Shakers Mag >inspiring spirits by Shakers Magazine

SHAKERS > inspiring spirits

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the idea • distilled to stir curiosity around a booming industry and the personalities that make it shake. Publisher Ryan Sanchez Art Director Manny Espinoza Editor at Large Mark C. Anderson Photographers Manny Espinoza, Mark C. Anderson, Ryan Chard Smith, Kristin Parran, Darren Lovecchio Contributing Writers Otis Conklin, Adam Joseph, Heidi Licata, Juanita Rose, Stuart Thornton, Xania V. Woodman, Katie Blandin, Blair Ellis, Jeff Moses, George Z. Peterson Copy Editor Kate Hansen Advertising 831-236-1998 SHAKERS MAGAZINE 831-277-6013 | www.shakersmag.com P.O. Box 1752 | Monterey, CA 93942

alinas native Michael Murphy, co-founder of Esalen, the human potential hub in Big Sur with world-famous hot springs and world-changing workshops, is a golf nut. He was there in 1972 for Pebble Beach’s first U.S. Open and witnessed both Jack Nicklaus’s third Open victory, and the insane one-iron Nicklaus bounced off the flag stick at 17. Turns out 1972 is right around when Murphy published Golf in the Kingdom, one of the best-selling golf novels ever written, now published in 19 languages. In it the young protagonist meets a mystical pro in Scotland named Shivas Irons, who tells him about the “deeper structure of the universe.” “Let the nothingness into yer shots,” Irons says. Murphy has long been obsessed with exceptional—near mystical—human performance in all areas. In fact, he draws from 3,000 sources to explore recorded “supernormal” abilities in everything from martial arts to telepathy for his nonfiction work The Future of the Body. “It’s there in all sports, there in everyday life,” he told our editor in an interview conducted when Golf in the Kingdom was made into a movie. “If we open our lives to the possibility of the extraordinary, [our lives] can be bigger and richer.” With our inaugural golf issue, and every issue of Shakers, that’s the goal: to seek out extraordinary souls worth celebrating. They may not be masters of jiu-jitsu or telepathic but they do dedicate themselves to making life bigger and richer for their guests. Across these pages that takes us from Las Vegas (p. 72) to Holland (48), Pebble Beach (30) to Peru (62). It also takes us to a unique bar in Berkeley with a remarkable cocktail inspired by a supernormal shooter named Steph Curry (40), who happens to be a scratch golfer. As unbelievable as he and the Warriors have been, they’re facing their most formidable opponent yet. The Toronto Raptors play the toughest transition D in the league. Kawhi Leonard is a Defensive Player of the Year and scores more per touch than anyone in the playoffs. They whupped the Dubs both times in the regular season, despite 81 points from Kevin Durant in those two games. Now they're without home court advantage, back-to-back Finals MVP Durant himself or a healthy Klay Thompson. But hey, here’s hoping for something extraordinary.

Ryan Sanchez, Publisher

Mark Anderson, Editor at Large

LABELS WE LOVE Fr i s k y Wh i s k e y

Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey • Skrewball Whiskey • skrewballwhiskey.com The Spice Tree • Compass Box Whiskey • compassboxwhiskey.com Magnus Highland Park Whiskey • Highland Park Whiskey • highlandparkwhiskey.com Heaven's Door Tennessee Bourbon • Heaven's Door Spirits • heavensdoor.com Wayward Whiskey • Venus Spirits • venusspirits.com Lot No.40 Rye Whisky • Northern Border Collection • instagram.com/lot40

20/10 Vision Monterey

UP IN THE

CLUB Celebrated chef Colin Moody has his flavor game right on course. By Juanita Rose | Photos by Manny Espinoza

aster chef Colin Moody knows green and he knows greens.

On the green front, he launched the sustainable committee for the Monterey Bay chapter of the American Culinary Federation way back in 2006, helped take Asilomar Conference Grounds to zero waste long before it was a mainstream idea, and is now moving The Club at Pasadera toward the first green restaurant certification of any golf club in California, and maybe the wider west. On the greens front, he has taken a distinguished chef pedigreeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;his mentors include the same master chef Roland Henin who has tutored Thomas Keller and Ron DeSantisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and used it to make golfers very, very happy. He directed the six kitchens at Monterey Peninsula Country Club for a decade, where he helped it earn a Distinguished Club Emerald Rating, and now is aiding the reinvention underway at The Club at Pasadera, where new local ownership is in place, membership is booming and Jack Nicklaus visits the course he designed in time for the U.S. Open.

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"Taste, taste, taste and taste againâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;until it makes you wanna cry with happiness." 14

Moody also knows his way around beverage service, so his unique alchemy of food, drink, golf and ecology makes him a prime candidate to tee it up for Shakers’ regular feature “20/10 Vision,” in which he sizzles up answers to 20 questions in 10 words or fewer (with the occasional mulligan). Favorite flavor profile? Citrus-salt-spice-umami-sweet. Make the whole tongue happy! Prefered atypical ingredient? Sumac. Favorite past trend that’s making a comeback—in drinks or food? Street food and old school garde manger [a refrigerated case of cold dishes like salads, canapés, pâtés and terrines]. When do you feel most alive? In the ocean, cooking, on an electric skateboard, sex. Most underappreciated bar technique? Making everyone at the bar happy and heard. How you influence drinks at Pasadera? Working with the bartenders on seasonal flavors and simple syrups. [Current seasonals include lavender, stone fruits, cherries, figs, ginger, yerba buena.] Favorite thing about your job? Getting paid to play with food; always pushing limits. Insider tip for casual bar guests? Order high-quality simple drinks. Ask your bartender for suggestions. Favorite underground bar? Cultura Comida y Bebida [in Carmel].

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Most annoying bartending phenomenon? Over-mixing and over-acting. What's one way you incorporate chef insight into drinks? Balancing flavors using unusual savory ingredients. Favorite obscure liquor(s)? Ilegal Joven and Nolets Reserve Gin. Biggest misconception of barkeep industry? That it’s an easy job. Favorite toast? Burnt sourdough. Best value(s) on the liquor market these days? Bulleit Bourbon, North Shore Distiller’s Gin No.6. Favorite liquor marketing concept? Quality over quantity. Favorite bar-centric TV show or movie? Any of the scenes from The Bamboo Lounge in Goodfellas. What's your cocktail spirit animal? Jalapeño Margarita. Favorite nightcap? Nolet’s gin and tonic with a squeeze of Satsuma tangerine. Best advice for home mixologists? Taste, taste, taste and taste again—until it makes you wanna cry with happiness. (I had extra words left over, so that’s fair....) > More at theclubatpasadera.com. 16

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MIXING IT UP Piper-Heidsieck Rare Tasting

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Wine Flights VIP introduces a luxury tasting experience that embraces sky and soil. By Otis Conklin | Photos Courtesy of Wine Flights VIP

reat wine is about place: soil, sun, climate, and, very often, beauty that’s as enjoyable to drink in as the vino it bears. So when longtime aviation professional Michelle Wilkinson overhead some visitors in Carmel from Napa talking about their connection to wineries further north, her next—and tastiest—project took wings. The couple was lamenting what they saw as a disconnect between the many tasting rooms in Carmel-by-the-Sea and the regions where the grapes are grown. “We know the vineyards in Napa,” she remembers them saying, “and there are so many tasting rooms here, but we don’t know much about where [Monterey County] wines come from.” Wilkinson’s 35 years in air travel include time running

TECHNOLOGY

Northern California

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“It’s fun. It’s part of who I am. I love to entertain. I love to do events. I guess it’s just in my nature.”

massive freight operations, major airline customer service, and a stint owning her own small fleet of planes. So she started thinking it couldn’t be too outlandish to transport wine lovers like said Napa couple to the vineyards themselves. Today, her thought experiment is a reality, and her company presents some of the loftier tasting experiences on the planet. Wine Flights VIP fully customizes door-to-door helicopter and private jet tastings loaded with sumptuous elements, to vineyards ranging from Paso Robles to Cachagua Valley to Napa Valley. Scheid Vineyards, Eden Rift and Galante Vineyards rank among the dozen or so destinations to which Wine Flights currently flies. 22

