If you think you have what it takes to compete against June and her Jazz Hands in Somms Under Fire, visit www.sommsunderfire.com. There are still two spots available for a chance to win the grand prize package of a lifetime!

As many of you know, the Somms were not the only people racing to win at the Wine Ride.  The Winner of the 2011 Wine Ride Favorite Team Blog Post is Team Mark, written by blogger Jennie Chen, of MisoHungry and her Team Members Photographer John Knox, of John M.P. Knox Photography, Facilitweeter and Blogger, Rachelle King of Blinded by the Bite!  This team followed and documented the action of competing Sommelier Mark Sayre, of TRIO Restaurant at the Four Seasons.  With this title, team members will receive All-Access Media Badges to cover Somms Under Fire. The many videos and diagrams Jennie included in her Team Mark Blog Post continued to educate the audience long after the conclusion of the competition.  Her in depth descriptions of Mark’s pairing strategies made readers feel like they were tasting along with him.

Congrats to all of the winners and we look forward to seeing everyone at Somms Under Fire!

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Vote for the sommelier at here and vote for the Team Blog Post Voting here. The winning Somm will win a spot to compete in Somms Under Fire.

Photos by Aimee Wenske.

Level-headed sommelier Jason Huerta (above) has the air and demeanor of a Catholic priest during the Spanish Civil War, where the forces of evil and good were pitted against one another in the guise of Franco’s fascist regime and the Spanish Communists. Torn between the brutal tactics of authoritarianism and the G-dless outlook of the Stalinists, his humanity emerges despite the seemingly insurmountable odds he must face in order to aid his compatriots — whatever their creed. His anchor in a sea of moral dilemma is his faith. His northern star is his grace under pressure, as Hemmingway would have called it in that sine qua non of North American literature (and North American character) For Whom the Bell Tolls.

In last Sunday’s “Wine Ride” competition, where sommeliers were asked to compete against one another in 10-minute pairing exercises at 4 Austin restaurants and food shops, Jason’s coolheadedness impressed me powerfully. Even when we arrived late to our third stop, shaving nearly 5 minutes from the 10 minute interval allowed for him to select his tasting at the station, the tone and prosody of his voice remained unchanged: balanced and measured, deliberate and precise, unrushed yet expedient. Not surprisingly, it was at this most rushed visit of ours (where I was to blame for our team’s setback, having taking a wrong turn), where he uttered what was IMHO his most profound observation on the nature of pairing food and wine. After selecting a light-bodied, low-alcohol Bourgogne Rouge over a racy, meaty, richer Corbières at Fino to pair with fried pork belly (a ubiquitous dish in the Texas gastronomic canon, no matter what country’s cuisine is represented by the venue), Jason explained his reasoning: “This is a country dish,” he said, “a dish created by farmers, a dish that everyone enjoys. And it deserves a pairing that will make everyone happy, not just the elite few among our patrons who want something more exotic.”

YES! Humanity… Democratic, Catholic, all-embracing, glorious humanity! Here is a criterion for pairing that transcends the terrestrial and reaches for the divine. Jason had just given our team — blogger (me), photographer, and facilitweeter — and the paying guests a glimpse into his soul and the guiding ethos of his mission as sommelier.

Reality television is by its very nature unreal. In fact, it is surreal. It thrusts the contestants into extreme situations improbable if not impossible in the real world. Whether the Christians to the lions in ancient Rome, Mad Max’s Thunderdome, or the New Jersey Housewives, these competitions require that participants negate their humanity. In tandem with the extremes delivered by a highly competitive world (read North America) that has only recently become culinarily aware, the myriad food-themed reality shows that nightly glaze the eyes of American TV audiences ask their charges to perform superhuman feats. Modeled after the popular however gut-wrenching “Iron Chef” paradigm, the Wine Ride denied the sommeliers all the tools of their trade: they were required to sample dishes on the spot and pair ex tempore with wines unknown to them until their arrival at the station. And they we required to complete the task in 10 minutes at each stop.

