Oscar A Montes Iga © Master of Agave Spirits

Cordial shout out to @the_angry_somm for the 1500 follow! It's a shadow compared to the many K's. Pleasure to be alongside such company. Much appreciated 👏 cheers 🍷 #fypシ❤️💞❤️ #sommeliereducation #sommlife #sommelier

Agave is where mezcal stops being a category and starts being a rabbit hole. From Espadín (the backbone) to wild, slow-growing species like Tobalá and Tepeztate, this is a snapshot of how diverse one plant family can be. Even “the same” agave (like angustifolia) can tell completely different stories depending on where and how it’s grown and made. This is a starting points, not an exhaustive list, but a way to begin seeing mezcal through a flavor-first lens instead of just names on a label. 🏷️ Save this for your next tasting or shopping trip and send it to someone who still thinks mezcal is just “smoky tequila.” Extra special thanks once again to our amazing community @vinepyre @heritagemezcal are the two you need to follow if you want to learn more about agave spirits! #mezcal #tequila #agave #mezcalartesanal #flavorcamp

Last month we shared over 20 cabs [ cab franc + cab sauvignon ] with guest winemakers @besiboney of @siboneycellars and, @mikebatek of @hyemeadow_winery with our students at @sommspace exploring the diversity of winemaking techniques, climate and terroir from over 12 countries and 18 regions! One for the books. Don't miss this month's Tannat or not Tannat? Tasting Masterclass "Texas Wines Meets World" Series with guest winemaker @tony_offill of @williamchrisvineyards (link in bio) to continue the exploration. #atxsomms #wset #sommlife #sommeliereducation .

@uncorkedvintageatx is back with @tony_offill , bringing you over 15 Tannats from across the globe. Register at the link in our bio!

April is Agave Month at @flavorcamp as we want to make sure you’re primed and ready for Cinco de Mayo this year… and well… all summer. 🔖 But first: Like, Save & Repost this because our squad doesn’t gatekeep education 🤓

This month we’re exploring the regions, rules, and realities that define agave spirits, not just how they taste, but where they come from and why it matters. Now, we’re kicking off the month with a map of where key agave spirits are legally produced across Mexico, alongside a breakdown of the major categories you’ll see on shelves.
 It’s an exciting time for agave spirits because the regulations are changing and evolving in real time (so this might not even be accurate next week). Nevertheless, understanding the current landscape is the best way to make sense of what’s in your glass.
 ‼️ Show some love to your favourite agave brand(s) in the comments 👇 
PS - Thank you @vinepyre and @heritagemezcal for double checking this map 🗺️ #tequila #mezcal #raicilla #agave #bacanora

To close March madness a lucky few Texas spirited industry leaders and bar professionals, educators, and advocates were invited by the @usbg to participate in the 2.0 Into the Fault Line program hosted by @balconeswaco @balconesdistilling - chapters from Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio, Houston, DFW, Austin, and members from everything in between gathered for two days of educational immersive sessions that give us an opportunity to better understand American Single Malt, and the craft and passion [with a lot of science] behind what gets Bottled at Balcones. From the rum to the whisky, conversations with the head distiller, blenders, bartenders, brand ambassador and retail experiences the whole journey was inspiring and showed how much every day influences can alter the character of what they distill and gets put into the bottles. Pouring their hearts for everyone to taste. Needless to say, the whole adventure was curated with plenty of nibbles to keep us fueled, plenty of sightseeing, enjoyable music, wonderful conversations and company. [Even a fewer lucky us were able to participate a second time!] So glad to have encountered peeps that I met during the first Into the Fault Line last year. But even luckier to have spent time with already cherished acquaintances from Austin! But seriously grateful to have met all the new faces on this unforgettable trip! #atxsomms #barlife #sommlife #sommeliereducation #spiritssommelier .