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Based out of the Monterey Jet Center, Wine Flights begins by interviewing clients—asking what kind of wines they like to drink, how much they want to nerd-out on educational aspects and what occasion they might be celebrating. (For the record, just-forthe-heck-of-it suffices.) Then she and operations chief Shane Smit—of Overtone musical group fame—select a fitting destination from a portfolio of partner wineries and get to work setting up other details, including winemaker-led tastings in the vines (featuring personalities like Jack Galante), chef-crafted al fresco lunches (popular chef Jerome Viel of Carmel Valley is a go-to favorite), luxury ground transportation (classic cars are an option) and takehome bottles. Packages start at a cool $2,800. Wilkinson clearly basks in the chance to design a unique experience for her guests. “I never asked myself why I enjoy it so much,” she says. “It’s fun. It’s part of who I am. I love to entertain. I love to do events. I guess it’s just in my nature.” A serendipitous encounter at Mer Soleil Winery with celebrated craft winemaker-entrepreneur-pilot Steve McIntyre, who in addition to his own McIntyre label and contract-growing work has a plane charter business called Monterey Pacific International (or MPI Jet), opened up more opportunities. It has Smit feeling like new opportunities are going to take off from here. “My goal,” he says, “is to take Wine Flights VIP to an international level, to make it even more creative, more convenient, more memorable.” > More at wineflightsVIP.com. 24

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LIFESTYLE

Carmel-by-the-Sea

PLUCK

OF THE IRISH

A mythic love affair between a golf-centric Irish pub and an Irish champion. By Mark C. Anderson | Photos by Manny Espinoza

hen Graeme McDowell won the U.S. Open last time it visited Pebble Beach (in 2010), it was, well, a major surprise. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els, owners of 21 majors between them, were all in contention. The diminutive McDowell hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t won a single major, and just three tourneys overall. Besides, rising star Dustin Johnson was coming off back-to-back wins at the AT&T Pro-Am and held a three-shot lead over McDowell going into the final round. But suddenly, come Sunday, Johnson was coughing up six strokes on a single three-hole stretch, and Woods, Mickelson and Els played 8, 9 and 10 a combined 10-over par. Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s McDowell held steady, drilling greens in regulation and putting third best in the field.

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If his win was a surprise—“I can’t believe I have ‘major champion’ after my name from now on,” he said—so too was how he celebrated. Gathering a troupe of Irish caddies, Irish golf writers and fellow Irish golfers and their wives (and some adopted “Irishman”), McDowell eschewed anything fancy and led a spontaneous field trip to Brophy’s Irish Pub in Carmel-bythe-Sea, a known caddies’ bar with a familial feel. When he arrived, the place erupted. The bell that hangs over the bar clanged. Euro-style singing started in earnest. He signed the big photo mural of Pebble Beach Golf Course on the wall. He went behind the bar and poured shots. He signed golf balls and chatted up the place. Jameson and Guinness flowed. Much has changed since. Locally owned Brophy’s sold to corporate ownership with the wider hotel property. Woods has authored an ugly demise and uncanny comeback. After a long wait, the displaced Brophy’s team found a new, bigger and nicer home in a spot smack dab in the middle of Carmel’s most dynamic stretch of bar-restaurants, opening Mulligan Public House, an Irish gastropub. But some things haven’t changed, like much of Mulligan’s team from the OG Brophy’s, for one; the golf allegiance (note the “Caddy Shack” bacon-and-beer flight and other themed items); and the down-home atmosphere. That all makes it a prime watering hole the week of the U.S. Open (and any time, really). A photo of McDowell and owner-operator Erin Reimer (pictured, left, in a newer photo) hangs on the Mulligan wall from the celebratory night in 2010. Mark Sampognaro was bartending then, as he will be U.S. Open weekend, one of the five Brophy’s-now-Mulligan workers still on board. “An hour before his first Guinness here, [McDowell] was on the 18th Hole with the trophy,” Sampognaro says. “It was like he was one of the locals who came in every day, here with all his buddies.” > More at mulliganpublichouse.com > 28

“I can’t believe I have ‘major champion’ after my name from now on.”

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Point Pinos Grill

Carmel Valley Ranch 30

Porters in the Forest

U.S. OPEN Bars

A look at five strong golf course bar-restaurants in the Mecca of the sport. By Mark Anderson | Photos by Darren Lovecchio

ne of the most famous 19th holes in the world is The Tap Room at Pebble Beach. The problem, on a weekend like the U.S. Open: It’s almost impossible to squeeze in. Oh, and another thing: Only “Premier Lodge” ticket holders can access it, or any of the Pebble Beach Lodge restaurants. Those tickets cost $1,500. And…they’re sold out.

Edgar’s at Quail Lodge The from-scratch food features seductions like the black truffle burger and Earthbound Farms green salad with lettuce from down the road, and the specialty cocktails merit a trip by themselves, whether your game is the St. Germain Pear Martini or the Carmel Valley Zombie. More at quaillodge.com.

The good news is this. Pebble Beach is one of nearly 30 golf courses in the area, which is also a world capital for fresh produce. These five spots, each nestled along scenic golf courses with chef-driven menus, rank among the sane and splendid alternatives.

Point Pinos Grill at Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course Owner and Executive Chef Dory Ford makes sure the menu is far more California contemporary than muni course clubhouse (note the sustainable rock cod po’ boy), and the drinks are on target too (check the super cheap well drinks and the upscale Italian Margarita with Cazadores Reposado Tequila, Triple Sec, Lefty O' Douls Margarita Mix, Rosie's Lime Juice, Disaronno Italian Liqueur). More at pointpinosgrill.com.

Bayonet Blackhorse It soars way above the bay but stays under the radar, despite having hosted several PGA events. The Friday happy hour is arguably the best duffers’ deal in town, and the view from the heights above Seaside rivals posh Pebble Beach spots, at a tiny fraction of the price. The food—like the soft-shell tempura BLT Crabby Shack—is underrated too. More at bayonetblackhorse.com. The Clubhouse at Carmel Valley Ranch Chef Tim Wood knows how to make CVR’s lavish gardens, beehives, on-site chickens and extensive lavender fields work for the kitchen. He also knows how to have a good time, which is one reason his operation always has ahead-of-the-curve cocktails like the Lavender Bliss and Basil Rye-der, available at a stunning wrap-around bar beneath cathedral ceilings. More at carmelvalleyranch.com.

Porter’s in the Forest at Poppy Hills Golf Course Against panoramic and elevated views of Del Monte Forest, the grub ranges from classic (seafood fettuccine) to clever (Korean Philly cheesesteak with shaved tri-tip). The drinks are impressive, like the “bacon-and-blue” martini, with blue cheesestuffed olives, a spray of smokey Scotch and housemade bacon featured in NCGA Magazine. More at poppyhillsgolf.com/porters. —Mark C. Anderson

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PA R T N E R C O N T E N T S a l i n a s Va l l e y

Representing Good Taste

How a wine-loving lawyer carved out a niche as a master attorney for master sommeliers. By Helen DeYoung | Photos by Manny Espinoza

eff Gilles’s legal career for the Guild of the Master Sommeliers Education Foundation, Inc. (aka SommFoundation”) began when industry legend and Master Sommelier Fred Dame walked into his law office with an idea of creating a nonprofit entity to handle charitable contributions of wine to help train and test students wishing to become master somms in the United States. Gilles and Dame had been fast friends from the first party they attended together, where Gilles “Damed”—a term used to indicate a fast and correct identification of any wine in the world—Handel’s Water Music Suite conducted by the London Symphony. That launched a friendship that would take them everywhere from epic mountain adventures with the Charlie Russell Riders in Montana to annual intergenerational Father’s Day wild boar hunts in South Monterey County. Their mutual appreciation of classical music remains. Gilles chuckles when remembering his wife Sue Gilles

and Carolyn Dame’s chagrin with being presented tickets to Don Giovanni, instead of Bon Jovi. As bold as their adventures are, the legacy of their friendship resides in their desire to mentor, to build and to give back. Gilles continues to handle all of Dame’s legal needs along with his new partner, Paul Rovella. “He helped me and my fellow masters create one of the most important nonprofits in the wine industry,” Dame says, “The training of talented individuals interested in earning their Level 1, 2, 3 and finally Level 4 [master sommelier degrees]”. That is no small feat: While there is still just a small number of master sommeliers in the world, SommFoundation has a membership of more than 12,000. At this year’s Relais & Châteaux GourmetFest Gilles was “pinned.” The prestigious honorary Masters pin was awarded by Master Sommelier Jay James, the current chair of the Board of Directors of SommFoundation, in

