wine guy wednesday

CultureMap Wine Guy Chris Shepherd dives into blind tasting with Tilman Fertitta's talented master sommelier

Keith Goldston Master Sommelier Landry's

Find Keith Goldston at The Post Oak Hotel and Mastro's.

Courtesy of Landry's

Editor's note: Long before Chris Shepherd became a James Beard Award-winning chef, he developed enough of a passion for wine to work at Brennan's of Houston as a sommelier. He maintains that interest to this day. When Chris expressed interest in writing about wine-related topics for CultureMap, we said yes.

In this week's column, he explains how a master sommeliers taste wine. Take it away, Chris.

To say that wine is a passion of mine is an understatement. I enjoy wine. I enjoy learning about wine. I enjoy learning about the styles, the producers, the varietals. I like to talk about wine, have conversations, read about wine.

To me, it’s a hobby. To some, it’s their life. Their livelihood. We live in a city where we’re lucky enough to have a fantastic wine community — not only restaurants with incredible lists but seven master sommeliers living and breathing among us.

The best part? They’re all teaching the next generation. We have a very strong list of advanced somms in this city, and, at any given time, the number of master somms could go into the double digits as the advanced somms take their tests and pass.

To become a master sommelier, you must pass four exams:

Introductory Exam, a two-day in-person course covering the world of wine and more.
Certified Sommelier Exam, focusing on a candidate’s ability to demonstrate proficiency in deductive tasting, wine and beverage theory, and both technical and salesmanship skills in tableside service.
Advanced Sommelier Exam, a three-part exam like the Certified but at a much deeper level of expertise is tested.
Master Sommelier Exam, which includes three portions—theory, practical and tasting at an even higher level than the Advanced.

All of this is much harder than it seems. To put it in perspective, there are 273 master sommeliers in the world (and less than 750 advanced somms).

I celebrated my friend Keith Goldston’s birthday over the weekend. He’s the master sommelier at Landry’s — he was America’s 47th master somm. Pretty damn cool.

When you’re sitting at brunch with truly the best of the business, they actually talk about wine! But when Keith broke down the theoretical grid of how he approaches blind tasting, my jaw dropped. I knew he had a lot of knowledge to share, so I stopped by the Post Oak Hotel and sat down with Keith, Julie Dalton (also a master sommelier), and Mastro’s wine director Shaun Prevatt (an advanced somm).

It all comes down to tasting, and they use a grid to guide their tasting. Descriptors are key.

“You can use the grid to work for you and figure out the wine by asking very basic questions without ever tasting the wine,” Goldston says.

Dalton agrees. “Rely on your grid. Hold onto it as your lifeline.”

Keith describes the grid as a flow chart. Ask a question, and if you say yes, get more specific.

“The more you can visualize all those things, you zoom in on what you’re smelling, and you push everything else aside. As my friend master sommelier Kathy Morgan says, ‘Is fruit driving the bus or is earth driving the bus?’ If it’s earth, it must be Old World. If fruit is driving the bus, we’re looking at New World,” he says.

“Guy Stout [Houston’s first master sommelier] says it so beautifully — 'have a conversation with the glass.' Knowing what to ask, listening to the answer, and possibly changing your questions to keep your conversation going. But everything you need to pass is in that glass.”

Keith, Julie, and Shaun all agree that the grid is your guide to the conversation to have with the glass.

So I asked Keith to run the grid for me — to literally talk me through his thought process when he’s tasting. Hold on and buckle up.

The Visual

“Red wine. Pale ruby fading to an orange browning rim. Ring of garnet makes me think this is 10-15 years of age. Slightest of staining in the tears and viscosity, medium plus.”

On the Nose

“Cleanish but correct. No faults. It’s got this crazy sarsaparilla/root beer/bitter herbs/almost amaro thing going on. Licorice. Prunes, raisins. Craisins, even. Red fruit, black fruit together. Dried, baked, tart, a little bit of plum. A little bit of dehydrated blackberries, cranberries, raspberries.

"You’ve got this leather, barnyard, goat, a little bit of Brettanomyces, definitely a little funk, charcuterie. You’re questioning if maybe you should have had it the day before. A little gamey. A little licorice, nail polish, varnish, balsamic. Balsa wood, model planes — that leads into a whole thing of suntan lotion, woodcutting, wood chips, a fair amount of new oak, most likely American, bourbon barrel thing going on. Definitely showing age on the nose.”

On the Palate

“Clean and correct. A little cleaner on the palate than on the nose. Acid is a medium plus. Tannins, medium. Alcohol, medium plus. Finish is really long and really complex. Bumps the tannins to medium plus.

