In The Drink

Meet Mia Van de Water, the wine director at North End Grill. In 2014, Mia passed the Advanced Sommelier Exam from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Mia had the distinction of receiving the highest score in her group, and earned the Rudd Scholarship, which is offered by the Guild of Sommeliers. During her time at North End Grill, Mia has overseen the expansion of the wine list from 120 to 240 selections, with a focus on cool, off-the-beaten-path American bottles that include rare, little known grapes being made really well for a reasonable price. She has also created a beverage education program has turned into a major part of why aspiring restaurateurs and sommeliers come to work at North End Grill. Tune in to this week’s episode of In the Drink and hear Mia’s story, what she enjoys drinking and what she tries to accomplish with the program at North End Grill. This program was sponsored by Michter’s. “Over time as you explore different types of wine it’s good to find out what you like best and concentrate on

E.Pira e Figli is a key player in the history of Barolo. The Pira family, whose members have been vignerons for generations, started producing and bottling wineat the end of the 19th century, receiving immediate recognition for their stellar quality! When the Pira lineage ended tragically with the death of Luigi Pira, theestate was sold to the Boschis family, of Giacomo Borgogno & Figli. Chiara Boschis took the reins in 1990 with a clear vision of what she wanted to accomplish: to marry the extraordinary power of Barolo with approachability, enticing elegance, and lush, intense aromas. She vinifies exclusively fromproprietary vineyards, located in the very best crus of Barolo: Cannubi, Mosconiand Via Nuova, for a grand total of only 6 acres! Annual production is a miniscule 2,000 cases. In the short time Chiara has run the estate, she has quickly become a ‘Superwoman’ in the area, as one of only a few female winemakers in the Langhe. Her wines are also no strangers to the limelight, regularly garnering hi

Mike Martin, the Wine Director at Vintry Fine Wines, is this week’s guest on In the Drink. Vintry Fine Wines, located at 230 Murray Street in the pedestrian pathway, is bringing fine wine to New York City’s revitalized downtown. With over 2,500 selections focusing on both collectibles and drinkables, Vintry Fine Wines is a destination in bourgeoning Battery Park City. From Boedgea owner to Martin Brothers wine to Vintry, hear Mike’s wine journey and what he’s up to these days. This program was sponsored by Rt. 11 Potato Chips See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wine & Chinese Food..a match made in heaven? That’s what Jason Wagner, sommelier at Fung Tu restaurant, says. Tune in to this week’s episode of In the Drink, as host Joe Campanele chats with Jason about wine pairings, wine lists and life as a sommelier in a forward thinking restaurant. Find out why it’s easy to be the wine guy at a restaurant with a chef who knows his wine. Riesling isn’t the only thing that pairs well with Chinese food — tune and and find out more! This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “With pairing wines, the idea is to get out of the way and not ruin the food or make it better.” [12:00] –Jason Wagner on In the DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meet Carlton McCoy, Wine Director at the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado and one of only two African American Master Sommeliers. He’s Joe Campanale’s guest this week on In the Drink, and the two wine professionals chat about everything from regional clientele to the masters sommelier test. This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “There’s an absolute concentration of wealth in Colorado. Per capita, the income is extremely high so people can afford to buy the best wines in the world.” [10:00] “The title mater sommelier itself is a very aggressive sounding thing, it’s not a very approachable title.” [15:00] –Carlton McCoy on In the DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Taste of the Nation event is coming up in New York City on April 28th! Joe brings in whole panel to discuss the event for this week’s episode. Jenny Z. Dirksen is Share Our Strength’s National Director of Culinary Events. In her role, Jenny is responsible for a team of 18 that organizes culinary fundraising events coast to coast, including oversight for chef relationships, all with the goal of ending childhood hunger in the US. John DeLucie is the chef and owner of three New York City landmark restaurants: The Lion in the West Village; Crown, situated steps from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Upper East Side; and Bill’s, the midtown landmark three-story townhouse that held the famed prohibition-era bar, Bill’s Gay Nineties. His restaurant group, Crown Group Hospitality, also did a pop up of the Lion in The Brompton Club in London, April 2012, and is currently working on launching several projects in tandem with select hotels across the country. In addition, DeLucie consults for the prestigious King

Shelley Lindgren is the woman behind A16 and SPQR, two of the Bay Area’s most celebrated restaurants. She’s also one of the nation’s most celebrated experts on wine and pairing. Lindgren has been named “Best New Sommelier” by Wine & Spirits, “Best Wine Director” by San Francisco magazine and was nominated for Best Wine Service by the James Beard Foundation for four consecutive years since 2010. She has also co-authored the award-winning “A16: Food & Wine” cookbook and wine guide celebrating the traditions of Southern Italy and released the “SPQR: Food & Wine” book in late 2012. Shelly is this week’s guest on In the Drink. This program was brought too you by Heritage Foods USA. “As sommeliers, our job is weed through what you don’t want to drink, find the hidden gems and focus on those. I wouldn’t put something on the list that I don’t want to drink.” [18:00] –Shelley Lindgren on In the DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac

Sarah Krathen fell in love with restaurant work at the age of fifteen. She started as a barker for a restaurant on Duval Street in Key West, which meant her job was to get tourists to come in off the street and eat there. The owner of Fogarty’s, a much bigger, newer, and better restaurant, saw her at work and hired her as a hostess. At Fogarty’s, she went from hostess to server to expo (the intermediary between the kitchen and the customers) and then decided to attend culinary school. She enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, received an associate degree in culinary arts, and then completed a fellowship under her mentor, John Storm, in the on-campus Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici. It was during that fellowship that she met Emma Hearst, a meeting that she describes as the most important of her life. The pair became best friends, roommates, and eventually business partners. Sorella opened on New York’s Lower East Side in 2008, with Sarah managing the front of the house and beverage program. In Fall 201

Before opening Estela, Thomas was beverage director at the award-winning Blue Hill at Stone Barns for six years. He previously worked in wine service for Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, and as a cook at New York restaurants including Le Bernardin, Mercer Kitchen and Union Pacific. Thomas has degrees from Columbia College Chicago and the Culinary Institute of America. This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Today’s music provided by The Hollows. “I think with brunch, you should skip the Bloody Marys and just go straight to champagne.” [17:30] “I think cooking at home is maybe one of the best things in the world.” [27:30] –Thomas Carter on In The DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James Christopher Tracy was exposed to great wines, wine regions and foods from an early age. After earning a BA in Performing Arts/Philosophy, he migrated to NYC to pursue graduate theatre training. In 1993, with wife Allison Dubin, he co-founded the Momentary Theatre, a not-for-profit organization that performed in California, New York, Texas, Connecticut and Hungary. After several years of writing restaurant reviews in NYC, on the side, Christopher attended the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. He graduated first in his class and received a Grand Diplome. Christopher worked as the Pastry Sous Chef at March restaurant and then as Executive Sous Chef of Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs, both based in NYC. While working as a chef Christopher earned his Sommelier Certificate from the Sommelier Society of America as well as the Higher Certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. He was awarded the Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) which entitles him to the D.W.S. distinction. He

Sandi Skerk produces about 24,000 bottles annually, about 420 cases of each wine. All of his vineyards are farmed organically. Many of them are located directly in front of his house though he has a few that are a bit further away. His main plantings are of Vitovska, Malvasia and Terrano with smaller quantities of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and others. The Terrano grape gets its name from Terra Rossa after the iron-rich, red soil that is found in the area. Terrano, compared to its only slightly better known sibling, Refosco, has a firmer structure and crisper profile along with a stony, ferrous and mineral quality. This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. Today’s music provided by Space Ghost. “Oggi non sono piu ingegnere, sono vignaiolo. Pero ti rimane forse il modo di pensare e il modo di apprezzare quelle cose.” “Today I am no longer an engineer, I am a winemaker. But the way of thinking and the appreciation have stayed with me.” [24:40] Sandi Skerk on In The DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art1

Talia Baiocchi is the Editor in Chief of PUNCH and the author of the forthcoming book Sherry (Ten Speed Press, October 2014). She was the first-ever wine editor at Eater, a former columnist at Wine Spectator, and has written for the San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter and Wine & Spirits Magazine, among others. She has a degree in journalism and political science from New York University and has been featured in numerous publications, including Forbes as a member of the magazine’s 2013 “30 under 30” list. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Leslie Pariseau is the Deputy Editor of PUNCH. She has written about food, drinks and people for GQ, Esquire and Saveur, among others. In her former life, Leslie worked for Momofuku Ssäm Bar, reported at the United Nations, and dropped out of grad school to become a professional drinker. She has a degree in art history from the University of Michigan and lives (immoderately) in Brooklyn, New York. This program has been sponsored by SPONSOR. Today’s music provided by Obey Ci

Katie Parla, a New Jersey native, grew up in an Italian-American restaurant family. She moved to Rome in January 2003, shortly after earning a BA from Yale University in the History of Art. She holds a sommelier certificate from Federazione Italiana Sommelier Albergatori Ristoratori (FISAR) and a master’s degree in Italian gastronomic culture from the Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”. In addition to culinary research and lecturing, Katie has written about food and beverage culture for The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, The Atlantic, The National Geographic Traveller, and many more. She is also know for her travel apps, Katie Parla’s Rome and Katie Parla’s Istanbul. Tune into this episode to learn how Katie has been tracking the ever-changing food and drink culture in Rome. How did the switch to the Euro affect dining culture in Italy? Learn more about the Italian “aperitivo hour”, and what it means for drinkers. How is the Roman cocktail scene evolving? Tune in to this episode of I

Growing up on the coast of Maine, Ryan Mills-Knapp worked in restaurants during summers in high school and college during the busy tourist season. Through these summer jobs, he became passionate about food and wine, which eventually led him to his current position as beverage director of Colicchio & Sons. In 2004, after spending the summer in Maine working in restaurants, he moved to New York City to pursue his interest in the wine and spirits industry. His first job in Manhattan was as a server at Amuse, an American restaurant in Chelsea, where he helped the wine director assemble the wine list. The restaurant also hosted American Sommelier Association classes in the space, so he was able to further his knowledge of wine. He moved on to become the beverage director at chef Waldy Malouf’s Beacon Restaurant where he curated the wine selection, and was put in charge of the liquor and beer programs. At Beacon, he began his real wine education, learning about producers, vintages and styles. In 2006, he was hi

