Meet WSA Alum, Brooke Parker

WSA Grad: Brooke Parker
WSET Intermediate Certificate Spring, 2011
Position: Tasting Room Associate, Dobbes Family Estate

While working full-time in the IT industry, Brooke was looking for a way to deepen her knowledge of wine. After testing the waters with a couple of WSA classes, Brooke signed up for the WSET Intermediate Certificate course in the Spring of 2011. The knowledge she gained there, along with the tremendous enthusiasm it fostered, helped her land a seasonal job in the tasting room at Dobbes Family Estate in Dundee. The preparation she received in the IC course allowed her to "hit the ground running." While Brooke is not quite ready to leave her IT job, she plans to use her new-found knowledge to "help change the wine world, one person at a time, and to focus on the fun, beauty, and deliciousness that is the real reason we pop the cork!"

Help Wanted!

As you may have guessed if you’ve seen me lately, Adam and I are getting ready for the arrival of our second baby sometime around January 1^st (no tax jokes please!). In order to ensure that the WSA continues to tick along with fabulous programming and events even in the months immediately following his arrival, I’m looking for some additional help around here! If you’re interested in getting more involved with the WSA in exchange for wine education, please get in touch! The positions listed below are a rough outline of the type of help that could come in handy, but if you have other skills you think might be useful, let me know. These positions are flexible and can be tailored to your schedule, but ideally I’m looking for a commitment of a couple of hours per week over a 2-month period.

Position 1: Course Assistant Course assistants help with classroom set up, wine pouring (servers permit required) and clean up in exchange for reduced tuition for certification classes and free tuition for recreational classes. If you’re applying for this position, please note for which classes you’d like to be considered. Position 2: Programming Intern The programming intern will have the opportunity to develop and implement educational programming. The ideal candidate for this position brings some event planning experience as well as ideas for unique wine-related events (possible events include: advanced level wine seminars, lecture series, wine career symposium, etc.). Please note that this is NOT a teaching position. Position 3: Marketing and Visual Education Intern (for lack of a better term) Ideally, the MVE intern is visually minded with strong graphic design skills. This individual will create and install interactive visual displays at the WSA to increase casual learning opportunities at the school (this might include maps, soil samples, regional displays, etc.). HOW TO APPLY: Send an email inquiry to cheers@wineandspiritarchive.com. Please include in our email: 1). why you are interested in the position and how you will use your education credits, and 2). the skills you bring to the position and any past relevant jobs/experiences. Review of applicants will begin November 1, 2011.

Meet WSA Alum, Deb Stilwell

WSA Grad: Deborah Stilwell
WSET Intermediate Certificate, 2007 and Advanced Certificate, Summer 2008
Position: Weekend Lead and Wine Educator, DeLille Cellars Carriage House

It was a lack of basic information and training available at previous winery jobs that led Deb Stilwell to seek out the WSET program. Deb began her studies for the Intermediate Certificate program independently and exclaims, “It was the first time in my life I came across a subject where I realized how much there was to know and that I had SO much to learn. I didn't find this depressing but rather, exciting.” After sitting the IC exam with the WSA in Portland, she dove right into the Advanced Certificate program in a Seattle class. Deb now conducts wine education classes both in her position as the Weekend Lead and Wine Educator at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, WA, and while conducting staff training for the new Wines of Washington tasting room in Snohomish, WA. She has also taught a Wine Basics class at the Seattle branch of Le Cordon Bleu and plans to continue teaching there. Deb is a real testament to the power of a WSET education!

WSET Alumni Parties - Portland and Seattle

OK WSET Alums, it's time again to drink some wine, eat some food, see old friends and meet some new ones. We sincerely hope you'll join us for one or both of these events!

Portland Alumni Party
Wednesday, July 7, 6pm
The Wine & Spirit Archive, 828 SE Ash Street #204

Seattle Alumni Party
Sunday, August 8, 5pm
DeLille Cellars, Woodinville, WA

Don't forget to RSVP!

