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What Mothers Want

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

A quick review guys. When a women says to you:

Don’t you think that chair in the corner would look better by the window”? She means:

a-She wants your opinion.

b-She’s just making conversation-you should agree.

c-She wants you to move the chair for her.

And so it goes. In my life, I’ve watched and listened carefully for years- as mother’s boy, then a husband, later a father of two girls and now a grandfather of three girls. And honestly – I still don’t have it figured out – and probably, subconsciously, don’t want to either!

But with Mothers day just around the corner, I must warn you, there are plenty of potential “land mines” planted in this week ahead. Just a few:

-They may tell you, as a husband, that it’s really the child’s responsibility to plan something special.

-They’ll encourage you to go ahead with that previously planned fishing trip with the guys.

-They might tell you that they’re contemporary enough not to need a “Hallmark” holiday.

-A perfect day for them will be a bar-b-que at home (you know-where you think just because you do one third of the work, it was ALL YOU) and homemade cards from the kids plus one from Von’s from you know who.

None of the above suggestions are true.

They want out of the house for something special. They want something spontaneous from you, something original and somewhere away and apart from their responsibility-the home and the family!

My suggestion? Bring her to Tolosa, where for $20 per person ($15 for members) you can have her sit down and relax while enjoying soft music, a beautiful view of the spring vineyards and a choice of either homemade chocolate truffles (from SLO’s own Patty Menna/Truffle Garden) or artisan cheese (locally owned by Danika Reed) paired “deftly” with four Tolosa wines- by you know who! Pairings will be available this Saturday and Sunday from 11-4pm, with reservations highly suggested. Call 805.782.0500, email jshakley@tolosawinery.com or sign-up online by clicking here.

One other thing. If she asks me about the chair-I’ll move it for you!

John

CONCIERGE, TOLOSA WINERY

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Weekend Theatre – Riedel Eve Decanter

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

In my twenties, fresh out of college and on the executive training program at a San Francisco department store, I learned many things, but one of the most important was how to create consumer demand.

One would think that just stacking the pallets high like they do at Costco would be enough, but that usually only works when you’re dealing with a necessary commodity…two-ply toilet paper comes to mind. But aside from that, how do you sell four-ply cashmere sweaters?

My first buying trip to New York gave me insight. I was standing in the middle of Bloomingdales on 59th and all around me in every department was a common theme…King Tut. The Met came to town with the Egyptian exhibition two weeks earlier, and leave it to Marvin Traub, CEO of Bloomingdales, to edict that every department have merchandise and displays, reflecting this current “pop” culture.

“Merchandising is theatre” Marvin said. Anyone can just stock the shelves and wait for sales, but to get them to come in, there had to be “Theatre!”

Today, in my wine world, no one understands this better than the people at Riedel. Anyone can open a bottle and pour a glass of wine, but in addition to creating the perfect glasses and decanters, you have to create “theatre”.

This brings me to the new Riedel “Eve” decanter, currently on loan to me from the Riedel folks.

This crystal decanter, with a neck measuring about thirty inches high, has the look of a coiled cobra. But before dismissing it as another marketing gimmick, check out the attached pictures and even better, visit their web site for a live demo.

http://www.riedel.com/index.php?article_id=18&clang=0

The wine is poured down this vast neck (cobra) which “charges” the wine. We then, carefully, ($500 here) hold it with both hands and slowly rotate it in the upright position. This not only “double decants” the wine, but when done properly, puts exactly one serving in the upper neck for the next pour.

One has to see it to believe it. Every Saturday and Sunday this month, we will demonstrate it in our Heritage Room as the final pour of our wine and cheese pairing.

So…not only do you get four artisan cheeses paired with four Tolosa wines for $20 ($15 club), but you get “theatre” as well. We may even be able to order you your own “Eve,” for a bit under $500. Well worth it when you consider all the attention you will get.

John Shakley

Maitre Fromager

Tolosa Winery

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Dining at Giuseppe’s

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Here in San Luis Obispo, there are many things the locals take for granted. Not just the beaches and the wineries, but the many and varied places to enjoy a meal. One of those has to be Palazzo Giuseppe’s, a newcomer to San Luis Obispo but a long time institution in our county.

Italian food is one thing, but cuisine of Puglia is quite another. On the Adriatic Sea, food from Bari and its surroundings range from fresh seafood to pasta, meats, piping hot paper thin pizza and marvelous desserts including gelato.

Yesterday the staff at Tolosa winery had its semi annual “brand meeting” and all ten of us tumbled in only to be graciously received, seated and taken care of by Jason, “waiter extraordinaire”. Somehow, he took our orders including revisions, sides and specials and unless I missed something, he didn’t appear to write a thing down-and yet it was all delivered perfectly!

The grilled salmon salad, one of the specials, was raved about as well as our winemakers order of mascarpone pizza! Myself, I enjoyed the special sirloin sandwich on ciabatti bread.

Rustic warm cuisine(and people) generous servings and “cucina genuine” ranging from Crab Cakes to Osso Buco. Did I mention the beautiful setting? Seated indoor or outdoor , the same flawless service and outstanding cuisine.

Visit them soon and tell them Giovanni sent you!

John Shakley
Concierge, Tolosa Winery

Posted in Restaurant Focus, Wine & Food | 3 Comments »

Greetings from the Concierges desk at Tolosa Winery!

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Some of you that are club members or guests may recall from our Thanksgiving newsletter, I put out a request among members, for any questions relating to: 1-Tolosa, 2-wine education/etiquette and for that matter, 3-the industry as a whole. Basically, by doing this, you’re not only making my job easier, but you stand a chance at becoming famous yourself! Answers will be published in my bi-monthly column and based entirely upon three sources. Number one, my relationship with the cellar staff, number two, my library and number three, guesses and hunches based upon(however addled) my fifty years of wine consumption.

Perhaps I wasn’t specific enough, because thus far I’ve received:

-A note from a woman in Morro Bay who has been unable to end a weekend visit from her mother in law in Indiana, which has now been going on for three months

-Dale in Paso Robles who sought advice on the clutch linkage in his 67 Camaro

-and finally Sally in El Segundo, who was wondering what to do with the worm in the bottom of her Tequila bottle.

I did however receive one rather curious letter below:

Q-I’ve recently observed that after opening a new bottle of wine, invariably, the first glass seems sensational, but after the 3^rd, it becomes rather ordinary. Is this oxidation?

A-You my friend, are experiencing what Oscar Wilde did after drinking absinthe. To quote, “After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Excess may be the problem, not oxidation.

But seriously, this is probably no more than “palate” fatigue-quite normal. Bing Crosby was once asked how he stayed so thin. His response was, “because I know, the third cookie never tastes as well as the first”.

Wine related questions only please.

John Shakley, concierge

(Mr. Know It All)
jshakley@tolosawinery.com

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Posted in Uncategorized, Wine, Wine & Food | 2 Comments »