Julie Dalton of Stella’s Wine Bar on the Forbes double 5-Star Put up Oak Lodge at Uptown Houston simply obtained her Grasp Sommelier standing, becoming a member of Grasp Sommelier Keith Goldston, who curated that insane $5 million wine cellar for the property.
The grasp sommelier examination is the toughest take a look at within the wine world, possibly one of many hardest checks in any business. Solely 274 folks have handed the examination because it was established in 1969. The tasting portion is what makes the take a look at so troublesome as aspiring sommeliers have 25 minutes to blind-taste six wines and establish the grape selection, area of origin and classic of every one. The wines chosen for the take a look at might be from wherever throughout the globe.
“I’m extremely grateful for all that I’ve discovered and the village that helped me get to this degree,” says Julie Dalton, Grasp Sommelier. “Many don’t notice there isn’t a college for this and it takes years of apprenticeship and coaching. Even with the title Grasp Sommelier, I’ll at all times be a scholar of wine.”
Inform us a bit about your background within the business.
I fell in love with wine whereas ready tables at Gaido’s in Galveston, TX. Since then, I knew I wished to be within the hospitality business. All through my faculty and graduate college years in Houston and Baltimore, I at all times maintained half time jobs at native wine bars. Later, I bought critical with my wine research. My first official wine class was with the Wine & Spirits Training Belief in New York Metropolis, then accomplished programs with the French Wine Embassy, Court docket of Grasp Sommeliers, Society of Wine Educators, and Wine Scholar Guild—all whereas sustaining a full-time biotech job. I handed my Superior Sommelier examination in 2010 and instantly knew wine was what I wished to do. Six months later, I moved to New York to start full-time work with Skurnik Wines & Spirits as their nationwide Theise gross sales consultant. I left New York after one yr and joined the staff at 4 Seasons Baltimore. I led the wine staff there for over six years, handed most of my Grasp Sommelier items aside from tasting. I moved to Houston in 2017 when Keith Goldston, MS was constructing his dream staff of sommeliers at The Put up Oak Lodge and that’s the place I’ve been ever since. It’s been an unimaginable journey.
Discuss to us about Stella’s Wine Bar—what sort of expertise can visitors anticipate when visiting?
Stella’s is our little nook of heaven at The Put up Oak. A minimum of that’s how I see it! We’re tucked into the southeast nook of the resort. If you stroll in, it has a beautiful French café really feel to it with marble prime tables and picket chairs. There’s wine EVERYwhere. Up prime, down low, throughout. Our visitors are bodily surrounded by wine. Our gorgeous out of doors patio options an open-air pergola with built-in heaters and a 13-foot, towering olive tree. Reclaimed, solid-oak wine barrels are positioned all through the patio serving as eating tables for visitors to absorb Houston’s city skyline. It’s festive whereas stylish on the similar time. I at all times need to ship an exploratory expertise for our visitors if . Lots of the by-the-glass wines are unfamiliar to them so we encourage exploration. All our wines might be supplied in a 2oz pour so visitors can create their very own flights.
Discuss to us in regards to the wine menu.
Your complete Put up Oak property has a Wine Spectator Grand Award wine listing. There are solely 100 properties on the earth to carry this honor. Our wine listing has over 4,000 choices and our Cellars homes greater than $5 million in stock. Visitors at Stella’s might select a bottle from our wine listing or they could order by the glass or order flights. Certainly one of our flights has turned out to be far more widespread than I anticipated – it’s known as ‘Be a Somm’ the place members get three wines served “blind” to them–which means they don’t know what they’re – they usually attempt to guess what the wines are.
We cowl the innovation of wine classes/traits within the upcoming—what do you see taking place within the class?
We now have a number of visitors inquiring about pure wine. Though we don’t have a “pure wines class” on the listing, we all know what ‘pure’ means i.e., organically grown, minimal intervention within the cellar, minimal sulfur use. We are able to direct our visitors to a bottle that can examine these containers. Secondly, there’s a low-alcohol or ‘sober-curious’ motion taking place. For that reason, we provide two non-alcoholic wines by the glass.
What makes an awesome by-the-glass menu on the bar?
I like selection! For the much less skilled wine lover, having a couple of model names on the listing is a useful body of reference. For that reason, I’ve two huge model names on the listing. Many visitors don’t know a lot of the producers on the listing, however that’s the place we are available. All Stella’s servers are sommeliers and really well-versed in wine and might provide a advice by the glass primarily based on their solutions to just some questions.
What are some completely necessities on a profitable wine menu today?
Sancerre. Sauvignon Blanc is extra widespread than ever and Sancerre – the area in France – is nearly a model title today. Texans will at all times want a giant Cabernet Sauvignon. Rosé continues to be scorching, however right here in Texas the place it’s heat more often than not, rosé is an all-year wine.
Are you able to share some ideas for bartenders who’d prefer to serve/recommend wine like professionals.
Examine your wine listing. Go to the vineyard’s web site and search for one thing known as the ‘tech sheet.’ Virtually all wines have this data on their web site. The tech sheet discusses the grape or what contains the mix if it’s a mix, how the wine is made, the classic traits for that yr (the climate patterns, and so on.), how a lot oak (if any) the wine is uncovered to, primarily all of the ‘non-sexy’ statistics a couple of wine. It will be if I had been to introduce myself as 98% water, 2% protein! On the finish of the day, most visitors need to understand how the wine tastes, however by understanding the statistics in regards to the wine, a server can paint a extra enticing image of how the wine will style and behave with a meal. I additionally assume all bartenders and servers ought to style the wines themselves to give you their very own tasting notes.
What are some wine traits you possibly can’t reside with out/ how about ones you are able to do with out?
I like that sweeter types of wine are having a heyday. This pattern invitations folks to discover Riesling like by no means earlier than! I can do with out the pure wine pattern however that’s low hanging fruit. Massive, flashy, wealthy, spherical could-be-anything reds from wherever and are all made to style the identical – I may do with out that pattern. Sauvignon Blanc is big proper now however there’s a lot better character in a dry Riesling or Grüner Veltliner and people wines will give the Sauvignon Blanc lover what they need.
What’s your “stranded on an island” wine decide?
Bone-dry chiseled electrical Riesling.