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recognition of his years of legal service. Wine icon Larry Stone was present to do the honors. “Thank you for your service,” Stone said, in characteristic humility, and then jokingly, “I think I’ve only seen one of these before!” Gilles began his journey in wine working at his mom and dad’s grocery store and liquor store (Tiny’s Market) in Greenfield, California. Gilles took on the responsibilities of ordering and evaluating wines from renowned Napa wineries such as Louis Martini, Paul Masson and Robert Mondavi. He fondly remembers ordering various cases of Louis Martini Cabernet and Pinot in the ’60s and ’70s which were opened up by his family and friends for years thereafter. From Greenfield to his travels in the 70s throughout Europe and 80s throughout Mexico and South America, Gilles continued to

gain wine experience and a deep love for the agricultural families that created wines that were unique to that area. He fondly recounts his first practical food and wine lesson in 1977 from Manuel Raventós of Codorniu in Barcelona, Spain. “Manuel ordered us a variety of courses ending with the main course, paella,” Gilles says. “He asked me to pick the wines for the meal. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to pick the wines for the lunch and he had me pick again, and again, until I got it right.” Gilles is close friends and the attorney to some of our leading Peninsula’s wine and food leaders. A graduate of Santa Clara University, Gilles passed the California Bar in 1979, and started off as corporate counsel for Bruce Church, Inc. (now Fresh Express) in Salinas, California. He quickly became involved in

organizations such as Knights of the Vine, as a board member and now a board member emeritus and the Chaine des Rotissuers, where he’s a 30-year member. He is also one of the original members of the Gentlemen’s Wine Club, started by Dame. As an agricultural business attorney with deep Salinas Valley roots, his clients and friends are involved with all aspects of growing and processing grapes into wines. In every wine or agriculture family, gatherings are a special time to make memories and build skills. As his own children were growing up, Gilles recalls many nights at the barbecue cooking some of his South County’s favorites—skirt steak, Swiss sausage and sweet breads, always with wine. His children recount their dad putting wines in a brown bag, pouring a little bit in a glass and asking them to look at it, swirl it, and smell it—“OK”, he would say, “What do you think? What do you smell?” These lessons served them well. Lia Gilles is now a Level 3 sommelier and a rising star in the wine industry, and Jack Gilles is an avid wine collector working in the agricultural industry. Their dad continues

to love meeting up-and-coming sommeliers, professionals in the Peninsula’s top restaurants, and study partners of his daughter. “These students are what the SommFoundation has always been about, helping them achieve their personal and educational goals,” he says. “It’s fantastic to hear the excitement and passion in their voice as they talk about a particular pairing or emerging wine region.” Working with SommFoundation, he adds, has been “a proud continuation of many exciting life experiences in wine and agriculture.” Gilles and his law firm JRG Attorneys at Law (Johnson, Rovella, Retterer, Rosenthal and Gilles, LLP) continue to be involved in every legal aspect of the agriculture, viticulture and hospitality industries. So the experiences are far from over. > More at sommfoundation.com.

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TA S T E M A K E R Berkeley

LiquidGOLD East Bay Spice Company translates subcontinent spice and Golden State Warriors love into one amazing drink. By Stuart Thornton | Photos Courtesy of East Bay Spice Company

singular cocktail called the Golden State Curry (pictured, right) arrives on the bar at Berkeley’s East Bay Spice Company glowing yellow. It’s as vibrant as the color of the bridge on the Golden State Warriors’ jerseys, and it nods to the NBA team’s singularly talented point guard. I’ve come to sample it just as Curry averaged 36.5 points a game in the Western Conference finals to lead the Dubs to their fifth consecutive NBA finals, which were starting as this issue went to press. Like the two-time MVP, this drink is an undisputed winner.

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"Bartenders weigh in on every item on the menu, and a drink is made 40 or 50 times before being served at the bar." That means it is no Blue Hawaiian, an over-the-top tropical drink that’s only real distinguishing quality is its coloring. Rather, this wildly unique offering enjoys a complex and vibrant blend of flavors resulting from a seemingly disparate mix of ingredients. The house-made curry coconut cream gives the drink its color and much of its taste, without being overwhelming. Brazilian Amburana cachaca provides punch. Scandinavianstyle, micro-distilled Krogstad Aquavit from House Spirits (who also make Aviation Gin) brings balance and hints of star anise and caraway. Meanwhile a rare Bolivian muscat distillate (Singani 63, from celebrated filmmaker Steven Soderbergh), lime juice and a touch white creme de cacao liqueur all help conspire to create a cohesive cocktail. Impossibly obscure and remarkably refreshing, the drink flat-out floored me. I would’ve marveled more at the uncanny combination of ingredients—how the hell did they combine all those faraway flavors?—if I wasn’t so busy enjoying it. And I’m not alone: My two companions said they were going to order beers, but quickly changed course after they tasted the Curry. 42

As Oakland-based blues act Fantastic Negrito plays on the sound system overhead, general manager Robbie Conroy explains the concept behind East Bay Spice Company’s drink menu while assembling some of its complicated ingredients. He explains that many of the concept cocktails utilize turmeric, ginger, masala and curries. “We try to stick to an Indian spice theme here,” he says. Conroy’s current favorite is Love & Other Demons, a carrot-colored creation that is flavorful but not spicy—sipping the drink is a little like getting the smoke but not the flame. “I’m a big fan of mescal and peppers,” he says, referring to two of the cocktail’s key ingredients. “I love that drink.” Conroy notes that the creation process of all of the cocktails at East Bay Spice Company is a team endeavor. He adds that all of the bartenders weigh in on every item on the menu, and that a drink is made 40 or 50 times before being served at the bar. It is worth adding the food at East Bay Spice— tikka masala flatbreads, tandoori street tacos, and plump little samosas—go well with the drinks. “It sticks to that same circle of flavor,” Conroy says. East Bay Spice Company will unveil a new cocktail menu early this summer, but don’t worry, they'll still make a Golden State Curry for anyone who asks. Go Dubs. > More at eastbayspicecompany.com.

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MIXING IT UP MCVGA Winemakers Celebration

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TA S T E M A K E R Holland

A trip stretching from Holland to Utah explores the inspiration and flavor behind new Ketel One Botanical spirits. By Xania V. Woodman | Photos Courtesy of Ketel One

ith temperatures often creeping toward triple digits in the desert, by mid-morning, summertime golf play requires an entirely new take on refreshment.

Adam Walczak, a former golf club bartender in Park City, Utah—a muchfavored mountainous escape for overheated players and their travel clubs—says that for every 10 drinks he slid across the bar, four would almost certainly be vodka sodas. And that’s regardless of whether his guests were out on the course, posted up at the proverbial “19th hole,” or had never even dared to leave the posh, climate-controlled environs of the clubhouse. (The balance, Walczak says, would be a mix of beers, Cadillac margaritas, gin and tonics, wines by the glass and the odd mojito.)

