Languedoc Wines bring flavor and French history to NYC, led by Advanced Sommelier Erik Segelbaum, with the goal of more restaurant exposure and happy diners.
Langeudoc is a postcard perfect area of sloped hills, lush ocean views and deep horizons in Southern France nestled along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the famous Rhone river and Provence in the east.
Curious wine drinkers eyes just perked up. Why? Those who understand, know the area has a lot of magic.
While the land is not as known as illustrious neighbors Bordeaux and Rhone, its quality is competitive and its price tag is far more attractive.
The Languedoc region produces conversation bottles.
It’s the bottle someone reaches across the table for – because it’s different, it’s more of a mystery – and that person’s palate is in the mood to investigate a playful pairing.
All these curious reasons led me to NYC’s The Winery for a masterclass of learning and tasting.
Luckily we were led by Advanced Sommelier Erik Segelbaum, who has more than 30 years of experience, was named Food & Wine Magazine’s 2019 Sommelier of the Year and 2020 Wine Enthusiast 40 and 40 Tastemaker.
Beyond the credentials, what makes Erik great for today’s class is his unique approach.
See, Langeudoc hopes to get their wines in more restaurants: in today’s class more than half the people in the room work in NYC restaurants and wine bars and Erik understands that territory very well. He has been Beverage Director, Head Somm, Wine Director at restaurants around the country – so he knows how to explain to the restaurants how to get these bottles onto their wine lists and how to sell them – smart move by Languedoc!
The History
Languedoc has a robust and varied history with winemaking proving their villages keep innovating and the world follows.
The story starts back in the 1200s (when they were discovering wine fortification) and fast-forwards to the 1700s when a twist of fate forced the vineyards to move up the hillside – which became an unexpected blessing as the grapes flourished even better in their new, windier climate.
We keep going and in 1903, the area was a pioneer launching the world’s first organic expo. Something that even today, over a 100 years later, many competitors around the world are still behind on.
Some wines with bold, chewy tannins? Yes. Others with refreshing acidity? Yes.
We’ll get to tasting shortly.
But let’s spend a brief moment understanding the area that’s creating such vibrant flavors.
Languedoc Land
Five large areas with over 20 AOPs and those twenty are grouped in three very different climates: Mediterranean Coast, Atlantic Coast, Hills and Mountains.
Mediterranean, as you might imagine, offers long, warm summers with heavy sunshine and mild winters harvesting grapes Piquepoul, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Muscat.
Atlantic is quite different with consistent chills and cross-winds that deliver Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Chardonnay grapes.
Pacific, as you’d expect from the pattern emerging, is even more different. It’s intense. Dry and hot in the summer, cold in the winter. Warm days, cool nights. And this vigorous energy delivers rich, tannic reds like Mouvedre and Syrah.
Languedoc’s Future
Much like the wines themselves, Langedoc’s future continues to open up more and more showing a sense of depth, complexity – while, yes, also being ready to go today.
Nine of their wineries are less than 20 years old. They are a leader in the “Old World” turning toward organic and eco-friendly treatments. They’re excited to reach a new generation of younger wine drinkers with their message and their culture.
So, let’s have a taste.
There were over 20 wines being poured, showcasing varieties from sparkling to light white to big, bold reds. Everything from pairing with fresh oysters to gamey pheasant.
Here are my tasting highlights:
Domaine Saint-martin D’agel Le Pèlerin 2020
On the nose: juniper and fresh spices rise from the glass.
Mouth: soft, supple mouth feel, with relaxed tannins
The finish had an invigorating acidity.
Delicious to pair with grilled herbs.
Gerard Bertrand AN 825 Cremant de Limoux Brut Rose 2019
On the nose: effervescent, gushing with red fruit
Mouth: gush of strawberry;
Finish is crisp and refreshing.
Pair with citrus-dressed salads or even spicy BBQ,
Villa Noria La Serr Picpoul de Pinet
Nose: zesty, floral and refreshing
Mouth: lemony and citrus aromas with a lovely texture
Finish: bright, uplifting finish.
Pair with mussels and fresh oysters
Domaine de brau Cuvee Etymologie 2020
Nose: Aromas of red and black fruits
Mouth: A delicate mix of vegetation and spices
Finish: A clean, crisp finish
Pair with tri tip and roasted pheasant
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Taste at this NYC Prosecco Adventure! Discover with Wine Expert Alan Tardi Wed June 26th at New York Wine Studio
Take the Train to NYC for a Prosecco Adventure! Taste and Discover with Wine Expert Alan Tardi Wed June 26th at New York Wine Studio
Prosecco has gone from a little known mountain fizz to a vinous superhero, overtaking Champagne (and every other sparkling wine out there) and enjoyed by wine drinkers throughout the world, as the base of a cocktail or an everyday quaff.
