CIA Somm Sommit
The CIA Somm Summit is a best way to learn wine.
This is especially true if you want to learn wine for the Court of Master Sommeliers or Masters of Wine.
If you are a sommelier, wine director, or in the trade you might find it interesting to check out the CIA Somm Summit offered from the CIA at the Copia Center.
I first heard about this CIA Somm Summit via Sommelier Journal.
The CIA Somm Summit is held in the Napa Valley, California – the best place to learn wine.
CIA SOMM SUMMIT – BEST WAY TO LEARN WINE
You will meet some of the most influential and popular wine icons of the world.
For example, Kevin Zraly, a key presenter, is a wine legend.
He taught the famous wine classes at Windows at the World.
Andrea Robinson MS, moderator and key wine presenter, is a Master Sommelier who has written many books, and is also an expert at food and wine pairing (I took her class eons ago at the Culinary Institute of New York.
Karen MacNeil, an iconic figure, wrote “The Wine Bible” and led many sessions.
So you will learn wine from the best.
CIA Somm Summit : Banfi Wine Tasting
It was really a best way to learn wine from this film, Somm 3.
In it, you could see Jancis Robinson and many famous wine writers and wine tasters show you the best way to learn wine.
Before the screening, Banfi held a wine tasting hour with their top wines, like Brunello di Montalcino.
It was so exciting to try these excellent Banfi wines, and also say hello and shake hands with old friends from different places, different times.
The team at Copia, at Banfi, and the sponsors and staff behind the CIA Somm Summit did a great job of organizing this event to help you learn wine.
CIA Somm Summit : Sunday Morning Santa Barbara Luncheon Kickoff
Luncheon was served at the Copia Center, buffet style.
The food was incredibly good, and the lunch served as a good kickoff to the delicious food we would be having the entire summit.
Various wineries from the Santa Barbara region were organized at tables throughout the room.
Winemakers were on hand to answer the many questions from the sommelier and sommelier aspiring crowd.
The Santa Barbara wineries featured
Brewer-Clifton
Cambria Estate Winery
Dierberg Vineyard
Fiddlehead Cellars
Hitching Post Wines
Mail Road Wines
Montemar
Nielson
Pence Vineyards and Winery
Riverbench Vineyard and Winery
SAMsARA Wine Co.
Siduri
Tyler Winery
So after a welcome speech, there was a fabulous tutored tasting called “Cultivating Excellence” featuring some of the top wine makers in the Napa Valley.
This was the best way to learn about wine.
So …. who was there???
1. Simon Faury, winemaker at Merryvale Vineyards.
2. Craig Becker, Owner/GM Somerston Estate
3. Steve Matthiason, winemaker Matthiason
4. Delia Viader, Owner/Founder Viader Vineyards and Winery
5. Jean Hoefilger, Winemaker at Alpha Omega
6. Rob Mondavi , Owner Michael Mondavi Family Estate
Participants had small pours of wines from these wineries.
It was great to taste the wine as the speakers explained their winemaking tactics – great way to learn wine.
CIA Somm Summit : A Taste of Premiere Napa Valley – Walk Around Food & Wine Tasting Greystone Barrel Room
Afterwards guests were invited to a reception of the wines and also some fabulous cuisine from the CIA students and chefs at Greystone.
Premier Napa Valley is the annual grand tasting and futures auction held at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone each February.
Note that Premiere Napa Valley wines are offered at auction only to restaurateurs and wine retailers who curate and offer the wines to their top clientele.
Featured Wineries:
Alpha Omega
Beringer Vineyards
Hyde Estate Winery
Marciano Estate
Mira Winery
Paul Hobbs
Pride Mountain Vineyards
Quixote Winery
Salvestrin
Seven Stones Winery
CIA Somm Summit : 50 Year Perspective: Witness to the Wine and Food Revolution
I was lucky enough to know both Julia Child and Robert Mondavi when they were at the final point of planning the Copia Center.
Each of them individually told me their dream was to create a center dedicated to both wine and food.
In this general session, Kevin Zraly gave a dynamic 50 year perspective on the wine and food revolution, that helped everyone in the conference map out all the individual people and movements through the last several decades.
CIA Somm Summit Breakout Sessions
Rajat Parr and Jordan MacKay took attendees on a region-by-region journey through Europe as they explored the intricacies of the way wines from various sub-regions, soils, and appellations should taste.
Moderator Jess Hereth of Olympia Provisions gave a session on Chacuterie, Christie Dufault gave a talk on spirits. Bob Bath MA gave a talk about Digging Into Unique Terroir.
CIA Summit Food and Wine Pairing On the Fly
… And then there was the fabulous session moderated by Evan Goldestein MS and Kevin Zraly that presented ways to pair wine with cuisine.
Overall experience
The last night was a Library WIne Tasting and Dinner at Trefethen Winery.
This was an incredible event. The good folks at Trefethen broke out their top vintage wine and told the grand story of their origins from the 19th century.
CIA Summit Final Day
The last day’s presentation by Ken Fuhr of Clarity Media Group, Karen MacNeil, and Andrea Robinson MS gave some great tips for sommeliers about how to best position themselves for the media … and for success.
Then there was a fantastic blind wine tasting circuit with an “dream team” of highly educated Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, as well as top winemakers.
These individuals were very eager to help the participants improve their blind tasting skills.
After spending an hour tasting and jotting our deductive answers on a sheet, we assembled in the Copia Theater to hear each expert explain what the wine was and the all-important “clues” that could help identification.
Wrap Up
The last day wrapped up with some interesting talks about wine past, present, and future, given by Patrick McGovern, Ron Runnebaum, and John Ragan MS.
And what would a Sommelier Summit be without a Global Benchmark of Grape and Place Tasting, hosted by Skurnik Wines.
Guests were able to taste wines from classic regions.
It was a fabulous event and the best way to learn about wine for new and seasoned sommeliers alike.
Many kudos to the organizers and sponsors for making this event happen.
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