10/3 Dan Pilkey

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn from #Sommelier and @paulhobbswinery Regional Mgr. Dan Pilkey @dpilkey!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We’d like to introduce you to @dpilkey #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to #Sommelier and @paulhobbswinery Regional Mngr. Dan Pilkey @dpilkey to say hello & so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: As we ask @dpilkey our Qs, you can ask Master #Sommelier Dan Pilkey your Qs as well! He'll do his best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll & @dpilkey 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #wine with @dpilkey #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Dan Pilkey @dpilkey When did you become interested in the #wine business? #SommChat

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #Sommchat I was first interested when I began working at #wentevineyards in Livermore CA. circa 1995

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Dan Pilkey @dpilkey what part of your work in the #wine industry do you think helped you most in achieving @MasterSommUS Master #Sommelier pin?

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat - that's a great Q. For me it was RIA restaurant / Elysian Hotel because I was able to operate a large scale wine program (1400 labels). It served as a foundation of producer knowledge AND true "wine director" of multiple outlets. It fortified both biz & esoteric

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Am aspiring Master #Sommelier would you share UR best practices on studying for theory, practice for blinds, and working on service - #appreciate @dpilkey

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat Ok...here goes -Theory was MOST difficult = I'm not an academic So I had to work every angle possible with maps, flashcards, and making questions uncomfortable (meaning if the subject was tough - then stay with it until I fully understand it....

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat ...Once I felt I had "mastered" a region I would say.."now could you get on stage and PRESENT it to a group of peers? Once I could speak intelligently on the region - then I would piece it together and voice record myself. Play it back and see what I'm missing ....

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat For service I had to rely on my time working the floor and then pull back! honestly, for those working REAL "Michelin" service jobs - the CMS is not the same. It's similar - yes, but you have to play the game sometimes. Relax. Concentrate on theory. Practice....

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat practice, practice your situations. you don't even need a restaurant sometimes. I'd say, "what would I do if they asked me to do this...??" and then think/act out what that looks like, sounds like, feels like. And then practice it live ...

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat Lastly, tasting! Oh beautiful tasting :-) Ok - here's a couple of fun things that you can involve your significant - - -

Grab a flight of 6. Start the flight with the proctor sitting across and if you answer the wine incorrectly, the proctor say's STOP! and ...

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat and you have to go back to the start of the flight and re-do ALL of the them until you get it right. In the worst case - it'll take you 1hr to do 6 wines ;-) in the best case - it'll be 25min lol

The other is collecting some classics and pouring with @Coravin ...

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat I used @Coravin with wines I knew and would work them out loud. I kept a tasting journal (i know i know #dork) mostly every possible grape broken down into "big rocks". So list 3-4 MAJOR things about each wine and if it can age or not. How long it can age. ...

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat this helped with age assessments. I also grid sweet wines & fortified wines.

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @dpilkey How long did you work with @Wente, and what was your biggest takeaway from working at the #winery? how did you land the gig? #SommChat

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat I was at Wente from '94/95 to '01 I believe. The biggest take away was seeing the interaction of food and wine together. I loved the restaurant and the crew! I landed the gig because I threw a party in HS and my parents busted me. My Dad did some weddings at the..

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat winery and he was able to get me in doing all sorts of stuff. I think they just made a grounds keeping job for me or somethings. I ended up working in the Restaurant after a couple of years. So basically, throwing a party CAN be educational ...?.?

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Dan Pilkey @dpilkey Heard you had a #wine Project called Milagro. Can you tell us about this?

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat Milagro - oh wow! So I ended up attempting to make wine...lol And we did make some wine but the land/house/project was lost in the Ramona fires. It was a interesting project and helped me study more on farming.

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm how did you celebrate your Master #Sommelier pin? how do you think the title will change your #wine career @dpilkey ?

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat my first beverage was of course #krug at the pin ceremony but after I got home that night, I had bottled a "barrel-aged Manhattan" from my wedding in'14. It was in wood for about 6months then racked to bottle afterwards. Hadn't had it until that night..#fantastic

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Dan Pilkey @dpilkey Tell us about what you do with @paulhobbswinery ? Do you interface at all with @TripleWindsor #SommChat

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat So I am really happy with how things are going with Paul Hobbs - the winery and our new projects are incredible. I'm managing 7 states in the Midwest and I split my time between carrying a bag and working in conjunction with our distributor partners....

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat The portfolio has some REALLY big things being added both next year and 2020. @TripleWindsor is #realdeal and I'm proud to be shoulder to shoulder with him. The team at Hobbs in general is stellar! Between @texsomiwa and our very own #SCS bootcamp - we make a diff.

Sandy Wasserman CS @SandyWasserman: Q @dpilkey Any word from sources @paulhobbswinery about #harvest2018 ? Thanks #SommChat

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat Oh budy! 2018 is shaping up nicely :-) Set was good, weather was steady and overall a long/late vintage with good hang. Our RRV/Sonoma Coast fruit is beautiful and our Napa is still out there - looking about Halloween harvest maybe even Nov!! crazy good flavors

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm you have now worked in several different areas of #wine world @dpilkey if you could write your script what would be your dream #wine industry job?

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat Great question and having the diversification that I do makes me 'eye's wide open' to what makes ME happy. And for that, I honestly do LOVE what I do. It offers me time to be presenting wines like I would in pre-shift. It also allows for some travel and time with..

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat with the Mrs. I am able to stay in touch with the restaurant / hotel / beverage scene while learning a new skill set. The sales world seemed to more stable than on the floor....PLUS, I'm 6'5" and I'm too big for little restaurants ;-) #thepilkeyknee

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm when you think about the #wines of @paulhobbswinery which ones do U think R good for BTG program @dpilkey ? does the #winery sell any older #wines fr the cellar and if so how does a resto get some?

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat the hidden gem right now is our Crossbarn label. What Paul and Jake Pickett have accomplished is absurd!! Ridiculous quality for BTG, honestly! As time moves on the Crossbarn program is only getting better and better too. As for older, we do have "some" wine...

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat but we hand't kept vintages past say...'08 so we have some '09 etc. The honest to god sleeper right now is 2011. I've had the pleasure of tasting these and they're are legit good! Our Cab Franc from Crossbarn too is a hidden gem!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Can you share > on new projects @paulhobbswinery @dpilkey ?

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat So our 2019 debut will be from Seneca Lake NY. We've been laying down some Riesling (and others) but planted E-W (NOT N-S) and Paul feels this will be a distinctive advantage in Seneca. Both sticky-icky and dry wines will be had! In 2020 we're adding ....

Dan Pilkey @DPilkey: #SommChat a Ribeira Sacra project equipped with Godello & Mencia with the help of some R. Palacios familia - #cray! So RRV, Napa, Cahors, Galicia, Mendoza, Seneca Lake, Armenia, Uruguay! Lot's of great wines.

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk with @dpilkey #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Master #Sommelier and @paulhobbswinery Regional Mngr. Dan Pilkey @dpilkey join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! #WineWednesday

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Master #Sommelier and @paulhobbswinery Regional Mngr. Dan Pilkey @dpilkey for his time #SommChat