Become a WSA Member!

If you're a frequent wine-buyer or class-taker, you can't afford to NOT become a WSA Member. Join the club and receive invitations to member-only events and great deals on wine, tastings, and classes.

Annual membership is just $30 - so once you've attended your free Friday Night Tasting and purchased a few bottles of wine, you're already in the black. For our WSET alums, the math is even easier (see below for details)!

Membership includes:

WINE DISCOUNTS - 10% off ALL wine purchases. 15% off case purchases (including mixed cases and special orders).

TASTING/CLASS DISCOUNTS - 10% off classes, tastings and events (excludes WSET Certification Courses).

COMPLIMENTARY TASTINGS - Free admission to a Friday Night Tasting of your choice. WSET Intermediate Alums receive an additional "+1." WSET Advanced Alums receive an additional "+2" OR - in lieu of the tasting - free admission to a recreational class of their choice (space permitting - we reserve 3 "free" spots per session).

SPECIAL EVENTS - Admission to member-only events (minimum of 2 per year).

PRIORITY ACCESS - Early registration access for all classes and events.

SWAG - Your very own WSA Spit Cup!

WSA Alumni on the Move

Congratulations to WSA alums who have either been recently promoted or have moved on to bigger and better things. 

Down in wine country, you'll find WSET Advanced Graduates Morgan Ennis and Mich Nelson in new tasting room positions.  Morgan recently left her position at Cork - A Bottle Shop to become Tasting Room Manager at Daedalus Cellars and Mich recently left Stoller Vineyards to join the Erath Winery team as Guest Services Supervisor.  Mich reports that her new position is "the perfect fit."

Further south in the Eugene area, WSET Advanced Graduate Lorne Mews is still at Benton-Lane Winery but has been promoted from National Sales Manager to Vice President. Congratulations Lorne!

For those of you still dining out in this depressed economy (and for the sake of our restaurant-based alums, we urge you to!), visit WSET Advanced student Lisa Marcus at Le Pigeon and WSET Advanced Graduate Amy Rehagen at Toro Bravo.  An easy assignment given that these are two of our favorite Portland restaurants.

Braiden Rex-Johnson, WSET Intermediate student also has news.  In addition to her other writing projects, Braiden is now a regular contributor to the Seattle Times Pacific Northwest "Taste" Column and is a monthly contributor to Amazon.com's Al Dente Blog.  And WSET Intermediate Graduate Laura Brady, president of Lux Wines, just announced a new wine sales website, including a bridal registry.  Check out Laura's new site here.

Want to know more about what WSA grads are up to?  Visit our graduates page.  

Payment Plans for WSET Courses

For many of our students - particularly those seeking to enter the beverage industry - WSET certification courses are a big investment.    

If you're interested in registering for a WSET wine certification course, but can't swing the tuition in one lump sum, contact us about payment plans.  Payment can be spread over 2, 3, or 4 monthly installments at no additional charge.  

WSA Alumni on the Move

A quick congratulations to several WSA alums who recently stepped into new positions:

After several years at Soter Vineyards, Chris Poulos (AC 2007) was asked by North Berkeley Imports to come aboard as a sales representative covering the Pacific Northwest, midwest, and parts Northern California.  A huge territory to be sure, which means that Chris finds himself traveling quite a bit.  Chris says he loves the exposure to North Berkeley's stellar collection and the opportunity to introduce buyers to new wines.  Chris is also currently working towards his WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits (DWS).  Good luck, Chris!

Current student Linda Conklin was recently promoted to Hospitality Manager at Columbia Winery.  In her new position, Linda coordinates all VIP visits and is also responsible for the winery's tasting room education program.  Linda says she the new position keeps her busy and requires significant traveling, but that she is enjoying the new challenges.  

