Favorite cocktail or spirit: Pastis

While we’re talking stylish wine ladies, here’s another! Talia Baiocchi is one of my favorite wine writers out there right now. She’s young, she’s funny, she’s way smarter than me, has great taste and a super fresh perspective on all this wine stuff. She is currently the wine columnist at Eater.com and contributes to a whole bunch of other online and print publications like The San Francisco Chronicle, Bon Appetit and Serious Eats.

So, let’s do this here thing!

Name: Talia Baiocchi  Hometown: Laguna Beach, CA  Current location: Brooklyn, NY

Favorite Winter beverage: Sherry. Still have some La Bota #15 Fino that I dig into every now and again. Also loving Lustau’s Manuel Cuevas Jurado Manzanilla Pasada and Colosia’s Sangre y Trabajadero Dry Oloroso for everyday.

Favorite cocktail or spirit:  Rye Manhattan

Favorite place to grab a drink:  For wine: Terroir, Anfora, Balthazar. Cocktails: Maison Premiere, Keens (for the classics), Death & Co.

Favorite toast: I prefer to defer to someone else, because I am pretty sure I’ve never given a toast that wasn’t incredibly awkward for all involved. In other words, I suck at toasts.

Favorite post-dinner quaff: Amaro. Always. Nonino and Varnelli Sibilla are favorites.

Favorite food & beverage pairing:  Champagne + cured pork items.

If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? I’d probably go back to Sicily. I was just there in September for the first time and the trip wasn’t long enough. The cuisine is uniquely its own thing and the wines have never been better. Also: pretty beaches.

What’s for sipper? I am writing a story about Sicilian white wine at the moment so I am deep into Carricante and Grillo as of late. So, tonight I’ve got the Grillo Integer from Marco de Bartoli on deck.

And here’s Talia with Kyle MacLachlan drinking his wine. You know, cause that’s the kind of stuff you get to do when you’re Talia.

Hey. Psssssst. Hey you! Can I be nosy for a second and all up in your business? Pretty please? Yes, you say? Thanks!!

And such is the way I get all these nice people to let us read about what they like to drink and eat. And where they like to do those things in case we want to secretly stalk them. The newest super nice and talented person that let me dig into his brain? The General Manager of the always incredible Osteria Mozza. If you don’t know what Mozza is, I beg you to get out from under the miserable, not delicious rock you’ve been hiding for the past 4 years.

Name: David Rosoff. Hometown: Los Angeles. Current location: Los Angeles

I thought I’d feature another kick ass NYC-er while I’m at it. So, Ladies and gentlemen…Mr. André Hueston Mack! André is a sommelier, formerly of The French Laundry and Per Se, and owner of Mouton Noir Wines where he sells his “unique and distinctive garage wines” and some pretty dope wine schwag. (which you can find listed in My Favorite Things)

Let’s do this!

Name: André Mack. Hometown: Brooklyn, NY. Current location: Brooklyn, NY

If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? Kansai region of Japan (Osaka, Kyoto & Kobe). It is home to 12 Michelin  3 star restaurants.

What’s for sipper? Been drinking Lapierre Morgon all week.

This photo REALLY cracks me up.

Top photo of André pouring wine at Frasca in Boulder, CO by DLH Creative.

Favorite fall beverage: Jacques Torres Hot Chocolate (it’s literally melted chocolate). If he could work some rum in there, I’d be wake up and go to sleep with that.

Favorite cocktail or spirit: Scotchy scotch scotch.

Favorite toast: We feel sorry for people who don’t drink because when you get up in the morning that’s as good as you’re gonna feel for the rest of the day.

Favorite post-dinner quaff: Sauternes or Eau-de-Vie

Amy Atwood is one of my favorite LA wine people. Why? Other than the fact that’s she’s purrrrty and real nice? She distributes some damn good wine here in California. A lot of the wine I buy and drink on a regular basis are wines that she selects/represents. She’s fighting the good fight, people!

Name: Amy Atwood. Hometown: Dallas, TX. Current location: Los Angeles

Everyone, meet Helen Johannesen! She is the Director of Operations and Beverage Director of Animal and Son of a Gun-  two of LA’s finest so hip it hurts/so delicious it hurts eating and drinking establishments. I seriously envy the food and wine she gets to be around on a daily basis.

So, let’s see how she gets down in the gastronomical sense, shall we?

Name: Helen Johannesen. Hometown: New York City. Location: Los Angeles.

Favorite Fall beverage: Manhattans!

Favorite cocktail or spirit: Scotch

Favorite place to grab a drink: The bar at the Hotel Bel Air because the atmosphere is amazing and transporting. For quality and finesse: my house, my friend’s houses, or Son of a Gun.

Favorite toast: To family.

Favorite post-dinner quaff: Chartreuse Green VEP or crazy Amaros at Mozza.

Favorite food & beverage pairing: Yesterday I drank some 2007 Deforville Barbaresco from the Loreto vineyard with some DAMN good pasta and that is my favorite pairing of the moment. Otherwise…there are too many to count!

