Spirited Business - WineMasters

WINEMASTERS

Taking the Mystery out of Wine Selection

WineMasters Kevin Roche and Jim Treanor have spent most of their lives working in the wine and spirits industry. It was not until they became wine retailers, however, that they noticed a dramatic shift in the industry. Mega stores were taking over, threatening to put the boutique retailers out of business by breeding a sort of Walmart for wines. Roche and Treanor came together with a shared vision to increase their buying power and help make wine selection easier for their patrons. After conferring with numerous industry colleagues, WineMasters, the only retail wine consortium comprised exclusively of certified sommeliers, was born.

WineMasters first order of business was to reinvent the way wine was rated and make finding great wine easy. According to Kevin, “Consumers cannot just walk into a store and choose any old bottle of wine. They may as well blindfold themselves and choose.” We all know too well that buying wine in this way can lead to disappointment and a waste of money. It’s important to have an informed staff that knows what they’re talking about. Jim adds, “You need to buy wine from a knowledgeable staff, preferably certified sommeliers who’ve gone through training and have earned the title.” This is just one way that WineMasters distinguishes itself from the rest. All WineMasters member stores must have certified sommeliers on staff or be willing to earn certification through WineMasters. WineMasters also developed its own selection process, which is more stringent and legitimate than the current 100-point system. According to Kevin and Jim, the 100-point system is antiquated, confusing and does not provide a valid or consistent assessment of wine. Kevin says, “We wanted to make things much simpler and take the mystery out of selecting a quality wine at a good price. We taste thousands of mediocre wines a year so our customers don’t have to.” The WineMasters system of evaluation uses a sub-panel of reviewers to pre-screen thousands of wines per year before selecting those that will be put before WineMasters’ official sommelier panel. Only a select few meet the group’s criteria and earn the WineMasters Seal of Approval. With only around 200 wines awarded this honor in the group’s history, consumers can be confident that they are drinking a wine that offers the best value for its price. Another focus of the WineMasters program is to offer hard-to-find wines at the best possible price. In order to do this WineMasters’ founders sought to secure partnerships with a variety of top wineries and winemakers around the world who were also feeling disenfranchised with the three-tiered system. Kevin states, “Many wineries prefer our model to the current system, not only because they feel the traditional method is broken but because they are getting lost in the myriad of wines being presented by distributors. They simply are not getting the focus they deserve. This is a big factor in choosing to be a part of our wine portfolio.” By creating a direct from the winery system that allows WineMasters to sell wines directly from the vineyard to the consumer, they can offer the lowest possible prices on the wines they endorse. Currently, the WineMasters consortium includes 37 stores throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts and its membership is rapidly growing. According to Kevin, “We are always looking for stores that are interested in joining our group, provided they meet the criteria. The same thing goes for our wines; there are exceptional wines being made all over the world, we understand this and it is our goal to find these gems and bring them to the public.”

Consumers cannot just walk into a store and choose “ any old bottle of wine. They may as well blindfold themselves and choose.“

FUN FACT:

DJ INTERVENTION: For years studies have shown that plant life flourishes under the influence of music. Many scientists today are studying the effects of music on the growth of vines and grapes. Clever winemakers have put these findings into practice in their vineyards, influencing a slower ripening of the grapes and quicker fermentation.

By the way, grapes prefer classical music to heavy metal.

ADVANCED MIXOLOGY SPIRITED BUSINESS WINEMASTERS PICKS ORGANIC WINES

WineMasters Kevin Roche and Jim Treanor support vineyards that are organic and sustainable. Even before the organic boom, which implies restricted use of chemicals and genetic engineering, there were requirements of sustainability that addressed the long-term effect of winemaking on the environment. WineMasters believes that a big part of being sustainable is choosing crops that are naturally suited to the local environments and with no negative impact on the land. Jim states, “When selecting organic and sustainable wines, our goal is to carry those that we feel are true representation of their varietal. Those wines often tend to be gentler on the environment simply because they are most appropriate for it.”

2008 Casa al Vento “Foho” Chianti Classico

Made by winemaker Stefano Chioccioli, Foho has ruby red color with garnet highlights. The aroma is very intense and complex; you can smell immediately spiced wood notes (nutmeg and cacao) and then the typical Chianti fragrance of violet. The wine is smooth, elegant and warm with a long aftertaste.

2008 Casa al Vento “Aria” Chianti Classico

Made by winemaker Stefano Chioccioli, Aria has a red ruby color with soft garnet red nuances. On the nose an intense and complex bouquet with a good balance between fragrances of ripe red pulp fruits (plums and blackberry) and spiced wooden notes. We can define this wine harmonious, dry, warm, and pleasantly tannic.

2009 Costa al Sole Montepulciano

This ruby colored wine, made by winemaker Federico Riolfo, has bold inviting aromas of sour cherry, spices and dried herbs that explode from the glass and offer a preview of what is to follow on the palate. This smooth, medium-bodied wine is packed with ripe fruit flavor and nicely balanced by good acidity and soft tannins.

2009 Costa al Sole Nera D’Avola

If you like Syrah or Shiraz, you’ll love Nero D’Avola, a native Sicilian grape. This Nero D’Avola is concentrated and delectable with smoky black plum flavors. The finish is full bodied and has a hint of baker’s chocolate and dusty tannins.

2007 Lion’s Ridge Santa Cruz Chardonnay

Made by winemaker Stephen Tebb, this Chardonnay has aromas of pear, ripe Granny Smith apples, hints of tropical fruit with a touch of baking spices, hazelnut, and graham crackers. The rich flavors of ripe white peaches dominate the mouth. The finish is smooth, with traces of nutmeg and vanilla.

2005 Lion’s Ridge Meritage

Made by winemaker Stephen Tebb, Meritage is a blend of five varietals, grown in the heart of California’s Northern Central Coast. An elegant wine that offers fruit flavors of blackberries and currants, which also dominate the nose along with a hint of spice. Soft, elegant tannins create a nice backbone for dried cherry and blackberry fruit flavors. The finish is never-ending.

Food Pairing Tips from Wine Masters co-founder Kevin Roche:

What you are serving should not dictate the wine served, but how you prepare what you are serving. A simple philosophy is to pair by sauces. If your dish has a rich and hearty sauce, choose a hearty wine. If the dish is lighter, go with a light wine.

Two more things to remember: Sweet and heat go together and red wine is more flexible than white. Although wine works with most foods, some simply don’t taste best with wine.