But despite its huge popularity, most people don’t know much about it.
And there is much more to Prosecco than many people are aware.
”My objective is to
clarify the critical differences
between the original ancient Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco and
the DOC Prosecco that was enacted in 2010.”
Alan Tardi
New York Wine Studio
Prosecco is produced only in Italy, in the Northern regions of Veneto and Friuli, and there are three official Prosecco appellations.
Prosecco DOC
One of them, Prosecco DOC, was created in 2010. It occupies a huge, mostly flat area encompassing almost two entire regions and accounts for most of the 700+ million bottles of Prosecco produced each year.
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG is a tiny area in the foothills of the Dolomites consisting of 15 small municipalities in the province of Treviso. This is the ancient winegrowing area where Prosecco was born and made a miraculous comeback in the aftermath of World War II.
Besides its pedigree, there are numerous factors of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene enclave that distinguish it from any other winegrowing area in the world: complex and diverse topography, variety of soils, native grape varieties, distinct sub-areas, ancient history, and varied typology—bubbly, fizzy, and still; secondary fermentation in tank or in bottle, leaving sediment in the bottle (known as Ancestral Method) or removing it (Traditional Method).
In this class—which takes place right in the middle of National Prosecco DOC week—we will discuss the origin and evolution of Prosecco in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area. We will also examine the two additional Prosecco appellations created in 2010.
But most of the time will be devoted to exploring and tasting Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco through a lineup of 8 exceptional terroir-driven wines, in a variety of styles, that demonstrate the unique characteristics, complexity, and diversity of the original Prosecco.
Participants will also learn how to say “CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE” like an Italian!
Alan Tardi has arranged a fantastic lineup of unusual and exceptional wines (half of them are coming directly from Italy) which demonstrate the various factors that characterize the complexity and uniqueness of Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Different production methods (“Tranquillo” i.e. still, Martinotti, Classico/Traditional, Ancestral); frizzante, spumante; single vineyards, Rive, native grape varieties; diverse, soils, terroirs and topographies.
List of Wines
- Prosecco Tranquillo DOCG “Il Canto Antico” — BORTOLOMIOL*
- Colli Trevigiani IGT Verdiso Frizzante Sui Lieviti — GREGOLETTO
- Progetto 5 Varietà Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut — MARCHIORI*
- Conegliano Prosecco Superiore DOCG Rive di Ogliano Extra-Brut — BIANCAVIGNA
- Superiore di Cartizze Brut DOCG — RUGGERI*
- Superiore di Cartizze DOCG “Private” Rifermentato in Bottiglia 2014 — BISOL
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Rive di Carpesica “S.C. 1931” Metodo Classico — BELLENDA*
- Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Asciutto, Rive di Colbertarldo, Vigneto Giardino — ADAMI
- Torchiato di Fregona Colli di Conegliano DOCG “Ciàcoe” 2016 — CA’ DI RAJO*
*Shipped directly from the winery in Italy
Find more information and buy tickets at New York Wine Studio or at the link below.
https://www.newyorkwinestudio.com/original-prosecco
Bob Dylan’s Bourbon Feud: Heaven’s Door Kentucky vs Tennessee
Bob Dylan’s Bourbon Feud: Heaven’s Door Kentucky vs Tennessee
Heaven’s Door Spirits, Bob Dylan’s highly awarded collection of super-premium American whiskeys, is turning up the heat on the age-old debate of which state, Tennessee or Kentucky, makes the best bourbon.
For as long as corn’s been cracked and stills have bubbled, Kentucky and Tennessee have been turning pristine limestone water and grains into a coveted amber elixir.
Heaven’s Door’s Great State Bourbon Debate rekindles the friendly feud
Heaven’s Door’s Great State Bourbon Debate rekindles the friendly feud between these two bourbon powerhouses, inviting whiskey lovers everywhere to put their palates to the test and voice their opinion.
Heaven’s Door sets itself apart as the first brand to offer both a Kentucky and Tennessee bourbon, giving fans a unique chance to compare.
The brand’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Ascension, and Tennessee Straight Bourbon, Revival, are made from high rye mash bills with grains largely sourced local to the distillery, and barreled at the same proof, yet yield vastly different taste profiles. Heaven’s Door invites you to level set, savor and decide which bourbon pleases your palate and wins your heart.