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With vodka clearly doing so much of the heavy lifting for keeping one’s cool, you’d think that maybe we could throw something a little more interesting at it than a wedge of lemon or a lime wheel, though. Sure, complex liqueurs, sweet juices and syrupy mixers taste great going down, but they can also wreak cloying havoc in the heat. On the other hand, the complete lack of modifiers presents a flavor issue. Or, rather, a lack-of-flavor issue. This is the kind of challenge Ketel One’s 11th generation master distiller Bob Nolet (pictured, previous page) is uniquely positioned to address. On a recent tour of the historic Nolet Distillery in Schiedam, Holland, he explained his intentions behind the creation of Ketel One Botanical, the most recent addition to the brand’s offerings. “It is a product that, for the first time in history, I believe, is an alternative for a glass of white wine,” he says. In other words, a lighter, lower-ABV pairing for a salad or brunch that would typically see a Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc or the like, not to mention being a more socially acceptable sip for when straight vodka on the rocks might raise eyebrows. While Ketel One Vodka and Ketel One Oranje make a fantastic martini or cocktail, and Ketel One Citroen does great work in a Cosmopolitan or, really, any other preparation you throw at it, the new Botanical line of flavored spirits (at 30 percent ABV, not legally vodka) is composed of three complementary fruit-and-plant combinations: Peach & Orange Blossom, Cucumber & Mint and Grapefruit & Rose. Representing a new category of distilled spirit, Botanical was built from the ground up and introduced in 2018 to work in concert with just ice, soda water and fresh garnish. Refreshment is all but guaranteed. Not to mention the ease of assembly and overall accessibility for the wine- or low-ABV drinker. 50

“It is a product that, for the first time in history, I believe, is an alternative for a glass of white wine.”

At a tasting for a roomful of visiting U.S. bartenders and hospitality professionals, Nolet Distillery’s global relationship director Dennis Tamse revealed how the spirits offer up primary fruit on the nose, while the secondary botanical or herbal ingredient comes through more on the palate, specifically the mid-palate. Moreover, that secondary flavor becomes more pronounced and the texture more refreshing with the addition of a quality soda water such as that by Q Drinks or Fever Tree.

back a few. Plus, Nolet adds, at just 73 calories, it accounts for “40 percent less than a glass of white wine.”

There is no denying, for example, the juicy stonefruit topnotes of the peach flavor. But with the addition of sparkling water, the floral orange blossom sings. The combined effect is a trick of the senses, a perceived sweetness without any sugar, and the low alcohol means one can reasonably knock

With the current line feeling reliable, the final Botanical portfolio expands the brand. And makes for a winning foursome. >

Back during the Botanical brand’s ideation process, Nolet aimed to offer something for everyone: sweet and floral (peach/orange blossom), fresh and savory (cucumber/mint) and gently bitter (grapefruit/rose). Strawberry and basil were also in the running, but the result, Nolet says, felt “cheap” and a little dated compared with the other three flavors.

More at ketelone.com/botanical.

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RAISING THE

BAR

An insider riffs on the evolution of the Nightclub & Bar Show in Las Vegas. By David Klemt | Photos Courtesy of Nightclub and Bar Show

his year, America’s largest bar expo came out swinging each day, with powerful keynotes and life-changing education sessions. New features and products on the Expo Hall floor further elevated the attendee experience. Jim Meehan, founder of acclaimed New York bar Please Don't Tell, delivered an inspiring and informative keynote on day one that shared the details behind his own development as one of the more iconic operators in the industry. Meehan has shifted how he approaches leadership, making a commitment to leading by example, embracing the role of mentor, and viewing his teams as his work family. The results speak for themselves:

incredible employee retention, multiple industry awards, and projects all over the world. Sold-out, in-depth workshops tackled topics ranging from implementing operational systems to eliminating fear of budgets. Dushan Zarić, founder of Employees Only, dove into the psychological approach owners and operators need to succeed. Restaurant consultant and 2019 Nightclub & Bar Award winner Donald Burns explained why competition is for suckers. Tobin Ellis, Erick Castro—also a 2019 Nightclub & Bar Award winner, two times over—and Tim Rita discussed the importance of practicality in achieving profitability.

TRENDS Las Vegas

"The results speak for themselves: incredible employee retention, multiple industry awards, and projects all over the world." SHAKERS > INSPIRING SPIRITS

Day two saw the return of entrepreneur, CEO and hospitality trailblazer Jon Taffer to the Nightclub & Bar Show. The host of Paramount Network’s “Bar Rescue” was named chairman of the show earlier this year, and his keynote pulled no punches: Taffer threw down the gauntlet, daring operators to let go of the excuses that hold them back from making big money and achieving their dreams. Larry Oxenham provided attendees an asset protection strategy every single owner should consider, and Nightlife Security Consultants revealed seven must-know tips for protecting against lawsuits. TGI Fridays shared what they’ve learned about the guest experience from nearly 1,000 units and more than 50 years in operation. Tanisha Robinson, chief disruption officer for BrewDog USA, was interviewed by David Kaplan, founder and co-owner of Death & Co., during a keynote on day three that addressed another evolution in our industry: crowdfunding. Robinson has helped to not only change the hospitality industry, she 56

has helped usher in a new era of investment: BrewDog’s crowdfunding efforts have resulted in the construction of a beer hotel, the creation of a television network, and even a push into the airline space. Death & Co. has also embraced crowdfunding, and the two brands have raised more than $100 million between them. Day three also included education sessions on topics such as succeeding with one of the hottest developments in the industry—cocktails on tap—presented by Missy and Kristin Koefod of 18.21 Bitters; the future of cannabis in the hospitality space and how operators can get involved right now; ways operators can elevate their social media presence, taught by Natalie Migliarini and James Stevenson of Beautiful Booze; and how to amp up menus, presented by Chef Brian Duffy. Speaking of Chef Duffy, he spearheaded one of the newest and most exciting features of the Nightclub & Bar Show, the Food &

Beverage Innovation Center. The outspoken and energetic chef assembled a team of passionate and industryleading peers to share cutting-edge culinary techniques, innovative new kitchen products, and conduct engaging live demos complete with tastings. For two action-packed days, Chef Duffy and his team delivered a “smorgasbord of information and tools to grow and improve one's business,” as Chef Keith Breedlove described it. Revered bar professional Bob Peters helmed a brand-new Nightclub & Bar Show feature, the Live Bar, on the Expo Hall floor. Live and direct on the show floor, attendees had the opportunity to interact with mixologists, suppliers and industry leaders who were demonstrating how owners, operators, managers and bartenders can achieve the level of growth they’ve been working toward behind their bars. Nightclub & Bar Show wasn’t all education. It took place in Las Vegas, after all, so the evenings were for networking, experiential events, and partying in some of the world’s top nightlife destinations. Megan Breier hosted the special tasting event Bourbon is My Boyfriend in the secret-loungeinside-a-restaurant at the Palms Casino Resort. Constellation Brands sponsored an industry party at Hakkasan, Marquee hosted the Rooftop Welcome Party, JEWEL Nightclub introduced Cîroc Summer Watermelon vodka, DJ Skribble rocked the Bring Back the ’90s Platinum Party at On The Record, and Constellation Brands also sponsored the closing night Platinum Party at Intrigue with Diplo. Our evolution will continue through 2020—next year we celebrate our 35th anniversary. Your competition will be there, evolving with us, so don’t miss out! March 30-April 1 2020 in Las Vegas. > David Klemt is editor of the Nightclub & Bar Conference and Trade Show and has been writing about the industry as a whole for more than a decade. More at nightclub.com.

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T R AV E L O G U E E XC L U S I V E Europe and South America

Have Thirst, Will Travel: Part 3

Shakers traverses three more world capitals in search of potable revelations. Story and photos by Mark C. Anderson

funny thing happened amid the research for this piece, the third installment of a five-continent beverage adventure. (Leg one traversed Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam; leg two visited Morocco, Czech Republic and Croatia, more at shakersmag.com.)

Three consecutive countries and capital cities with seemingly little in common—in chronological order, Belgrade, Serbia; Lisbon, Portugal; and Lima, Peru—turned out to have a number of compelling shared qualities. Chief among them: 1) a history of of resilience, and 2) world-class cocktail projects that have relevance well beyond their borders. All three provided a not-so-subtle reminder that traveling shows us earthlings how much more we have in common than we think. Reaffirming shared humanity wasn’t the goal of this four-part series—which is to is to glean inspiration for the U.S. beverage industry from faraway places, and encourage more exploration and curiosity along the way—but it’s an unintended consequence worth toasting, and one celebrated here.

