Just recently, the Texas arena, and Austin area have been celebrating the Master Sommelier title for two Austinites - Devon Broglie, MS; and Craig Collins, MS – They are well know in the Austin area, as they show their faces to any premier wine event – they are wonderful colleagues, and they are both well liked – as they have an upbeat rythm that is contagious… and they have worked hard for years to endure the examinations of the the Court of Master Sommeliers. At last, last month, they have passed their final examinations in Las Vegas, and have together become the 5th and 6th Master Sommelier in Texas. We applaude their efforts, and congratulate them in a well earned distinguished position, as they continue to grow as individuals, and as wine professionals.
Devon Broglie, 37 – is the Whole Foods Market Southwest Regional Specialty Coordinator, and is one of very few Master Sommeliers working for a national supermarket brand; he’s been part of the Whole Foods family for just over 10 years.
Craig Collins, 35 – is Sales Manager for the Prestige division of Glazer’s Distributors.
They both have put Austin in the map as a wine enjoyment destination.
If you’d like to learn more about these two wine hunters, news of their success have spread quite rapidly all over the webbosphere [yes, just made that up] – so, congratulate them if you see them! We wish an even more enlightened path ahead for both of them. Cheers!
Also, a recent post by DallasNews.com -
File this under “who knew he had such a hidden talent?” Bill Elsey, director of sales at Duchman Family Winery in Driftwood (the winery that gave us the incredible vermentino) was named Texsom’s 2011 Texas Best Sommelier last night at the Grand Tasting and Awards Reception at the Four Seasons Resort & Club in Las Colinas.
First runner-up was Nathan Prater, wine specialist at Good2Go in Austin. Second runner-up was David Keck from Prestige Wine Cellars in Houston. All the winners get various scholarships to the Court of Master Sommeliers to continue their studies toward becoming master sommeliers.
I’ve never seen Bill so Happy! – Congrats again Bill! -
CHEERS!
Left to right: Nathan Prater, Bill Elsey and David Keck
And so – the winery and vineyard growth along with the expantion of wine education of Central Texas and the Hill Country retake root to upbring a culture revolving around the the correlation of land and horticulture to the finest enjoyment of most ancient traditions. The wine sommelier is reponsible amongst many other calls, to not only oversee the correct serving temperature of wine during service, to the knowledge of the grape source and terroir, as to the vast magnitude of variables of wine making.
Daniel Kelada, EWS; Certified Wine Instructor; Owner of GUSTO Tastings is celebrating three years since the launch of the company in Septermber 2011. Daniel, a Master Candidate for the International Wine Guild has been successful with GUSTO, as well as being able to represent the Guild as Business Developer for the State of Texas, bringing Guild Certifications and Seminars to Central Texas, including Austin and Houston.
[http://gustotastings.com/]
At the forefront of the International Wine Guild’s growth, it may be possible to start seminars in San Antonio, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropoli and the Texas Hill Country. GUSTO’s liaison includes Oscar A. Montes Iga; Certified Executive Chef of Wine Arts – who has entered the Guild’s Culinary Team as Chef de Cuisine for Texas – executing food pairings for the Certification Seminars. [http://www.internationalwineguild.com/]
Westcave Cellars Winery has been invited to host International Wine Guild Tastings for Guild Members, as well as opening the door for other wine enthusiasts to hosted functions of the Austin Hill Country Chapter of the American Wine Society.[http://www.westcavecellars.com/]
Owners of Westcave Cellars – Margaret & Allan Fetty, are Professional Members of the American Wine Society, and hosted the Chapter’s first Official Meeting.
[http://www.americanwinesociety.org/]