A Tale of Two Bourbons
Many folks mistakenly believe that bourbon can only be made in Kentucky, but the truth is, bourbon can be crafted anywhere in the U.S.
What makes an American whiskey a true bourbon is a special set of rules: it has to be made with at least 51% corn, distilled at a certain proof, and aged in new oak barrels.
Kentucky and Tennessee both have storied histories of producing excellent bourbon, with differences in water and climate producing distinct flavors.
Kentucky’s limestone water and Tennessee’s pure spring water are both famous for helping yeast thrive during fermentation.v
Differences in flavor profile come from the type and provenance of the grains used, the type of yeast used, water quality, the proof at distillation and the particular wood used to make oak barrel.
Even the location of the barrel warehouse, the circulation of air between the barrels being stored and where the barrels are within the warehouse (high up or near the bottom) all conspire to give impart flavor differences.
Heaven’s Door Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Ascension
Heaven’s Door Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Ascension, is a unique blend of two premium Kentucky straight bourbons aged for over five years and non-chill filtered, boasts warm and slightly sweeter notes of vanilla and baking spices. The limestone-filtered water of Kentucky, renowned for its purity, plays a key role in developing these rich flavors.
Heaven’s Door Tennessee Straight Bourbon, Revival
Heaven’s Door Tennessee Straight Bourbon, Revival, also aged for over five years and non-chill filtered, offers a drier profile with complex and sharp flavors. Unlike many Tennessee bourbons, Revival skips the “Lincoln County Process” – a charcoal filtering step – allowing the natural flavors of the local non-GMO grains to shine through, resulting in a lingering finish with hints of caramel, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
“We wanted to fan the flames of this old debate
between Kentucky and Tennessee bourbon
and showcase
our outstanding expressions of both styles.
We’re excited to hear what consumers think and how they experience these two classic bourbons.”
Alex Moore
Master Blender and COO
Heaven’s Door Spirit
Heaven’s Door marries art and craft in every bottle, drawing inspiration from Bob Dylan’s restless spirit to continually innovate. By sourcing non-GMO grains and honoring each state’s natural elements, the distinct character of each bourbon is evident in every sip.
Hey Philly! Following your Heart and Need Media Attention? Reach to Publicity For Good, CEO Heather Holmes explains
Hey Philly! Following your Heart and Need Media Attention? Reach to Publicity For Good, CEO Heather Holmes explains
Publicity for Good is a millennial run communications firm that provides high-level disruptive, publicity and social media services for wide array of purpose driven clients in the food, beverage and beauty industry.
In 2016 by Heather Holmes former miss Ohio international celebrated publicist and Forbes 30 under 30 nominee publicity for good has built a reputation as the countries number one PR agency for CPG brands that have social causes built into their DNA.
Today’s conversation with Heather Homes from PublicityForGood.com has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
Heather Holmes from PublicityForGood.com. I’m a big fan because you’ve helped us facilitate a lot of previous conversations about food and drink and nutrition and all the things we like talking about.
What’s the most important thing that you want to share with the audience today?
Heather Holmes:
I really want to take away the unknown or worry about getting in the media. I want to make it more accessible to amazing brands and people.
So I definitely want to share tactical advice that if someone is reading this, they have a good story in business, they have the confidence that their story is good enough and they could absolutely make an impact and grow their business by getting in the media.
Joe Winger:
Starting with the basics, let’s pretend I have a company, I think I want public attention. I want to reach out to someone like you.
So what should I be thinking about? What do I present to you as a step one?
Heather Holmes:
Step one is really the intentionality of why you want to get in the media. What’s your goal? Are you wanting to reach more people? Are you wanting to get your story out there?
Are you wanting more sales and more people to buy your product?
You really need to know. Where you’re going first, and if you don’t know where you’re going, or you don’t have a vision, then it’s really hard to help you.
But if you have clarity there, then we can really pull back and help you identify your story, how you’re different, your why, and why your product and or company, would be really great to be in the media.
Joe Winger:
Now, looking at the grand scheme of the campaign, what kind of a campaign should we be looking for: expectations, results?
Heather Holmes:
After we know our outcome that we’re wanting to get more sales, more backlinks, or name in the media, then what I like to do first is work with every entrepreneur, and even if you have a product, to really reflect in “why your story matters”
Why does your product matter?
If you’ve never been in the media before, I take people for an exercise where I have them draw on a piece of paper, them as a baby, to where they are now.
I have them write the key pivotal moments that have happened in their life that have made them start that company, because those little components are absolutely a part of your story.