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Bar Central

Belgrade, Serbia

Serbia is full of surprises, from the improvised illegal seafood-stew “restaurants” on the muddy beaches of the Sava River to the sheer number of organic apples that 100 dinares ($1 U.S.) will get you at the public market. One aspect that shocks many visitors is how many times the former capital of Yugoslavia, which includes the dramatic Kalemegdan fortress at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, has been rebuilt over thousands of years. Across wars and conquerors stretching back to at least 7000 BC— including marauding Celts, Romans and Ottomans—the so-called White City, so named for the whiteish sandstone Kalemegdan fortress, has been razed and reborn more than 40 times. That history of conflict is ingrained in the Serbian consciousness. Every adult generation of Serbians, including the 20-somethings, can recall watching bombs fall nightly during the vicious SerbianCroatian fight. Another is that locals are extremely welcoming, partly because tourism is relatively new, novel and growing, but mostly because they know life is too precious to spend it without seeking new friends. Still another outcome is that while hospitality

was evolving elsewhere on the continent, Serbia remains out of the European Union, and feels refreshingly less-touristy because of it. Damir Miladin describes the drink scene that reigned for a long time as binary: black or yellow, as in rum-’n’-Coke or Scotch-’n’soda. Now he is trying to make up for lost time—and succeeding—in cahoots with the Serbian Bartenders Association, where he’s acting president. The association’s flagship venue, Bar Central, doubles as a working cocktail laboratory and barkeep college. The drink choices number a few more than two: Roughly 500 creations are available on any given night (600 including non-alcoholic cocktails), and quantity doesn’t take away from the quality. Instead, the ample volume is an indicator of how many collaborators are involved and creating drinks. The seasonally driven drinks include a Missionary’s Downfall (Pampero white rum, peach liqueur, honey, mint, fresh pineapple

and lime juice) and crowd-favorite Charles Tonic (Tanqueray gin, elderflower syrup, fresh lime, fresh cucumber, mint, orange, olives, grapefruit bitters), an explosion of native freshness in a goblet glass wherein even the surprising olive addition adds welcome complexity. Edgy combinations like the American Apple Pie (two different Tennessee whiskeys, Southern Comfort, and Manzanita apple liqueur) come into play, but rarely without procured ingredients like local jams or blooming mint. “We’re lucky we live here,” Miladin says. “You can still find organic lavender, juniper berries from mountains, and other natural aromatic bitters, from bark or root, pretty easily.” Dozens of newer bartenders train in the back half of the facility, taking on recipe tests and developing “flair” bottle acrobatics, then working real shifts up front and beginning to contribute recipe ideas. On Shakers' visits the team was prepping for a continent-wide bartenders competition in Estonia. “We support trends around us but keep it unique and personal,” Miladin says. “It’s a process, and our top bartenders get final say, but our younger bartenders will tell you it’s truly collaborative and collective.”

Sipping on a Voodoo Lady with dark and light rum, absinthe, orgeat syrup, grapefruit and fresh lemon makes it all the easier to day dream about bartenders in North America teaming up to open their own place that simultaneously cultivates new talent while pushing the envelope for what’s possible, and making great drinks. “Bar Central is where you can find the best cocktails in the city,” local cocktail hawk Jasmina Kanuric writes for Culture Trip. “Numerous awards confirm their status, as well as crowds gathering here every night.” Tapping into other local flavor profiles, Miladin also co-owns a craft beer joint, Krafter, several blocks away. It’s a great spot for watching Red Star on the soccer pitch, while tasting through Serbian craft beers and small-batch rakija (which also figures into a number of Bar Central drinks). Rakija is the infinitely variable regional spirit of choice, often a cherry, plum or pear brandy that many Serbians make with backyard or foraged fruit. At one homestay, my hosts’ wake-up call included coffee, a cookie and a dram of rakija Grandpa made—another little surprise among many. More at Bar Central’s Facebook page.

Lisbon, Portugal

Speaking of shakers: Nov. 1, All Saints Day, 1755, a 9.0 earthquake rocked Lisbon for upward of 3 minutes, with the energy of what experts equate to 32,000 Hiroshima nuclear bombs. It remains the biggest earthquake to hit Europe in 10,000 years. When residents rushed to the relative safety of the harbor, they were met a receding river—and then a tsunami 40 feet high and more loss of life. With thousands of candles lit in observance of the holiday, fires sprang up across the city, creating a massive firestorm that wrought far more damage than the quake itself. As many as

Carnival

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Lisbon

100,000 died, two-thirds of the capital was leveled or deemed uninhabitable, and the events cut Portugal’s GDP in half. The almost entirely Catholic city was convinced this was the apocalypse priests had promised. But old town—now known as Alfama—remained largely (and miraculously) intact, the city was rebuilt, and Portugal went on to survive monarchy and a decades-long dictatorship. Today, here’s Lisbon, one of the most popular and affordable tourist cities in Europe, dripping with sublime seafood, nightlife and street art. And great cocktails.

Blogger and veteran local guide Ligia Gomes has called it home for years, and obsesses over its food and drink at acrushon. com. When Shakers asked after her favorite place for clever cocktails, she unspooled six places on the spot. Cinco Lounge in the stylish Príncipe Real neighborhood topped her list. I can see why. The team here pores over every single detail of every single drink. That makes for uncanny inventions like the Slow Poke Smoke ("rustic" beetroot and horseradish puree with mezcal, charred lemon, and smoked tea) and Tony Two Fingers (Pampero, amaretto, Grand Marnier and cooked apple). It also delivers some of the most creative drink packaging Shakers has seen, ever, full stop.

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The Finders Keepers (with lemongrass, lime, ginger, mint, agave, Tanqueray 10, and ginger beer) comes in a sealed soup can with a custom label and a church-key can opener. The Tanzilla (bottle-aged Campari, Jinzu sake-based gin, Punt e Mes vermouth, citrus oil) arrives in a bulbous little bottle over a ball of ice that’s way too big to fit through the bottle’s neck. (The staff may tell you how they do it, but you’ll have to guess first.) Which Came First looks like an egg birthing fire, and the Marty McFly leaves those flaming skid marks in its wake. English-born Dave Palethorpe owns Cinco and orchestrates the bar program. He describes a process that involves at least 40 iterations of a recipe, with three versions of each iteration— including, but not limited to, dry shaken with egg white, stirred with ice and prepped with hot butter. The elaborate glass and garnish details aren’t part of the conversation until late stages. “We keep pushing those boundaries until it’s ready,” he says. He came to Lisbon with his girlfriend for a day to sniff out a property, and never left. In the interceding 15 years, Palethorpe has seen the cocktail scene erupt. “There was nothing like this before,” he says. With his Bespoke Bar Programs, Palethorpe consults on drinks for three dozen other spots, from esteemed Michelin-starred restaurants like Belcanto, to cult favorite Pistola y Corazón, a beloved taco joint. That outsize influence for a modest bar like Cinco feels appropriate for Portugal—a country the size of Indiana whose pre-earthquake reach included a a global colonial empire. Not that comparisons to colonialism are fair. This place believes in sharing, not taking, the wealth. The team at Cinco has designed a range of educational workshops and a “Formula 5” multilingual cocktail course that keys on a master formula for drinks that goes like this: “any ingredients, one method, limitless results.” My only quibble is how dimly they light it, but that—along with music volumes set to encourage conversation—end up contributing to its charm and operating philosophy, "the lost art of the polite drink." Alfama 66

located in Lima) and worked at some 20 bars around the world, from Chicago to Moscow to Mexico City. The preamble continues (translated here from Spanish): “We surrender to the pleasures of life, exploring flavors and challenging norms of traditional cocktails.” While perhaps overwrought, the description reflects Carnaval’s earnestness (and investment) and its playfulness (note the revolving door entrance, the Jon Snow anime figurine, the mural of Easy Rider-style Dennis Hopper). Carefully arranged shelves of some 800 illuminated liquors, familiar and obscure, stretch from the bar to the vaulted ceiling. Vessels are designed by Peruvian artists like Abel Bentin, Marcelo Wong and Sonia Cespedes— cobras, dragons, poisonous pufferfish among them— presented with a flourish from beneath baskets or with puffs of smoke. Individuals who struggle for something to talk about, report here.