At our initial stop (Foreign and Domestic), Jason’s first challenge was to choose a pairing for the unlikely combination of pig’s ear served with a parsnip raviolo and grapes poached in fennel broth. As if plopped suddenly into a 20th-century absurdist tableau, Jason masterfully analyzed each element in the bizarre confluence of flavors laid out before him, relying on the theology of his profession to aid him in his selection of a Burgundian Pinot Noir over an Aligoté to match “the acidity and earthiness in this dish.” (This was not Jason’s official pairing for the stop, for the record, but it impressed me nonetheless!)

At Antonelli’s cheese shop, the host proffered a sample of six cheeses, none of which Jason recognized, he said plainly. He methodically tasted each one, offered his organoleptic evaluation, and ultimately chose the tomme crayeuse to go with another Burgundian Pinot Noir instead of a Champagne because, as he noted with chiastic ingenuity, the “wine tamed the flavors of the cheese, while the cheese made the flavors of the wine pop.”

And then finally, he picked an earthy, traditional-style bottling of Chardonnay from Burgundy to match with halibut and “chive beurre blanc” prepared and delivered with militaristic flair by the instructor at the Central Market cooking school. He sought to match, “the simplicity of ingredients in this delicious dish,” he said, “with the purity of the wine, an entry-level wine from one of Burgundy’s greatest producers.”

At every turn (both literal and figurative), I found that Jason returned to his trusted triptych of precepts: simplicity, purity, and balance. But when I asked about his personal approach to the art of matching food and wine, he surprised and moved me with his answer: “Pairing is about happiness,” he said.

Jason is the fourth child of an Apostolic Catholic family from New Mexico, with Mexican and Spanish origins. He and his siblings are all wildly successful in their respective fields. One of his sisters, for example, is a high-powered social services policy wonk in their home state. Jason reached a high point of any sommelier’s career when the thirty-something was voted the “best sommelier in Texas” in by the Texas Sommelier Association, a coveted title among the tide of ever ambitious wine professionals in this wealthy state. Jason’s father worked his entire life in the New Mexico copper mines only to have his retirement stolen from him by greedy robber barons. “There were times we ate only tortillas and beans,” said Jason when I asked him about his family’s origins. “And we have remained a very close and tight family.”

Jason seem never to have lost his humanity, even in the heady, flashy, and too often arrogant world of young sommeliers. He lives today in Dallas, where he presides over the second largest wine collection in the state at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. Early on in the day, when I asked him what he hoped to discover through this exercise, he answered without missing a beat and with the same grace with which he delivered all of his pairings: “There are 8 million wines out there but just one Austin. I want to discover this town and the people who live here. And what they like to eat and drink.”

Looking back on my experience in the Wine Ride, I’m glad for me and my fellow Texas winelovers that this brilliant young man didn’t become a priest.

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June Rodil, Congress Austin – Austin

June Rodil grew up in Dallas, TX and moved to Austin in 1998 to attend the University of Texas.  At 19, she got a job at the Driskill Hotel as a cocktail waitress to help pay the bills while in school. She ended up staying there for seven years, moving up the ranks from bartending to room service, server and captain, and then finally helping the food and wine director with the wine program. “I guess I had the knack,” she says. “What I did not have the knack for was figuring [out] what I wanted to do with my life. I realized that I just kept getting higher education degrees because I was scared to go out in the world and do what I actually like. It was either wine or Law School. Had my bags packed to go to NYU and decided to stay here in the beautiful ATX when I landed the job at Uchi.” She was the sommelier at the acclaimed restaurant, and new sibling Uchiko, from May 2007 to Fall 2010.

