Coly Den HaanImage used with permission by copyright holder
Ever wonder what the brightest minds in their field do in their off time? So do we. That inspired us to pick the brains of Michelin-starred chefs to see what they’re munching on at home. Now, we’re asking the top winos in the land what they like to drink away from the workplace.
It’s an irresistible question, sort of like asking which fellow athletes a star pro basketball player appreciates, or what hacks a sleep expert uses to snooze better. These people are at the top of their field for a reason, and we can’t help but want to be flies on their walls. In this case, we want to nose through their fridges, wine cellars, and home bars.
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Coly Den Haan is a sommelier and wine shop owner based in Southern California. Her store, Vinovore, is a bottle shop set along the edge of the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. It’s run by women and features women winemakers, along with selections from sake, beer, and cider producers. For Den Haan, when she’s off the clock it’s all about sipping on a classic.
“As much as I love wine and how it’s a major part of my life, at home I tend to go straight for an ice-cold martini,” she says. “My current favorite is two parts Future Gin, one part Dolin extra dry vermouth, a splash of dirty juice with an olive and a twist!”
Filippo Bartolotta is a seasoned wine expert, having logged many years in the circuit. He has served as a tasting judge for Decanter and has been dubbed the “sommelier of the stars,” having worked with Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, and the Obama family in Tuscany. Bartolotta jokes that while not working, he takes a break from booze. “Kidding,” he assures us.
“Usually I open samples that come my way and I enjoy sharing them later with friends and neighbors to hear what they think,” he says. “Occasionally I crack open some old vintages like, tonight, an Amarone 1971 for my best friend’s birthday.”
He’s definitely the kind of somm you hope to live in the neighborhood with, to take part in some of his frequent sampling parties. Bartolotta also appreciates some iconic go-to Italian sippers. “I love a taste of artisan amaro or some serious grappa in winter,” he admits. “A good craft beer to break the routine as well.”
Over in the desert in Arizona, Paola Embry is the wine director at the stunning Wrigley Mansion. The Chilean-born somm has earned quite a following, having created an amazing list at Wrigley along with several other outposts. Her esteemed and varied wines lists have earned her the “Best Award of Excellence” title from Wine Spectator multiple times.
“When I’m off the clock, I love drinking different Crus of Beaujolais from any of the ten Cru Villages,” Embry says. “They tend to go well with the many comfort foods that we eat during the numerous festivities of the holiday months.”
What kind of pairings? Embry is one step ahead of us. “For example, Juliénas pairs perfectly with game meat like lamb, duck, or a wild meat ragù Bolognese with pappardelle pasta—some of the most ideal comfort food, in my opinion,” she says. “I also love a more medium-bodied Chénas.”
Embry also can’t resist a good bottle of bubbles. “I also love to drink growers champagne, which I also like to refer to sometimes as ‘farmer fizz,'” she says. “These are bottles that are produced by very small, often family-owned, Champagne houses, leading to small batches of artisanal and incredibly delicious Champagne.”
She’s especially fond of NV André Couet No.3 Grand Cru Rosé, Bouzy, Champagne made from Pinot Noir. Also, a couple of 100% Chardonnay selections including NV Larmandier-Bernier ‘Latitude’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 1er Cru, Vertus, Champagne as well as NV Robert Moncuit ‘Les Grand Blancs’ Blanc des Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.
NV André Couet No.3 Grand Cru Rosé, Bouzy, Champagne
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Take delight in this 100% Pinot Noir flavored with seductive notes of pomegranate, raspberry, wild strawberry, cherry blossoms, fresh red and pink flowers, crushed chalk, and orange zest.
Somm Erin Scala runs the wine program Birdie’s in Virginia. The oyster bar, cafe, and wine hangout touts a list of some 400 bottles. Scala likes a few options away from work, alcoholic and not, many unexpected.
“Parker Girard, our wonderful Bar Manager, introduced us all to Stappi—a red rhubarb bitter soda that is non-alcoholic but similar to Campari in flavor,” Scala says. “It is the perfect drink for when you want something amazing without the alcohol.”
Scala also loves tea. “I go crazy over high-quality Oolong Tea,” she says. “I love trying all the different iterations, and Oolong is one of those elegant, hand-made products that are not difficult to find.” Scala hunts specifically for the loose-leaf kind at nicer tea shops or natural food stores.