"A little grippy on the finish from all the barrels. Confirm the use of new American oak on this. A lot of barrel aging. Fruit is a little more tart. Cranberry is much more prevalent. Underripe raspberries. Wild French strawberries. Blackberry is almost gone. All the black fruit seems to disappear. Mushrooms now. Savory notes are there. Meaty, gamey charcuterie. I get a little cigar ash now.

"Very complex wine. Long finish. Leads me to my initial conclusion. I’m going to call this an Old World wine. Possible grapes — Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir. France, Italy, Spain. Age range 10-15 years, maybe even older.”

Final Conclusion

“It’s a little too dirty and sweet to be Burgundy. I don’t get the tannins firm enough for Italy. So I’ll call it from Spain, from Rioja. Predominantly Tempranillo, Tempranillo blend, Gran Reserva because of the oak, and probably 20 years of age, so 2001 Rioja.”

And you know what? He was right!

It was an amazing thing to sit and watch this unfold in front of me. This is a true testament to the love of and commitment to wine. In addition to witnessing the process, I also got to see the mentorship happening so the next generation can fulfill their dreams, too.

Becoming a master sommelier is not easy. It’s a life commitment. To understand and to be able to have a conversation with what’s in your glass (and blind tasting is only a small part of the path!) is a truly incredible feat. It’s detective-level deduction.

Any time you’re dining out, I encourage you to engage the sommeliers and let them lead you to something new. These folks are really good at what they do.

Want to find all the master sommeliers in Houston? Here’s a quick cheat sheet.

Keith Goldston, Landry’s: Post Oak Hotel, Mastros
Julie Dalton, Landry’s: Post Oak Hotel, Stella’s Wine Bar
Steven McDonald, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
June Rodil, Goodnight Hospitality: March, Rosie Cannonball, Montrose Cheese & Wine, The Marigold Club
Guy Stout, Stout Family Wines
Jack Mason, Republic National Distributing Company
Brandon Kerne, Art of Cellaring/Texas Wine School

Give them a high five if you run into them. They earned it.

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Contact our Wine Guy via email at chris@chrisshepherdconcepts.com.

Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. Last year, he parted ways with Underbelly Hospitality, a restaurant group that currently operates four Houston restaurants: Wild Oats, GJ Tavern, Underbelly Burger, and Georgia James. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a non-profit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $10 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund.

Soup spoon season

10 Houston chefs share 15 top soups that offer comfort and sustenance

Photo by Louis Lamson Quy

Louis Lamson Quy, co-owner of Alora, is a loyal diner at Phanh Ky thanks to its Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang, which reminds him of his hometown, Saigon.

Happy soup season to all who celebrate. The weather has finally dipped low enough in Houston that diners can enjoy a hearty bowl of soup without breaking a sweat. With so many delicious selections at Houston restaurants, we turned to Houston's chef and other restaurant industry experts to find out which brothy creations are worth seeking out.

The only rule? No one could nominate a soup from their own restaurant. Here’s what they had to say.

Dana East, line cook, Uchi Houston

To Dana East of Uchi Houston, the caldo de res at Ruchi Mexican Grille’s Reliant Stadium location “feels like home to me… Even though I’m not Mexican.”

“The caldo de res at that specific Ruchi's tastes like it was made in a Mexican grandmother's kitchen, or like soups that I would eat for family meal that kitchens I work in would make when everybody is sick during the winter,” she says.

East also recommends the Bogotano at Mi Pueblito, a soup made with three kinds of potatoes that she says “imbue a smoky flavor in it that is borderline addictive.”

“I could eat an entire pot of that stuff,” she says. “They serve it with fresh cream and capers that take it to the next level.”

Garrett Rice, owner, Bayou Butchers

The cream of crab soup at Loch Bar is a highlight that Garrett Rice of Bayou Butchers looks forward to after work.

“It’s a simple dish that lets a really good ingredient shine, and they certainly don’t shy away from the crab in true Baltimore fashion,” Rice says. “With Loch Bar’s kitchen open late, I can always count on a cup of crab soup waiting for me after a long shift.”

German Mosquera, executive chef, Long Weekend

When German Mosquera of Long Weekend wants ramen, he heads to Mensho, the Japan-based chain that just opened its second Houston-area location on the border of River Oaks and Montrose.

“For me, it’s all about the broth,” he says. “Mensho’s tori paitan has a rich, velvety texture and incredible umami flavor from start to finish. The perfectly jammy egg adds another layer of richness that keeps me coming back. I also love the intimate Tokyo-style counter seating. It makes for an authentic ramen experience.”