Always the inquisitive mind, she continued her studies and became a Certified Sommelier (aka Level II) via the Court of Master Sommeliers. In 2009, she decided to enter the Texas Best Sommelier competition at the TexSom Conference. For the most part, people don’t win the first year they compete. “It’s more of a ‘free look’ and really, I didn’t expect anything out of it,” says Rodil. “The theory questions were so hard. It’s the first thing that you do at 8 a.m. on Day One. After answering maybe 50% of the questions, I thought … I’m just gonna go for it. I already lost this thing, but may as well make the best of this situation and learn about the testing process as much as possible.” The results were announced later at the Grand Tasting that closes the conference: June Rodil was Texas Best Sommelier for 2009. “My first thoughts? It’s weird to get a prize for feeling so stupid.” As part of her prize, she’ll be sitting for the Advanced Sommelier exam in April of 2011.

Recently, June hit another milestone, which she earned through her dedication and hard work. American wine critic Allen Meadows, publisher of the Burghound.com newsletter and website, holds an annual symposium for wine collectors in Beaune, France. One sommelier is chosen to intern with him during that time.  And how was her experience in France? “It was amazing. Each year a specific village is chosen; this year it was Corton, the largest Grand Cru in all of Burgundy and quite possibly the most confusing. The program is intense; I was very surprised and impressed at the passion of the collectors. I opened wines from the 1920’s that were drinking beautifully, and I did barrel samples at DRC (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, considered among the world’s greatest and most expensive wines) with co-owner Aubert de Villaine himself. I also got to spend a little in Champagne with grower-producers.”

Taking the next step in her career—she is now the Beverage Director of Congress Austin, acclaimed Chef David Bull’s new multi outlet complex consisting of Second Bar + Kitchen, an upscale casual restaurant; Bar Congress, an artisanal bar; and Congress, an intimate,  fine dining restaurant—all to open at the Austonian in late-December. “It’s a little insane when I think of it: opening three restaurants in one year,” says Rodil. “I’m truly excited to take on such a large project … and scared. I wouldn’t be making the right decision without being a little scared.”
(Portions of this article were featured in Austin Woman Magazine, by Claudia Alarcón)

For more information about the Wine Ride, please visit our Wine Ride Information Page and follow Keeper Collection on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates and announcements. Tickets for the 2011 Wine Ride Finish Line Wine Tasting may be reserved and purchased by phone only. Please contact Keeper Collection at (512) 970-3456 for more information.

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Mark Sayre, TRIO at Four Seasons – Austin

If, like fine wines sommeliers only get better with age, Mark Sayre has a lot to look forward to. Already, the 31-year-old sommelier at Four Seasons Hotel Austin’s TRIO has made a name for himself with such designations as Wine & Spirits magazine’s “7 Best New Sommeliers in 2010″ (October 2010) and the title of Texas’ Best Sommelier (September 2007) crowding his impressive resume.

And the future looks just a bright since Mark is currently poised to become one of the youngest members of the international Court of Master Sommeliers, an elite group of wine professionals with a mere 170 members worldwide.

It all began with a taste of regal Gattinara in the Italian restaurant where Mark landed his first job in the restaurant world in his native Houston. “I liked it so much, I felt compelled to share the experience with my customers.”

“The key to great wine is balance,” says Mark with an ageless wisdom matched only by his passion for the fruit of the vine. “The same is true for a great wine program.” Indeed, balance is the hallmark of Mark’s hand-picked list, which consists of 260 wines and a remarkable 34 selections offered by the glass.

Today, Mark shares his knowledge through his stewardship of what is widely regarded as one of the top wine programs in the southwestern U.S. Whether it’s Champagne (“the perfect food-friendly beverage,” he says), grand cru Burgundy (“a crystalline windowpane that allows terroir to shine through”), or single-vineyard Barolo (“a category that has seen a quality renaissance”), Mark selects wines that will transport guests to the places where those wines are made. His goal is to provide “a voyage in a glass,” poured nightly along the banks of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

For more information about the Wine Ride, please visit our Wine Ride Information Page and follow Keeper Collection on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates and announcements. Tickets for the 2011 Wine Ride Finish Line Wine Tasting may be reserved and purchased by phone only. Please contact Keeper Collection at (512) 970-3456 for more information.

