Eating & Drinking

LA Somm Approves this Canned Wine – We Tasted with Kristin Olszewski from Nomadica Wines

By Joe Winger — 7 months ago

Sommelier Businesswoman Kristin Olszewski brings Michelin quality to Canned Wines with Nomadica Wines

Nomadica offers sparkling, rose, white, red and orange options — both canned and bag in a box.

Nomadica Wine ‘s Owner Kristin Olszewski

Nomadica Wines are sourced from vineyards with responsible farming practices and winemakers who engage in low intervention wine making.

Wine-lovers can be 100% confident you’re drinking serious sommelier-quality wine.

Nomadica Wine ‘s Owner Kristin Olszewski ; Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Today’s conversation with Sommelier / Businesswoman Kristin Olszewski from Nomadica Wines has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.

Joe Winger: We’re here today with Kristin Olszewski from Nomadico Wines. Kristin, thanks for joining us today.

What’s the most important message you want to share today with our audience?

Kristin Olszewski:

I think the biggest message that I want to get across is that everyone should be drinking more wine. That’s my mission in life to just bring consumers back to the wine category.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

Outstanding. And how how are you trying to get that done?

Kristin Olszewski:

I’ll give a little context on my own history and how I came here.

My undergrad degree is in sustainable agriculture and I ended up dropping out of Harvard Medical School to become a sommelier – typical journey.

I just really fell in love with wine. I worked in restaurants to pay for school and wine was always the thing that captivated my interest.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

I feel like it’s the intersection of history, agriculture and gastronomy. And then also there’s something so fun and communal and – you’re getting a little tipsy. It’s everything.

But I spent a decade-plus in Michelin restaurants all over the country, everywhere from three Michelin stars, Saison in San Francisco, Husk in Nashville, Osteria Mozza here in LA.

When Nancy Silverton was on a Netflix show called Chef’s Table, I started noticing a different customer coming into the restaurant. Usually as a sommelier, you’re talking to a very specific demographic of people. I would say 45 plus male white wine collector. That’s my demo. And when Nancy was on Chef’s Table, young people started coming into the restaurants, a lot of women, and I noticed they didn’t want to drink wine.

They would drink tequila, beer, cocktails, like anything but wine.

That always felt like such a missed opportunity because wine, it’s the most ancient beverage. Our people have drank wine for millennia. It’s also in an age where we care about what’s natural, what’s minimally processed, what’s better for you.

Great wine is literally just grapes, yeast, water, and time, so I started digging into why aren’t you drinking wine? And I found out a few things.

One, people felt like wine wasn’t a good value. If you weren’t going to spend a lot of money on wine, you couldn’t get a great wine, which is untrue.

The other one is people feel like they needed a PhD or some level of education or knowledge in order to access wine, which, again, is not true.

I want to be people’s guide, hold their hand and walk them into the world of wine. So I started Nomadica to do that on a larger level.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

That’s beautiful.

You mentioned two things. We’re going to go into both. Your background in Michelin restaurants. I’ve heard heavenly amazing stories. I’ve heard horror stories.

Can you share an experience and what you learned from?

Kristin Olszewski:

Everyone always asks me if I watch The Bear or not. And I’m like, no, I can’t.

Some positive stories, Michelin restaurants have changed a lot from when I started working in them. I think work has changed a lot for the positive. I remember one of my first serious jobs in a scary restaurant. You have your hair pulled back because you don’t want it to get in the food.

I had one small piece of hair hanging down above my face and the chef takes a match from the stove, lights a piece of my hair and says don’t ever have a hair hanging down in your face again.

Some of the wonderful stories are having the opportunity, especially at Mozza, you taste each bottle you open there.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

When I was at Mozza, it was a $5 million dollar all-Italian cellar with 90 pages of the best Barolo, Brunello, Etna Rosso’s, just things that like collector’s dream about tasting.

And I feel so lucky to have tasted things like Conterno Monfortino, which is the type of wine that you want to smell for three hours before you drink it.

When you have a wine like that, it makes you realize why collectors obsessively chase bottles, there’s something so romantic and intangible, and having a wine like that, you realize you’ll never have A wine that tastes the same at any moment in time ever again.

It’s just such a lucky experience.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

I’m curious about how that experience inspired you to open Nomadica.

Kristin Olszewski:

My entry point into wine was always through farming. I majored in sustainable agriculture.

I was an avid farmer. I ran our community garden in college and was focused on permaculture. I lived in India and farmed for a while there.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

And I always say great wine is made by great farmers, great wines made in the vineyard, not the cellar.

So when I was looking at starting Nomadica, that sustainability ethos, it was always my starting point, but I was really shocked when I found out how bad glass bottles are for the environment.

30% of glass is recycled in the US. The rest just goes into a landfill. It’s highly energy intensive to make, to ship, because it’s so heavy.

The fact is, most wine does not need to be in a glass bottle.

Yes, that Barolo I mentioned absolutely needs to be in a glass bottle. That needs to be aged for years before it even comes into its own.

But for a $20 – 30 bottle of wine that you’re going to pop open and drink it on a weeknight or on a not special weekend does not need to be in glass.

So that’s how we started.

Cans at 70 % reduction in carbon footprint. Our newly launched bag and box wine is almost a 90% reduction in carbon footprint.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

I sampled your sparkling white, your white, your red and your rose, they were dangerously drinkable.

Can we talk about where the fruit is sourced from?

Kristin Olszewski:

Absolutely.

The name Nomadica is really a fun double entendre because you can take it wherever you want to go. Of course, cans and boxes can be found in places that bottles can’t.

We source our fruit from all over.

We’re truly a nomadic winery.

Our head winemaker spent time at some of the best wineries in California, like Eric Kent Cellars, which makes award winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and also Kosta Brown.

Before that he spent 10 years doing vineyard management in California. So through Corey, we’ve really got a handle on some of the best fruit. A lot of our wine comes from Mendocino. A lot of our grapes come from Mendocino or Lodi. I’m such a Sonoma girly. Our winery is located in Sonoma, and so I always find myself drawn back to that region.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

Are there any vineyards you’d recommend us touring when we come to Northern California?

Kristin Olszewski:

I think the Sonoma Coast is the best wine region in California. They’ve fought very hard to become designated as their own AVA, which is very important in terms of quality.

The oceanic influence, what we call a diurnal shift, the extreme temperature change between night and day, like Hirsch and Littorai.

I think if anyone ever wants to see proof in the pudding of what great farming can do, you need to go see Littorai.

Ted Lemon was one of the first Americans to ever be a winemaker in Burgundy and he brought all of his practices back, was one of the first people to practice biodynamic agriculture in California and really brought that style of farming onto a larger scale.

When you go visit his vineyards, it’s like teeming with life. You look next door at a conventionally farmed plot, which is just like dead and sad looking. And then you taste the wines and you’re just knocked on your butt because they’re so good.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

Nomadica Wines has several varieties. White, Sparkling white, Rose, Red, Orange.

Can you walk us through the taste profiles of any of your favorites – what’s the aromas, what are the profiles?

Kristin Olszewski:

Something really cool about our wines is everything’s practicing organic. No pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, all of our wines are fermented dry. Naturally zero grams of sugar per serving. They have nice fruit notes, but none of the wines are sweet.

Crushable bright flavor.

