved considerably over time, and my staff were stars in their dedication to spreading the word about Spanish Wine – they weren’t intimidated by anything – single parcel Garnatxa Peluda from Montsant? Sure! They just got on board. I’m very proud of the successes of that program, big and small, and I recognize that they are 100% shared. Running a Spanish program is like being a Red Sox fan pre-2004. There are small victories along the way, and you love it, but you are championing an underdog. Quite honestly, the biggest barrier for Spanish wine today is $6 Albarino, $8.99 Cava (can we all make a pact to stop buying this?!), and marketing. There is NO better country than Spain in terms of value. For $20, you can buy an exceptional wine. But the US has been flooded with crap from Spain, so people associate Spain with “cheap” wine. The good stuff, even if inexpensive, does not make it out of major markets. My parents live in CT – it’s a train ride away but it might as well be across an ocean for how easy it is to get Spanish wine there. On a “global” wine list, there will be 3 Spanish selections, and one of them is probably the same Rioja that everyone else has on their list. There just aren’t a lot of wine professionals who spend a lot of time with Spain. Even in study guides, Spain gets the same amount of room as one region of France. So this is a multi-layered problem. It’s difficult to know where to begin in tackling it. At Toro, I tried to just get as many different things in peoples glasses as I could, and people were open to it. But I had the luxury(?!) of most people opening the list and not knowing most of it, so needing the guidance anyway! We live in a world driven by the social media “influencer” (call back to trends I hate!) and these excellent, small wines don’t have marketing budgets. Additionally, each region has it’s own marketing machine funded predominantly by the large bodegas so there’s not much incentive to promote the little guy who contributes less (wine, politics, it’s all depressingly the same). So, Spain needs champions!! I’m not sure there’s one region that shows more promise than others. I hope we figure out the Rioja puzzle at some point – a bit of a personal crusade of mine. Rioja should be classified by village, like Burgundy. I know we’re no longer living in a science-respecting country, but there’s plenty of objective evidence to show large terroir variance village to village. But unless some very large Bodegas want to admit they don’t have all the best vineyard sites, nothing will change because they pay the bills. This is getting a bit depressing, so on a positive note, I think the wines from Galicia are getting more good attention. Seaside Albarino from Rias Baixas, indigenous field blends from Monterrei and Ribeiro, and pristine Mencia from Ribera Sacra – it’s exciting to see. I’m hoping that Spain will be an easy entry point for young wine drinkers and wine professionals. It’s tough to go into a shop and buy a bottle of Bordeaux from the 1980s – who can afford that – but 1980s Rioja is much more accessible. Because of the built-in system of holding back wine (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva), even the new releases are older. And many Bodegas have a large stock of older vintages so they’re available on the market. Perhaps that will be a way for people to fall in love with the region and country!

“ On a "global" wine list, there will be 3 Spanish selections, and one of them is probably the same Rioja that everyone else has on their list. There just aren't a lot of wine professionals who spend a lot of time with Spain.

BONUS Question from Nicole Hakli of Momofuku ssäm bar:

Our profession as sommeliers is more like an apprenticeship and an art that gets passed down each generation. Who mentored you along the way? What made them a great leader? How will you choose a mentee?

I think I view the profession a bit differently. I’m from a family of educators, and learning has always been highly valued. I have learned from a lot of incredible people, but not all Sommeliers. Theresa Paopao took a huge chance on me years ago at Momofuku, and she is still someone I look up to. She made wine fun and accessible and never took herself too seriously even though she was a BOSS!! But, while wine is the medium I love to work in, I’m more an educator and a cheerleader than anything else. I learned everything I know about pairing from working with Chef Paul Carmichael. Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette taught me the importance of professional agility – to be able to adjust and find solutions on the fly. Kyle Eakins and Lianne Raymond (Toro CDC and Events Director during my tenure) taught me the power of tempering my intensity and the importance of connecting to the human part of our staff not just the work part. And perhaps most far afield, my voice teacher at The Boston Conservatory while I pursued my masters, James Javore, taught me that you can only teach if you can listen. I tend towards the impatient. I want to get sh*t done – but stopping to truly listen, with no agenda, is the most important work I do. As for a mentee – I don’t think that’s up to me! I don’t believe that what I am able to teach is meant for one chosen person. I hope my team learns something from me as I do from them each day. Whether someone chooses wine as their lifelong career path, or merely a pitstop, I hope I can make a positive impact on their journey.

Follow Caitlin on Instagram @ccrosbiedoonan

Note: all answers above are posted without any cuts or edits.

FIVE QUESTIONS 11/27/17

Five Questions with Nicole Hakli, Wine Director at Momofuku Ssäm

Nicole Hakli is a 2016 Wine and Spirits Magazine Best New Somm winner and the Wine Director at the three-star NY Times awarded Momofuku Ssäm Bar in the East Village.

