Thank you to Kathleen Morgan from Savour Wine and Cheese for sharing her latest batch of whale photos from Stellwagen Bank!
FLYING WHALES!
Tag: Kathleen Morgan
KATHLEEN MORGAN FEATURED IN BON VOYAGER
BON VOYAGER
JULY 19, 2017
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kathleen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Like many, I came to the hospitality business as support for my academic pursuits, putting myself first through Wheaton College, then through graduate school at the University of Chicago. While working on my PhD in History of Christianity, I started my catering and coffee shop business, aptly named “Ambrosia,” the “Food of the Gods.” While I was a student at the University, Rick Bayless, who ironically was a PhD candidate in linguistics at the University of Michigan, opened his first endeavor, Frontera Grill, with the adjacent soon-to-be-recognized 4-star restaurant, Topolobampo. In fact, Topolobampo won the James Beard award for outstanding restaurant in 2017. Our paths soon crossed when I took a position at Topolobampo and began working on the complex food and wine pairings of gourmet regional Mexican cuisine. I decided I needed to know more, so I completed a course of study with the Court of Master Sommeliers in Aspen, Colorado, with Richard Betts (then the sommelier at the Little Nell) leading the charge. After completing my certification as a sommelier, I went to work for a small, but influential, boutique distributor in Chicago, called Maverick Wines, where exposure to wine-makers, chefs, restaurateurs, and wine retailers, vastly expanded my knowledge of wine and the wine business. While working in Chicago, I met a savvy retailer, who had been in the business many years. One day, he observed, “We both sell wine, but I like my job much better. You have to go out and find the customer. My customers come to me and they want to buy wine. I just have to steer them in the right direction.” From that time on, I viewed the wine retailer as a “coach” essentially looking for and developing the “right talent” and putting that “talent in the right hands”.
I “soaked up” as much wine knowledge as I could hold. I started teaching a 5-part introduction to wine series I called “Become a Wine Expert,” which I still offer at Savour twice a year, in October and April. I decided I would like to open my own wine shop, with a unique vision, specializing in small-production, artisanal, boutique wines from around the world and a “Try before You Buy” business model, featuring wine-tasting machines, where customers could sample 20 different wines before settling on the right bottle. I knew I wanted a store with a strong focus on education, with particular emphasis on the most challenging task for the sommelier, chef, or retailer, the pairing of food with wine. So, to this day, I see myself much like a coach, as I taste every wine that comes through our doors at Savour, to be sure it meets our standards, and I sell it to the customer who presents the best fit. We keep extensive records, so we know our customers’ names, needs, and wine preferences. Many times, they can’t remember what they bought or liked or what they had the wine with (only that they loved it and want it again), but we remember. That’s the most satisfying part! Now, Savour has become a distinctive voice on the North Shore, where many come from Cape Ann, as well as towns like Andover, Beverly, and even Boston for our unique selection of wine and artisanal cheeses, as well as charcuterie, and even craft beers, mostly from New England.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Savour Wine and Cheese “Become a Wine Expert” ~ Week 5
Thank you Kathleen, Joey, and Toby for providing me the opportunity to take “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes to bring Kathleen’s wonderful expertise to our GMG readers. I loved every minute of the class and especially enjoyed meeting Kathleen and my fellow classmates!
Our last class was wonderful fun, with a lovely dinner of sweetly crisp and delicious Pear and Arugula Salad along with a hearty and tasty Brunswick Stew, paired with an array of red and white wines. See recipes below, which Kathleen has so graciously provided for our GMG readers.
For starters, John Lamarinde made popcorn, infused with a touch of truffle oil!
Pear Arugula Salad
The theme of class five is food and wine pairings and preferences. Kathleen served a fabulous selection of reds and whites to pair with our meal. For thousand of years food and wine have gone hand in hand although the strict rules of yesteryear, in that white wine is the only acceptable choice for fish and red wine for red meats, are adhered to no longer.
Kathleen encourages experimenting and stresses that wine and food pairings are a matter of personal preference. There are however several concepts worth noting that will make choosing a wine to accompany your meal simpler. The basic idea is to pair wines with foods that are either alike, in other words mirror the other’s flavors; the opposite is also a helpful guideline, which is to contrast the flavors.
Brunswick Stew
Michelle Ukraine
For our food pairing class, Kathleen presented a selection of wines, both red and white, and sparkling, for us to experiment to discover our individual preference for each course. The following is the list of wines served for our class–all grand and delicious and much enjoyed by everyone!