Across the gamut, our entire portfolio has a brightness and a freshness to it. All of our wines are like slightly aromatic because I love an aromatic variety, but part of the thought that we put behind the brand is that I wanted to take that sommelier curation and put it in the restaurant, on the retail shelf so that when you’re serving Nomadica at your home, at parties and the beach, 99% percent of people will love it.

I’m doing the work on the back end on blending, sourcing, creating these flavor profiles that’s really taking that wine experience, that decade plus of developing my own palette and giving it back to the consumer.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

Are there any favorite wine and food pairings for you with your wines?

Kristin Olszewski:

I love an aperitif. Our sparkling rosé is definitely my favorite wine in our gamut. In a can you always have the perfect pour because sometimes you don’t want to open up an entire bottle of wine.

When we do that in my house, it usually gets drank. It doesn’t go back in the fridge.

Sometimes you just want a glass of sparkling. And I love that.

I love that with a charcuterie board and cheese. I also love Rose with green salads.

I think one of the best things about living where we live [Los Angeles] is we have the best produce on the planet.

I still run some wine programs in Los Angeles and I’m actually opening up a restaurant in Silver Lake next year, an Italian restaurant. Orange Wine is like the hottest trend.

I was doing the wine list at a restaurant in Hollywood called Gigi’s and I noticed I was selling more orange wine by the glass than all other colors combined, which was just mind blowing to me.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

We made what I think is the best orange wine coming out of California.

There’s a lot of talk about natural wine, orange wine. They’re not all created equal. My winemaker and I tasted through my favorite Italian skin contact wines and decided on a really concrete flavor profile source.

My mother in law in Orange County is drinking her orange wine with her friends. So I really feel like I’ve achieved something. That with sushi is a mind blowing pairing.

Then our red. We found Teroldego growing in Northern California, which is a grape that’s indigenous to Northern Italy from the Alto Adige.

It’s really Alpine, like dark fruit, like a Zinfandel, but really refreshing and bright acidity and a little bit more tannin than a Zin [Zinfandel] has.

There’s a perception that we had to overcome about can and boxed wine. People think that it’s low quality.

Whenever I pour our red for somebody, the response is always, “Wow, oh my god, that’s so good.”

No matter your level of wine knowledge, you can see what I’m trying to do when you taste our red wines.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

What’s next for you and Nomadica?

Kristin Olszewski:

Right now we’re in hardcore expansion mode. We were the first people to do fine wine and can, and I grew really slowly at my own pace.

I wanted to build the brand.

A lot of people just run to retail shelves and they want to be in every grocery store on the planet. I didn’t want that. I wanted to be, at the Four Seasons, at the Ritz Carlton, at music venues.

I wanted to be in places where people don’t typically expect to see wine in cans and boxes.

We are one of the highest velocity items at Whole Foods in our category.

We just launched all of our box wines at Total Wine in California, Texas, Florida, Colorado, and New York and got some really big plans for next year.

So keep your eyes peeled. People are about to see me everywhere.

That’s my goal.

Source: instagram.com/nomadica

Joe Winger:

Having a canned wine at some of these nicer hotels is a challenge.

What lesson did you learn by accomplishing that rather large challenge?

Kristin Olszewski:

That’s the best thing about how we’re positioned. Not only am I a sommelier, my VP of sales is a sommelier. My winemaker has an incredible reputation. Every person on my team comes from the wine industry and we have the best product.

When we’re sitting down and tasting with these buyers, these people that are in our industry. They recognize it. I always say taste out of a wine glass. Everything tastes better out of a wine glass. The second that they taste it, these are people who taste wine all the time and they taste a lot of bad wine.

So that has been amazing.

We’ve always had the industry behind us. It’s a huge differentiator for us. So I think it was slow build. Everything takes a lot more time than you think it will, which is I think the biggest lesson that I’ve taken away from this business over the last seven years.

But you got to build your brand first.

Joe Winger:

You seem like a deep-souled individual. Whether it’s wine or otherwise, is there an overall message that you want to share to inspire the audience?

Kristin Olszewski:

We are in a time where sustainability is more important than it ever has been. You can’t base your entire brand about it, but I think it’s an absolutely necessary component to any consumer product that’s coming out today.

One of my missions in life is to have that conversation about sustainability and have it with other brands because it needs to be convenient.

Otherwise, consumers will not buy it, care or participate or choose a sustainable option. That’s my big thing.

Joe Winger:

What are the best ways to follow your journey and to learn more about you?

Kristin Olszewski:

You can buy Nomadica online and our new rosé yuzu spritz, which is delicious at ExploreNomadica.com. And then our socials are at Nomadica on Instagram.

And if you want to follow me. I’m at Kristin__O.

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Southern California’s Newest World-Class Culinary Festival: Introducing the Inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine October 2024

By Joe Winger — 7 months ago

50 of the Best Chefs in North America! Introducing the Inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine October 2024

Southern California’s Newest World-Class Culinary Festival Coming in October 2024 Featuring All-Star Lineup of 50 of the Best Chefs in North America!

The culinary world is about to be abuzz with excitement as Event Founder Shelby Russell and Event Host Neal Fraser introduce Southern California’s newest and most notable world-class culinary festival, the Inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine featuring an all-star lineup of 50 Best Chefs held at Manhattan Village!

Event Host Neal Fraser, Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

Set against the stunning coastal backdrop of one of America’s most beautiful cities, Manhattan Beach Food & Wine promises to be a spectacular two-night strolling culinary extravaganza with an Opening Night Celebration on Friday, October 11, 2024, and Grand Tasting on Saturday, October 12, 2024.

Each evening will bring together the industry’s top tastemakers and culinary and beverage connoisseurs to celebrate an all-star lineup of 25 of the best chefs and restaurants, illustrious wineries, premier spirits, handcrafted cocktails, craft breweries, curated selection of non-alcoholic beverages, live entertainment, and much more.

Chef David LeFevre, Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

Manhattan Beach Food & Wine will be held at Manhattan Village in a 40,000-square-foot outdoor space located at the end of theVeterans Parkway Greenbelt Path.

This beautifully landscaped trail runs through Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach, allowing guests to walk or bike to this year’s event with ease. Manhattan Village will also be offering complimentary parking and guests are encouraged to use rideshare services.

Chef Sherry Yard, Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

The Inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine will feature an unparalleled lineup of 50 of the Best Chefs from across North America, representing Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver, Solvang, Palm Springs, Vancouver, and Mexico. This elite culinary gathering promises to be a spectacular showcase of culinary excellence and innovation.

The Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Inaugural All-Star Chef Lineup includes:

Event Host Chef Neal Fraser: Redbird, Vibiana – Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Chef Vartan Abgaryan: Momed – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Jose Acevedo: Mercado – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Nyesha Arrington: Native By Nyesha – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Wes Avila: Ka’teen – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Joey Campanaro: Little Owl – New York City, NY

Chef Brendan Collins: Boa Steakhouse – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Sandra Cordero: Xuntos – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Chris Cosentino: Nick’s Cove – Sonoma, CA

Chef Dominique Crenn: Atelier Crenn – San Francisco, CA

Chef Dom Crisp: Lonely Oyster – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Shaun Dry: BrewCo Social – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Fred Eric: Fred62 – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Elizabeth Falkner – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Chris Feldmeier: Love & Salt – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Susan Feniger: Border Grill, Socalo – Santa Monica, CA

Chef Steven Fretz: Coast Range – Solvang, CA

Chef Rostislava Garafano: Malibu Meringue – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Jeffray Gardner: Marsatta Chocolate – Old Town Torrance, CA

Chef Suzanne Goin: A.O.C. – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Ray Hayashi: Ryla – Hermosa Beach, CA

Chef Michael Hung: Palm Springs Surf Club – Palm Springs, CA

Chef Ruffo Ibarra: Oryx Restaurante – Tijuana, Mexico

Chef Jackson Kalb: Jemma, Ospi, Jame – Los Angeles

Chef David LeFevre: Fishing with Dynamite, MB Post, The Arthur J, AttaGirl – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Lord Maynard Llera: Kuya Lord – Los Angeles

Chef Antonia Lofaso: Black Market Liquor Bar, Scopa Italian Roots, DAMA – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Bernhard Mairinger: Lustig – Culver City

Chef Chris Park: The Strand House – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Steve Samson: Rossoblu, Superfine – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Aarón Sánchez: Johnny Sánchez, Showbird, Adobo Cantina – New Orleans

Chef David Schlosser: Shibumi – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Warren Schwartz: Magpies Softserve – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Alex Seidel: Mercantile Dining & Provisions, Fruition – Denver, CO

Chef Jimmy Shaw: Loteria Grill – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Hiroshi Shima: Sushi Roku – Manhattan Beach, CA

Chef Matthew Stowe: JOEY Restaurants – Vancouver, BC Canada

Chef Jet Tila – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Johnny Tran: Intercrew – Koreatown Los Angeles, CA

Chef Dustin Trani: J. Trani’s, Trani’s Dockside Station – San Pedro, CA

Chef Sherry Yard: Bakery by the Yard – Manhattan Beach, CA

This year’s Manhattan Beach Food & Wine event beneficiary is Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). Long co-chaired by chef Marcus Samuelsson, C-CAP is a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens pathways to pursue careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Annually, C-CAP provides culinary, job and life skills in 186 schools across the United States across the entire state of Arizona, as well as in Baltimore, Camden, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City & Long Island, Newark, Philadelphia, suburban Maryland, and Washington DC.

This year’s Founding Partners include Delta Airlines as the official Airline, westdrift Manhattan Beach as the official Hotel, La Brea Bakery as the Bakery and Manhattan Village as the official Shopping and Dining Center.

Ticket Information: The Inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine will take place on Friday, October 11^th, 2024, and Saturday, October 12^th, 2024, and this is a 21+ event. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Regular Admission will be from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets are on sale starting Wednesday, July 31^st, 2024. For more information on the Manhattan Beach Food & Wine, please visit www.ManhattanBeachFoodandWine.com.

Transportation and Parking: Guests are encouraged to utilize car services such as taxis, Uber, and Lyft, as the event serves alcoholic beverages. Walking and biking to the event is encouraged, with complimentary parking also available at Manhattan Village.

Follow Manhattan Beach Food & Wine for the latest updates on:

Facebook: @ManhattanBeachFood&Wine

Instagram: @mbfoodandwine

TikTok: @mbfoodandwine

Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

Manhattan Village

3200 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

www.ManhattanBeachFoodandWine.com

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Big Day for Oregon’s Willamette Valley Vineyards: Best Tasting Room! Best Wine Club! named by USA TODAY 10Best editors

By Joe Winger — 8 months ago

Best Tasting Room! Best Wine Club! Oregon’s Willamette Valley Vineyards named by USA TODAY 10Best editors

An acclaimed panel of wine and travel writers and USA TODAY 10Best editors have awarded Oregon’s Willamette Valley Vineyards with two bests; Best Tasting Room and Best Wine Club in the country, taking the #1 and #2 spots, respectively.

The winery was established in 1983, and considering the field of more than 11,600 wineries in the United States, its recognition and accomplishments are no small feat.

A first-time win for Willamette, the award also demonstrates the fervent support of the winery’s robust superfans. With almost 5 million daily visits to the USA TODAY site, the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards are coveted by winemakers across the country as a testimony to the wine tastings, food pairings and overall wine experiences.

According to USA TODAY, these nominations were carefully curated by a panel of subject matter experts for the Best Wine Tasting Room and Best Wine Club. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards, and readers were allowed one vote per category, per day. In 2023, only one Oregon winery was on the top 10 list, with Washington and California wineries dominating.

Chef DJ MacIntyre

Willamette has 10,000 wine club members, and 26,000 shareholder members, the only Oregon winery that’s traded publicly.

WVV Founder and CEO Jim Bernau By Carolyn Wells-Kramer

“There’s no one like us anywhere in the world,” said Founder and CEO Jim Bernau. “It’s Willamette’s devoted members, customers and visitors who are fanatical about our tasting rooms and wine club, and they put us on the podium. Similar to the way we were funded with crowdsourcing, this accolade somewhat unexpectedly put us at the top, and no one knew where we landed in the polls until they tallied the votes,” he said.

“I’m happy to provide a top-shelf experience to guests and wine enthusiasts who want to share their joy with others and I’m proud to see an Oregon winery rise to the top.”

The Willamette Valley Estate Tasting Room in the Salem Hills is Willamette’s flagship, offering wine tastings, food pairings from Executive Winery Chef DJ MacIntyre, and memorable wine experiences overall. They have 10 total tasting rooms and replicate their upscale wine and food experience at winery restaurant locations in Lake Oswego, Vancouver, WA, Happy Valley and Bend. Guests can opt for an immersive stay among the forest and vines camping and glamping at Into the Woods in an RV or Airstream, or stay in well-appointed guest suites near the tasting room.

“Our pride in hospitality shows,” said Bernau. “It doesn’t surprise me that we have superfans willing to vote for us many times over the course of a month,” he said. “They’ll often tell us about their experience in person or on an online review site. But I am constantly surprised at hearing from fans in Europe or South America or Australia who travel all over the world for wine and tell us ours is the best wine experience they’ve ever had–wine, food, tours, view, everything. We’ve come a long way in 40 years and we’re proud to help shine a spotlight on Oregon wine through USA TODAY!”

“When we heard we were nominated, our marketing department quickly and efficiently got the word out to tens of thousands of our members via email and social media to vote for Willamette,” said Chief Operating Officer Libby Spencer. Coincidentally, the nomination window was open during Willamette’s Owners Weekend, and recycled paper postcards were printed with QR codes so people could vote quickly and sustainably. “Many owners commented to me that they appreciated how fast and easy the process was,” said Spencer, “and so they went back time and again to vote.”

Echoed Bernau, “Our community-funded model differentiates us from other wineries. These wine enthusiasts are super fans who provide support. It just so happened that they were at the winery during the voting period for their annual owner celebration. They helped each other remember to vote every day throughout the campaign.”

Willamette has an intricate but obviously effective way of tiering support for their wine enthusiasts.

At the top level, for Owners who have 300 or more shares of stock, perks like printed business cards for Owners, or discounted tastings and food at any of the 10 locations.

Willamette’s Wine Club has five different levels by subscription. Finally, anyone can book a tasting at the Willamette Valley tasting rooms by simply booking a reservation here.

