Study Methods to Improve Your Blind Tasting Ability

In our latest blind tasting podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe chats with Jonathan Eichholz,MS, about proven study methods that have helped both of them develop the skill to not only pass the Master Sommelier exam but also continue to improve their tasting ability and adapt to evolving wine typicity. Working with the GuildSomm team, Jonathan keeps the compendium up to date and occasionally teaches classes. He has worked at the acclaimed New York City restaurants The Modern and Aquavit, and he passed the Master Sommelier exam in 2023.  Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe connects with Greg Lambrecht, the founder of Coravin, to discuss how the Coravin came to be, the science behind it, and how to maximize its efficiency. Greg has a background in medical device design and developed the Coravin prototype while drinking solo when expecting his first child. He wanted to reduce waste by having a glass of wine from any bottle without allowing oxygen ingress. Initially intended for consumers, the Coravin has greatly impacted the wine industry by expanding the possibilities of what a by-the-glass program can be at restaurants and wine bars across the world, with some serving hundreds of wines by the ounce or glass. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe connects with Sother Teague, a bartender and a founding partner of Overthrow Hospitality, in New York City, to discuss all things bitter and the current state of cocktails. The conversation explores the differences between tinctures and potable bitters, the espresso martini phenomenon, and more. Sother is the cohost of The Speakeasy, a podcast on Heritage Radio Network, and author of I’m Just Here for the Drinks,: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than One Hundred Extraordinary Cocktails. He was named mixologist of the year by Wine Enthusiast in 2018 and has been featured in the New York Times, VinePair, and New York Magazine, among other publications. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!

In our latest blind tasting podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe speaks with two Seattle sommeliers, each working in a different sector of the business, about how they apply blind tasting skills to their daily routines. They taste a white wine that tends to be a bit tricky! Ally Lanoue is the assistant wine director at the Canlis restaurant, a Seattle icon that has been open for more than 70 years on Lake Union. Originally from Massachusetts, Ally studied violin at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and found her way into restaurants while attending school. She moved to Washington in 2018 to take a serving job at Canlis and has progressed through the ranks, turning her career focus to wine. Paul Swanson is the regional account manager for WineBid, where he evaluates and acquires private cellars for the online company. He is also an educator for the wine studies program at South Seattle College. Paul found his passion for wine during college while working at Bern’s Steak House, in Tampa, where he discovered how vast the world of wine is. He moved to Seattle in 2008 and, in 2011, was part of the opening service team of RN74, where he worked with Chris and a team of other talented sommeliers and later became the lead sommelier. Enjoy the show and leave us a review if you found it helpful in your own pursuit of becoming a better taster and beverage professional!

In our latest podcast, the host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe explores the diverse wine styles of Hungary, including the iconic and incredibly complex sweet wines of Tokaj as well as lesser-known dry wines from multiple regions. Our guest this month is Hungary’s first Master Sommelier, Tamás Czinki, from Budapest, who is the wine director of the Felix restaurant and consults for Culinaris Wholesale, where he is developing an extensive portfolio of fine wines. Previously, Tamás spent a decade in the UK, where he was the head sommelier for the Northcote hotel in Lancashire and regularly competed in sommelier competitions, placing second in the 2018 Best Sommelier of the United Kingdom event.  Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!  

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with two talented Canadian wine professionals, Barbara Philip and Élyse Lambert. They taste a red wine blind and discuss how they apply blind tasting in their work and why it’s okay to be wrong from time to time. Barbara Philip is a Master of Wine and is currently a category manager for BC Liquor Stores, a role in which she is responsible for buying all sparkling, fortified, and European selections. She was the first Canadian woman to earn the title of MW, in 2007, and is based in Vancouver. Élyse Lambert resides in Montreal and has been working in the restaurant industry for more than 25 years. She became Canada’s second woman Master Sommelier in 2015 and placed fifth in the Best Sommelier of the World competition in Argentina in 2016. She consults for The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, and other private and corporate clients. Enjoy the show and leave us a review if you found it helpful in your own pursuits of being a better taster and beverage professional!

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe broaches the complexities of pairing wine with cheese, as it’s often assumed that the two are easily matched, in an interview with Bronwen and Francis Percival. Bronwen selected four cheeses and tasked Chris and Francis with choosing pairings that they thought would elevate the eating experience. Tune in to find out who was victorious in the pairing competition! Bronwen Percival is the technical director for Neal’s Yard Dairy in the UK and co-authored "Reinventing the Wheel: Milk, Microbes, and the Fight for Real Cheese" with her husband, Francis. She oversees the quality, consistency, and integrity of all the cheeses sold by the famed UK dairy, which was founded in 1979 and works with more than 40 cheesemakers from Britain and Ireland. Francis Percival is the food editor for "The World of Fine Wine" magazine. In addition to his writing, Francis is a judge in the magazine’s World’s Best Wine Awards and teaches about cheese at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review to support the show. Cheers!

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Braithe Tidwell and Sam Bortugno of Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana. They talk about their experiences with blind tasting and how they employ blind tasting skills in their current roles. Braithe Tidwell is the corporate beverage director for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group in New Orleans. Braithe was the first full-time sommelier at Brennan's Restaurant after its 2015 reopening under new ownership, then became the wine director before transitioning to her current role with the broader restaurant group. Sam Bortugno is the wine director for Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans. He is an Advanced Sommelier through the CMS-A and is currently working his way through the Master Sommelier examination process. Sam has spent 18 years in the restaurant industry, transitioning into wine and spirits after initially training as a chef. After their tasting conversations, Braithe and Sam taste the same white wine together. Listen closely and guess along with them! We reveal the wine at the end of the episode.

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with the wine writer and educator Karen MacNeil about the state of wine education today. They cover trends, strategies, innovative approaches, the future of wine education, certifications, and much more. Karen MacNeil is a wine writer and educator who is best known for her award-winning book, The Wine Bible, now in its third edition. Karen is an instructor at Stanford University's Continuing Studies program and the creator of the Culinary Institute of America's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies. She leads events and tastings for companies and individual groups around the world. Karen's digital newsletter, Wine Speed, offers fast, authoritative information on wine. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review to support the show. Cheers!

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Cokie Ponikvar and Omar Lima. They discuss the importance of blind tasting, the challenges they've faced in their tasting journeys, and how they apply blind tasting skills. Cokie Ponikvar runs the wine education platform @cokiesworldofwine, which has 299,000 followers on Instagram. She began her wine career while studying at the University of Toronto and working as a sommelier at the Four Seasons Hotel. Today, her approachable wine videos have over 52 million views. Cokie is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. Omar Lima is a sommelier at Sushi Note Omakase in Beverly Hills. Previously, he worked at several other Los Angeles restaurants, including Augustine Wine Bar, the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, and Spago Beverly Hills. Omar is a Certified Sommelier through the CMS-A and a Certified Sake Advisor through the Sake School of America, and he has the WSET Level 2 Award in Wine. After their tasting conversations, Cokie and Omar taste the same red wine. Listen closely and guess along with them! We reveal the wine at the end of the episode. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review to support the show. Cheers!