Ferrari Brut (100% Chardonnay), Trento, Italy – $24.99
Hirsch Heiligenstein Vineyard, Kammern, Kamptal Gruner Veltliner, Austria, $29.99
Le Grand Bouqueteau Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Loire Valley, France – $14.99
Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy – $15.99
Arnad Montjovet La Kiuva (Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir) – $18.99
Mas de Libian Côtes-du-Rhône, France – $19.99
L’Ecuyer de Couronneau Bordeaux (Merlot), France – $13.99
Cossart-Gordon 15-year-aged Bual Madeira, Portugal – $43.99
I know where I’ll be shopping for Christmas gifts this season, for both cheese and wine, as well as that special hostess gift.
Kathleen typically teaches “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes annually in October, but there has been a great deal of interest expressed in taking the class sooner. If enough people are interested, she will teach the class again as early as this coming winter or spring. Go to Savour’s website for details about the “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes.
“Become a Wine Expert” Series Taught by Kathleen Morgan
Become a Wine Expert: White Wine
Savour Wine and Cheese “Become a Wine Expert” ~ Class 4
Brunswick Stew
1 3 – 4 lb. fryer chicken, cut up
1/3 c. flour
1 T. olive oil
2 or 3 medium onions, chopped
2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), chopped (or Pablano Peppers)
5 c. water or chicken stock (you may need more)
2 28 oz. cans of chopped tomato (or Muir organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 c. edamame soy beans (already shelled) (or you can use lima beans, but they are starchier)
2 c. whole kernel corn (a 10 oz. bag or corn cut from 4 ears)
1 t. salt (to taste – usually needs more)
1/2 t. black pepper
½ t. white pepper
1/2 t. cayenne pepper (Typically, Brunswick Stew has as much a 1 T., but I use 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 t. hot sauce (You can pass this with the stew for those who like it hotter)
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. red wine
Continue Reading Recipe Here
Continue reading “Savour Wine and Cheese “Become a Wine Expert” ~ Week 5″
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Savour Wine and Cheese “Become a Wine Expert” ~ Class 4
See GMG post for the first installment of “Become a Wine Expert.”
Last week I unfortunately had to miss the third class in the series “Become a Wine Expert,” taught by Kathleen Morgan, as I had to give a lecture that had long been scheduled. Fortunately, Kathleen has generously invited me to take the red wine class with her next series of classes, which I gladly accept and plan to report about for GMG!
Renee Hansen and Geoff Rendall
This week’s class was very interesting in that we compared the same wine, but with different variables such as tasting wines served in different shaped glasses, wines that had been decanted versus not decanted, and wines that were chilled versus the same wines unchilled. We discussed how the wine’s vintage is critical as different years produce different results—how could it not as grapes are an agricultural product? I often find this frustrating when purchasing wine (not at Savour, of course) because the description placed next to the bottle of the wine on display does not usually match the vintage on the bottle offered for sale.
Most red wines benefit from decanting, although with some, like Pinot Noir, it is not recommended because the grape is too variable. Chianti in particular should almost always be decanted because it is very heavy in tannins. Kathleen typically decants Chianti for one full day, although most wines need only several hours. We tried the Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico 2009 ($22.99), both decanted and not, and the difference was more than remarkable (the decanted being the far more enjoyable of the two).
Syrah wine glass, above, and to the right.
Wine enthusiasts often collect many different shaped glasses for different types of wines. I asked Kathleen if you were planning to only purchase one style what would she recommend. She suggests a tulip-shaped Syrah glass, with a thin crystal edge, and sturdy columnar stem. Thinner crystal for the edge of the glass is always preferable to thick glass as the glass imbues flavor as well.
Believe it or not, this is actually a tequila tasting glass however, Kathleen added that most Mexican people would never go near anything that fancy for tequila.
When bringing your own wine to a restaurant, Kathleen recommends keeping it properly chilled. This wine bottle cooler pack sold at Savour would make a practical and inexpensive holiday gift. Kathleen uses a charming trunk-inspired carry case (see below).
More great gifts available from Savour are their beautiful selection of decanters. I loved the elegant flagon decanters and think that they would make a very thoughtful hostess or Christmas present–decanters such as these would add a touch of grace to any table setting.
On the left is the duck decanter and to the right is the flagon decanter.
Kathleen’s favorite decanter is the very hefty rooster decanter, for a very touching reason. You may or may not recall that the original Savour Wine and Cheese, located on Washington Street, tragically burned to the ground several years ago. With all the destruction and mayhem associated with the aftermath of a fire, one of the very few things to survive was her rooster decanter–filled with blackened water–but nonetheless unscathed.
Michelle demonstrates how weighty the rooster decanter feels.