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Jason Huerta, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – Dallas

Jason Huerta has been an integral part of the Pappas Bros Steakhouse team since 1997.  Although an asset to the Texas wine scene, from 2002 – 2005, Jason also was the Bar Manager at The Shack Restaurant in Kapaa, Hawaii.  As a Certified Sommelier, he also performs as a Wine Writer for EscapeHatchDallas.com. Most recently, Jason has been celebrated for being awarded the title of 2010 Texas’ Best Sommelier, winner of the annual TEXSOM Sommelier Competition.

For more information about the Wine Ride, please visit our Wine Ride Information Page and follow Keeper Collection on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates and announcements. Tickets for the 2011 Wine Ride Finish Line Wine Tasting may be reserved and purchased by phone only. Please contact Keeper Collection at (512) 970-3456 for more information.

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Eric Hastings, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood – Houston

A hospitality veteran of nearly 14 years, Eric Hastings began his career as a line cook before moving to the bar.  While not very wine-focused, the first restaurant of his employ had a significant impact on his passion for beverage, as they offered over 130 different labels of beer ranging from macro-brews to uniquely hand-crafted ales.

His first Sommelier position, in 1999, was at an immensely popular Italian restaurant in downtown Denver, Santino’s.  Here he learned about the culture of Italian food and wine.  From there he managed other bar/wine programs in restaurants and retail outlets before returning to the dining room as the Sommelier for the Denver Country Club.

His work with French-born Executive Chef Patrice Piralla built his passion for food, wine and service and his success there garnered an offer to become the Beverage Director at Rendezvous Bay Resort on the island of Anguilla in the Eastern Caribbean.

Eric returned to Colorado to head up the beverage programs for two highly rated restaurants in Colorado’s mountain country; Samplings in Frisco and The Cellar in Breckenridge.

Currently the Beverage Manager for Eddie V’s Prime Seafood in Houston, TX, Eric continues to study wine regions and tastes wine as he works towards his Master Sommelier Diploma. He is dedicated to discovering new wines from lesser-known regions that provide a great value to his wine-loving guests.

For more information about the Wine Ride, please visit our Wine Ride Information Page and follow Keeper Collection on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates and announcements. Tickets for the 2011 Wine Ride Finish Line Wine Tasting may be reserved and purchased by phone only. Please contact Keeper Collection at (512) 970-3456 for more information.

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Scott Barber, Centennial Fine Wine & Spirits – Dallas

Scott Barber, like many wine professionals, came to wine indirectly after a career in fine art. After graduating from Middlebury College with a major in Art History and Italian he spent 10 years working out of New York selling 19th Century American Paintings with Sotheby’s, Christie’s and various galleries in Manhattan. He developed an interest in wine after moving to San Francisco to work for Butterfield’s auction house. This interest ran parallel to his art business as he worked in retail part-time, both with large chains and boutique shops, until he made the jump full-time into the wine business taking a position as wine director with Stephan Pyles restaurant in Dallas. Scott also spent 3 months as an extern at The French Laundry working with Paul Roberts, MS and the sommelier team managing the Grand Award winning cellar. Upon his return to Texas, he moved to the historic Mansion on Turtle Creek to work with Wine Director Michael Flynn and Chef John Tesar to revitalize the institution and update the 1,100 label list. Scott competed in the 2008 TexSom competition and won the title Texas Best Sommelier. He was also named Best Sommelier in Dallas by D Magazine for 2008. After helping John Tesar open his acclaimed restaurant in The Woodlands, Scott has moved to the wholesale side of the business representing two boutique portfolios with outstanding rare wines from Europe and California. Scott has recently returned to retail joining Centennial Wine and Spirits in Dallas to oversee the wine program at their top store.