Toro is located in the old Nabisco Factory (85 10th Avenue at 15th Street) and helmed by Co-Chef/Owners Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnett along with partners Doug Jacob and Will Malnati. South Chelsea’s incarnation of Boston’s Barcelona-style tapas bar features an eclectic menu focusing on both traditional and modern tapas, combining regional Spanish flavors and techniques with local and market-fresh ingredients. The Spanish-focused beverage program from Caitlin Doonan features a cocktail menu with a dedicated section of Gin Tonic variations like Nuestra Casa with Oxley gin, allspice and pear and Atencion Gratuita with Bols Genever gin, thyme and lavender, sherry-centric cocktails like Sherry Julep with Amontillado sherry, curaçao and mint, and others such as Verdad y Amor with tequila, hibiscus and ginger and the Rosarita’s Fire with mezcal, pomegranate and cava. The wine list emphasizes Spain and the old world, with a focus on small producers and growers, and features an extensive sherry section. Additional

Born and raised in the Detroit area of Michigan, Alexander took his first restaurant job nearby at Morels a Michigan Bistro in Bingham Farms. While his initial motivation was to pay for college, he found he was truly inspired by working alongside Morels’ Master Sommelier, Madeline Triffon. Yet another one of those opportunities came along as Dining Room Captain at Michael Mina’s Saltwater and Bourbon Steak in Detroit, MI. There Alexander met Michael Mina’s Wine Director, Rajat Parr, whose influence prompted him to take the next step in his career, and along with it, a move to the San Francisco Bay Area. When it comes to wine and food enjoyed together, Alexander believes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. He favors an approach to wine that minimizes complexity, emphasizes pleasure and makes people comfortable with their own taste, knowledge and budget. That said, he happens to be a Master Sommelier candidate and is also reaching for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust diploma. Alexander is hesi

The author and chef-owner of two popular New York City restaurants—The Red Cat and The Harrison—Jimmy Bradley presides over neighborhood joints that have become destinations for guests from around the city, and the country. A purveyor of straightforward, occasionally irreverent, food and contagious conviviality, all of it wrapped up in an attitude-free package, Bradley has helped contemporary diners rediscover the intrinsic value of classic Mediterranean cuisine, reinterpreted for a modern American clientele. He and his recipes are regularly featured in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Esquire and other food publications, as well as on local and national television programs including TODAY Show and Top Chef Masters. His first cookbook, The Red Cat Cookbook, was published by Clarkson Potter in fall 2006. Don’t miss Jimmy Bradley on this week’s edition of In the Drink! Thanks to our sponsor, Rolling Press. Music by Obey City. “We would dine every Sunday at one o’clock and listen to the op

Skye LaTorre serves up fine wine knowledge in a causal setting as the Beverage Director at The Meatball Shop! This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale sits down with Skye to talk about her storied history in the restaurant business. How did a stint at Emeril’s Delmonico in New Orleans inspire Skye to get serious about wine? Hear about Skye’s time at A16 in San Francisco, and how she got connected with Daniel Holzman and designed the wine list for The Meatball Shop. What are the advantages of curating beverages at a casual dining joint like The Meatball Shop? Hear more about Skye’s dedication to tasting, and why her interest in local spirits is fueled by Old World wine traditions. This program has been brought to you by The International Culinary Center. Music by Dead Stars. “It’s hard to articulate what you want in terms of a wine list, so it’s great to work with people who you know and know what they want.” [10:10] “Don’t put champagne on a Meatball Shop wine list in Brooklyn- it won’t work!” [12:00] “I wi

Explore The New California Wine with famed wine writer Jon Bonne on this week’s episode of In the Drink. As the wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon has won a regional following in the Bay Area as well as national recognition as one of the most important voices in the wine community. Host Joe Campanale and Jon Bonne discuss the untold story of the California wine industry: the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic practices of its recent past. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “The new buzz word [in wine] is diversity. My argument would be that there should be a diversity of styles that can be made in a traditional way and don’t require dark magic in the cellar.” [14:00] —Jon Bonne on In The DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/

French-born Florent Morellet began to draw maps in grade school in his hometown of cholet, outside of Nantes. Since a young age, his parents encouraged him to pursue his interest in maps of real and imagined places, which led to formal studies in city planning at Central London Polytechnic. Florent continued to explore cities all over the world, leading him to New York, where he opened restaurant Florent in 1985. Florent is also a highly visible social activist. He made his renowned restaurant a springboard for grassroots activism for over twenty years. He has been a leader in issues ranging from gay rights and AIDS to end-of-life choices and architectural preservation. He has received many awards and honors for this work, including The American Foundation for AIDS Research and Heritage of Pride, which named him Grand Marshal of New York’s LGBT Gay Pride Day 2006. Since retiring from his restaurant business in 2008, Florent has concentrated his energy working on his art while remaining involved in social caus