Before joining the team at Momofuku, Nicole was the Wine Director at the relaunch of Acme and on the Sommelier Team at the NoMad Hotel.

Five Questions with Nicole Hakli

Which producer or area do you believe in that most people in the industry disagree with you on?

I think my colleagues would agree that tasting wines from roads less traveled is exciting and fun, but I don’t see many really investing or taking chances on these regions and their native varietals. Turkish wines have become meaningful to me after visiting my husband’s family there for the past 5 years. Unfortunately, the wines have been little received in New York City. No one is really looking to broaden their selections in this area. It is not so much that I would say my colleagues disagree, but it is work to taste and procure some of these more obscure wines. Turkish varietals can be very rewarding in classic programs, but they have to be sought out.

If you could only ask one question of another wine director, what would it be?

To my colleagues: “what is your favorite work-life balance tip?” Just can’t seem to crack this secret!

You have been a Wine Director and a Sommelier in some of the top restaurants in New York. what would you tell an aspiring wine professional about the difference between the two jobs and how to be best prepared?

Read, sell, and taste as much as possible while you are a floor Somm! And, ENJOY IT. Being on a team of sommeliers slinging wine at The Nomad was one of the most fun jobs that I ever had. When you become a wine director, you will have much less time to taste or study. Often, your team will just be you! Before taking that next step to buying, make sure you have an arsenal of knowledge and wines to boot. Try to also get as involved as much as possible with things like inventory and costing if you are allowed.

“ Before taking that next step to buying, make sure you have an arsenal of knowledge and wines to boot. Try to also get as involved as much as possible with things like inventory and costing if you are allowed.

Which trend or trends do you wish would go away?

There is a lot of hive mind happening with wine lists as of recent. As much as I love classics, I don’t go to different restaurants to see the same wines over and over again. As wine buyers, we have the unique opportunity of being tastemakers and voicing our opinions through the wine list. Take advantage of that creative opportunity and taste more wine!

What does “a great wine list” mean? Please describe.

A great wine list is inspired by the place. It has a clear point of view with wines that pair well with the food. It fits not only the cuisine style but also the creativity and opinions of the wine director. For a guest, the list should be organized and easily readable. Wine is already intimidating to many, so make its readability inclusive and accessible for your guests.

Follow Nicole on Instagram @nicole.hakli

Note: all answers above are posted without any cuts or edits.

FIVE QUESTIONS 08/14/17

Five Questions with Rebecca Banks, Beverage Director of the Keith McNally Group

Rebecca Banks is the Beverage Director for the Keith McNally Group (Balthazar, Augustine, Minetta Tavern, Cherche Midi, Morandi, and Lucky Strike).

Five Questions with Rebecca Banks

Which producer or area do you believe in that most people in the industry disagree with you on?

I wouldn’t say it’s THAT controversial, but I’m a big supporter of Bordeaux. Probably because our group embraces French heavy wines lists, I can give the region a little more love than some of my colleagues in the city. But even if we didn’t, I’d still showcase Bordeaux wine. I feel strongly that the wines of Bordeaux are extremely diverse in style and price point as well as food friendly.

If you could only ask one question of another wine director, what would it be?

How much money do you make?

Which trend or trends do you wish would go away?

Natural Wine. Orange wine. Riesling. Verticals. New California. Discussions on Pre-mox. Beards on men under 40—yes it’s related–especially male somms. Pet Nat. Hard to find and get into wine bars in Paris. Natural Wine. (oh, wait, I’m repeating myself). I’m sure there’s more that I just can’t think of right now…

“ ..advice for a new wine director: Keep learning; Keep tasting, keep traveling, and don’t take yourself too seriously.

You get to see the French wine landscape in a different scale than most, what is the most exciting “category” in French wine today and why?

Corsican wines are probably the most “up and coming” wines out of France right now. The scope of what is available just in the NY market is expanding each year. I’m seeing a wider range of varietals, viticultural practices, vinification and aging techniques, and price points with each vintage. Only 10 years ago, I could count 2 producers on the market and now I can’t keep track. In general, the wines differentiate themselves from the rest of France with a foot in both French and Italian winemaking influences.

What is the best piece of advice you would like to pass along to a new wine director?

Keep learning; Keep tasting, keep traveling, and don’t take yourself too seriously.

Bonus question from Sam Ehrlich, Wine Director of the Blue Ribbon Restaurants:

What is your favorite piece of fiction where wine plays a role, big or small?

Sideways by Rex Pickett—total sucker for this farce of a story which was turned into an entertaining movie.
Peter Mayle—again, my non-fiction reading time is next to nil, so I have to reach waaaay back into the card catalogue of my mind for this one. I’m a huge fan of the Peter Mayle books set in Provence: A Year in Provence and A Good Year.
Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure by Donald and Pete Kladstrup. So this is not fiction, but It’s not a wine manual either, so I’m including it. I come back to this book over and over.