COO Libby Spencer

As one of the five largest wine producers in the state of Oregon, Willamette sources all of its grapes from 500 acres in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, from Forest Grove to the South Salem Hills. They own and manage 1,018 acres of vineyard land consisting of thirteen estate vineyards with two more in the making, 234,000 cases produced in 2023, a new biodynamic vineyard and sparkling winery Domaine Willamette in the Dundee Hills and 346 employees.

About Willamette Valley Vineyards

Founded in 1983 by CEO Jim Bernau with the dream of creating world-class Pinot Noir while serving as stewards of the land, Willamette Valley Vineyards has grown from a bold idea into one of the region’s leading wineries, earning the title “One of America’s Great Pinot Noir Producers” from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. In addition, all the vineyards have been certified sustainable through LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon-Safe programs. With 1,000 acres under vine, Willamette farms its Estate winery in the Salem Hills, sparkling winery Domaine Willamette in the Dundee Hills, pioneering Tualatin Estate Vineyard near Forest Grove and Elton Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. The winery has expanded in recent years to include 10 tasting rooms in Oregon, Washington and California – growth made possible by the stock ownership of many wine enthusiasts.

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Secret of Caesar salad: John Robert Sutton Reveals on “Foods That Matter” Podcast

By Kelsey Ridley — 8 months ago

Secret of Caesar salad: John Robert Sutton Reveals on “Foods That Matter” Podcast

The Caesar salad was NOT invented in Italy!

The iconic dish, celebrating its 100th birthday this year, has roots in Tijuana, Mexico.

Foods ThatMatter John Robert Sutton

To celebrate, podcast host of CurtCo Media’s Foods That Matter and seasoned food archaeologist John Robert Sutton joined Juan José “Tana” Plascencia, the owner of Caesar’s Restaurant – home of the first Caesar salad – in person.

To eat some original recipe salad and chat about how, why, where, and by whom the dish came to be one of the most popular menu items in the US.

John and Tana’s intriguing conversation, starting with the recipe’s origins and ending with its worldwide prominence, is available on Foods That Matter on all major podcast platforms. You get a firsthand look at the backstory of Caesar salad, delving into all the rich flavors and history that made it such an important influence in the dining world.

Near or visiting Tijuana?

Join Tana at the centennial celebration at Caesar’s Restaurant on July 7, 2024. Plus, if you tell Tana that you listened to this episode of Foods That Matter – Celebrating 100 Years of Caesar Salad with the Origin Story that Starts in Tijuana, Mexico – he will give you the authentic recipe to take home!

About Foods That Matter:
Come along for a culinary thrill as Foods That Matter transports foodies to corners of the world through stories of adventure with food archeologist John Robert Sutton, also known as ‘The Indiana Jones of Food.’

John unlocks the secrets to the globe’s extraordinary cuisines, as he’s been doing throughout his travels in over 120 countries while enriching top grocery stores and Michelin-starred chefs with the finest ingredients and powering them with quality products.

The presenting sponsor of Foods That Matter is Watkins, award-winning extracts, spices & herbs, seasoning blends, grilling rubs & marinades, artificial dye-free baking decorations, and more crafted in the USA since 1868. The show is available on podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube and Goodpods.

About CurtCo Media:
CurtCo Media – with its talented producers and creative team – provides listeners with quality podcasts, featuring authoritative hosts, distinguished guests, and inspiring storytellers. The company presents many nationally-recognized series, covering topics such as scripted sci-fi (SOLAR), luxury (Cars That Matter, Travel That Matters, Wines That Matter) and others.

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Nén Danang Awarded 2024 MICHELIN Green Star for Sustainability

By Contributor — 8 months ago

Nén Danang Awarded 2024 MICHELIN Green Star for Sustainability

At the prestigious MICHELIN Awards Ceremony held at the InterContinental Hotel Saigon, a notable achievement was celebrated within the realm of sustainable gastronomy: Nén Danang, a pioneer in Vietnam’s fine dining scene, was honored with the 2024 MICHELIN Green Star for Excellence in Sustainability. As the first Vietnamese restaurant in the world to be recognized, as well as the first in Vietnam, this accolade underscores Nén’s commitment to innovative and environmentally conscious practices that set a benchmark for the industry.

The Michelin Green Star, a prestigious annual award, celebrates restaurants leading the industry in sustainability. Highlighting establishments that uphold rigorous ethical and environmental standards, this accolade recognizes those who collaborate with sustainable producers and suppliers to minimize waste and reduce or eliminate plastics and other non-recyclable materials. To date, only 540 restaurants worldwide have earned this honor, offering dining experiences that not only exemplify culinary excellence but also demonstrate exceptional eco-friendly practices. These restaurants serve as beacons of inspiration for both enthusiastic foodies and the broader hospitality industry.

Nén Danang, under the visionary leadership of Chef Summer Le and her partner Leon Le, has been instrumental in redefining what it means to dine sustainably. With a culinary philosophy deeply rooted in the principles of ethical and environmental stewardship, Nén sources 99% of its ingredients locally, including from its own farms, thereby supporting Vietnam’s local economies and artisans while minimizing environmental impact. This approach not only ensures the freshest ingredients but also fosters a strong connection with the community and the natural world.

The restaurant’s Sto:ry Menus exemplify this ethos, merging rich Vietnamese traditions with inventive dining experiences. Each dish is a celebration of nature and a narrative of culture, crafted to offer a multi-sensory delight that evokes emotions ranging from joy to nostalgia. Notably, their Sto:ry Menu #5 is a zero-waste venture that transforms everyday ingredients, such as eggshells into noodles, showcasing an innovative approach to sustainability.

The core of Nén’s culinary identity lies in its commitment to ‘Conscious Vietnamese cuisine.’ The restaurant’s ethos—origin, aesthetic, intention, balance, emotion, and presence—guides its culinary choices. Each aspect, from the sourcing of ingredients to the final presentation, is thoughtfully curated to enhance the dining experience, making every meal an event of conscious consumption and enjoyment.

Nén’s unique approach to cuisine also reflects in its name, derived from a humble but flavorful ingredient found in Central Vietnam’s kitchens. This reflects the restaurant’s philosophy: finding potential in the overlooked and elevating it to something extraordinary. It’s about transforming simplicity into splendor, turning each meal into an exploration of the hidden depths of Vietnamese culinary traditions.

Located next to Nén Farm in Da Nang, the restaurant serves as the flagship for a brand that is deeply invested in research and sustainability. Despite challenges like a temporary closure during the Covid-19 pandemic, Nén Danang reopened in 2023 with renewed vigor and a continued focus on its sustainable mission. This commitment culminated in receiving Vietnam’s first and only MICHELIN Green Star in 2024, a testament to its leadership in promoting a sustainable and ethically aware dining culture.

Through Nén Danang, diners are invited not just to eat, but to experience stories through flavors, where each dish serves as a dialogue between the chef and the earth, a narrative that continues to inspire both food enthusiasts and culinary peers around the world.

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WeHo’s Newest culinary experience: Blue Birdy Gastropub Opens on Sunset Strip Near legendary Whiskey A-Go-Go

By Marty Neehin — 9 months ago

Sunset Strip’s Blue Birdy Gastropub Opens Near legendary Whiskey A-Go-Go

Located two doors down from the legendary Whiskey A-Go-Go is a brand-new culinary experience.

Blue Birdy offers up some super tasty gastropub fare on the iconic Sunset Strip.