Ryan Wilson (AC 2007) recently made a move from Bacchus Fine Wines to Mitchell Wines.  Although it's a challenge to work with an entirely new book, Ryan is excited by Mitchell's great selection and is relishing the chance to learn an entirely new selection of wines (plus he gets to work with WSA instructor Ewald Moseler, so that's got to be a plus as well!). 

And finally, on a recent trip to New Seasons, I was excited to see Kerry Godfrey (IC 2007) stocking wine bottles in his new position as Wine Manager.  Kerry says he's found the perfect job and loves spending his days helping customers select wine (although his body has not quite adapted to all the heavy lifting!).  The next time you're in the inner SE, stop in and see Kerry at the five corners New Seasons and put him to work!

Alright alums, keep us posted.  We want to know what you're up to and where you're working.  And for those of you who want to find out more about what our alums are up to, make sure to visit our graduates page.  

Intermediate Certificate Student, Leo Daedalus, scores perfect 100 on IC Exam

Congratulations to Leo Daedalus who received a perfect 100 on his WSET Intermediate Certificate exam. Leo's perfect score is the first for the WSA and is a tremendous achievement.

Local Wineries Open Their Doors for Advanced Certificate Field Trip

This spring we got our WSET Advanced Certificate students out of the classroom and into the field with three winery visits. AC students Lisa Marcus and Mich Nelson share their thoughts on the field trips to Cristom Vineyards, Cameron Winery, and Stoller Vineyards below.

Cristom Vineyards Tour

by Lisa Marcus

Part 1 of a three-winery field trip organized by the WSA for the Spring 2008 WSET Advanced Certification course.

It is morning in the winery. The hills surrounding are six Cristom vineyards, all named after relatives of owner Paul Gerrie. This fall they will bear pinot noir, pinot gris and syrah – the first estate-grown of its kind in the Willamette Valley. For now the vines are pruned and bare, waiting for the warmth of spring.

We are about to tour Cristom Vineyards with Paul’s son Tom as our guide. And it is here in the winery where we learn the family traditions of turning grapes into wine. We learn about what winemaker Steve Doerner considers to be the key in creating some of the best-known pinot noir in the valley: slow fermentation. Everything here at Cristom is hands on. From picking the grapes to punch downs.

Steve is humble. His winemaking approach combines scientific skill with a strong intuition. Cristom uses one-ton individual fermenters because he feels the size is perfect to allow a long and slow fermentation. In anything from outsourcing fruit to every step of the process along the way, Steve takes a very hands-on, but trusting approach. He allows the vineyard managers to make their own decisions in producing the highest quality fruit possible. All the way down to the microbial actions taking place, he emphasizes faith in the process. His background in biochemistry gives him the confidence to allow the yeast and bacteria to do their work and bring depth and character to the wine. He has little use for lab analysis and data tracking, instead relying on taste.

We descend into the cellar for a bit of barrel tasting. It is cold but it smells familiar – a bit romantic and mysterious. We taste the 2007 Eileen out of two barrels from different coopers. Next we drink a sample of the Louise, followed by some Marjory. We compare depth and flavor differences. Tasting straight from the barrels in the cellar you get a real sense of the magic created here at Cristom. A magic based on skill, intuition and family tradition.

Visit Cristom Vineyards online.

Cameron Winery Tour

by Lisa Marcus

Part 2 of a three-winery field trip organized by the WSA for the Spring 2008 WSET Advanced Certification course.

The gates are open for us today. We drive up the long gravel driveway surrounded by the Cameron Estate Vineyard. We find John Paul working hard at grafting vines. I can’t help but see him as an ex-hippy meets mad scientist meets grape grower, and I laugh to myself at how wonderful it is to be here. The first thing he shows us is how to take cut vines and graft them together, dipping the scions in wax to hold them in place. He then carefully placing them in perlite bins so they will stay moist. Next they'll live in a greenhouse under a shade cloth until ready for planting. This process has come a long way for him. When he began, his success rate was around 1%. Now he figures that 75–90% of his grafts take.

