Out, damned taint! Out, I say!
Filed Under The Wine World
There’s no denying one of Pinot’s hallmarks — and the reason many of us love it so — is its discernible funk on the nose. Barnyard stank, dung, smokey bacon, etc., charm us by wrapping with rose petals and fresh ripe cherries to create a delicate and earthy headiness only the best pinots can acheive. But what about a sniff of wet ashtray, or even worse, smoke taint? As reported in the Wall Street Journal, California winemakers from the Anderson Valley are battling to remove the odor in their 2008 vintages, caused as a result of severe forest fires during the growing season. Some have spent the last year adding milk byproducts, fish bladder powder, and egg whites, along with other fining tricks, to eliminate the smokiness. Is the adulteration justified? Our own Keith Wallace wrote about the manipulation of wine using these very methods for the Daily Beast in a piece that appeared last year, to the shock of many wine consumers (and the ire of some important players in the wine industry). As this article points out, some people do not find the aroma offensive, while others liken it to a corked bottle. My suggestion: read both pieces if you haven’t already, and weigh in with your comments.
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Phoodie.com Editor Joins Wine School Team
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One of the better known food and beverage bloggers in Philadelphia is now the newest member of the Wine School team. “Collin Flatt is going to be a great asset to the school,” says owner and founder Keith Wallace. “I hire only the best wine instructors available, and Collin has proven to me he has what it takes to play in the big leagues.”
Like many Fine Arts majors before him, Collin’s food and wine career was originally nothing more than a few gigs as a bartender. However, he pulled off the impossible. After several years in Rome and New York, he returned to Philadelphia as an industry insider. “This is my calling. I suck at everything else,” quips Collin.
Along with teaching at the Wine School, Collin will remain a notorious figure in Philly’s culinary scene. Along with his well-known work as the editor of Phoodie.com, he will continue in some less boisterous ventures. These include his work as a trusted broker in the fine wine auction market, and as a consulting sommelier. Most recently, he has teamed up with legendary chef David Ansill to redevelop the menus at Ladder 15.
Collin is the third well-known food and wine writer to join the staff of the Wine School. He follows in the footsteps of Brian Freedman and David Snyder. At one point, all three were students of the Wine School. “I am not sure if its a chicken-or-egg thing, but our Foundation program is a breeding ground for creative foodies. Go figure,” says Keith. “It sure helps that I don’t have to look far to find top-notch staffers.”
Come join us at the Wine School of Philadelphia this spring and give a warm welcome to our newest authority on fine food and wine, Collin Flatt!
To set up a time to speak to Collin Flatt, please contact the Wine School at 1-800-817-7351, ext. 33, or email press@vinology.com.
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Smacking Each Other Down
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To celebrate the notoriety we’ve garnered thanks to being singled out by World Wrestling megabucks impressario Vince McMahon, we recently held a mano a mano a mano red wine competition featuring three of Philly’s well known wine educators – Brian “Il Cavallino” Freedman, Collin “The Rookie” Flatt, and a man we all respect (well, most of the time) Keith “El Jefe” Wallace.
The judges for the blind tasting were not professional tasters or writers. They reperesented the vox populi, just a random group of wine lovers. Results were tabulated by the accounting firm of Dewey Cheetum & Howe.
In Round #1, Collin’s pick of a Widberry Estate Cabernet from Australia’s Margaret River region brutalized Brian’s Catena Malbec..ususlly a crowd pleaser.
Round #2 saw El Jefe’s Touriga Nacional (which drew a “Huh?!?” from the crowd) put to rest by the Chateau Coufran Haut Medoc Brian selected, a rarity for a Left Bank wine in that Merlot was the featured grape.
On to Round #3 where both wines proved to be crowd pleasers as Collin’s spritely Rhone red from Mas de Libian narrowly outpaced Keith’s Ryan Patrick Bordeaux style blend from Washington’s Columbia Valley.
At that juncture both Collin and Keith had amassed 141 points, leaving Brian to contemplate whether or not to renew his membership in the Jimmy Johnson Tonsorial Club for Men. The Championship Round was a lesson in humility for The Rookie as Keith’s Espelt “Sauro” from Emporida in Spain blew away his Sella & Mosca Cannonau from Sardinia.
So, to the winner go the spoils and bragging rites (and, yes, the spelling is intentional). He will get to smack his competitors in a manner he chooses, as yet to be determined. Hmmmm…how about a version of the Python’s Fish Slapping Dance?