One week away! RSVP closes mid week, save your spot and don't miss out! 🍇 Cabernet Savvy Lovers, This One’s for You! 🍇 Join us March 29th at 3:00 PM in ATX for an immersive Cab Franc+Sauv Wine Tasting & Masterclass hosted at @sommspace We’re thrilled to be joined by incredible winemakers and experts as we dive deep into one of the world’s most iconic grapes—covering history, tradition, production methods, and tasting 18 samples from 12 countries, including rare library wines, and many styles! 🎓 Moderated by Certified Guild Senior Wine Instructor Oscar Montes Iga @vinepyre 🍷 Featuring winemakers @besiboney of @siboneycellars & @mikebatek of @hyemeadow_winery 📚 Hand-picked styles • Key terms & concepts • Vintage gems ⏰ Register by March 27th 🎟 RSVP on Eventbrite (link in bio) Come sip, learn, and nerd out with us—this is one masterclass you don’t want to skip. #atxsomms #sommeliereducation #txwine #austintexas #cabernet

Does Blind Tasting mean what you think it means? We have a hands on sommelier instructor-led workshop at @sommspace to figure that out Don't feel intimidated, this is open to enthusiasts and professionals alike to calibrate and tune up your palate. We'll be pouring 8 double blind wines for deductive tasting from world class grape varieties and winemaking regions. Seating is limited and registration closes 3 days prior to event date. Save your seat now! #atxsomms #sommeliereducation #austintx #keepaustindrinking

This is your sign to stop doomscrolling and take time to register for our incredible Tempranillo Masterclass at @sommspace only a couple of weeks away! We're exploring 16+ wines from around 5 countries and several regions, classic styles (such as a 1970 Rioja Gran Reserva from our private library) as well as contemporary- including still white, rosé, red, and fortified 🍷 You know we won't stop there. We're bringing along two incredible featured Winemakers @mikebatek of @hyemeadow_winery and Cooper @___long___live___ of @theaustinwinery to share special insights about the challenges and benefits of grape growing and making Tempranillo in Texas. 🍇 🍇 🍇 It's a class you don't want to skip! You won't find this caliber of comparative wine tasting often. Join us before registration closes - space is limited. Register via our bio, Somm Space's bio or website or directly on Eventbrite. #keepaustindrinking #atxsomms #austintx #sommeliereducation #wset .

What a trek. This piece got lost in transit across the sea voyage and was then held in customs for an unreasonable time before making a final stop chez moi. After well over 15 years in the hospitality industry and the wine trade, after 15 years as a Guild Certified Executive Sommelier, and working with wine or spirits daily - becoming a @cheese_academy Certified Cheese [associate] Member has been very demanding and on top challenging and of great difficulty. Having to know 100 iconic cheeses is at a very different level than knowing 100 iconic wines I reckon. Certainly partially because I don't personally work with fromage daily [although I do eat it daily 😅] - this was more of a side pleasure project/challenge, and partially due to the inspirational passion and ongoing support from my mentor and chief 🧀-head chef @trognob Certified Cheese Professional. Thank you for sharing and caring. I close last year's Cheese chapter with this post as I begin my new year with a new challenge: 🍇🍷Winemaking university course 🫠🙃🤪😬 All in pursuit of betterment of my colleagues, guests, students and friends. Santé 🥂🍾 #cantstopwontstop #atxsomms #sommeliereducation #sommlife #sommelier

It's not every day that most people get to enjoy haute œnology - or not every day that either a guest or a trade colleague shares gems. Some of us encounter wines of this caliber more than others. Sometimes we're able to share, sometimes we're not. What's important is to remember that we share our daily routine with strangers/guests, and familiar coworkers. And we can choose to share passion, knowledge, adventure, stories, tips - and sometimes, a shift culminates with a shared dram - and it's special because it's shared, not because of its provenance, or ranking, or prestige marketing, or historical context, or luxury placements. It's special because it shares time and space. Here's to hoping for many more memorable shifts with memorable people, sharing bevs and much more year-round. Happy Yuletide 🎄 biddings fellow sommeliers and trade colleagues, past and future guests. #atxsomms #sommlife #sommelier #somm #sommeliereducation .

This Sunday we're delighted to bring into @sommspace a curated comparative wine tasting of Pinots! Over 15 wines from across the globe and cellared from 10 to 40 years [some a bit younger] - a great opportunity to experience ageability. Join the fun before registration closes / #atxsomms #sommeliereducation #wset #sommlife #sommelier