We move from there into the vineyard. While John Paul speaks about going biodynamic, his four-legged family follows close behind, running circles around us and receiving plenty of love and affection from the group. John Paul says he wants his vineyard to be a self-contained entity. Toward that cause, he will be adding chickens to his vineyard in the next year. The idea is to use what is called a “chicken tractor,” which is basically a mobile coop moved down the rows of vines. The chickens will eat the low shrubbery and allow the grape vines to thrive.

John Paul firmly believes in dry farming. He started Deep Roots Organization, which now includes other Oregon wineries, such as Beaux Freres, Brick House, J. Christopher, Eyrie and Westrey. In John Paul's opinion that the best vineyards are dry farmed. You can make a good wine using irrigation, but it will lack the character of its terroir.

We continue on into his cellar for our eagerly awaited barrel tasting (loving this class!). Using his wine thief, he pulls out a sample of a 2006 pinot noir blend. This one has a great heaviness to it, not too tannic and well balanced. The second, from his Abbey Ridge vineyard, is a bit more floral, but dense and meaty.

We finish the cellar tour and resume tasting upstairs. We try some 2006 Chardonnay, recently bottled. His Juliano, a blend of seven Italian white grapes, was a group favorite. We find it to be complex and crisp. There is just a kiss of moscato (muscat) amid the blend, giving it a touch of something floral. This wine will be great with seafood and summer.

At the end of the tour, I leave with a smile. I think about how beautiful Oregon wines really are. When I bring the juice to my lips, it is sweet and rugged. It is the balance of nature and intuition. I smell earth and the feel the love and sense the passion for the grape. And I want more.

Visit Cameron Winery online.

Stoller Vineyards Tour

by Mich Nelson

Part 3 of a three-winery field trip organized by the WSA for the Spring 2008 WSET Advanced Certification course.

After visiting Cristom and Cameron earlier in the day, the WSET Advance Certificate students headed to Stoller Vineyards. Stoller Vineyards is a 373-acre parcel located on the southern slopes of the Dundee Hills AVA in Yamhill County, Oregon. A turkey farm from the 1940s through the 1980s, the first 10 acres of Chardonnay and 10 acres of Pinot Noir were planted in 1995. The vineyard now has 176 acres under vine, the majority of which is planted to Pinot Noir.

Stoller Vineyards produces varietal Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made exclusively from the estate vineyard.

I currently work as Tasting Room Supervisor for Stoller and was excited to offer classmates a tour of the winery building, which is the first Gold LEED Certified winery in the United States. The winery integrates gravity-flow winemaking techniques, energy-efficient heating and cooling, and waste-water reclamation to reduce negative environmental impact. The array of 224 solar panels on the roof of the building offsets about 50% of the winery’s electrical needs.

The class then met with Stoller winemaker Melissa Burr in the cellar for some barrel tasting. Melissa led the class through a comparison of different yeast strains being used on the same lot of fruit, using the same barrels, to get a sense of how yeasts affect the flavor and texture of the wine. Next, the class also sampled wine from the same Pinot Noir clones from vines of differing ages, to see how age adds complexity to the fruit. Finally, Melissa showed the class how new oak barrels and neutral oak barrels impart varying degrees of influence on wine.

Finally, I led the class through a tasting of Stoller’s currently released wines, which are crafted in two distinct styles:

The JV (or Junior Vines) wines are made using fruit from younger vines on the property and are made in an accessible style. The class sampled a 2007 Rose, 2007 stainless-steel fermented Chardonnay and 2006 Pinot Noir made in this style.

The SV (for Stoller Vineyards) flagship wines are made using fruit from the oldest vines on the property, and showcase the fruit, earth, and complexity of the Stoller vineyards. The class tasted the 2006 SV Chardonnay, which is made by barrel fermenting and aging the wine for 10½ months prior to bottling, and the 2005 SV Pinot Noir, which is crafted to cellar well and is released after about 18 months of bottle aging.

Visit Stoller Vineyards online.