Kerry Pauly, owner, KP’s Kitchen

The matzo ball soup at Kenny and Ziggy’s is “in a league of its own,” according to Kerry Pauly of KP’s Kitchen. He describes it as “rich, flavorful, and pure comfort whether you’re sick or feeling great.”

Louis Lamson Quy, co-owner, Alora

“My favorite go-to spot for soup has always been Phanh Ky,” says Louis Lamson Quy of Alora, a Peruvian-Vietnamese fusion restaurant in Montrose. “They specialize in hủ tiếu nam vang, a noodle dish with roots tracing back to Teochew Chinese immigrants in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It’s also one of the most popular noodle dishes in my hometown, Saigon, so it always feels a little like home to me.

“To me, Phanh Ky is one of the OGs in the game,” he adds. “I first tried it when I moved to Houston nine years ago, and I’ve been coming back ever since. There’s just something comforting about a place that stays consistent after all these years.”

Maria Christie, operator and general manager, Christie’s Seafood and Steaks

“I love, love the lemon chicken soup at Harry’s,” says Maria Christie of Christie’s Seafood and Steaks. "For me the soup at Harry’s reminds me of the way my mom would make the lemon soup.”

“And the lentil soup (at Anonymous Cafe) is really hearty and it just reminds me of cold winter days (whenever we get those in Houston!),” she adds. “It’s absolutely perfect because it has a hint of tomato in it. Deeeelicious!”

Her sister, Kathy Christie, who serves as Christie's director of catering, is a fan of Little Pappasito's chicken tortilla soup. “Whenever you are under the weather, it totally hits the spot,” Kathy says. She adds extra lime to hers.

Nicole Routhier, partner and culinary ambassador, Le Colonial

The bun bo hue at Pho Quynh, a small Vietnamese restaurant located inside 99 Ranch Market, is a year round must for Nicole Routhier of Le Colonial.

“Their spicy, deeply flavorful broth is super comforting and among the best in town. The chef is generous with the noodles and toppings of tender beef brisket, pork shank, gio Hue (steamed pork sausage with black peppercorns), and blood pudding. The soup comes with a side of shaved cabbage, crunchy bean sprouts, Vietnamese mint (rau ram), and a wedge of lime to be added to the soup as you eat. Two tiny containers of fermented shrimp sauce (mam tom) and spicy chili oil are also provided so you can add even more umami to the soup,” Routhier says. “Bun bo hue is a full meal on its own, and my idea of heaven in a bowl.”

Oscar Juarez, founder and owner, Make It Nice Hospitality

The pozole verde at Cuchara is a simple and flavorful dish that private chef Oscar Juarez of Make It Nice Hospitality says he would recommend to anyone.

“The broth has a nice balance of richness and acidity, and it’s just one of those dishes that’s comforting without being too heavy,” Juarez says. “Growing up with Mexican food, I have a real appreciation for dishes like this.”

Rafael Nasr, founder, Craft Pita

Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita says he has “a burning passion for North China’s sizzling rice soup.”

He describes it as an intensely flavored, crystal-clear broth with bits of pork and tiny shrimp to fill you up.

“The carrot, napa cabbage, and wood ear mushrooms add umami and I am convinced have healing powers,” he says. “The flash fried rice adds texture and flavor at the same time and whether served table side or at home provide dinner and a show. I eat this soup and talk about it more than any soup in Houston.”

Nasr’s pro tip: Add a bit of soy sauce and lots of North China’s housemade green chili oil to the soup.

Ziggy Gruber, chef and owner, Kenny & Ziggy’s

Ziggy Gruber of Kenny & Ziggy’s has a couple of favorite soups in town, which isn’t surprising since his own deli is known for its bowl selection. Among his favorites is the clam chowder at Capital Grille, which he says captures the true flavor of the East Coast with plenty of clams and just the right amount of thyme.

He also loves the French onion soup at Etoile Cuisine et Bar.

“The stock is very rich and the onions are extracted so the flavor is permeated throughout the soup. I like that it has multiple croutons rather than one crouton in the soup,” he says. “And then the cheese on top!”

Another top pick for Ziggy is the tortilla soup at Grace’s.“It is complicated in such a good way, with the crunchy bits of tortillas and chicken skin, with the coolness of the avocado, and it has just the right amount of spice,” he says.

$Phanh Ky H\u1ee7 Ti\u1ebfu Nam Vang,$

Photo by Louis Lamson Quy

Louis Lamson Quy, co-owner of Alora, is a loyal diner at Phanh Ky thanks to its Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang, which reminds him of his hometown, Saigon.

news-you-can-eat soup lists chefs anderson