Blue Birdy opened its doors to amazing success in early 2024, due largely to its chef and owner JC Mahdavi.

JC is no stranger to success since he’s been in the restaurant business, having owned Joxer Daly’s in Culver City for many years. His formula is great food mixed with solid cocktail recipes. Joxer Daly’s is an Irish Pub/Sports Bar with a neighborhood feel, a true staple in the culinary landscape of Los Angeles.

He brings that same philosophy to Blue Birdy but with more of an upscale vibe.

Blue Birdy has a French-influenced menu. JC implements his family’s recipes, hailing from France, he knows what good mouthwatering food is and how to create it.

“I want my customers to feel comfortable at Blue Birdy,

a place that they can come to and leave the stress of their day behind,

enjoy great libations and wonderfully inspired gastropub cuisine.”

owner JC Mahdavi

Blue Birdy’s menu includes a wonderful specialty cocktail program, all made from scratch.

The Boom Ba Da packs a nice punch, with its smooth lemon flavor and gorgeous presentation.

Strawberry Fields is a nice refreshing blend of champagne vodka and strawberry puree, almost like a smoothy but with a nice marriage of citrus essences, which has a great mouth feel. Brunch items are huge and super tasty.

Their French Toast is unlike any other, with ube, cream cheese, and sugar-filled, it’s purple and really is amazing. The Short Rib Benedict is comfort brunch at its best, a must-try.

Their Noodle Salad is perfect for the health-conscious diner as well as their tempura asparagus. Entree menu items include Lemon Herb Chicken, Steak and Fries, Fish & Chips, Teriyaki Salmon, and lots of Burgers – all simply delectable.

Whatever you order, you too will be surprised at how great their food is.

The sparkling interior gives you an elegant hipster vibe. The subtle blue flowers that adorn the overhead light fixtures really create a cool, sensual feeling.

Striations of blue linear lines are part of the overall flooring. Highlighted on one wall is a floor-to-ceiling LED flat-screen TV wall, that is guaranteed to bring in many sports fans for those big-ticket games, with many additional screens both inside and out.

Blue Birdy can accommodate inside seating as well as a front street-level patio and a back patio for more of a secluded experience, it’s the perfect spot for a private party.

There are plans for different themed nights. So far, Tropical Thursdays are guaranteed to get your Salsa on. Friday will be dress-up Drag Night, and Saturday is Shabhaye Tehran-LA. With all of the viewing opportunities, any night or day is a sports theme, but whatever the occasion, Blue Birdy will make your Sunset Strip experience one to remember.

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Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) returns for its 12th event on Sunday, June 30th, 2024 – The Original Bartender Art Festival

By Kelsey Ridley — 9 months ago

Art Beyond the Glass XII – The Original Bartender Art Festival Celebrates Cocktails, Art, Community & Inclusivity for All

Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) returns for its 12^th event on Sunday, June 30^th, 2024, at the legendary Catch One nightclub!

More than 100 of LA’s top bartenders will make cocktails and showcase their artistic talents, with proceeds donated to Self Help Graphics & Art.

Since its inception, ABTG has raised more than $250,000 for arts-based nonprofits in LA and across the country.

Photo Credits: Eugene Lee & Abigail Smith

Co-founded by Daniel Djang and Zahra Bates, ABTG is the original celebration of bartender artistry and widely regarded as one of the country’s premier cocktail culture festivals.

From painting to photography, live music, DJs and more, every ABTG showcases the creative pursuits of bartenders when they are not behind the bar.

“It’s hard to believe that what began as a casual conversation at Sunny Spot

in November 2011 has grown into this extraordinary event,”

Co-founder Daniel Djang

“The cocktail creativity and artistic talent of the bar community in LA and beyond never ceases to amaze me. We are so grateful for the generosity of our sponsoring brands and the numerous venues that have welcomed us into their spaces. Can’t wait to reunite with the extended ABTG family at ABTG XII!”

Photo Credits: Eugene Lee & Abigail Smith

Art Beyond the Glass is taking place for the third consecutive year at Catch One, which is graciously being donated to ABTG XII for this exclusive event.

Located on Pico Boulevard in the heart of Los Angeles, this landmark nightclub was opened by Jewel Thais-Williams in 1973 as Jewel’s Catch One, a pioneering LGBTQ+ disco. Featuring state-of-the-art sound and lighting, the massive venue spans two floors and multiple indoor and outdoor spaces.

For the 12^th annual Los Angeles event, Art Beyond the Glass is honored to be raising funds for Self Help Graphics & Art (SHG), which fosters the creation and advancement of new artworks by Chicana/o and Latinx artists through experimental and innovative printmaking techniques and other visual art forms.

Since 1973, SHG has been at the intersection of arts and social justice, providing a home that fosters the creativity and development of local artists. SHG establishes international collaborations and partnerships nationwide and creates worldwide cultural exchanges.

ABTG is once again partnering with their fiscal partner Another Round Another Rally, a nonprofit financial resource for the hospitality industry.

ARAR co-founder Travis Nass: “It is an honor to be a part of one of the most creative, innovative industry events across the country. We have always loved ABTG, and it is such a pleasure to be able to work with them again this year. We could not be prouder to work with this wonderful organization.”

ABTG will feature dozens of Bartenders from LA’s top bars and restaurants, including All Day Baby, Apotheke, Bar Flores, Bar Next Door,Death & Co, Fanny’s, General Lee’s, Level 8, Lustig, The Mermaid, Mother Tongue, Nativo, Roger Room, Scum & Villainy, The Varnish, along with pop-up bars and a special Legacy Team.

“Art Beyond the Glass has become so important to the bar community,”

Clare Ward

ABTG Head of Production

“Bartenders are makers. We make drinks. We make art. We make community. This is the perfect event to celebrate everything we do.”

Photo Credits: Eugene Lee & Abigail Smith

Guests will also be able to buy bartender art, shop handmade items by bartenders, and bid on silent auction items.

Photo Credits: Eugene Lee & Abigail Smith

ABTG XII is being made possible by its generous sponsors: Amaras, Bacardi, Balcones, Barr Hill, Beam Suntory, Bushmills, Calisco, Deutsch Family, Dirty Sue, Filthy Food, Flor de Caña, Fords, Hedonistas, High West, Jack Daniel’s, Juliette, Kin, Liquid Alchemist, Mal Bien, Mommenpop, Montenegro, Pinhook, Proper 12, Real Del Valle, Ritual, St Benevolence, St George, Seedlip, Silvergrin, Spiribam, Tito’s, Tromba, True Believers, Underberg, West Coast Ice, and Zomoz.

Ticket information: ABTG XII will take place from 3pm to 7pm on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at Catch One.

General Admission tickets are on sale at the Catch One website for $65 per person until 3pm on June 30.

If still available, tickets will be sold at the door for $75 per person.Tickets to this event are only available for guests 21+ and over.

The all-inclusive ticket includes entry, cocktail samples, art gallery, entertainment and bar bites. In addition, guests will be able to purchase bartender artwork, buy raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items such as artwork, photography, rare spirits and more. All proceeds fromABTG XII will be donated to Self Help Graphics & Art.

# # #

About Art Beyond the Glass:

Art Beyond the Glass was founded in 2011 by Daniel Djang and Zahra Bates as a special event for bartenders to showcase their artistic talents when they’re not behind the bar. From cocktails to paintings, photography, live music, DJs, spoken word and more, ABTG is a celebration of bartender artistry inside and beyond the glass. Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit – to date, ABTG has donated more than $250,000 to these vital community organizations.

