Grateful to Celebrate

Gewurztraminer, I was in way over my head! I also almost got fired because I couldn’t ask for help.”

She learned a valuable lesson in the first two months about teamwork and communication. Janeen also learned how to adapt. Two was the busiest restaurant in the city and you had to be great at your job, or you would lose it.

Janeen’s experiences at TWO led her deeper into wine, especially after meeting two seasoned wine reps, Brandon Tai and Ryan Mullins. They showed her that wine isn’t pretentious and introduced her to the world of blind tasting. She began sitting in with them as they studied for sommelier exams and took a deep dive into training her palate.

In 2013, Janeen decided to sit for her own exams and passed easily. However, her first attempt at the certified, or Level 2 test, she failed. In the meantime, she moved over to The Spence at the beginning of 2014. Her time at this now-defunct restaurant was one of the most important in her career. The service crew was a range of palates that Janeen still tastes with today. Here, she learned the fundamentals of tasting and honed her skills by visiting farmer’s markets.

“I would go through and put a plastic bag on my hand and pick up different fruits and smell them. I would try to find them in different stages of ripeness and take them home to try to memorize what they tasted like. I constantly exposed myself to different tastes and flavors of fruits, herbs, and vegetables to broaden my palate.

Not to be deterred from her previous failure, she studied and tasted for a year until in 2015 she passed to officially become a sommelier. t was the Spring of the same year that Janeen became a bartender at Barcelona Wine Bar in Inman Park and where we first met. She knew the store was opening, but it wasn’t until I went on maternity leave that she was able to come across the street and the rest is history.

One of the common questions we are asked at the store is how to get into the wine world. After taking a deep dive into her resume, I asked Janeen what advice she would give someone starting out. And not surprisingly she said, “work in a restaurant.

You first learn patience, communication, and teamwork. You also learn self-presentation – how to behave in public. You learn what goes into the world and work we are in.” She also reminds us that an open mind is an open palate. “Always try new things. I don’t like big, tannic reds, but I will always taste them and sometimes I am surprised.” Also, “don’t be afraid! Certifications like the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) are open for everyone and all skill levels.”

As far as what Janeen is drinking, she learned from the beginning that she loves white wines with tons of citrus and acidity. Her current go-to is wines of Austria

“I appreciate the legal boundaries in Austria regarding organic farming, plus it is a cool climate so lower alcohol.”

She also leans towards the grape Chenin Blanc due to its versatility and she is a fan of anything with bubbles. For reds, Janeen leans towards light and chillable. She also tends to stay away from anything with oak aging but in strong contrast, she is a sucker for a well-made Spanish wine, especially Rioja. Another recent fascination is high skin contact whites. While she feels like there are many in the market “that call themselves Orange but are nothing more than overdone and underwhelming when you find a good one… it’s really good!”

Speaking of what she is drinking, here are some wine suggestions in Janeen’s words:

“I love Christina Gruner Veltliner. It’s produced naturally and has a wonderful family story. The bottle is clear so you can see the sediment and haziness float through the bottle like a lava lamp.

“The Domaine du Closel is a quintessential Chenin Blanc made by a very talented woman who is not afraid to be daring in classic Loire Valley. It’s mineral driven and earthy yet has a brightness that you always see in Chenin Blanc.

“The Valle dell’Acate is my favorite new producer. The wines come from volcanic Mt. Etna, made by a woman who sounds like a Mortal Kombat character (Gaetana Jacono), but also makes badass wine. Frappato is a light red with very delicate features, ending with a long finish. It has so much range with cuisines and is a great change of pace for Pinot Noir drinkers.