MEDIA REPORT V. 8 09/13/18 09/19/ NEW MASTER SOMMS SHARE THEIR TOP STUDY TIPS AND INSIGHTS Seven Fifty Daily Julie H. Case September 12, 2018

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1 MEDIA REPORT V. 8 09/13/18 09/19/18 15 NEW MASTER SOMMS SHARE THEIR TOP STUDY TIPS AND INSIGHTS Seven Fifty Daily Julie H. Case September 12, 2018 FALL INTO FLAVOR AT THE DALLAS ARBORETUM Morning Ag Clips September 18, 2018

2 15 NEW MASTER SOMMS SHARE THEIR TOP STUDY TIPS AND INSIGHTS Julie H. Case September 12, 2018 From building a tasting cellar to adopting an athlete s mindset, MSs reveal their strategies for success On September 5, a stunning total of 24 men and women earned the title of Master Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. While it s the largest number of candidates to have passed in the court s history, the success ratio remains low: 141 candidates sat the exam, including 56 who took the tasting and/or service portion.* SevenFifty Daily caught up with 15 of the new MSs including the Krug Cup winner to learn more about who they are, how they did it, and how they celebrated. Steven McDonald, MS; Houston The wine director for Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in the Houston Galleria, Steven McDonald oversees the restaurant s sommelier team and wine list. What was the one trick that got you through? There s not really a trick, but there is a mind-set that you need for getting through blind tasting. Managing your own mental noise is key during those 25 minutes. Tasting isn t merely a test of acumen and deductive reasoning, it s also managing pacing and pressure. You have 25 minutes to show what you ve been training for for the entire year. That kind of pressure is similar to what elite athletes and performers endure. Managing your mental noise and disorientation is key to focusing on the deductive steps you have to take to make an educated guess about the wine.

3 What are your best study tips for people preparing for this exam? Surround yourself with people you trust. Make sure that your tasting group are holding one another accountable and that the wines you re tasting qualify as classic. How many attempts did it take you? Theory: 4; Tasting: 6; Service: 6 How did you celebrate, and what did you drink? We passed the exam in St. Louis, but I waited to celebrate until I was back in Houston. Then I was surrounded by all my work family and friends. We drank all the Champagne. Some that I remember include Pierre Paillard, Hebrart, Pierre Peters, Vilmart, Krug, and Bollinger Grand Année to name a few.

4 FALL INTO FLAVOR AT THE DALLAS ARBORETUM September 18, 2018 A Tasteful Place offers cooking classes, tastings & demonstrations for everyone DALLAS, Texas The Dallas Arboretum invites foodies and foodies-to-be to its newest garden, A Tasteful Place, featuring 3.5 acres filled with vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees along with spectacular views of White Rock Lake and the downtown Dallas skyline. Guests learn how to grow, harvest and prepare produce in a healthy way through demonstrations, classes, special events and personal interactions with experts. Dave Forehand, Dallas Arboretum s vice president of gardens, said, A Tasteful Place provides many opportunities for family and friends to learn about plants they can grow themselves for better taste, cost, and proper preparation. Vegetables and herbs in season include eggplant, quinoa, peppers, squash, zucchini, artichokes and okra. One of the most beautiful seasons in the garden, autumn showcases plants full of blooms like marigolds, pentas, ornamental peppers, vincas, lantanas and salvia. While experiencing the ever-changing explosions of colorful blooms, Autumn at the

5 Arboretum is in full swing and named one of the Best Fall Festivals by Country Living Magazine, and includes the nationally-acclaimed Pumpkin Village featuring pumpkin houses and creative displays incorporating more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds, squash, cornstalks and a hay bale maze. Autumn Activities for A Tasteful Place Include: Chef-Tastic Series 11 a.m.-noon, Free with paid garden admission Join some of Dallas renowned chefs as they demonstrate how to make one of their signature dishes using seasonal vegetables growing in the garden, with a small taste for attendees to try at the end.visit register. September 26: Chef Mark Guatelara, Asador October 3: Chef Sonny Pache, Ocean Prime October 17: Chef James Johnson, Pappa Bros Steakhouse October 24: Chef Graham Dodds, The Statler November 7: Chef Tony Street, Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse November 14: Chef Jon Thompson, Zaytinya