FOLLOW ART BEYOND THE GLASS:

Instagram: @abtgla Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtBeyondTheGlass

Catch One

4067 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90019

https://catch.one/#/events

Cocktail magic, competition, celebration: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel

Post Views: 3,212

Magic, Music, Must-Taste Drinks: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel with Tracie May

By Contributor — 9 months ago

Cocktail magic, competition, celebration: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel.

MC Petey Majik hosted the 2-day Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 June 14-15 celebrating with flavor, masterclasses, magic, competition. Tracie May captured it all.

Photos courtesy of Nick Middleton @glam.foodbev

Tracie May at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024

A spectacular 2-day summer celebration, welcomed over 1000 cocktail enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to the iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel.

The vibrant cocktail carnival featured a dazzling array of over 130 cocktails from 36 premium global spirits, liqueurs and mixer brands.

Fernet Branca poured at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024

A gathering of Vietnam’s top mixologists, innovative concoctions were expertly mixed by a combination of the country’s most respected bartenders and up-and-coming talents.

Cocktail Carnival part of Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024

At the heart of the festival was a showcase of Vietnam’s craftsmanship and creativity, where seasoned mixologists flexed their skills to craft tantalizing libations.

The Botanist at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024

From classic cocktails with a Vietnamese twist to avant-garde creations pushing the boundaries of flavor, each drink was a testament to the artistry and innovation within Vietnam’s ever-growing cocktail scene.

For guests inspired to continue the cocktail adventure at home, Mercantile Vietnam provided the option for attendees to purchase a bottle of their favorite brand from the event and have it shipped directly to their door.

Entertainment Extravaganza

The event’s charismatic MC Petey Majik led the carnival atmosphere and captivated the audience with a spellbinding magic show accompanied by igniting cocktail flaring performances from the talented Chương and Phước.

Tracie May with Clase Azul at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024

On Friday, the stage was taken over with a charismatic live performance from Vietnam’s premier DJ and saxophone duo Omar and Pierre. The party continued Saturday with the contagious energy of DJ PIA.

Interactive Masterclasses and Exclusive Tasting Room

For spirits connoisseurs the festival also offered a wealth of knowledge with 4 optional interactive masterclasses hosted per day, where industry experts from Lady Triệu, Bruichladdich, Jose Cuervo, Highland Park and Lý Gia Viên shared their craft and insights with eager participants.

Tracie May with Michelin Star Chef:Owner of Ănăn Saigon Peter Cường Franklin

Luxury spirits aficionados could enhance their experience further and purchase tickets to enter the event’s Exclusive Room, featuring personalized tastings from 8 of the world’s super and ultra-premium brands, with a combined retail price of over 600 Million VND.

Competitive Spirit

One of the highlights of the festival was the highly anticipated Best Cocktail, Best Bartender and Best Brand Competitions with guests encouraged to vote for their favorites.

Bartenders from across the country battled it out for top honors.

With precision, flair, and a dash of showmanship, contestants dazzled spectators with their signature creations, showcasing the ingenuity and talent within Vietnam’s cocktail community.

Shanky’s Whip at Vietnam Cocktail 2024

On Saturday 15th June, the 2024 winners were announced: Mai Thanh Phong’s “Banh Mi Saigon” cocktail, made with Matusalem Rum, won Best Cocktail.

Nguyen Tuan Cuong, who works at Yugen Bar and is sponsored by Shanky’s Whip, was named Best Bartender. Also, Jägermeister was awarded Best Brand of the event.

Cultural Fusion

Beyond the cocktails themselves, the festival served as a social celebration of cultural fusion, from modern Vietnamese influences to global trends, the event highlighted the diverse tapestry of brands and the pioneering people shaping the country’s dynamic cocktail scene.

Vietnam’s Cocktail Revolution

As the final glasses were raised and the last drops were savored, the Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 left an indelible mark on the hearts and palates of all those who attended. With its vibrant energy, innovative spirit, and unwavering passion for mixology, the festival has undoubtedly cemented its place as a must-attend event on the global cocktail calendar, promising even more excitement and inspiration in the years to come.

Cheers to the next chapter of Vietnam’s cultural cocktail revolution!

Awards were announced on Saturday, June 15th, at 8 PM

Best Cocktail of the Event 2024

Cocktail Name: Bánh Mì Sài Gòn
Bartender Name: Mai Thanh Phong
Brand Name: Matusalem Rum
Bar Name: Madam Kew Bar

Best Bartender of the Event 2024

Bartender’s Name: Nguyen Tuan Cuong
Brand Name: Shanky’s Whip
Bar Name: Yugen Bar

Best Brand of the Event 2024

Brand Name: Jägermeister

Participating Brands:

Large Exhibitors: Lady Triệu, Jose Cuervo, Cointreau
Medium Exhibitors: Bushmills, Naked Malt, Kaibutsu, 1800, Campari, RCR Crystalleria Italiana.
Small Exhibitors: Kurayoshi Matsui, Duncan taylor, Lark Distillery, Hangar 1 Vodka, Maestro Dobel, Bruichladdich Distillery Company, Passoa, The Botanist, No3 London Dry Gin, Dictador The Arthouse Spirit Brand, Colombian Gin, Stranger & Sons Gin, Fernet Branca, Espolon Tequila, Michter’s, Shanky’s Whip, Gran Centenario Tequila, Jägermeister, The Kyoto, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Matusalem, Brookies Byron Gin, Ly Gia Vien, Torani, Fentimans, Mercantile.

Participating Bars (in collaboration with brands):

Kraken x The Dot Bar
Sexton x Dram Bar
Wild Turkey x Lost Birds Bar
Glenrothes x Firkin Bar

Master Classes: Lady Trieu, Bruichladich, Jose Cuervo, Ly Gia Vien, Highland Park

Photos courtesy of Nick Middleton @glam.foodbev

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Los Angeles Drinkers saying ‘Yes’ to less: Sommarøy Spirits Expands wider to Whole Foods

By Kelsey Ridley — 9 months ago

Sommarøy Spirits Expands Grocery Footprint at Jewel-Osco and Whole Foods

No more martini-induced headaches

Dreaming of an easier way to wake up the next workday without a martini-induced headache, or seamlessly transition to a glass of wine at dinner without feeling out of control? There are now more choices for the nearly 65% of adults nationwide moderating their alcohol intake.

Sommarøy Spirits – mid-strength gin and vodka with zero carbs, lower calories and two-thirds the alcohol of traditional spirits – is expanding its grocery footprint, offering more consumers a sophisticated, full-flavor option to embrace true moderation.

The no- and low-alcohol market grew by more than 7% in 2022 according to IWSR.

FlavRReport.com on YouTube

With an ABV of 27.5% – one-third less than the alcohol content of traditional spirits – Sommarøy is officially defining the mid-strength category as spirits between 25-30% ABV. As a result, retailers like Jewel-Osco and Whole Foods Market are now reserving shelf space to meet consumer demand for quality spirits between non-alcoholic and full proof.

Already available in major beverage retailers like Total Wine & More, Lee’s Discount Liquor and Binny’s Beverage Depot, Sommarøy Vodka is now available in 73 Jewel-Osco stores in Illinois and Sommarøy Gin is available at 53 Whole Foods stores across 12 states, with distribution anticipated to expand significantly by year’s end.