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The Wine School at Time
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Center City Wine School Opens Its Doors
Philadelphia, PA. The Center City Wine School is open for business. Located at 1315 Sansom Street, the school is the newest venture by Keith Wallace, owner of The Wine School of Philadelphia and the Main Line Wine School, and Jason and Delphine Evenchik, owners of Time and Vintage Restaurants.
In the Summer of 2009, Founder Keith Wallace approached the Evenchiks and made a suggestion. Why not offer wine education in one of the city’s go-to places for great food and wine?
The opportunity to partner with the school was an exciting proposition for Jason and Delphine: “We are thrilled to be hosting the wine school at Time Restaurant. We’ve known both Keith and Brian Freedman for some years and have always been fans of the school but didn’t have the space to hold classes at Vintage. This is going to be a seamless partnership and we cannot wait for the first class to start!”
Time Restaurant provides the perfect atmosphere for learning about wine from some of Philly’s most beloved instructors – wine lovers committed to a no-frills, and oft-irreverant approach to teaching others about wine and the inherent joys that can be found in any given glass.
Perfectly situated at the heart of Center City, this newest classroom is sure to become a well-sought out venue for folks wanting to experience some of the Wine School’s popular classes, classes which include but are not limited to Wine 101, Food and Wine Pairing, Sommelier Smackdown, and Top Wine Regions.
With a variety of students and configurations – young, old, couples, friends, those on their own – and three locations at the ready to conduct its classes, the Wine School is now the forerunner in Philadelphia’s growing wine education scene. Visit www.vinology.com to sign up for a class today.
For further information, please contact Beth Case at 800-817-7351, ext. 33
or email beth@vinology.com
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Keith Wallace & Brian Freedman Asked to Write Food & Wine Book
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For Immediate Release
The Wine School of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA. Keith Wallace and Brian Freedman are writing a food and wine book for a national publishing house! Philadelphians know Keith and Brian from The Wine School of Philadelphia, as well as a number of wine and food publications. The book is to be based on the school’s popular Corked & Forked series of cooking and wine classes.
Keith debuted the Corked & Forked cooking classes earlier this year. “I had been a chef in my early twenties, so I figured I could relive a bit of my wayward youth,” he says. “I didn’t expect they would be such a success, and I sure as hell didn’t expect that a publishing house would want me to turn these classes into a nationally-distributed book. That was a real surprise.”
Keith brought Brian into the mix immediately. “I still have to run The Wine School and I have another potential book in the works. Well, that, and Brian and I have fun cooking together and drinking.” The classes are going to continue, but now with added spice: Keith and Brian will be trying out their cookbook ideas on the unsuspecting folk of Philadelphia. Those attending classes will get a taste – literally – of what’s to come, and be able to add their two cents into the mix.
Organized by season and occasion – from a summer picnic to autumn brunch – every important moment of any given year will be captured in the upcoming cookbook. Deceptively simple but impressive recipes will be paired with great beers, wines, cocktails, and cordials. But don’t take “every important moment” too too literally. Keith and Brian will also be including the ever-important meals like “Making Up With the Girlfriend”, “On the Death of a Beloved Goldfish”, “Sorry I Used Your Razor and Left it Rusting in the Soapdish”, and “Just ‘Cause”, to name a few.
The recipes promise to be healthy, creative, and delectable; and all of them will be designed with real people in mind. An added plus is that each of the 100 recipes to be featured will include tricks of the trade and explanations so that even the most novice of cooks can feel like a superstar chef. And with Keith’s and Brian’s vast food and drink knowledge, the suggested beverage pairings are sure to heighten all the dishes in their arsenal, elevating the simplest of dinners into a special occasion.
Which major publishing house has the rare honor of publishing this tome? Wallace isn’t saying just yet, though he does offer an obvious hint to whom it may be: “I will say that I love them: they are my heroes. This is my first book, and it’s going to be as tough as slaying Medusa to get it done on time.”
Corked & Forked food and wine pairing classes have been scheduled through July 2010. Check them out at www.vinology.com, and be sure to come along for a ride which promises to be one riotous, albeit delicious, culinary adventure.
To set up a time to speak to Keith Wallace, please contact Beth Case at 800-817-7351, ext. 33, email beth@vinology.com.
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The Wine School vs. Vince McMahon
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For Immediate Release
Vince McMahon Issues Smackdown Against Wine School
Philadelphia, PA. Vince McMahon is taking on his oddest foe to date: a sommelier wine tasting. The World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., has issued a cease and desist against The Wine School of Philadelphia and its popular “Sommelier Smackdown” series of wine classes.