I’ve been in the media 700 plus times: Inside Edition, Fox News, The New York Coast, incredible media, but it hasn’t always been about being a publicist, right?
Yes. I’m the founder of Publicity For Good, but a lot of that has been my story or building a seven figure company from an airstream.
Now I have almost two under two with a third on the way.
So you need to have your key pivotal moments because those are things you can talk about in the media.
Then we need to look at what’s going on in the news and how we bridge the gap between your product. Relevancy.
Joe Winger:
People may not know you are a former Miss Ohio International. Can you tell us a lesson you learned from being a former Miss Ohio International that you’re using in today’s work?
Heather Holmes:
It’s really all about your platform and reaching new audiences.
When I was building my company I decided I wanted to get into pageants. I wanted to meet a community of like minded people that wanted to make a difference in the world.
It was a way for me to have a platform because at the time I was talking about why you absolutely can build a profitable business. But also make a difference in your community and make a difference amongst your team. And really just build an incredible legacy.
So that was why I did the pageants.
I did a bunch of publicity and again, it made me relevant and timely because that was what got me in the media because I was Miss Ohio and I was only Miss Ohio International for a period of time.
So it gave me that relevancy. So you have to be relevant.
You have to bridge the gap between what’s happening in the news, or we often use Awareness Days, National Nutrition Month, National Social Media Day, and you have to position your product or yourself as the solution.
[For example], we were talking about an incredible juice brand, but most pitches I see are very promotional, right? It needs to be how you or your product simplifies people’s lives. How are you adding value? Or you don’t have a product you need to inspire people.
Joe Winger:
You’re growing a 7- figure business. What’s it like growing a huge business while you’re taking care of your kids and for a while you were living out of your Airstream
Heather Holmes:
We lived out of a 23 foot airstream for 3 1/2 years. I went from dating to engaged, to married to [my first child] Rose, who’s almost two, who lived in our airstream with us.
The year the pandemic [hit] was our first million dollar year.
I think a lot of the reason why it was that year is because when March hit, everyone was so scared that we lost about 40% of our business, number one.
Number two, we had to hustle and grit to make it. There was no choice of failing. All the distractions were gone.
When you’re in an Airstream, all you have is your laptop, but we had no external distractions, and then everything else was closed.
So the only focus we could do was our business and we had to scale out of necessity because we didn’t want to lose what we had put so much time in.
Fast forward, we now have 22 acres where we live and we have two under two, we have one on the way, we’re a full time team of 40, and it’s not easy.
I say transparently, it’s a hot mess. There are so many miracles that happen every day, but life is one, right? I can’t turn off my founder hat and publicist hat and then “Oh, I’m a mom”. It’s all one.
So yes, I might have Rose [my daughter] on a call with me from time to time, but I’ve learned that the more you step in and embrace your life, who you are and the realness, sometimes people opt out and that’s okay.
And this is my legacy.
I like these missions that we’re doing good work to us is way more than a business. We want to grow your brand and mission and we take it so seriously.
So it’s not perfect. It’s not perfectly scheduled. I’m a full time mom, all the time on the weekends when the kids are sleeping, we’re working.
We know where we want to go, and these clients and ambitions that we’re aligned with and supporting are helping people with their health.
Joe Winger:
What an incredible story to share.
Heather Holmes: I have so much to share. Like I was adopted when I was a week old to having two under two and another one on the way and building a business and building a homestead.
It’s so crazy. Austin, who’s my husband, the first week we were dating, we’re all about intentionality. I have the journal and we mapped everything out.
This year, we were going to get engaged then married. Austin and I,l we will have been together almost five years.
We’ve had a kid every year. Rose will be two in June.
We want to build a business. We want to impact our clients, brands, and scale their business. We want our team to get better and flourish in their personal lives too.
This is our mission and I’ve seen so many miracles happen from getting in the media on a personal level.
I was talking to [a business owner client] and her business grew by 40% from getting in the media.
One of my favorite cookie brands, a mom had an incredible heart story. She went on our local news and she brought in $12,000 worth of sales, just the local people wanting to support her.
On the flip side, when people Google my name, it’s like my social currency, there’s all these articles. So I have so much peace in that. Our kids will see the good work we’re doing.
Joe Winger:
You’re talking to an audience of foodies. What is your favorite meal?
Heather Holmes:
We just had Indian food last night that my husband made and it was so good.
We used to live in San Diego and I think San Diego has the best food. It’s all fresh. We’ve traveled a lot. We’ve been to Bali, their food is pretty incredible too. Where we live [now] we’re right outside of Asheville and Charlotte. So they have some good restaurants, but like I’m not in the phase right now where I’m the foodie like I used to be.