If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? Italy. Boom done!

What’s for sipper? If this was last night, it was Lagavulin while sitting by a fire. Tonight I am working, so perhaps a glass of Montagny from Jean-Marc Pillot to tuck me in at the end of the night.

A little lady and a big ass bottle of wine. The way it should be.

Original photos by Ben Andersen/Sarah Gim, who seem to always take the best photos of wine people doing wine things.

I met Jesse last month while judging a wine competition in San Diego. He’s 35 and has THE title after his name- MS. That’s Master Sommelier, ya’ll. He is also owner, with wife Elizabeth, of Peripherique Wine Merchants based out of San Francisco. When not making me feel like a dumb underachiever, Jesse is a genuine class act and such a nice guy. Hanging out and drinking wine with him was a real treat.

So, let’s see what a Master Somm gets down his gullet. And where to eat and drink in San Francsico. Or Omaha…

Name: Jesse Becker Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska  Location: San Francisco, CA

Favorite Fall beverage: Barolo!

Favorite cocktail or spirit: Aperol Spritz is by far my favorite cocktail. {ed. note: hell. yes.}

Favorite place to grab a drink: Currently, Cotogna in San Francisco though I’ve yet to encounter a craft bar I enjoy more than The Boiler Room in Omaha.

Favorite toast: Cheers!

Favorite post-dinner quaff: Underberg!

Favorite food & beverage pairing: Crémant du Jura and wild mushrooms (just had this at Sons & Daughters in San Francisco — Wowza!)

If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? Piedmont, without thinking twice.

What’s for sipper? Right now: 2009 Domaine Danjean-Berthoux Clos du Cras Long Givry Premier Cru and it’s really blowing me away!

Ah. Love and grape vines. All you ever really need in life.

I first met Jon last year at the Barbera Meeting in Asti, Italy. My first thought: that is one handsome, seriously stylish dude. Second thought: Is he married? Kidding. Sort of. The answer to that question is YES. To a woman, whom is every bit as (or more) beautiful/stylish/talented, named Jayne Battle. And together they own Jayne’s Gastropub in San Diego. The food is ridiculous, the design is spot on and I can think of no other place I’d wanna hang while in San Diego.

Let’s get to know Jon, shall we?

Name: Jon Erickson Hometown: Westport, CT  Location: San Diego, CA

Favorite seasonal beverage: The Pimm’s Cup works all summer long, especially here in San Diego where it never ends.

Favorite cocktail or spirit: The Corpse Reviver #2 is an incredible cocktail.  Equal parts gin, Lillet, fresh lemon and Cointreau with an absinthe rinse, shaken with ice into a chilled glass with a single Luxardo maraschino cherry.

Favorite place to grab a drink: The Turf Club in the Golden hills neighborhood is a great place to drink.  You grill your own $7 steaks and get stiff drinks in a dark, un-renovated 1950′s bar.  There are better cocktails to be found in SD, but the faux prohibition suspenders and $14 drinks grow tiresome.

Favorite toast: Jayne’s favorite toast is one from her hometown of Liverpool: “Get it down yer neck.” {ed. note: I LOVE this. I’m stealing it.}

Favorite post-dinner quaff: Something sparkling, preferably Bollinger Brut Rosé Champagne

Favorite food & beverage pairing: Pizza pairs well with traditionally made high acid, tannic Nebbiolo.  Try the entry level Langhe Nebbiolo from Produttori del Barbaresco.

If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? I would head straight to Cal Pep restaurant in Barcelona for some Pan Con Tomate and their cast iron skillet, made to order Tortilla Espanola washed down with a glass of Spanish beer with lemon.

What’s for sipper? I will be drinking a glass of Kabaj Rebula from Slovenia.

That’s a photo I took last year of Jon’s car. Yeah…

And if you want to see a photo of Jon disgorging a bottle of Movia Puro, check out this Do Bianchi post and also mine (with appearance by Anthony Wilson!) The man knows his way around some Puro.

Zak Walters is one half of the chef/owner duo of the always delectable Salt’s Cure.  He can break down an entire cow, smoke the crap out of some pork, but also delicately slice and plate some of the most beautiful crudo I’ve tasted. A chef with brawn and elegance, he is making food you should definitely put in your mouth and devour.

Aaaaaaaand- action!

Name: Zak Walters  Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK  Location: Los Angeles

Favorite summertime beverage: Campari and soda.

Favorite cocktail or spirit: Old Fashioned with any decent bourbon.

Favorite place to grab a drink: Bar Covell for wine and beer. The Varnish for cocktails.

Favorite toast: Good health.

Favorite post-dinner quaff: Bruichladdich 18 year neat or bitters and soda. Guess it depends on what I ate.

Favorite food & beverage pairing: Muscadet sur Lie and oysters.

If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? The Loire.

What’s for sipper? Working tonight, so some wine! {editor’s note: Zak just came into the wine shop and picked up that delish Lambrusco I’m loving right now. Hope you dug it dude.}

Zak doing what he does best. Keeping the people happy and well fed.

Image above from LA Weekly