He has successfully completed the Advanced Sommelier Course with the Court of Master Sommeliers and is now working towards the Master Sommelier certification.

For more information about the Wine Ride, please visit our Wine Ride Information Page and follow Keeper Collection on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates and announcements.  Tickets for the 2011 Wine Ride Finish Line Wine Tasting may be reserved and purchased by phone only.  Please contact Keeper Collection at (512) 970-3456 for more information.

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Let the pairing begin!

Amuse Bouche:

Crispy Calamari, with Basil Pesto Aioli & Orange-Sweet Chili Vinaigrette

• Txomin Etxaniz, Getariako Txakolina Spain 2006
• Jim Clendenen Skin & Bones Reisling, Santa Barbara California 2006

Chestnut Apple Shooter with Herb Crème Fraiche

• Jim Clendenen Skin & Bones Reisling, Santa Barbara California 2006
• Eric Brodelet Poire Granite Loire Valley NV – (This selection was unique to all and really did well with the chestnut)

First Course- Dish #1:

This was kind of an Asian version of Oysters Rockefeller…

Cape May Tempura Oysters over Wilted Spinach & Apple Wood Smoked Bacon

• Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-St.-Georges, 1er Cru La Perrieres, Burgundy, France 2004
• Querciabella, Batar, Tuscany, Italy 2004

First Course- Dish #2:

This next combo was awesome – the texture of crispy polenta went well with the quail egg…

Serrano Ham & Poached Quail Egg with Crispy Polenta & Leek Vinaigrette

• Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-St.-Georges, 1er Cru La Perrieres, Burgundy, France 2004
• Querciabella, Batar, Tuscany, Italy 2004

Second Course – Dish #1:

Yellow & Red Beet Tartar with Foie Gras Mousse & Spicy Pecans

• Robert Ampeau Volnay, 1er Cru Santenots 1990
• Weingut Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Reid Loiser Berg Kamptal Austria 2005

Second Course- Dish #2:

Grilled Buffalo Brochettes with Nopalitos Fritos & Blood Orange Aioli

• Clos de Gat Har’El Syrah, Judean Hills Israel 2006
• Gilles Robin Crozes-Hermitage Papillon, Rhone Valley France 2007

Third Course- Dish #1:

Belgium Endive & Pear Salad with Dried Currants, Candied Walnuts, & White Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Tilenus Mencia, Bierzo Spain 2000
• Nino Negri 5 Stelle Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG, Lombardy Italy 2004

Third Course- Dish #2:

We easily awarded this dish most unique presentation of the night and one that all of the foodies at the table want to recreate!

Baby Greens Salad with Cucumber Belt, Prosciutto Crisp, Pear Tomatoes, & Gorgonzola Mousse

• Tilenus Mencia, Bierzo Spain 2000
• Nino Negri 5 Stelle Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG, Lombardy Italy 2004

Fourth Course – Dish #1:

Crispy Skin Black Cod, with Bacon & Leek, Green Lentils & Saffron Beurre Blanc

• Leonetti Sangiovese, Walla Walla Washington 2006
• Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional, Douro Portugal 2004

Fourth Course- Dish #2:

Pan Roasted Axis Venison Loin with Braised Red Cabbage & Huckleberry Demi

• Leonetti Sangiovese, Walla Walla Washington 2006
• Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional, Douro Portugal 2004

Dessert  #1:

Brown Butter Pineapple Cake with Toasted Coconut Gelato

• Chateau Gilette Sauternes, Crème de Tete Bordeaux France 1975

Dessert #2:

Pumpkin Empanadas

• D’Oliveiras Bual Reserva, Madeira Portugal 1908

Thanks to James Tidwell, MS, Chef Natale, and the Four Seasons Los Colinas for your support of TexSom and for the opportunity to have yet another memorable evening of wining and dining!

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