May Likes TorontoWhat's the most niche topic that you can confidently talk about for 5 minutes?
Kim Possible 
@mayintoronto I used to be somewhat of an expert on wine. Got out of the biz in 2007. But, a lot of the info. sticks.
Reay@kimlockhartga @mayintoronto Could’ve used you a few days ago.
At the LCBO we’re of course trained in various alcohols as part of the on-boarding process, but not deeply on any one. And particularly not deeply on wines, I’m guessing due to their huge variety. Four years at the job, and there are varietals mentioned to me that I’ve still never heard of before.
Anyway, last week a polite young guy came in and over to me where I was stocking a shelf and asked if I was a sommelier.
I held back a laugh from WAY not being one, and politely said I wasn’t but I could still try to help him.
He asked what wine would go best with goat cheese.
I immediately told him that yeah, I was going to go get my shift lead to help him with that one.
Alison Meeks@reay You might find this helpful. Michael is a friend of a friend who does wine reviews. https://michaelpinkuswinereview.com/
@kimlockhartga @mayintoronto
@kimlockhartga @mayintoronto
@Alison @kimlockhartga @mayintoronto Thanks!
I’ve learned a TON more about wine since working there, of course. But at least as much as not has come from my own interest. How’s a Malbec different from a Carmenere isn’t covered by the on-boarding training, but I wanted to know. Stuff like that.
Our product consultant, Steve, is a wealth of wine (and other product) info. He’s forgotten more about wine than I’ll ever know, but always politely and casually talks to people at their level and gives them what they need, even if it’s not what they think they want, and that will often be cheaper than what they thought they’d be spending.
Zero complaints about his suggestions, ever.
When he was transferred to another store, we lost vintage customers because some literally started going to his new branch in order to keep contact with him.
When he got transferred back recently and he started flagging items again with his Steve’s Pick tags, people for weeks were asking me if that was “THE Steve”, and were delighted to hear he was back.
I try to listen in to anything he tells customers to hopefully absorb some of it, but I don’t have a memory for all the details.
@kimlockhartga @Alison @mayintoronto He’s been great. I can always come to him with any wine questions and just like with any customers, he’ll break it down for me in terms he grasps I can follow. Helps me for future customer service.
Every store needs a Steve. 🙂
@reay @Alison @mayintoronto Maybe he could help me find a late-harvest Gewürztraminer. I had one once and could never find it again.
@kimlockhartga @Alison @mayintoronto I won’t see him again until at least Friday, the way my shifts have been cut these days, but I’ll try to remember to ask.
@reay @Alison @mayintoronto It's all good. I probably just need to go to Atlanta to find it. I'm lazy!
C++ Wage Slave@Alison @reay @kimlockhartga @mayintoronto
That site seems to be experiencing the Fedi hug of death. 😏 I've bookmarked it for later perusal.
@Alison @reay @kimlockhartga @mayintoronto
The site is back online now. Thanks for the recommendation. Whilst I don't doubt his good taste, Michael Pinkus, unsurprisingly, spends more on a bottle of wine than I can afford to.
@CppGuy @reay @kimlockhartga @mayintoronto Yikes! I hadn’t realized. I’m not a wine drinker so was aware of the site but hadn’t browsed it.
Hey, no harm done. I don't mind a bit of oenological window-shopping. 🙂
@CppGuy @Alison @kimlockhartga @mayintoronto That’s too bad. I’d think covering sub-$20 bottles would get more eyeballs on the reviews.
I’ve come to realize I don’t have a taste for anything much more than that. We have occasionally sampled much more expensive ones at work. And frankly, I usually prefer the ones I tend to get that are under $20. 🤷♂️
@reay @CppGuy @Alison @mayintoronto You're correct for two reasons: under $20 wines are going for a pleasant experience you can enjoy right now. Expensive, very complex wines are usually terrible until aged a bit in the bottle. Even Chardonnays need a little aging, IMHO.
Ooh, yeah. People often keep modest wines too long, expecting them to improve with age. They don't.
An elderly relative bought almost 100 bottles of heavily advertised supermarket wine in 1999, stuck them in a wine rack in the hottest part of the house, and forgot about them for 25 years. White wine turned beige; red, brown; and most of it tasted of mildew. All of it went down the drain.
@reay @mayintoronto I would have recommended a crus Beaujolais, but most people don't want to chill them properly (one of the few reds you want below cellar temp). So, then I might have suggested Chilean Carménère, if you have that, or Pinot Noir if not too earthy (Meiomi is dynamite). Merlot is too flabby, and Cabernet too tannic. Zinfandel or Petite Sirah would work if aged, and maybe Syrah if not too peppery.
The big thing with food and wine matches is that you generally want perpendicular flavors, which is why ruby port works with Stilton cheese. So, for example, you wouldn't want a buttery Chardonnay with lobster, but rather a bold crisp wine that can cut through the rich buttery lobster. A crisp champagne with delicate bubbles would work much better.
The other problem is that everyone at the table is usually eating something different, and every food changes the taste of the wine. Unless the wine changes with courses, and those courses are the same or similar for everyone, the match won't work well.