[At our house] we have chickens and we have fresh eggs. So I’m obsessed with fresh eggs every morning. You’re living a good life when you can go get your eggs and have them at home with some goat cheese.
And honestly, I love Livermuth. Crazy. So I’d say some Livermuth fried in a cast iron with some eggs and goat cheese. It’s the simple things that I really do love.
Joe Winger:
Heather Holmes with Publicity for Good. As we wrap up, whether it’s a potential client, a potential vendor, someone wanting your help with publicity, what are the best ways to find, follow you, websites, social media, etc?
Heather Holmes:
You can go to PublicityForGood.com You can find me on social media as well.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherdesantis
https://www.instagram.com/heatherdesantis
https://www.instagram.com/publicity.for.good
https://www.facebook.com/heatherdesantis
About the Author
Joe Wehinger (nicknamed Joe Winger) has written for over 20 years about the business of lifestyle and entertainment. Joe is an entertainment producer, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and C-level consultant who owns businesses in entertainment, lifestyle, tourism and publishing. He is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, member of the Directors Guild of America, International Food Travel Wine Authors Association, WSET Level 2 Wine student, WSET Level 2 Cocktail student, member of the LA Wine Writers. Email to: Joe@FlavRReport.comYou Might also like
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Cheese Lovers: ‘Udderly in Love’ This Valentines Day from Crave Brothers
Crave Brothers Gives Back with ‘Udderly in Love’ Valentine’s Day Gift Boxes
You’ve heard of a candy-gram, but what about a cheese-gram?
Now until the end of February, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese will offer cheese-grams to send to a sweetheart, friends or family.
After all, who wouldn’t want to spread the love with the gift of fresh, sustainably made Wisconsin cheese?
The Udderly in Love Gift Box will put you in the MOO-d for the month of love with Crave’s handcrafted Heart-Shaped Mozzarella and award-winning Chocolate Mascarpone. Each gift box comes with your choice of one of three customizable Valentine’s Day notes featuring real cows from the Crave Brothers Farm. Meet Gracious, Luna, Susie and Lola, and select the best personality match for your favorite Valentine.
Card choices contain greetings including:
- “I’m Over the MOO-n for You!”
- “Our Friendship is A-MOO-Zing”
- “Someone Loves Moo!”
During checkout, shoppers can write a message for their card, which Crave will hand-write and include with the box upon sending.
Each box retails for $12 and can be purchased online.
To celebrate the month of love and hearts, Crave Brothers will donate 5% of all proceeds from its online store during February to the American Heart Association.
Heart-Shaped Mozzarella is the perfect addition to your next get-together charcuterie board, and award-winning Chocolate Mascarpone is a hit in date night desserts and on dessert boards with fruit or cookies.
Find more recipes on the Crave Brothers website and order your Udderly in Love Gift Box today!
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone and more on 3,000 acres
The Crave family farms 3,000 acres of productive land in south-central Wisconsin, growing corn, alfalfa, wheat, soybeans, grass hay and pasture to use as nutritious feed for their herd of Holstein cattle.
From the biodigester to water recovery and recycling, sustainability is top-of-mind on the farm and cheese factory.
The Crave Brothers Farm LLC and Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produce and use green power as part of their sustainable dairy production model. Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Part-skim Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Farmer’s Rope String Cheese and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds.
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Bring Great Flavors to your Philly Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough
Bring Great Flavors to your Philly Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough.
Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and you just have a few days left, do not panic just yet.
Most people are not “hosting” a Thanksgiving; instead, they are guests. Whether its family, friends, or you are the plus one, it is always better to make a good impression – and what better way than with an exceptional wine or two?
Wine can be inexpensive; our winemaker suggested a few wines between $15-$45.
Brian Cheesborough has more than 20 vintages of wine experience and made 90+ point wines in 6 different regions worldwide (California, France, New Zealand, Argentina, and more). He is an expert at pairing flavors and (more importantly) how to fix sour or off flavors – think dry turkey. (yikes!)
Take it away, Brian!
Thanks for having me. I’m excited to share these ideas because there are two goals: if the food is incredible, we want a wine that matches it and makes it even better (think like a dancing partner), and secondly, if the food is not great, we want a way to elevate the experience and fix the mistake.
Wine can do that! Most of these wines are from vineyards I have worked with or fellow Fresno State alums, some of whom I sat in a lecture with about all things wine. Can’t find the exact bottle? There are numerous producers for these wines under $50 and some below $20 – follow the varietals.
