Julie Dalton of Stella’s Wine Bar at the Forbes double 5-Star Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston just received her Master Sommelier status, joining Master Sommelier Keith Goldston, who curated that insane $5 million wine cellar for the property.
The master sommelier exam is the hardest test in the wine world, maybe one of the toughest tests in any industry. Only 274 people have passed the exam since it was established in 1969. The tasting portion is what makes the test so difficult as aspiring sommeliers have 25 minutes to blind-taste six wines and identify the grape variety, region of origin and vintage of each one. The wines chosen for the test can be from anywhere across the globe.
“I am incredibly grateful for all that I have learned and the village that helped me get to this level,” says Julie Dalton, Master Sommelier. “Many do not realize there is no school for this and it takes years of apprenticeship and training. Even with the title Master Sommelier, I will always be a student of wine.”
Tell us a bit about your background in the industry.
I fell in love with wine while waiting tables at Gaido’s in Galveston, TX. Since then, I knew I wanted to be in the hospitality industry. Throughout my college and graduate school years in Houston and Baltimore, I always maintained part time jobs at local wine bars. Later, I got serious with my wine studies. My first official wine class was with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust in New York City, then completed courses with the French Wine Embassy, Court of Master Sommeliers, Society of Wine Educators, and Wine Scholar Guild—all while maintaining a full-time biotech job. I passed my Advanced Sommelier exam in 2010 and immediately knew wine was what I wanted to do. Six months later, I moved to New York to begin full-time work with Skurnik Wines & Spirits as their national Theise sales representative. I left New York after one year and joined the team at Four Seasons Baltimore. I led the wine team there for over six years, passed most of my Master Sommelier pieces except for tasting. I moved to Houston in 2017 when Keith Goldston, MS was building his dream team of sommeliers at The Post Oak Hotel and that’s where I’ve been ever since. It’s been an incredible journey.
Talk to us about Stella’s Wine Bar—what type of experience can guests expect when visiting?
Stella’s is our little corner of heaven at The Post Oak. At least that’s how I see it! We’re tucked into the southeast corner of the hotel. When you walk in, it has a lovely French café feel to it with marble top tables and wooden chairs. There is wine EVERYwhere. Up top, down low, all around. Our guests are physically surrounded by wine. Our stunning outdoor patio features an open-air pergola with built-in heaters and a 13-foot, towering olive tree. Reclaimed, solid-oak wine barrels are placed throughout the patio serving as dining tables for guests to take in Houston’s urban skyline. It’s festive while classy at the same time. I always want to deliver an exploratory experience for our guests if interested. Many of the by-the-glass wines are unfamiliar to them so we encourage exploration. All our wines can be offered in a 2oz pour so guests can create their own flights.
Talk to us about the wine menu.
The entire Post Oak property has a Wine Spectator Grand Award wine list. There are only 100 properties in the world to hold this honor. Our wine list has over 4,000 selections and our Cellars houses more than $5 million in inventory. Guests at Stella’s may choose a bottle from our wine list or they may order by the glass or order flights. One of our flights has turned out to be much more popular than I expected – it’s called ‘Be a Somm’ where participants get three wines served “blind” to them–meaning they don’t know what they are – and they try to guess what the wines are.
We cover the innovation of wine categories/trends in the upcoming—what do you see happening in the category?
We have several guests inquiring about natural wine. Although we don’t have a “natural wines category” on the list, we know what ‘natural’ means i.e., organically grown, minimal intervention in the cellar, minimal sulfur use. We can direct our guests to a bottle that will check those boxes. Secondly, there is a low-alcohol or ‘sober-curious’ movement happening. For this reason, we offer two non-alcoholic wines by the glass.
What makes a great by-the-glass menu at the bar?
I love variety! For the less experienced wine lover, having a few brand names on the list is a helpful frame of reference. For this reason, I have two big brand names on the list. Many guests don’t know most of the producers on the list, but that’s where we come in. All Stella’s servers are sommeliers and very well-versed in wine and can offer a recommendation by the glass based on their answers to just a few questions.
What are some absolutely must haves on a successful wine menu these days?
Sancerre. Sauvignon Blanc is more popular than ever and Sancerre – the region in France – is almost a brand name these days. Texans will always need a big Cabernet Sauvignon. Rosé is still hot, but here in Texas where it’s warm most of the time, rosé is an all-year wine.
Can you share some tips for bartenders who’d like to serve/suggest wine like pros.
Study your wine list. Go to the winery’s website and look for something called the ‘tech sheet.’ Almost all wines have this information on their website. The tech sheet discusses the grape or what comprises the blend if it’s a blend, how the wine is made, the vintage characteristics for that year (the weather patterns, etc.), how much oak (if any) the wine is exposed to, essentially all the ‘non-sexy’ statistics about a wine. It would be if I were to introduce myself as 98% water, 2% protein! At the end of the day, most guests want to know how the wine tastes, but by knowing the statistics about the wine, a server can paint a more attractive picture of how the wine will taste and behave with a meal. I also think all bartenders and servers should taste the wines themselves to come up with their own tasting notes.
What are some wine trends you can’t live without/ how about ones you can do without?
I love that sweeter styles of wine are having a heyday. This trend invites people to explore Riesling like never before! I can do without the natural wine trend but that’s low hanging fruit. Big, flashy, rich, round could-be-anything reds from anywhere and are all made to taste the same – I could do without that trend. Sauvignon Blanc is huge right now but there is so much greater character in a dry Riesling or Grüner Veltliner and those wines will give the Sauvignon Blanc lover what they want.
What’s your “stranded on an island” wine pick?
Bone-dry chiseled electric Riesling.
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Source: Mixology News