Lima

Or maybe the candles fit Lisbon perfectly. Lisbon’s got a special glow unlike anywhere else, the product of light reflecting off the Tagus River and bouncing off all the beautiful azulejo tiles that cover so much of the city’s buildings. Whatever the case, Cinco is an illuminating place. More at cincolounge.com

Lima, Peru

A simple ditty with an elaborate backstory inhabits the opening pages of a celebrated cocktail bar in Lima’s upscale San Isidro neighborhood: Carnaval es el resultado de un viaje—as in, this place is the result of a journey. Journey can feel overused in today’s parlance, but it’s fitting for Aaron Davis, who has directed beverages at top-10-world restaurant spot Astrid y Gaston (also

For a city better known for its food than its drinks, normchallenging feels right on time. And the word “journey” felt poetically appropriate for this geographically ambitious Shakers series, but that wasn’t what drew me. Instead, it was the “ice program,” a new term in my bartender bible. The ice strategy here has its own manifesto-of-sorts on the wall of a lab enclosed with glowing glass: Next to a tidily-mounted collection of tools—ice hammers, ice picks, ice forks and ice claws— hangs a chart with geometric drawings representing a portion of the 25 types of ice the bar deploys, from ice spheres in four sizes (the smallest available by the kilogram) to bulky diamond-shaped “cubes” and a long “Collins” rectangular prism four times as tall as it is wide or deep. The ice works well in all sorts of ways, from the signature Carnaval (green Chartreuse, gin, beer and pineapple juice)—which appears in layered tiers of ice and crystal that look half-intergalactic, half-sculpture, with an ice

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Lisbon 68

sphere at the center of the drink—to a drink that comes in an ice globe guests have to crack with a smack of a spoon.

botanical ingredients has been kept secret by monks since the early 1600s.

There are other elements that make Carnaval an onbrand circus of discovery, including knowledgeable bar staff, a seven-part Gran Carnaval tasting menu, a smart (but limited) food lineup, and a “Chartreuse Experience.” The experience deploys a phalanx of tastes (yellow Chartreuse, green Chartreuse, a Chartreuse sour, a Last Word, the signature Chartreuse cocktail born in early20th-century Detroit, and a gin martini with Chartreuse).

But for me it’s still the ice that feels like the real revelation, partly because it’s a nonnegotiable fundamental for all bars that do more than beer and wine.

Diaz, after all, is the Chartreuse brand ambassador for South America, and he takes the gig seriously; he’s even visited the French monastery where the recipe of 130

No matter how near, far or familiar they might be. >

Carnaval’s approach to it, then, is a bougie-but-brilliant nudge to recall exploration is as much about new places as it is new perspectives on the unappreciated or overlooked.

More at carnavalbar.com.

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The Club at Pasadera: Making Big Moves Enjoying the evolution of a luxury experience is both easy and breathtaking.

ou may not have yet heard, but as the song goes, “There’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on” at The Club at Pasadera.

Located off scenic Highway 68 near Laguna Seca, the former thoroughbred horse ranch was reborn in 2000 as the community of Pasadera, with homes surrounding a beautiful Mediterranean-themed club, restaurant and sports destination featuring the only Jack Nicklaus signature golf course on the Central Coast, the world capital of golf. Several local business people who support the Monterey community took over the former Nicklaus Club Monterey in November 2018. The new ownership is committed to top-tier hospitality and golf resort management. Exhibits A and B would be the new involvement of renowned Monterey hospitality executive Ted Balestreri and the arrival of new Executive Chef Colin Moody, (p.12), a Monterey Bay Area chapter of the American Culinary Federation “Chef of the Year” who has joined after 10 years at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. Moody is respected for his work at Asilomar and Highlands Inn. Members are already giving two big thumbs-up to weekly member socials and themed dinner specials. To go with the excellent cuisine, The Club keeps multiple fully stocked bars and a variety of fine hand-selected wines on hand. It hosts several popular wine events each year, including its long-running Holiday Wine Tasting Event. With a philosophy of “unbuttoned luxury,” The Club warmly welcomes family memberships. The amenities include the outstanding (and challenging) Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, five tournament-quality tennis courts, heated saltwater adult lap pool, family pool, spa, driving range, professional-grade fitness center, yoga and trainer studios, men’s and women’s lounges, pro shop and multiple indoor/outdoor dining and meeting locations. There also are five guest rooms in the Lodge. The Club at Pasadera’s new ownership is dedicated to giving members, their families and guests, wedding parties, planners and special event organizers a world-class hospitality experience. Additional amenities are in development, while the number of members is limited to ensure that everyone can be comfortably and courteously accommodated. The Club is located at 100 Pasadera Drive, five minutes from Monterey Regional Airport. More at theclubatpasadera.com or 831-647-2400. 70

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“A visually beautiful garnish can also contribute aromatics or change or enhance the cocktail’s flavor profile on the palate.”

The Albatross

EXPERIENCE

Las Vegas

Well Above Par

The golfer’s palate is evolving, and no one is more up for it than Summit Club’s Terry Clark. By Xania V. Woodman

ad Las Vegas barman Terry Clark decamped from the lead position at Chinatown to Sparrow + Wolf, only to sling vodka sodas and beers, to the clubhouse members of the Summit Club, well, the dads among you might suggest he’d be pretty tee’d off. Lucky for Clark, what he found instead at Summerlin’s ultra-luxury golf community was an enclave of worldly, curious drinkers who wanted more from their clubhouse bar.

“Our members are much more open-minded than I expected them to be,” says Clark, now Summit Club’s beverage manager and property mixologist. There, as with so many other golf courses and country clubs, imbibers have traditionally called for vodka with soda or tonic, wine or margaritas. “And there’s nothing wrong with ordering these, and they are the most-ordered drinks daily,” he says. “I'm not trying to stop people from ordering them. I'm only trying to give them additional options to better enhance their experience.” The Summit Club’s members are out on the course and court from dawn until dusk. But golf and tennis aren't the only available amenities. A clubhouse restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and two additional bars housed in “comfort stations” are located at the 6th and 13th holes. “This will

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only expand when the new clubhouse is finished, housing multiple restaurants and almost any activity you can think of—cigar bar, etc.,” Clark says. For now, the bar at the clubhouse restaurant functions as the proverbial 19th hole. One of the first things Clark noticed about his new customer base is that Summit Club members are very active and health conscious, “so fresh and low-sugar-content cocktails are very popular,” he says. Tasked with creating exciting new cocktail menus property-wide, Clark couldn’t be more in favor of this shift. “The food coming out of the kitchen is amazing, the wine being poured is amazing,” he says. “The cocktails coming from the bar should be as well.” He might see the same member multiple times in one day: after a round, before and then during or after dinner. “And each time,” he says, “they’ll have a different drink preference. I just have to be ready to accommodate their requests.” A few of Clark’s most recent menu additions follow a simple rubric: “light-bodied and low sugar with fresh ingredients, served tall and extra cold, maybe with some bubbles.” The visually stunning Back 9, for example, is made with Grey

Goose Ducasse Vodka, St~Germain Elderflower Liqueur and cucumber-mint water with lemonade foam on top. For Clark’s tequila fans, Line of Flight combines Casamigos Blanco, Cointreau, fresh pressed watermelon juice, opal basil and Bittermens Hellfire Shrub in a glass rimmed with habanero sugar and garnished with vacuum-sealed watermelon. The Albatross employs Cruzan Rum, sake, matcha green tea, pineapple juice, cardamom bitters, egg white and lemon juice. Clark hopes to soon bring in more complex liqueurs such as Chartreuse as well as rare spirits the likes of Batavia Arrack. But while that might be expected from a guy who’s built his reputation on creative, original cocktails, what Clark’s guests might not anticipate is his penchant for creating over-the-top garnishes such as handmade edible flower bouquets. “Other times, a simple citrus swathe or mint sprig are your best options,” he says. “What's important is that it fits the cocktail, doesn't make it hard for the guest to drink," he continues. "And is easily repeatable [for the bartender].”