So, let us get started.
Alexander Valley Vineyards – Gewürz, 2021 Mendocino County
This Gewürz can solve many problems. It is a great wine to start the night; It’s also great when you’re eating something dry or bland. Yes, it is on the sweeter side. The aromatics are floral, with enticing notes of apple, grapefruit, and citrus; the mouth is silky and rich. This will pair well with any course. I like it with turkey best!
Buy it here: AVV 2021 Gewürz – Organically Grown
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2021 Estate Chardonnay
Another great option to start the party. The nose is a fresh bouquet of apricot, lemon, lime, and honey. The mouth is rich and supple with flavors of golden apple, caramel, and vanilla, with a nice round, refreshing finish. You can easily pair this with rich seafood dishes like shrimp alfredo and crab-stuffed lobster tail. Also, creamy potatoes or spiced pumpkins. (If you end up with pumpkin or squash on your plate and try a glass of this, you will thank me later.)
Buy it here: Willamette Valley Vineyards – Estate Chardonnay
Pine Ridge Vineyards 2021 Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend
One more light suggestion to start off your feast! This is crisp, bright, and full of life. The nose is a bouquet of honeysuckle, and orange blossoms, with a twist of ginger spice. The mouth is full-bodied with refreshing acidity. Flavors of tangerine, lime, and green apple. It’ll pair great with a light salad, goat cheese, and olives.
Buy it here: Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend – Pine Ridge Vineyards
Now, let us go to the Reds!
Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta 2019
It has a gorgeous fruit-driven nose with aromas of red fruit, cherry, and plum. The mouth is sleek and silky, medium body with flavors of black currant and blueberry, with lush and velvety tannins. It would pair well with turkey, venison with traditional gravy, or cranberry.
Buy it here: Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta
Dutton-Goldfield’s 2020 Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir
The nose starts telling you this is something extra special; classic rich blackberry, pomegranate, and a touch of vanilla to round out the aromas. The mouth is super juicy and decadent, full of bright red cherry and cola with a baking spice finish. You want this with your main entree – turkey, ham, and stuffing. The people at your party drinking this will be glancing at each other, smiling between bites – they will know why!
Buy it here: Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir
Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River – 2019
On the nose, red fruit notes with cherry and plum. On the mouth, medium body with moderate oak, black currant, and blueberry, with delicate tannins. This pairs well with lean meat.
Buy it here: Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River
The critical thing to remember is that regardless of your budget, you can find a great flavor to pair with what you are eating. Also, the wine can “save” the day, just in case it ends up a little (or a lot) dry or bland. You are not the chef du jour for Thanksgiving, but you can still contribute to the sharing.
Brian Cheeseborough is currently the Director of Winemaking at FermForge in West Texas.
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Philly BBQ Holiday: Secret to Juicier Chicken? Shark Tank’s Turbo Trusser revealed by Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust.
Secret to BBQing a Juicier Chicken? Shark Tank’s Turbo Trusser revealed by Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust.
Want juicier chicken? Yes. More flavor? Yes. Get it all setup in seconds? Yes. Two guys who love good food decided to tackle the problem.
Luckily, a Chef and a Builder were on the team. And luckily the team has business smarts, creativity and can-do spirit. Lastly, the team got global attention by winning their way onto hit TV show Shark Tank where Kevin O’Leary got excited by the flavors, the team and their product.
Today Turbo Trusser partners Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust stopped by for a conversation about delicious food, creating a great team and the secret to cooking.
The below conversation was edited for length and clarity. Find the full conversation on our YouTube channel.
Can you guys share a memory about how being in the backyard with your family and friends inspired you to create the Turbo Trusser?
Brian Halasinski: Kirk and I have been working together on inventions for the last eight years and oftentimes we’ll have an idea that’ll come up and we’ll text each other and we’ll write it down in a notebook and then we’ll come and visit it later.
It just happened that I was getting ready to make chicken for my family and I was going to do a rotisserie chicken and I was trying to figure out how to tie this bird up with traditional strings. So I got my iPad and I’m watching a video.
I have to pause the video. My hands are covered in chicken juice. And after it was all done, it wasn’t done well.
I texted Kirk because he’s a trained chef from the culinary Institute. There’s gotta be a better way. We started working on the Turbo Trusser from there.
After your success on Shark Tank, Turbo Trusser has become a global hit. How have your backgrounds inspired where you are today?
Kirk Hyust: I’ve been a building contractor for 25 years. Before that I was a chef. I got burnt out [being a Chef] and then I started building things and that’s how Brian and I met. I renovated his house for him.