The “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes are held on five consecutive evenings, from 7:00 to 9:00, at Savour Wine and Cheese, located at 76 Prospect Street. She is planning to do another series possibly this winter or spring. Kathleen provides each student with a terrific notebook with maps from every wine producing country and region, articles, recommended books and links, descriptions of wine varietals, an interesting wine aroma wheel for describing wines, and more.
To learn more about Kathleen’s interest in wine (she also has a PHD in history) see Joe’s Good Morning Gloucester interview with Kathleen here.
“Become a Wine Expert” Series Taught by Kathleen Morgan
Become a Wine Expert: White Wine
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Become a Wine Expert: White Wine
See last week’s GMG post for the first installment of “Become a Wine Expert.”
In this week’s “Become a Wine Expert,” Kathleen introduced us to the world of fine white wines. They are her favorites and she believes strongly that white wines will only gain in popularity, for both women and men, as people become increasingly more interested in fresh fish, vegetables, poultry, and pork. She showed us how to taste using the front, mid, and back of the palette, and by trying this technique you really do discover more about the complexities of the wine. It is also fun to do!
Our first sample of the evening was Rainer Wess Wachauer Grüner Veltliner from Wachau, Austria ($18.99). We looked at the color of the wine by tilting the glass over a piece of white paper. A wine can show a range of hues from clear, sparkling bright white to golden yellow, and also cloudiness if the wine is unfiltered. It is logical that grapes grown in cooler climates are lower in sugar and higher in acidity because the growing season is shorter; the Grüner Veltliner from Wachau is no exception. Its color is clear and bright and Kathleen recommends pairing it with all kinds of veggies, including asparagus, which is not that easy to pair. With its name derived from Veltlin (Valtellina) in northern Italy, the Grüner Veltliner grape is believed to date back to Roman times
I found our next sample, La Monasesca Verdicchio di Matelica from Marches, Italy ($22.99), wonderfully enjoyable. Kathleen paired it with their very tasty Salame Gentile and she recommends it for a wide range of foods including nuts, cheese, antipasto, artichokes, and fish. She feels it is the very best wine to serve with lobster and showed us the beautiful Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva, bottled in a special type of bottle called the Empress. The Verdicchio grape is another ancient variety from Italy and is grown primarily in the Marches region of the central part of the country.
Our third tasting of the evening, Roaring Meg Pinot Gris from Mt. Difficulty Central Otago, New Zealand ($19.99), was also a favorite of the evening. I loved its effervescent, almost sparkling quality, and there is an apt term to describe wines that have this dancing quality; the actual term is “jazzy”! Kathleen cautions against inexpensive wines labeled Pinot Grigio, which are generally Franken one note wines made for the American market. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are both made from Vitis vinifera; the gray-blue color of the grape lends its name to the grape (gris, meaning gray in French).
Judith, Megan, Tracey, and Don
The L’Oliveto Chardonnay from the Russian River, California ($19.99) was interesting and provided Kathleen an opportunity to talk about white Burgundies, which are also made from the Chardonnay grape. The Chardonnay grape is itself very neutral, with the many flavors associated with it derived from such influences as terrior and oak barrels. The Chardonnay grape is vinified in many different styles, from Chablis to Champagne, and is the second most widely planted grape worldwide.
Kathleen demonstrates the Rabbit, which is a handy gadget if you are having difficulty removing the cork.
The Clos Habert Chenin Blanc from Montlouis-sur-Loire, France ($26.99) was tasted next, and is Kathleen’s unabashed favorite; it is the wine she always keeps on hand. She paired it with Ewephoria smoked sheep’s milk cheese and the combination was fabulous. The Chenin Blanc grape is known for its ability to age well and has been cultivated in France for nearly 1300 years; official French documents mention Chenin Blanc as early as 845. Because they are organic, not filtered, and with no additives, Kathleen is a huge fan of wines from the Loire Valley and believes they are the best and purest in the world. Chenin Blancs are easily paired with a range of entrees including grilled chicken and roast pork.
Our last wine of the evening was Weingut Karl Jostock Piesporter Treppchen Riesling Spatlese from Mosel, Germany, which Kathleen paired with some out of this world bleu cheese, Cambozola Black Label Reserve. The Riesling grape originated in the Rhine region of Germany and it is used to make dry, sweet, and sparkling wines. Rieslings become more complex as they age, often taking on a golden honey color. Tracey, a fellow student, described the Piesporter Treppchen Riesling as having a honeysuckle quality, and I couldn’t have agreed more! There are many levels of sweetness in describing Rieslings; Spatlese is in the mid-range of sweetness, and as the grapes linger longer on the vine, their sweetness increases and becomes more concentrated.