However, Clark cautions, a garnish shouldn’t merely be pretty to look at. “A visually beautiful garnish can also contribute aromatics or change or enhance the cocktail’s flavor profile on the palate,” he says. “It can turn a mediocre cocktail into a great one.” Just don’t expect Clark to do any arm-twisting of guests who just want their customary “vod-sod” or beer suds: “Drinking should be a fun and relaxing experience, not one for the bartender to ‘convert’ a guest in an attempt to stroke their own ego.” Should a member express interest in trying something other than their usual, however, Clark says he and his staff will be more than happy to oblige: “I always ask the same three questions: What types of cocktails do you usually gravitate toward? What flavor profiles do you enjoy? And do you have a spirit preference? If you nail the cocktail, you won't have to ever convince them again. They'll trust you.”

Line of Flight

More at SummitClubNV.com >

Back 9

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"The experience is both a side-splitting lesson in cowboy philosophy and a great tutorial in wine."

SOMMELIER DIARIES Carmel Valley

A Taste of History

A retrospective on wine in the Carmel region can’t be told without Galante Wines.

By Toby Rowland-Jones | Photo by Manny Espinoza

pending time and sipping wine with Jack Galante, fifthgeneration Californian and great-grandson of Carmel founder Frank Devendorf, is both a side-splitting lesson in cowboy philosophy and a great tutorial in wine.

The year 1994 was a good for most of California, and this is reflected in both estate wines. There is plenty of evidence—born of structure and tannins—that they will last another good 10-15 years without any diminishment.

Shakers had the chance to sit with Jack in his small but fun tasting room just off Dolores Street, though he doesn’t sit. Instead, he stands at the corner of the bar, his well-worn cowboy hat in place, thanking visitors and club members effusively for coming in, and meaning it.

Galante’s winemaker is Greg Vita, who has made these wines since the first vintage. Vita’s background is impressive, and includes work with Helen Turley, Spottswoode, Frogs Leap, Dunn, Chimney Rock and others since he was a teen.

Right about now he’s celebrating a quarter century as creator and owner of Galante Vineyards. For the occasion, he decided to open his original wines from 1994 and see how they were faring.

Vita’s style is straightforward: work minimally with the juice and let the terroir be expressed through the wines, which is a lot harder than it sounds.

Not surprisingly, Jack’s gregarious and unpretentious style is present in his wines. Character holds up well.

In my experience I’ve tasted the Galante Cabs over many years. They have always presented as bold and solid, wasting no apologies for their

After a palate cleanser of his brilliant 2017 Wagon Wheel Sauvignon Blanc, which shows crisp fresh citrus, hints of vanilla and tropical fruit, we dug into the Red Rose Hill and the Black Jack Pasture from the initial vintage.

dark Cachagua Valley intensity. That said, Jack and Greg have always dialed back on the alcohol level (see side bar), and it allow for the complexity of their wines to shine. >

A Pair to Draw To

A veteran somm’s tasting notes on two top ‘94ers. 1994 Blackjack Pasture Named after a long-lived horse that Jack learned to rope on, this vineyard site produces wines that are intensely structured, but retain European style 12.8 percent alcohol. Immediately one gets intense coffee and cacao, cigar leaf, and a lovely vegetal element that includes mint and minerals. In the mouth I get a full-but-not-overwhelming richness of dark fruit, black soil and more mint. There’s also a spiciness to this that would lend itself to a great dish of smoky barbecue. Moreover, the tannins are expertly balanced and soft—call it a testament to the new oak used in aging. This will still be a great wine in 20 years. Which goes back to that theme of true character standing up to time.

1994 Red Rose Hill The light dusty nose is unsurprising from such a warm valley climate, a welcome opener before lovely—and subtle—hints of cigar box. Though it’s 100 percent Cabernet, there’s almost a Bordeaux-blend quality to this on the palate, with aspects of assorted black fruits and bright cherry. There are flashes of citrus, delightfully enough, before a lingering dry finish with soft and matured tannins that coat the mouth delicately, with a mellow 12.5 ABV. I’m confident this will be great for another 10-20 years.

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DIY COCKTAIL

Sand City

Rosemary Whiskey Sour By Katie Blandin | Photo by Ryan Chard Smith Photography

The whiskey sour, like the U.S. Open and Pebble Beach, has a lot of history. In fact, it is older than Pebble (which was created in 1919, and celebrating 100 years now) by a few decades, and more senior than the Open, which started in 1895. That’s part of the reason it’s on a sublist of International Bartenders Association Official Cocktails called “The Unforgettables.” But with my work as a professional beverage caterer and craft tonic entrepreneur, I like to give classic flavors added spark, so I took the whiskey sour, and gave it a botanical twist.

2 oz. rye whiskey 0.5 oz. rosemary simple syrup 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 fresh rosemary sprig Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. And enjoy. > More at goldenbearbitters.com. SHAKERS > INSPIRING SPIRITS

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Tid Bits By Mark C. Anderson

here’s a question Santa Lucia Highlands winemaker Gary Pisoni likes to dangle. “What’s my favorite wine?” he asks. “The one in my glass.” Shakers endorses that. As it so happens, there’s a lot of good wine news in the glass this issue, but there’s also some non-wine items—and a splash of Hollywood. • Shakers was invited to NYC this winter for a showcase of Sud de France wines. They proved well worth the trip. The Pays d’Oc, Roussillon and Languedoc regions of the Sud (or south) are responsible for a full third of French production and 5 percent of global wine overall, but it remains relatively undiscovered because they’re overshadowed by Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy. The good news is that means the area’s elegant—and sustainable—Grenaches, Syrahs, Mourvedres and Cinsaults are available for a fraction of the price of other French wines. • At the Sud du France tasting, Shakers caught up with Clark Smith, noted wine author, columnist, CSU Fresno professor, and winemaker, and picked up a copy of his book Postmodern Winemaking. It’s an solid read for industry insiders and lay people alike that dives into the real process of wine, with a hefty side dish zingers like, “Our breeds are origin-driven, so to judge a California Chardonnay superior to a white Burgundy makes as much nonsense as to find that a Great Dane is superior to a schnauzer.” • Pioneering clothing company Patagonia just debuted a new…beer. They’re partnering with Hopworks Urban Brewery in Portland, Oregon, to create Long Root Pale Ale and Long Root Wit using a special Kernza wheat “ideally suited for organic regenerative agriculture,” per Patagonia’s website: “Its long roots and perennial growth allow it to thrive without tilling or pesticides, it uses less water than conventional wheat, prevents erosion and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than annual grains. And it just so happens to make delicious beer.”

