SOMM Film and Reception – A Day in the Sommelier’s Shoes

 

[UPDATE: DVDs for SOMM are on sale, but Amazon has already sold out! Order your copy here.]

If you’re thinking about going to the Boulder screening of SOMM film this week, well I won’t blow it with spoilers.

But what you can probably figure out from the trailer (below) is that this is a film about wine. And no, I don’t mean Sideways. I mean a film about knowing wine and knowing wine well enough to pass one of the most grueling exams in the world. So what does it take to become a Master Sommelier?

If you’re not already intrigued by this trailer, let’s talk about the little sommelier class I got to take before watching this film a few weeks ago as part of “An Evening with the Masters.”

A few of Denver’s best sommeliers poured us 6 glasses in MSU Denver’s amazing tasting tab for a blind-test, just like one you might find on a MS exam.

 

We went through these rigorous tasting notes only to discover that all 3 of the whites we tastes were Chardonnay grapes and all 3 of the reds we tried were Shiraz grapes! The whole point of the exercise was to make us aware of how much of an impact things like age, climate, and region have on a wine’s taste. With this in mind, it’s no wonder the French label wine by their region instead of their grape varietal!

After the wine class, we took a little tour of Denver’s best restaurants who were offering fantastic bites paired with delicious wines (or sake) selected by some of the film’s Sommeliers.

 

Some of my favorite dishes were Chef Matt Selby‘s oysters with bacon, paired with Champagne (because oysters and Champagne is wine pairing 101 and even MORE perfect with the salty bacon). Le Grand Bistro‘s new chef, John Broening, also showed off his super tender short ribs which were perfect for fall with a nice yam purée underneath.

 

On the tasting floors, we discovered some new restaurants and great flavors before watching the film.

 

So don your sommelier tongue and check out SOMM next week in Boulder. You may just want to stop by Frasca Food and Wine after for some… uh… “applied learning.”

À votre santé!

A big thanks to Leigh Sullivan of LSE Consulting who provided me with tickets to this event when some of the other guests canceled.