“People don’t want all or nothing when it comes to moderating their drinking

sometimes you want a mellow buzz

without going completely non-alc

or settling for a watered-down cocktail.

More consumers can now add the solution directly to their shopping carts.”

James Cosma

CEO and co-founder

Sommarøy Spirits

Sommarøy Spirits gets industry buzz

Landing on-shelf at major grocery retailers across the country are just some of the brand’s recent successes.

Sommarøy Spirits have also been awarded various industry accolades, including the New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC) Low Proof Spirit Producer of the Year. Sommarøy Gin and Vodka have won NYISC Silver (92 points) and Gold (94 points), 2024 SIP Awards Double Gold and Gold, a 97 and 95 rating from The Tasting Panel Magazine and Gold (93 points) and Silver (88 points) from Beverage Tasting Institute, respectively.

Start your moderation-minded journey today.

To find a retailer near you, mid-strength cocktail recipes and stay in the loop with the latest news and product drops, visit SommaroySpirits.com and follow @SommaroySpirits.

Sommarøy Spirits are premium craft-distilled Vodka and Gin with zero carbs, lower calories and two-thirds the alcohol of traditional spirits.

Crafted in small-batches with legacy distilling techniques, Sommarøy Gin and Vodka are 55-proof (27.5% ABV), unflavored and gluten-free with a smooth taste that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or mixed in a cocktail.

In addition to availability online at shop.sommaroyspirits.com, Sommarøy Vodka and Gin is available in more than 320 retail locations across the country (and counting) – including Whole Foods, Jewel-Osco and Total Wine & More. It is also available regionally in Illinois at select and Binny’s Beverage Depot locations, Nevada at Lee’s Discount Liquors and other independent retailers.

Sommarøy Spirits can also be found in Chicago at Gibson’s Restaurant Group, Boka Restaurant Group and Ballyhoo Hospitality locations. To find Sommarøy near you, visit www.sommaroyspirits.com and follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook at @SommaroySpirits.

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Los Angeles Discovers Aphrodise Sparkling Wine, You should taste Before Your next Party, Frank Schilling Reveals

By Joe Winger — 9 months ago

Los Angeles Discovers Aphrodise Sparkling Wine, You should taste Before Your next Party, Frank Schilling Reveals

Whether it’s a wedding, party, or just drinks with dinner. We want taste. Maybe we want a few drinks. We also want to protect ourselves from tomorrow’s hangover.

It’s hard to find a drink that can take day to night quite like a Greek rosé and Aphrodise wants to prove it to you.

Frank Schilling, Co-Founder of Aphrodise

Today’s conversation with Frank Schilling from Aphrodise has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.

Joe Winger:

Our audience is foodies. We’re wine lovers. What’s the most important message today you want to share with an audience of foodies and wine lovers?

Frank Schilling:

I’m an Epicurean myself. I don’t have a lot of pretense around my love of food and wine, I just love great food and wine and I’ve tasted so many great things.

I’m a character who hasn’t had a meal at home in 22 years. As an internet entrepreneur, I used to work, literally seven days a week for many years and eating out was my escape from my work because it’s the one place my laptop and phone couldn’t rule the day, or the moment.

For me, eating out was that escape and that vacation of the moment.

I created a life around dining out probably like many of your listeners or viewers. And I have a deep well of respect for great food and wine and also for the people who admire it and chase it, it’s a, it’s one of the great things in life.

I’m always stunned by people who don’t truly love food. I feel like they’re missing something and leaving part of life on the table.

Discovering Aphrodise sparkling wine

Joe Winger:

You have this new discovery. Let’s talk a little bit about Aphrodise. Tell me about how you discovered the grape varietal?

Frank Schilling:

I’m a wine lover. I tasted my way through Bordeaux and Burgundy.

All the way through, I could never really tell a Merlot from a Cab. I’d be lying to you if I said I knew what a Nebbiolo or a Valpolicella was and how all those grapes differed from each other.

I do enjoy great brands of wine. I do understand the difference between years and what impacts a year.

But when I was building [my restaurant] it was COVID. I was doing some fingertip math and I realized we’re gonna have to start bringing over a lot of sparkling [wine] for mimosas and for brunch. It was 300 seat restaurant, two seatings, 600 seats on a brunch [shift].

You start to do the math and you realize, “Wow, 52 weekends a year, bottomless mimosas. I’m going to need about 3,000 bottles of wine per quarter of champagne. So let’s go out and get some. We live on an island and supply chain management wasn’t really an option.

So we started to taste through different varieties of champagne.

I came to discover what Tom Cruise did in [the movie] “Cocktail”, which is, champagne is like perfume going down, but like sewage on the way back.

It comes from a well meant place, not mean spirited towards the great region of Champagne.

Joining the Aphrodise sparkling wine party

It’s just the nature of Champenois produced wine and that Chardonnay grape that makes a beautiful champagne is such that you just can’t consume a lot of it in the heat or humidity in the sun.

FlavRReport.com on Youtube

Traditional Champagne vs Aphrodise Sparkling Wine

It just isn’t the type of forgiving libation that lets you function afterwards and you don’t feel good.

The yeast isn’t good for a lot of people. Not everybody’s impacted the same way but, a large portion of the population doesn’t do well with champagne and heat in sunlight as a day drink.

The recovery profile isn’t something that people look forward to.

Aphrodise from the grape varietal called Xenomavro

I discovered that I’d had that problem myself for years. The yeast wasn’t working for me.

So when I discovered Aphrodise, it was a grape varietal called Xenomavro.

A high altitude grape, Greece’s most noble grape.

It’s a very forgiving drink. In a sparkling format, it’s something you can drink in the heat, it’s something you can drink in larger quantities, I can tell you that the recovery profile, for me and for many others, is exceptionally good.

Meaning you can drink a lot of it and bounce back and go again.

As a wine producer, that’s music to your ears. But it’s also nice knowing I’m making people feel better. I’m not putting something in the market that’s going to make you feel sick after overconsumption.

At a party enjoying Aphrodise Sparkling Wine

Joe Winger:

Just to give a little backstory. Frank, I hope you’ll talk to us a little bit about one of your first adventures. You mentioned you’re an internet entrepreneur, you had some success with website domains.

Can you explain a little bit about that and maybe a lesson you learned from that journey?

Frank Schilling:

It’s a lesson that some of your listeners and viewers probably have some experience with.

I registered a domain name back in the dot com era. Then I registered 2 [dot com names], then 10 and I got some generic names like wine.com , cars.com. Names like those.

I started to realize, wow, these names have value.

I wound up registering a lot of generic names and then I had difficulty managing them because in those early days of the Internet, it was all very unwieldy. The infrastructure for managing those names.

So I created a lot of that management infrastructure. Then in the process, grew that business over a 20 year horizon and wound up selling the 3 companies that comprised that enterprise to a company called GoDaddy, which we’ve probably all heard of.

So some of their infrastructure was my infrastructure and is now their infrastructure.

To the extent you like the new GoDaddy offering for managing domain names, you’re welcome, for the small part I played in helping that become a reality.

