@ChrisGSommelier

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn about #wine from Adv. #Somm Chris Gaither @chrisgsommelier, #Wine Director at #Restaurant Gary Danko in #SF!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Chris 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 Chris Gaither @chrisgwineguy our Qs, you can ask 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 & @chrisgsommelier 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #wine with Adv. #Somm Chris Gaither @chrisgsommelier! #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Gr8 2 B here on #SommChat@ Thx for having me Diane!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier What are some of your favorite parts about working in the #wine industry? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Some fav things abt working in #wine ind is it is art People & wine brings ppl together #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm - how are your customers and fellow #Somms the same &/ or different from East Coast @chrisgsommelier ?

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: In #California bc we r so close to famous #wine country ppl tend to drink our gr8 local #wine, On East Coast ppl tend to drink #wines fr all over the world (gross oversimplification)… #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: In #SF we get a lot of ppl visiting who are interested in tasting #CA #wines while they are here bc we have great access to the wine from the area #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @chrisgsommelier Do you have any plans to take your #Wine education further?

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Yes. I have 1 more part to pass on MS - hopefully if I can pass that, I can move on to other educational projects w/o losing focus on wife, child and new #resto @ungraftedSF

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: .@chrisgsommelier Excited to hear more about @ungraftedSF when where and what can you share? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: When=summer 2018 for @ungraftedSF Where=dogpatch #SF What= #wine focused #resto with emphasis on #hospitality+passion is #Champagne so lots of it #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: OK @keepercoll and #twitter #SommChat peeps - correction pls look for and follow @Ungrafted_SF for our resto opening news

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what will be your breakdown @Ungrafted_SF bw BTG and bottle @chrisgsommelier

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Plans R to have about 15 BTG, lots of half bottles, which we consider an extension of BTG program, which will be about half of the list, and the rest full bottles in various formats #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm how will the #wines be selected by committee or all you or you and @umamisomm

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: #wines for @Ungrafted_SF will be selected by @umamisomm and me - we have very similar taste in #Wine - we like #wines that are delicious - go for yummy and affordable factors & will have wines with age #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier Have you noticed any trends in the #wine industry recently? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Worldwide I feel the #wines R becoming > uniform in the way they are being made in a good way which is leading toward more cleanliness and hygiene…. #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: PPL R becoming > aware of diversity in #wine styles & consumers R looking 4 more value driven #wines #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Another trend is that #restaurants R looking for staff that have #wine knowledge not just #Sommeliers #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier for the new #resto @Ungrafted_SF will you be hiring and if so will you be open to looking at applications from not only within #SF but from ppl around #US #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: YES, emphatically YES, we want great people for @Ungrafted_SF with passion no matter where they are from #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm can you describe your work at @Octavia_Sf and also when you were at Gary Danko @chrisgsommelier

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: They are very different jobs. At Gary Danko I was the #wine Director - where I wrote the #wine list and managed 4 #Sommeliers. List had >3000 selections & had to close resto sev nights a wk & other mgt duties… #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: @Octavia_Sf we don’t need #Somms b/c all the servers have strong #wine knowledge so I work as Server 4 nights, manage wine list & do the buying, but not member of mgt. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm What was the first #wine you ever had and how old were you @chrisgsommelier ?

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: I really don’t know the first #wine or how old I was but I would imagine it was something like an Asti Spumante that my Dad let me drink. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier when you are not drinking #wine, what do you like to drink? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: When not #wine, #water #Coffee #beer and #tea #hydration is important in the biz #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier what are some of your favorite #food and #wine pairings at @Octavia_Sf? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: like #Champagne with everything @Octavia_Sf #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @chrisgsommelier how has the #wine industry changed since you started working in it? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: > ppl know abt the profession of a #Sommelier and > ppl want to be one but amt of jobs are about same. More accessibility of info abt #wine 4 consumers and #Somms > access 2 high level education #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier have you done any travelling to learn about #wine, if so where? If not what R some fav books R resources to learn art wine ? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Yes to #wine travels, been 2 #georgia Mtns in state of #GA (lots of ppl forget #wine made in 50 states) so wanted to see wine fr my birth area. Traveled in #CA #Oregon as well as #bordeaux #Champagne various regions in #Germany & #Rioja #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Some fav #books/Resources for #wine Study R 1. @guildsomm which offers lots of info at very low cost & 2. @WineFolly which has lots of fun articles/info & @KevinZraly Windows of the World Complete wine course 2 name a few #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @chrisgsommelier What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in the #wine industry? #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: Be very very thirsty for info, seek out info on your own, & be tenacious #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk w/ Chris Gaither @chrisgsommelier! #SommChat

Christopher Gaither @ChrisGSommelier: TY very much for having me on #SommChat Diane - I look forward to seeing all of you @Ungrafted_SF when we open later this year!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Chris Gaither join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Chris for his time #SommChat