I was in the middle of inventing a wrench and Brian saw it [and said], ‘I want to start inventing too. You want to be inventing partners.’
We still haven’t quit our day jobs. We work seven days a week. Luckily working for us a lot of the time is cooking. Which is good.
You mentioned you are a trained chef. Tell us about your chef side.
Kirk Hyust: I went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Classical French cuisine. We’re from Ohio, so I like meat and potatoes and hearty casseroles.
Do you have a favorite dish?
Kirk Hyust: Fettuccine Alfredo and Turbo Trusser chicken.
Brian, can we touch on your background and how how you ended up with TurboTruster?
Brian Halasinski: I have been in the pharmaceutical sales industry for the last 20 years. I have a fairly flexible schedule to where I’m on the road and can be on the phone and be multitasking quite a bit when I’m working.
I’ve had that entrepreneurial spirit in a way. Then when I met Kirk, he had invented this wrench and he was working on my house and he was there for it was a pretty decent sized project.
So over time we became friends. I became interested in the whole process of inventing.
And then with that, you could actually take your invention and license it to somebody, basically renting out your idea and collecting a royalty. Kirk and I always thought that would be great.
We did a couple of products and we licensed them. Didn’t end up working out […]. We learned a little bit about the failures. And then ultimately that day I texted Kirk and said, listen, we got to come up with a better way to trust a chicken or Turkey. And we looked out there and there was nothing available other than butcher’s twine, which has been the way it’s been done for a hundred years.
A huge majority of people cook chicken and turkeys the wrong way. That’s my assumption.
When we compare your final chicken to a poorly done chicken what’s the difference?
Kirk Hyust: Trusting actually is a technique that brings all the meat together. If you don’t trust a bird, you’re actually cooking five pieces of meat separately. You got two wings, you got two legs and thighs and a breast. What you do, when you truss a bird, you actually bring all the pieces together and it cooks as one piece of meat, so it’s cooked more evenly and it’s juicier.
If you don’t cook it, if you don’t tie it up, if you just throw it in the oven or on the grill, what happens is all the meat cooks separately. The breast is gonna be done before the legs. The wings probably are going to dry out and they’re going to be inedible. Because when you use the Turbo Trusser the wings are great.
It makes one ball of meat essentially and cooks it as one piece of meat instead of five.
Is it the ego of the grill master? Or how do we help people realize they can have a better bird?
Kirk Hyust: That’s a really good question because we get that a lot. People have never even heard the term truss. To truss a bird.
Your bird’s gonna be a lot better, but it’s gonna take you about five minutes to do it when it takes 20 seconds to use our product. Especially a Thanksgiving Turkey because that will dry out a lot faster than a chicken.
Brian Halasinski: With the Turbo Trusser, the way it’s designed it’s going to hold the stuffing in place too. So the stuffing’s not going to dry out the way it closes the cavity.
If you’re going to do a rotisserie, you absolutely have to tie that bird up or your legs and wings are going to be just flopping around the whole time.
Can we talk a little bit about the process going from zero to where we are today?
Brian Halasinski: It was when we came up with the concept.
First, we started making prototypes. We made them out of cardboard. Then we made them out of wood. Kirk’s got all these tools so we could easily cut things. Then through trial and error with prototypes that we could make cheaply, we ended up with a very similar design to what we have today.
Then from there, we found a local fabricating shop that was able to laser cut out some samples for us so we could actually cook with them. We did all these things, refining the process and refining the product down to where we wanted to make it. Then we had to make a decision: make this here in the U.S. or go overseas.
Kirk and I made a decision based on our beliefs and our values that we wanted to make it here in the U.S. Being in Ohio, we were close to Cleveland, Ohio. This was the rust belt. There’s still a lot of manufacturing here.
So within one hour of our headquarters, we were able to source everything we needed to mass produce and launch this product to the world from Canton, Ohio.
Kirk Hyust: We had six prototypes by the time we got to our seventh one. That was the one that we stuck with. We just kept refining the prototypes until we landed on the seventh one, which is that what in the stores or online.
Can you tell us a little bit about from prototype one to seven? How did we get there?
Kirk Hyust: When you’re doing a prototype, obviously you have to solve a problem. When you build a product, it has to work correctly or you’re going to get bad reviews.
But we started out with a couple different designs. We bought a chicken and a turkey; and we put this contour gauge on the leg, so that made the dips that you see now where the legs go into. Then we were in my shop, cutting it out and it looked like [bird] wings so we ended up putting the heads on it because it already had wings that the legs sat into the cradle.