In a letter to the school’s owner, the WWE’s lawyers are threatened legal action if the school does not stop hosting the series of wine tastings. “I feel kind of special,” says Keith Wallace, “I am being picked on by Vince McMahon. I better start working out.”
The Sommelier Smackdown is a series of food and wine pairing events that take place in Philadelphia. The event pits a sommelier against a member of The Wine School team, and the audience gets to vote for the winner.
Mr. Wallace says he will not stop running the classes, at least for now. “They don’t have a leg to stand on. I am not going to bow down to a bully,” he says. “They claim that they own the term “smackdown” but they don’t.”
In response to the WWE threat, Wallace is calling out Mr. McMahon and the wrestler Chris Jerico to a wine-tasting double-team cage match.
Keith Wallace is the Founder and Director of The Wine School of Philadelphia. He is a contributing writer for The Daily Beast, and is currently working on his first book for Running Press.
To speak to Keith Wallace, please call 215-965-1514, ext. 33.
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The Big Red Smackdown
Filed Under Press Releases
The Wine School of Philadelphia
The Big Red Smackdown at The Wine School
In honor of Vince McMahon and the WWE
Philadelphia, PA. Outgunned perhaps, but not outwitted, The Wine School of Philadelphia’s very own Keith Wallace laid down the gauntlet last week when he challenged Vince McMahon and Chris Jerico to a Sommelier Smackdown challenge. The whole thing started when McMahon issued a cease and desist ordering the school to stop using what [he claims] is his trademark word: “smackdown”.
Wallace has not yet heard from either McMahon or the WWE’s lawyers. Nonetheless, he’s organized The Big Red Smackdown to take place Saturday, November 28, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, at The Wine School of Philadelphia.
“The LA Times, Wine Business News, the Inquirer, all ran with this story,” says Wallace. “But imagine my surprise when no less than a dozen pro wrestling online news sources picked up the story, a number of them making it the story of the day.”
“And I always imagined these big lugs knocking back cans upon cans of light beer.”
So, in honor of these (presumed) wine-appreciating wrestlers, and because it’ll be darn fun, Wallace organized the Big Red Smackdown. This particular match will feature reds coming from the school’s top instructors’ cellars.
That’s right, Keith Wallace, Brian Freedman, Frank Cipparone, and Collin Flatt, will be pouring and arguing the merits of their favorite reds. And the first folks to snatch up these tickets are in for one delicious and rumbling good time.
To order tickets, go to www.vinology.com
The Big Red Smackdown takes place Saturday, November 28, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
To speak with Keith Wallace, please call 800-817-7351, ext. 33, or email keith@vinology.com.
Thanksgiving at The Wine School
Filed Under Press Releases
Philadelphia, PA. Thanksgiving is upon us and with that comes entertaining friends and family, many coming from out of town. Make your holiday weekend ever more festive and memorable by attending one of the Thanksgiving Wine Classes at The Wine School of Philadelphia.
On Wednesday, November 25, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, “The Wines of Spain” will be conducted at Time Restaurant, our Center City classroom. Spain boasts wines from the famous region of Rioja to the lesser known regions of Priorat and Riax Biaxas. This is one of the school’s favorite classes to teach as there are some amazing Spanish wines available, and they won’t break the bank. You may just learn about a few wines that will go wonderfully with the next day’s dinner.
On Friday, November 27, from 7:30 – 9:30 PM, following that big day of eating and sleep, join us as we clarify (and taste) some of the most common but confusingly-named wines around. In “What the *#*A!” is Cabernet Franc?” we offer folks the chance to experience the major differences as well as the relationships between the following grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. A great opportunity to nail down the differences of some of the better known, albeit confusing, wines.
And definitely don’t miss out on “The Big Red Smackdown” taking place Saturday, November 28, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. This special Smackdown is being held in honor of Vince McMahon of the WWE, and those lucky enough to snatch up these tickets will be drinking the favorite red wines from the school’s founder and his team of high-spirited instructors. You don’t want to miss the chance to listen to these men argue and banter all while tasting and learning about favorite wines from their individual cellars. With Keith Wallace, Brian Freedman Frank Cipparone, and Collin Flatt.
Thanksgiving Holiday Wine Classes
Wednesday, November 25, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM: “The Wines of Spain”, Center City Classroom
Friday, November 27, from 7:30 – 9:30 PM: “What the *&^*% is Cabernet Franc”, Bacchus Classroom
Saturday, November 28, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM: “The Big Red Smackdown”, Bacchus Classroom
To order tickets go to www.vinology.com.
For more information, please call Beth Case at 800-817-7351, ext. 33, or email info@vinology.com.
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