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+--- Thread: HELP!!!! (/thread-18976.html)
- smichelle212003 - 01-16-2005
Hello everyone. I work at a place in Colorado called Elk Mountain Resort (maybe you have heard of it?). We are fairly new and are trying to achieve our five star five star diamond rating. I am really trying to learn about our wines so that I have the knowledge to tell a guest a good wine with their meal and other such things. I am a total beginner and am looking for help. I really want and need to learn, so if interested, let me know. Thank you so much!
- TheEngineer - 01-16-2005
A warm welcome from a fellow newbie. The people on this site are really nice and I'm sure you will learn a lot form them. A few things though before my $0.02.
First, as with any forum, you can learn a lot just by reading all the post that have already been posted. If you have not done this, there is a wealth of information already for you.
Also, any place that is trying to be five star rated must have some sort of training program in place for employees who need to work with wine. Nothing beats being in front of people who know wine and having them walk/train you with tastings.
A book like the Wine Bible is a great way to learn too, but this must be supplimented by tasting. The difference I see here is that you are doing this for a job. If you really want to get your feet wet, you can go to local wineries/wine shops when they have tastings and see if they can walk you through it. Buy a few bottles and learn them at home......might become a new hobby too!
Okay, so here we go. The question of learning everything about wine may be a bit...umm.....broad. It's a bit difficult to approach. This is why a book like the Wine Bible will help. They will break things down into descernable steps for you.
I think once you see this, then you can ask questions about (1)how to serve (2) what to serve at what temp (3) what goes well with what (4) what grapes go to make.
Then perhaps get into better questions about the history, or location of a certain wine region, thus giving your guest more of an experience.
This is not an easy 2 week thing. This will take much time and hopefully you will also enjoy it along the way. But seriously, I would start off in your hotel. If you really do need to be knowledgeable about wine, they should be making sure that you have this knowledge.
[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 01-16-2005).]
- smichelle212003 - 01-16-2005
Thank you for your reply, engineer. I see what you mean about starting at the resort where I work. The Sommelier is training us quite a bit, however, I really am a novice and need to start from the very beginning as I am only 22 and never really been around wine. I also want to know more than she is teaching. I want to know more than the basics to sell the wine to a table. I would like to know for myself as well. We have done a few tastings and I really liked what I tasted. We started off with a few chardonnays... Mer Soleil, J. Moreau Chablis, and then got into some others as well. I remember trying a 2000 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon which I really enjoyed. We carry everything from Geissen to a 1863 Barbeito "Bual" port which is $1,300. a glass! I really think that I could have a passion for wine if taught right. I am very excited about learning and striving to become a great destination resort. Thank you for your reply and keep them coming!
Michelle
- TheEngineer - 01-16-2005
Great! Okay, so from someone also at an early stage, here is what I think may work. Please take everything with a BIG grain of salt!! I do not know the things that I do not know.
Like the other post that you have already received, you next step should be to get a good book.
Here is what I would do. Read carefully the introductory chapters on wine itself. The basis like what is it, how is it, how do you taste wine. Learn the few basic dozen or so major grapes for red and white.
Then, look at what your customers like to drink. Are they mostly domestic drinkers who like California. Are they really into the French. Many Australian fans?
Like all things, you can choose to learn a little about a lot or a lot about a little. I would suggest the latter approach and really dive into understanding two regions really well. I would pick one domestic and one foreign, say California and France, and the learn much more in depth about them first. This not only gives you much to talk about after you learn them, but it gives you the basis to learn other regions more quickly as you now know what you need to pick up.
So for France, learn that there are many different regions and appellations. Dig deep into Bordeaux first, then followed by Burgundy, Champagne, The Rhone, Beaujolais, the loire, Alsace, Languedoc-Roussillon and provence, kinda in that order.
Learn about the red and whites of each region and what makes them unique (ie that Burgundy only grows Pinor Noir for reds and that Bordeaux are always a mix and that Sauternes only exist due to "Noble Rot", or that the soil and slopes where the vineyards are are pointed south, or etc,...), these can give you much to talk about already.
I think that it will be interesting for you.
- Drew - 01-17-2005
Don't mean to be the party pooper but a restaurant, the level to which you describe yours, with such a wine list, well it would be like throwing Christians to the lions attempting to suggest wines to wine savvy customers. It takes years to obtain wine knowledge to the level that you would feel confident to suggest wines and that doesn't take into account that the wines are constantly changing. I would hope that the Sommelier would be a large part of the selection process. I think what Engineer suggests is correct and admire your enthusiasm and willingness to work hard, just understand that it's not just book smart that a wine server/sommelier makes. Practical experience, ie. tasting wines with foods and experiencing the good/bad relationship is paramount. I've been drinking wines for years and know just enough to be dangerous! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]
Drew
- winoweenie - 01-17-2005
Hi Michelle and welcome to the board. Reading your posts makes it clear you have a long, fun road ahead. IMHO the best book you can buy that explains wine in the most basic form and easily understanable is " Wine for Dummies ". This has been a staple reccomendation from others on the board for years. Where in Colorado is this resort located? ( Ex- Denverite ) WW
- Thomas - 01-17-2005
Michelle,
I can't add much to what others have posted. The restaurant really needs to make more of a commitment to training and you need to read to acquire the technical info. and, important, get out to wine tastings.
Incidentally, Bual is not Port--it is Madeira.
- smichelle212003 - 01-17-2005
Drew- I see what you are saying and I know it is not an easy thing to learn. Our Sommelier does most of the wine suggestions anyways, but for a begginer I would at least like to be able to suggest a wine to go with a certain dish for lunch or dinner. I am only 22 and I understand that this will be a very long process. However, you have to start somewhere, right? I went and purchased a few books last night that are so far proving helpful. I will be going to a wine tasting in Aspen next month and also one in New York in April (the resort is sending us to these places for training). So I am trying. Thanks for your post!
- smichelle212003 - 01-17-2005
winoweenie- It is about an hour from Telluride, very secluded in the mountains. Where in Phoenix do you live? I am from the Mesa/Chandler area. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
- chittychattykathy - 01-17-2005
Michelle,
You can email me and I will add you to a mailing I do for my ladies wine group and I can also send you some basic worksheets I've created for my wine events.
Kat
kathy@winestyle.com
- TheEngineer - 01-17-2005
Michelle,
You've certainly got the enthusiasm to go learn!
Remember that you should try to enjoy yourself too. Don't force yourself too much. Find things which are interesting to you and explore them further. You may find that you really like ice wines and if that is the case, then go down that road. If you do not enjoy it, you will hate it after a while. Slow down.
Sometimes I look at all the wine and I want to taste them all immediately. I want to know what they are like. But (1) I can't afford to do that, (2) I wouldn't enjoy it. Now I look forward to the next bottle that I open up. Sometimes, I even site down with the wine books as I drink the wine, searching for what I'm suppose to see, then realizing again and again, that everyone's palate is a bit different.