It’s a lot of detail.
Kirk Hyust: Yes, exactly. We just got our patent […] issued for the very first time. Even if it’s a piece of stamp metal and 2 wires. How intricate it really is.
Kirk, between your chef skills and your contractor skills. A perfect combination of bringing those two skill sets together.
Kirk Hyust: It is. We have sales and numbers and Brian’s also creative. […]The technical stuff, the websites, we develop everything together, but we have our strengths, he has a master’s degree in business. So he’s trained really well for that.
So it’s lie our strengths and weaknesses definitely fit together with each other.
Can we just talk through in the most simple, basic steps, how to use the Turbo Trusser?
Kirk Hyust: It’s really very simple. I usually buy a five pound bird. [With] smaller birds, it still works. It goes up to a 10 pound chicken.
Then you take the plastic off, pull the packet of giblets and everything out of the inside. Rinse it off. Pat it dry with a paper towel and if you have time, put it in the refrigerator and let the skin dry out. Put the Turbo Trusser on it, hook the legs in, hook the wings.
Use duck fat or some kind of a binder to put your spices on it. Salt and pepper, your favorite rub, something spicy, something sweet. Coat it with some kind of oil, or ghee or olive oil.
Put it in the oven at 375 for an hour and a half until it hits 165 degrees. That’s pretty much in a nutshell how easy it is.
Brian Halasinski: The Turbo Trusser is just three pieces. You got the main piece. Then you have two hooks. The hooks are going to go through the holes on the body of the chicken. You’re going to put the sharp end through the hole. It’s going to lock into place with the other end.
So it’s simply, put the two hooks into the Turbo Trusser body. You hook them onto the wings. The legs go into the cradle and in 20 seconds, you’re done.
How do we get that strong-willed Backyard Grillmaster to give the Turbo Trusser a try?
Brian Halasinski: Just telling them to keep it simple and go back to what people have been doing for 100 years. And that’s using string to tie it up. Only we came up with a simpler solution. So it’s what everybody’s been people don’t do it because they’re intimidated, but now they don’t have to be. The turbo truss are so easy to use.
Anybody can use it. Even if you have dexterity problems, you’re never going to figure out how to, you’re not going to be able to tie up a bird if you have problems with your fingers, right? older people, maybe they have arthritis and it’s hard for them to tie a knot. Now with the turbo trusser, you can do that without fear and you can, it’s simple and effective.
As we wrap up, tell me about the Shark Tank experience.
Kirk Hyust: It was crazy.
Brian Halasinski: I’ll give you a high level view. We launched our product on November 1st of 2021.
Right away we went online and we applied for Shark Tank. It was 100% online. Before COVID they would do open casting calls like Like American Idol.
About 50, 000 people apply. They narrow that down to about 125 people that tape [a TV segment], and maybe 100 or so will end up airing on television for the season that you’re in.
So we apply, we have no sales, we don’t hear a word from them for a couple months. So we launched the product. We did pretty well. We sold like $50,000 worth of Turbo Trussers in the first two months of being in business with nobody ever heard of us.
We went back and we re-applied again, we got some sales numbers. Eventually they called. I Six months after we initially applied, they called us.
You basically work down through the process every week. They’re giving you something new to turn in, to make a video.
Our first video, we came up with the idea to wear the chicken and turkey costumes. We said we wanted to stand out. We know that Shark Tank is television. If it’s not good TV, people aren’t going to watch it. They loved it.
We made it all the way down through. We went all the way out to California and taped [our episode]. We ended up getting a deal with Kevin O’Leary, which was incredible.
Kirk Hyust: Brian’s a salesman. I’m not used to that. So when I was on Shark Tank, I messed my lines up. I went blank for a couple seconds. I missed my cue to go over to my spot and I was really flustered, but I recovered, but man, that was the worst part.
Tell us the website, social media, where to find you, where to browse your products, where to learn more about you.
Brian Halasinski: The first thing for our product is TurboTrusser.com.
You can make your decision if you want to buy from our website, or you can go to Amazon Prime across the country.
You can find us on all the regular social media at Turbo Trusser on Facebook, Instagram, TikToK
You can find me, Brian Halasinski on LinkedIn, connect with us and be happy to chat or answer any questions with anybody.
Kirk Hyust: I’m on LinkedIn as well.
You can reach out if you have any questions. I write a lot of the PPAs (provisional patent applications) and stuff. So any kind of questions, how to cook a good bird we’re accessible. We want to help we want to help anybody out there that we can, because we’ve had a lot of people help us along the way.
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