#FRISKYFRIDAY ALERT 🖤 and I’m in the mood for something dirty…

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Of course I mean a martini! When it comes to a classically sexy cocktail, it’s hard to beat a dirty martini- the best ones are stiff and dangerous. 😏

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A standard martini recipe is the same across the board- but everyone tailors it to their specific taste. I like mine vodka, slightly dirty, with bleu cheese stuffed olives. I turned to my favorite mixologist Roland Price and asked HIS secrets to building my custom cocktail. Roland just took home 1st Place when he was voted the best bartender in Williamson County so he’s kind of an expert. Enjoy his crafting of my cocktail above! 🍸

While it might seem pretentious, there is a method behind the madness when it comes to swirling, sniffing and swishing a glass of vino.

I’ll never forget the first time I was asked to “formally” taste wine.

It was my first monthly meeting in Knoxville at the office for the distributor I’d just been hired at. I was totally green to this side of the industry, my prior experience being behind a bar. But here I sat in a fancy boardroom surrounded by 20 of my new co-workers who were all strangers to me. There was a supplier rep from Cloudy Bay, straight from New Zealand who was leading the tasting. And I was petrified because I don’t even think at that point I had even had a sauvignon blanc.

One by one they passed around the bottles and asked for our feedback. I was frozen in fear and fumbled with a witty quip about being the new kid on the block. They gave me a pass, but as I watched each person methodically sniff their glasses and swirl the product, some even seeming to gargle then spit (!) it into a communal bucket, I didn’t know whether to be enthralled or grossed out. All I knew is that I needed to be able to at least fake it at the next meeting so I got to googling tout suite!

In the interest of saving you from the same embarrassment, I am going to list the abridged method for tasting wine. However, I am pulling my info from this wonderful resource ( https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/how-to-taste-wine-develop-palate/ ) courtesy of Wine Folly, and I highly recommend you dive a little deeper and read the entire article. It’s a great breakdown of the science behind the hoity-toity tasting practices, and not one of them is so you can look hoity-toity!

1. LOOK- this is the shortest step. As soon as you get your glass, take a brief moment to visually inspect the product, taking note of color as you tilt the glass, preferably over a white backdrop, and looking for viscosity or any flaws like floating cork
2. SMELL- this is when you get to swirl the wine. You don’t have to whip the glass around like you’re creating a 2-liter funnel in your 5th grade science class. A few gentle swishes are enough to put some oxygen into the wine and fully release the aromas. Stick your nose in the glass, close your eyes and inhale deeply, taking note of any scents that stick out to you.
3. TASTE- in my opinion, the best part. Put the (hopefully) yummy juice in your mouth and hold it there for a minute. Swish it around so it coats the entirety of your tongue and gums, you can even practice sucking some air through your lips to further open the full flavor, but please do this in private a few times so you don’t choke in front of a group. Then you can either swallow or spit. I tend to hold onto mine unless I’m tasting through several glasses for work, in which case I’m forced to waste.
4. THINK- how did this wine make you feel? What stuck out to you? What was the texture in your mouth? What’s the meaning of life? Just quickly make note of anything that stands out about the wine so you can make a witty remark if asked.

Bearded Iris Brewing Company (BIBCO) is a Nashville local brewery that is taking the world of hops by storm.

With a constantly evolving list of IPAs, DIPAs and pale ales, BIBCO knows where their bread and butter is. Their flagship beer Homestyle is a staple behind every bar and on every shelf across the state of Tennessee. But don’t sleep on the occasional curveball they throw in the taproom. I thoroughly enjoyed a pint of the Smuggler, an imperial stout with malted milk, chocolate, vanilla and lactose. It was a great compliment to a chilly day in early March. While the brewery is located onsite with the taproom in Germantown, a little bird told me a second location is underway very soon on the west side of town. Keep your eyes peeled!

https://beardedirisbrewing.com/

Located within the hippie oasis known as Asheville, NC, Pleb is exactly what one would expect of this mountain town- laid back, straightforward and plenty of eye-catching artwork to compliment the vino. Using regionally sourced grapes, they are producing honest wines for this part of the country.

https://www.pleburbanwinery.com/