• Monterey County Vitners and Growers Association made a savvy marketing move that will lead to major international

exposure for zero cash. With Big Little Lies returning for its second season, MCVGA approached the team behind HBO’s smash hit, which is set in Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey with a question: How about some local wine for your characters to drink on camera? HBO went for it, MCVGA members sent in pretty bottles, and soon Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley and the ensemble cast will be sipping it on screen. Season two started June 9. • One could make the argument that flavored liquors have gone too far. (We’re looking at you, Smirnoff Cinnamon Churro vodka.) But now a delicious Lemon Drizzle Gin from the Sipsmith Distillery, available in the U.S. for the first time this spring, helps right the ship with a bright citrus flavor that doesn’t interfere with its classic dry London style. Lemon drizzle, for the record, is a very popular type of British cake. • Catalan wines wowed Shakers at an Atlanta-area industry tasting in February by way of big values for small-batch family-made wines. The cavas shined brightest, furnishing a reminder that the méthode champenoise bubbly is every bit as good as Champagne at a wildly better price point. But the best in show was neither cheap (suggested retail $90-$100) nor conventionally shaped: The Agustí Torelló Mata ages a decade in bottle, and its blend of Macabeu, Parellada and Xarello enjoys a surreal silkiness, but its bottle has no base. So while the bottomless sparkling speaks for itself, it can’t stand on its own. • A final wine note: Spanish and French wines are quickly changing branding to celebrate what has long been the case with their grapes—they don’t use pesticides because the soil is sacred and the land family owned and occupied. Brands like RAW (Really Awesome Wine) by Bodega Latúe out of Villanueva de Alcardete celebrate their vegan and organic qualities (the latter far more meaningful than the former), and taste fresh and flavorful. It’s a marketing ploy, But it’s one to root for. > SHAKERS > INSPIRING SPIRITS

COOKING WITH SPIRITS Central Coast

Summer Chicken Chili & Beans with El Jefe Tequila Drunken Nopales Pico de Gallo What are nopales? They are cactus paddles that are native to Mexico. Nopales can easily be found in international markets, already cleaned and ready to use. The flat paddles are used for many different dishes. It is described by many as having a taste similar to green beans, but I also think it brings a hint of lime. It has many health benefits, as it’s high in antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamins. My drunken Nopales Picco de Gallo is another twist on your everyday Picco de Gallo. Eat it with tortillas chips or drop it on top of my Summer Chicken Chili recipe for another layer of flavor. These two recipes are a marriage made in heaven. Oh! Remember to sip a little El Jefe Tequila along the way…

Summer Chicken Chili and Beans

El Jefe Drunken Nopales Pico de Gallo

Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breast, boneless and skinless 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided Drizzle olive oil Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 small fresh jalapeño, seeded and finely cut 1 tbsp minced garlic 1 each large green and yellow zucchini, sliced and cut in quarters 3 ears of corn kernels, oven roasted, cooled, and cut kernels off 1 15.5 oz cannellini beans aka white kidney beans, rinsed and strained 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chillies 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes, plain 12 oz beer (I prefer Corona Extra; chicken broth works as a nonalcoholic substitute) 2 tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp smoked paprika Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 1 small white onion, finely cut 3 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 small fresh jalapeño, seeded, finely cut Handful of cilantro, chopped roughly Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 1 lime, juiced and zested 1 tbsp El Jefe Tequila, or more to taste (optional) 3 paddle of nopales

Directions: In a large soup pot on medium heat add butter and oil. Prepare chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot after butter is melted and hot. Sauté each side until golden brown and then turn down heat and cover pan to cook chicken completely (no pink). When done, remove and set aside, cool enough to handle and tear with your hands.

Directions: Season the nopales with sea salt and pepper, fry both sides in olive or avocado oil until char marks appear, set aside, allow to cool completely, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. In a medium size bowl, mix all of the ingredients. Refrigerate minimum of 15 minutes before serving. Even better to make day before and refrigerate, mixing periodically. Place in a serving dish using a slotted spoon, to remove excess liquids. Serve with tortillas chips and or top of Summer Chicken Chili. Enjoy! For more visit DeliciousandSimple.net.

Using same pot, add remaining butter then onions, bell peppers, garlic, jalapeños, sauté until semi-soft then add zucchini, cook approximately 5 minutes more. Add corn, tomatoes, beer, cumin, chili powder and paprika, mix together, then add chicken. Simmer for minimum 30 minutes without lid. Serve in a festive bowl and enjoy! Optional: Add Drunken Nopales Pico de Gallo and Cilantro.

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D E S T I N AT I O N San Jose Del Cabo

Paradise SIPPED

Baja Sur’s best farm-restaurants know how to craft a very desirable drink. Also, there are puppies. By Mark C. Anderson

utside San Jose del Cabo, nestled among bleak foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, down a dusty dirt road pocked with divots, and dotted with simple cinder block structures and homemade barbed wire fences, an oasis materializes. Two oases, to be precise, less than a kilometer apart, offering two takes on farm-fresh cocktails—and a lot more where that came from. Flora Farms is the more famous of the pair and a known dining destination for which visitors often drive all the way from Cabo San Lucas. The apocalyptic terrain that surrounds it falls away, traded for lush farmland and welcoming dining areas that look and feel a little like garden greenhouses.

The robust 25-acre organic working farm drives the menu—wood-fired fennel sausage pizzas, housemade goat-milk caramel ice cream, tamales with hibiscus cream and chile de arbol salsa. “We don’t like to call it farm-to-table type of dining,” award-winning Chef Guillermo Tellez says. “Because we’re on the farm. We’re in here. It’s soil-to-table.” That philosophy permeates the drinks. Shakers testdrove a pair of cocktails at the Farm Bar, where the drink list bears a quote assigned to Benjamin Franklin. (“There cannot be good living when there is not good drinks!”) The Spring Rabbit tastes like good living, with Convite Oaxacan mezcal, passionfruit juice and habanero pumpkin salt, served up with a spherical ice cube and a carrot, while the hibiscus margarita is as refreshing as it is light.

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Farm Bar at Flora

@acredog to adopt 88

Acre

The picture-book farmland and field kitchen come complemented by a tidy but brimming grocery piled with produce, as well as prepared goods like salted butterscotch pudding and caramelized onion, bacon, and cheese quiches. The path through the parking lot, meanwhile, is lined with clean boutiques selling upscale art, jewelry and clothing, with a cute wine and coffee shop arrayed with thick cookies,

"We don’t like to call it farmto-table type of dining,” award-winning Chef Guillermo Tellez says. “Because we’re on the farm. We’re in here. It’s soil-to-table.” Flora

local draft beer and a small selection of mezcal. Just west on Calle Sin Nombre lies the next revelation: equally lush and leafy Acre Baja, which just celebrated its third birthday, and occupies its own spread of 25 acres. The options among the epicurean indulgences are many, and worth savoring, but the most immediate impact comes from the foliage. From the hot, dry and dusty countryside surrounding the little valley rises a thick grove of palm trees, split only by a polished cement block path that wanders 100 or so steps to what is essentially an oasis-within-an-oasis, Acre, itself built into and around Washingtonian palm trees. SHAKERS > INSPIRING SPIRITS

The jungle setting feels very far away from the desert past its perimeter, and the food is equally transporting—charred ceviche, fried green tomatoes with crispy basil, strawberry gazpacho, artisanal cheddar biscuits, striped sea-bass tostadas, intoxicating habanero salsas, and short rib-andribeye burgers with smoked cheddar, bacon aioli and Acre’s own butter lettuce. The cocktails are similarly seductive, including the Perla de la Baja with mezcal, reposado tequila, pineapple, lime, passionfruit, verbena honey and Angostura bitters, and the El Contrario with Hendrick’s Gin Orbium, cucumber-skin vermouth and Yellow Chartreuse absinthe. Between the flavors, the setting, the treehouses tucked amid the palms and Acre’s own mezcal—the chalkboard in the chic bar reads “Soup of the Day: Mezcal”—it can seem a little like a fantasy world. Then it promptly gets better. Out past the pool, through a well-spaced mango orchard and within view of rows of corn and kale (the restaurant’s kale salad with pickled jicama and spiced peanuts is outstanding) awaits a dog kennel. Upon our visit it was occupied with a few dogs and a half dozen puppies who basked in our attention while their mom looked on with tired eyes. Each was rescued from the region’s streets and is recouping for adoption in the United States. Which means that even if North American visitors can’t take this particular oasis home with them, they can take a piece of its heart. > More at flora-farms.com and acrebaja.com.

Flora Farms Cooking classes are a popular endeavor on the farm, and include an assortment of recipes ranging from rosemary guacamole to key lime pie and including this signature heirloom carrot concoction. Ingredients: 4 oz carrot juice 2 oz tequila 1/2 oz Cointreau 1/2 oz orange juice 1/2 oz lime juice 1/2 oz simple syrup Preparation: Shake all the ingredients together and serve on ice. Garnish with chili flakes and a baby carrot. SHAKERS > INSPIRING SPIRITS