Spice: The Art of The Barrel Spice Training Deck

Runs from 9/13 - 11/24

Lightest Touch Barrels:

• 2022 DeMayo Chardonnany Tech Sheet
• 2022 Triska Pinot Noir Tech Sheet

Middleweight Barrels:

• 2019 Ghost Vine Merlot Tech Sheet
• 2021 Stone Patch Cab Franc Tech Sheet

Heavyweight Barrels:

• 2021 East Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Tech Sheet
• 2020 Choreography BDX Red Blend Tech Sheet

Spices:

• Vanilla Bean
• Nutmeg
• Caramel
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Allspice
• Cacao
• Star Anise
• Black Pepper
• White Peppercorns
• Black Peppercorns
• Red Pepper Flakes

Spice Tasting Menu Spice Placemat

Carolyn

I aligned the spices with what Stephanie had on hers. I do want to add some more specific notes on each spice but that will come with time. I also had fun looking up each of the cooperages and made a matrix for fun facts. Its way too much information for a short tasting but someone may geek out on it. One of the websites had a great map of the forests in the Bordeaux region. We should do a field trip to a cooperage in Napa/Calistoga some day.

Carolyn's Spice Tasting Notes Carolyn's Barrel Notes

Dorrothy

Poured the wines first, then delivered the first spices, giving them opportunity to sip while we were gone.

I suggested after trying and experimenting with the first wine in a set to leave some and have it available to compare with the second to help identify similarities in the toast level of the barrels.

Brought spices out in waves - with the first 4, I suggest swapping cinnamon for clove since cinnamon doesn’t show up until the merlot and clove was mentioned by Shalae with the Pinot Noir.

Save pepper for the end with exception of red flakes for Franc.

Would not save custom blend / empty dish until end, it was used throughout the tasting to try combining different spices.

Chard and Pinot having similar spice notes while being red vs white wine was interesting to my customers. I like the first set of wines best for this reason.

Explaining how three of the red single varietals are present in Choreo which brings them all together was fun during their custom blending and helped them understand why/how most of the spices in front of them were in the final blend.

Matt’s customers did not like the all spice or red pepper. They said this tasting was one of the best things they have ever done here. My customers thought all were interesting but that pepper overwhelmed palate and were glad it was brought at the end.

Matt and I didn’t do as much of a deep dive on the individual wines as we would normally do, instead focusing on which spices were present in the wine, and which would enhance/compliment. There was quite a bit of food pairing discussions, I think the pepper had more to do with that than anything! Distinguishing between oak spices, inherent flavors in the varietals and pairing spices is important!!