In the old days, I was traveling a lot. I had an office in Manchester in the United Kingdom, one in Newport beach in California and my main office here in the Cayman Islands. I would travel between the offices, New York, Miami and many other cities, just for work all around the world.

Enjoying Aphrodise Sparkling Wine

At the beginning of COVID that all came to a grinding halt. I sold those businesses and decided that with my love of food, if I was going to stay in the Cayman Islands, I realized I’m gonna have to eat at home more and I realized, the offerings of restaurants wasn’t the depth was hoping for.

So I built the restaurant, as a result of that that then led to Aphrodise.

Joe Winger:

I love the full circle of it.

Since we’ve mentioned the restaurant once or twice. Can we hear more about your restaurant Mykonos Cayman?

Frank Schilling:

Sure. During COVID lockdowns, there was a new plaza going in on the beach and I had mentally designed a restaurant years ago, but sold the real estate for it.

So when I saw the plaza going up, I was crestfallen. These guys built my dream on their land. My fantasy of what a place would look like. But then I was happy to learn that the plaza was a strata titled affair. It wasn’t owned by one conglomerate.

So I bought into that plaza so I could control the real estate. Then once I had the real estate I did a sort of “money no object” fit out that left a very residential-looking restaurant really quite beautiful.

I love the culture of Greece and I love the idea of the long lunch and the lack of pretense in the party and [being] all welcoming, with children, grownups will dance on the table and get really carried away.

The kids are running around. It’s all very loving and family oriented.

Whereas, Ibiza is a little more drug fueled and party, ragey and a little more intense.

I loved the soulful day party of Greece. We’re on an island and the Greeks are on islands. So I thought how nice it would be to bring some of that to my reserved island here in Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is more of a place you quietly go to escape and enjoy the beach and family.

It’s not really a St. Bart’s where you go to seek out a great party. I always hoped that there’d be room for at least one place like they have in St. Bart’s here.

So I built a really big place, 320 seats, super residential, relaxed, welcoming, But completely devoid of pretense. You can come in, flip flops and shorts, or you can come in a beautiful gown as we’d hope in the evening.

But we don’t have a lot of structure and posture around it. We want you to feel free when you come. So that, I built that venue here, and you can see it online.

It’s called Mykonos Cayman. We have an Instagram where people can learn about the restaurant.

When you come, please come for a glass of Aphrodise on me. Mention Frank said I could have a glass of Aphrodise

Joe Winger:

You introduced Aphrodise at the Las Vegas Wedding Show. How did it go? Why do you think Aphrodise is the best drink to have at a wedding?

Frank Schilling:

It’s the color of love. It’s a beautiful color of red.

We took it to the wedding show because I thought that wedding planners would share the same pain point that I discovered as a restaurateur. Which is, if you want to buy a bottle of great champagne, easy, you go to the liquor store.

But when you start getting up there and you need 100 cases for an event or a series of events, getting that quantity consistently and getting a good product is actually quite difficult. And expensive.

So we thought we’d introduce Aphrodise.

Knowing that we could go directly to the wedding planners and help their fulfillment and execution and deliver a better product.

Something that people could really lavish in the heat or at an after party where you’re really enjoying the bubbly and then feel better in the morning. That was really the goal.

My first champagne experience was at a wedding and I drank a little too much. For the next day or two, I was laid up.

So we try to bring something to market that is good for people or at least makes them feel good in the moment and helps them recover.

We had a line all day. I poured a 5,000 servings of Aphrodise that day. People loved it.

Let me tell you, that’s a lot of work, opening bottles. It looks very glamorous. But when you’re really going at velocity, my hands hurt at the end of the day.

We got a lot of upstart business out of that. People were like, “Wow, this stuff is actually quite good.’

Joe Winger:

Let’s talk about flavor profile.

Pouring out 5,000 samples, what’s the most common feedback we get about the flavor, aroma, the mouthfeel, what are we experiencing?

Frank Schilling:

So when you sip a drink and you talk about mouthfeel or we have a glass of wine or champagne and you have a sip and there’s a little bit of a yeasty, gamey after taste.

For some people in red wine, it can be somewhat desirable.

In champagne, unfortunately it stays with it as well.

When you’re having champagne, which is more of a celebratory libation, that’s not a desirable quality. You want to have something that finishes clean in your mouth.

If you have lots of sips, you’re going to get a good buzz. You want to be able to recover quickly and elegantly without that headache that comes from the yeast and all those elements that bring its flavor.

So the taste of Aphrodise is a very clean mouthfeel and it finishes with a light crisp apple or cherry. Some people taste strawberry.

It’s a small bubble. Very light charmat, produced in small vats, a naturally produced bubbly effect. It lives in tanks for 3 months and it gains its bubbly in a natural way.

A little more expensive to produce that way. Prosecco, for example, will carbonate. They’ll add carbonation just like you would to a can of soda.

We don’t carbonate. We allow the bubbly to form naturally through the fermentation process, which is how it should be.

Co-Founders of Aphrodise Sparkling Wine

Joe Winger:

When it comes to food and wine pairing. What would be your favorite dish to pair with a glass of Aphrodise?

Frank Schilling:

Aphrodise is literally the only thing that I drink, and I’m crestfallen when I can’t find it.

It’s a dark rosé so it goes nicely with meat – a burger or a steak. Chicken or fish. It’s also a great dessert drink.

I like Aphrodise as a warmup libation and as an after dinner, like celebratory drink if you’re having a party, there’s an after party.

Joe Winger:

You’ve done a lot in your life. You’ve had a lot of adventures, a lot of successes.

Any inspiration or lessons you can share with the audience?

Frank Schilling:

The answer is love for people and love for living your best life, love for conviviality. I have a lot of love for the people that I encountered that have helped me in my journey. Those who’ve just been a part of my life, there for a season or there for a reason, as the saying goes, I try to embrace everybody.

See the good in everybody. There are people you click with more than other people. I say yes to everything unless it hurts me. I have a real lust for life and a good energy level.

Joe Winger:

If you’re loving Frank’s energy and his positivity, you wrote an amazing book. Would you mind giving us a summary of the book and what it was like writing it?

Frank Schilling:

It’s called Omnia Vincent: the universe wants you to win.

I wrote the book as I’d sold my businesses. It was during COVID lockdowns and everybody was [going through a] “The end of the world” mood type thing at that time.

You write a book like this for your grandchildren. If one day they want to know more about grandpa and did our success come from or where did our financial wealth come from?

It’s nice for them to know a little about the person who tried hard and maybe you can see something in yourself. So I really wrote it for my future ancestors.

I want to be the guy who left something for the grandkids and great grandkids to understand a little about my brain. And it’s really just written in short micro chapters.

Joe Winger:

Because you’re an epicurean, if you’re going to have any plate for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?

Frank Schilling:

Tonight I’m actually feeling a Pittsburgh style steak, seared on the outside. I haven’t had good red meat in about a week, and we just got some A5 Wagyu at the restaurant Our chef is a butcher and he’s also a certified Angus ambassador. So he gets great cuts.

We do a beautiful short rib burger, which is really lean short rib again on the outside with a bit of a char finish. We have a charcoal grill inside the restaurant, which is beautiful.

Joe Winger:

Thank you so much for your time. If someone wants to learn more, what are the best ways to find and follow websites, social media for Aphrodise?

Frank Schilling:

DrinkAphrodise on Instagram and the website DrinkAphrodise.com

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