“Become a Wine Expert” Series Taught by Kathleen Morgan
The “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes are held on five consecutive evenings, from 7:00 to 9:00, at Savour Wine and Cheese, located at 76 Prospect Street. Kathleen also provides each student with a terrific reference notebook full of maps from every wine producing country and region, articles, recommended books and links, descriptions of wine varietals, an interesting wine aroma wheel for describing wines, and much more.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
“Become a Wine Expert” Series Taught by Kathleen Morgan
Savour Wine and Cheese Welcoming Sign at 76 Prospect Street
Through arrangements made by Toby Pett and Joey I was invited to take Kathleen (Erickson) Morgan’s wine class at Savour Wine and Cheese in exchange for writing about my experience. Toby had recently taken the class and absolutely raved about it and wanted to bring it to GMG readers. I have mentioned previously that I typically purchase wine based on the attractiveness of the label and I have to tell you that after just this first class I will no longer have to rely on this wholly unreliable method! Tuesday night I tasted the most wonderful and intensely flavorful wines imaginable, paired with some dreamily delicious cheeses, and can’t wait to take the next class (plus all my fellow students are super fun!)
Kathy is a fantastic instructor and she has designed the course into five easily comprehensible evenings covering: 1) Taste, 2) White Wine, 3) Red Wine, 4) Practical Knowledge (including vintage, proper temperature, stemware, etc.), and 5) Special Deluxe Wine Pairing Dinner.
The “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes are held on five consecutive evenings, from 7:00 to 9:00, at Savour Wine and Cheese, located at 76 Prospect Street. Kathleen provides each student with a terrific notebook full of maps from every wine producing country and region, articles, recommended books and links, descriptions of wine varietals, an interesting wine aroma wheel for describing wines, and more.
Savour Wine and Cheese carries wines in a range of prices from $10.00 a bottle up to hundreds. According to Kathleen, there is a “sweet spot,” in prices, where from about $14.00 to about $24.00 a bottle you can get much higher quality and taste for the money than in the $10.00 to $12.00 dollar range. Beyond $24.00, the quality is less incrementally exceptional in relation to the cost of the wine. The wines we tasted ranged in price from $13.99 to $27.99.
The first wine we tried was a classic Sauvignon Blanc by Fernlands of New Zealand ($13.99). Kathleen explains that there are four noble grapes (six if you wish to include Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc), and they are Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet, and Pinot Noir. Noble grapes is a wine term used to describe the grape varieties commonly associated with the highest quality wines. The name Sauvignon Blanc means “Wild White,” which describes its green, herbaceous flavors. The Sauvignon Blanc was the lightest of the wines we sampled and I think would be delicious with pesto, green salads, and chicken. Kathleen paired it with the most wonderful runny stinky cheese, Bonne Bouche goat cheese, which I am going to run over and pick up some this afternoon because I just can’t get that delicious flavor off my mind!
Our second wine of the evening was Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France ($27.99). I do not typically enjoy Gewurztraminers and generally find them too sweet. Wrong! This wine was one of my favorites of the evening, simply “Top of the World.” The Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer would pair perfectly with Thai food, spicy Asian food, and had floral notes of orange blossom and jasmine (although that sounds very sweet, I repeat, was not too sweet). Kathleen recommends serving the Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer with Thanksgiving dinner and I am most definitely taking her advice!
The third wine of the evening, Meomi Pinot Noir from the Central Coast of California ($24.99), was my very favorite. Wonderfully rich and smooth, and tasting of chocolate velvet cake, cherry-berry, and everything yummy, the Meomi Pinot Noir seemed to be the favorite of the group as well. Kathleen explains that Pinot Noirs are the most expensive wines to produce because the grape (Vitis vinifera) has the thinnest skin, which makes it susceptible to rot, sunburn, and pests. The name is derived from the French words for “pine” and “black” alluding to the grape variety’s tightly clustered dark purple pine-cone shaped bunches of fruit. An inexpensive Pinot Noir is probably not made from Pinot Noir grapes; most likely it is made from Gamay grapes.
Kathleen’s business partner and super-helpful husband, Bob Morgan. Kathleen and Bob are newlyweds!
The fourth wine of the evening was the Five Vitners Zinfandel from Dry Creek California ($23.99) and here is where I learned not to drink several samples of each wine during the course of the evening. I recall it being delicious, but I was having too much fun and had stopped taking notes at this point…next week we are sampling eight wines and I will be sure to only take a tiny sip of each so I can give a description of all and hold up my end of reporting about this wonderfully enjoyable and enriching experience!
To learn more about Kathleen’s interest in wine (she also has a PHD in history) see Joe’s Good Morning Gloucester interview with Kathleen here.
My family adores fondue in the winter–I know where I’ll be purchasing all my cheeses in the future!
Good Morning Gloucester 