

My 2016 Case of Wine
Since 2016 is drawing to a close, I thought now was as good a time as any to put together my ultimate case of the year. Since any list requires at least a few guidelines, here’s what I went with: Pick 12 wines. Pick wines that I tried within the 2016 calendar year: no legacy wines. Pick wines that are or were on sale within 2016: no library wines unless an average wine drinker could get their hands on them. That said, not all of these wines are available in the United States.


Pulling a Winning Lotto Ticket From the Cellar
Aging a bottle of wine is a bit like cheating death, and a bit like playing the lottery. It’s a game I love to indulge in, but even in the excitement there’s a moment of panic every time I take a corkscrew to an older bottle. As a sommelier, I always want to take the utmost care with a bottle that someone might have been saving for a very special occasion. Unfortunately, sometimes you get a bottle that’s clearly been stored poorly. The cork is bone dry and even trying to open


Why I Love Wine
Well honestly, there are hundreds of reasons. Yet I was reminded of one of them last night: it has a unique power to bring people together. Almost everyone has a wine story to tell, whether they're an oenophile or a total neophyte. When people find out what I do for a living, they inevitably want to ask me a question, tell me a story, or both. SInce I love teaching, and love hearing stories, that works just fine for me. Last night's was about a youthful dalliance with late-ha


National Drink Wine Day
Today is National Drink Wine Day. Read my tips for celebrating at the Seattle Weekly #sommlife #wine #sommelier


Industry Tastings
One of the interesting parts of my job is attending industry tastings. These take on a variety of different forms: sometimes it's a true trade show, with nothing but industry folks, while other times it's a hybrid trade/public event. In either case, the biggest challenge is fighting palate fatigue. Red wine, especially heavily-extracted and oaked reds, just get tiring to drink, especially when you're trying dozens back to back without much food. Even spitting (an essential in


Getting Certified
December 1st, 2013 was a terrifying and gratifying day in my life. It was the day I took (and passed!) my Certified Sommelier exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers. This week's edition of The Bar Code takes a look back at the stress and challenges of that day #barcode #wine #sommelier #sommlife