What about wine? Well, like a lot of somms, Scala is into Syrah. But she’s also into a lesser-known sparkling. “In Limoux, they’ve been making sparkling wine since 1531,” Scala says. “There are two main kinds, Blanquette and Crémant, and both are usually affordable and delicious. These are typically based on Chenin Blanc or Mauzac, and tend to have a lovely deep flavor that kind of reminds me of pears.”
So if you ever want to drink like the sommeliers do, now you know how.
Beer news: Left hand Brewing introduces Belgian White Nitro, the world’s first bottled wheat beer with nitrogen
Learn all about this unique nitro beer
If you’re an avid beer drinker, especially a stout fan, you’ve probably noticed the word “nitro” listed on some bottles and cans. Some of the most well-known nitro beers are Breckenridge Nitro Vanilla Porter, AleSmith Black Velvet, and, of course Guinness Draught Stout.
If you didn’t know it, the folks at Guinness actually created the use of nitrogen gas in beers. Nitro beers are creamy, velvety, and very smooth. How else would you want to drink a Guinness at home, right? While there’s no way to fully recreate the experience of ordering a perfect pint of Guinness Stout at an Irish pub in Dublin, cracking open a creamy nitro can at home is as close as you’re going to get.
The Irish Whiskey Awards named this the best Irish whiskey of the year (and they should know)
Who doesn't love a good Irish whiskey?
If you call yourself a fan of Irish whiskey (Ireland is the only other country along with the U.S. that uses the ‘e’ in whiskey), but you only drink Jameson, it’s time to branch out. There are countless noteworthy, award-winning, nuanced Irish whiskeys on the market. Many come from the likes of Redbreast, Tullamore D.E.W., Connemara, Bushmills, and Teeling. But also, some amazing expressions are being produced by smaller, up-and-coming whiskey makers.
The best way to find these whiskey-saturated diamonds in the rough you can ask an employee at your local liquor store, read an article like this, peruse online reviews, or check out which brands have won prestigious awards. While all are great options, we believe the latter is the best choice, especially if the award in question is the “Best Irish Whiskey of The Year” at The Irish Whiskey Awards. Who could be better to judge the value of Irish whiskey than Irish whiskey experts?
This is what an award-winning gingerbread house looks like
Need some gingerbread house decorating ideas? These are expert level
When you think of gingerbread houses - depending on which camp you’re in - you either imagine making magical memories, Nat King Cole crooning in the background. In contrast, well-behaved and tidy little ones carefully adorn their perfectly crafted gingerbread houses with sparkling gumdrops and sweet little giggles. Or, you’re a parent in the real world, and the thought of making gingerbread houses every year fills you with agony. You know that the Hallmark movie version of gingerbread house making and decorating is a lie. In reality, the holly jolly process is a frustratingly sticky, nerve-wrenchingly tricky, and candy-crumbling nightmare, resulting in a house that looks far less like the cover of the magazine and more like it was made by a team of blind, drunken elves. Either way, gingerbread houses are one of the most festive traditions of the season, and (when done by those who actually know what they’re doing) can be beyond impressive and absolutely beautiful.
On November 21st, The Omni Grove Park Inn of Asheville, North Carolina, hosted its highly anticipated Annual National Gingerbread House Competition. Enjoying its 31st year, the competition is a favorite of many holiday bakers, giving them not only a chance to showcase their talents but also take home some of the competition’s over $40,000 in cash and prizes.
Bakers, each with their own unique gingerbread house ideas, competed in groupings according to age, with five categories, including Adult, Teen (ages 13 - 17), Youth (ages 9 - 12), Child (ages 5 - 8), and People’s Choice: Best in Show Award. Each and every gingerbread house was required to be 100% edible and made of at least 75% gingerbread. Judges - including famed celebrity cake artist Yolanda Gampp - also looked closely at the overall appearance, originality, creativity, difficulty, precision, and consistency of the theme.
The winners featured below have absolutely blown us away with their talents and perhaps even given us some new gingerbread house decorating ideas to chew on this year. Or maybe we just leave it to these guys while we kick back with Home Alone.