Follow Rebecca on Twitter @rbankswine and Instagram @banks.r

Note: all answers above are posted without any cuts or edits.

FIVE QUESTIONS 06/19/17

Five Questions with Sam Ehrlich, Wine Director of Blue Ribbon

Sam Ehrlich is the Wine Director of the Blue Ribbon Restaurant Group, and one of the most passionate wine professionals I know.

Five questions plus a bonus below. Enjoy.

Five Questions with Sam Ehrlich

Which producer or area do you believe in that most people in the industry disagree with you on?

It would be too extreme to say that we disagree about this particular producer but I think that Porter Creek gets short shrift in the pantheon of REALLY CLASSIC California wineries. The Davis family has been there since 1981, growing incredibly honest, compelling Pinot and Chardonnay. The quality of vineyard work and their commitment to growing only what they can reasonably expect to care for at such a high standard results in a spectacular set of wines year after year. Alex Davis has run the estate since 1997 and the time he spent in the mid-1990s at Roumier and Guigal is reflected only in the best light. In the “less and less is more” era of California wine, these feel simultaneously, pure and un-fucked with.

If you could only ask one question of another beverage director, what would it be?

To my fellow wine directors, I would ask at what point does enough distributors become ENOUGH? With several restaurants and counting, I find myself going out of my way to work with fewer reps. In some ways this pains me because there has never been more great wine available from more sources and places. But I just don’t have the hours in the day.

There is a fair amount of industry love for Riesling as a category, and yet it seems to slowly move off of lists in NYC (with rare exception). Is there a secret to selling Riesling?

Selling Riesling… Sigh. I imagine that like most of my peers, I’m not alone in wishing to see a bottle great Kabinett or Smaragd on every table every night. I despair at those wines just sitting on shelves collecting dust because they’re “too sweet!” But begging a table to try a wine they are petrified of can suck time out of my night. Albariño is such an easy alternate solution. That being said, it’s essential we consider our audience. Riesling by the glass should be priced attractively. A good dry wine that presents itself as good value next to a $22 glass of Sancerre immediately raises its stock. Also, don’t ignore the classics. This is an era of great young forward-thinking estates coming out of Germany, Austria, FLX, etc. But there is a reason that Von Schubert enjoys the reputation among sommeliers that it does: the wines are inimitably great and chances are that if you get one in front of a guest you will change his mind.

In your opinion, what is the most misunderstood aspect of Burgundy?

Burgundy, misunderstood?! I think people often discount or minimize the importance of the winemaker’s hand when considering the idea of terroir. Ultimately terroir in wine is about purity and divining a parcel’s essential character. But growers and winemakers get there in different routes and over a period of years styles change and adjustments are made to the work both in the vines and the cellar. Every adjustment reflects a decision made. Any grower who says that they don’t do anything and that the wine is only a reflection of the vineyard is stretching the truth. Stems or no stems, batonnage or no batonnage, what kind of barrels to use: Whether the decision is to DO or NOT DO, it is still part of the wine.

“ To my fellow wine directors, I would ask at what point does enough distributors become ENOUGH?

Which trend or trends do you wish would go away?

A trend I wish would go away? I’m tired of reading about blind taste tests that pit cheap wines against their more expensive counterparts, that inevitably result in the tasters choosing the cheap wine. This is a cheap ploy on the part of magazines and click-bait sites that poke fun at wine as a profession at every level. It reduces the hard work of the people who do the farming and wine-making to an exercise in frivolity and gives credence to the idea that wines can be judged objectively. Don’t get me wrong I will happily take a wine apart if I don’t like it, but I’ll never tell someone that they are wrong for liking a wine. After all, one is supposed to derive pleasure from wine. I realize that as a trend this may be a soft target but I find it infuriating.

Bonus Question from David Giuliano, Beverage Director of Market Table, The Little Owl, The Venue, The Little Owl Townhouse and The Clam

Before you ventured into the world of wine and hospitality, what did you aspire to be and how did it lead you here?

As for my aspirations before I entered wine and restaurants, there was a time when I yearned to study archaeology. I settled on this when I realized I’d never play second base for the Yankees. I always found the physical exploration and dissection of history riveting, even going as far as to work on a dig in deep Brooklyn one summer on the grounds of an old Dutch farmhouse. I’d like to think that there is an element of that exploration in wine, especially when tasting an old wine. When the person who made the wine is no longer alive or the estate has been sold or broken up, we can still feel their imprint on the world through the bottle.

Follow Sam on Twitter @SaminFlatbush and Instagram @saminflatbush

Note: all answers above are posted without any cuts or edits.

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