Bubbles for the Winn: Industry Night, March 21, 2024

Hey all and thanks for joining me again on this week’s Industry Night. So excited to spend this month at Tony & Joe’s down on the waterfront in Georgetown. If you live in the DMV or have ever visited this city, chances are you’ve been here. They have one of the best patios. It looks out on the Potomac with views of the Kennedy Center. Seriously, on a gorgeous day, you want to sit out on that patio with a tray of fresh shucked oysters and a glass of rose and watch the boats go by. So special thanks as always to Greg Casten for being such a tremendous supporter of me, this show, and the work that I do. I’m going to chat with Greg in a minute about the history of Tony & Joes and Tony - Greg’s Uncle Tony - who was such a character and just recently passed away. Later in the show, I’ll be chatting with good friend and wine authority Winn Roberton. Winn runs the show at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak and I love talking wine with him. And by the end of today’s show, you will too.

But first — one of my favorite things to do is talk about where I am eating and I kid you not, I have been seriously out and about and eating all the good things — mostly!
- I celebrated the Lunar New Year with Scott Drewno & Danny Lee at Chiko for their Lunar New Year Tea — They brought in Jill Nguyen of Capitol Jill Baking and Caroline Ta of Sweets by Caroline with ginger scones, dumplings, tea sandwiches, and milk buns
- Popped into Fiola for a glass of Mt Etna Bianco & airy gnocchi
- Love a Rasika check in and on a Friday, it is hopping
- I’ve been to Moon Rabbit twice in the last two weeks — it is that good — you may have listened to my show with Kevin Tien & Susan Bae and team that I did there before they opened, and everything that we talked about — their intention, commitment, passion — it all ends up on the plate. There’s also a really sunny vibe — they are all so happy to be there and be open and be serving delicious mod -Vietnamese. Do not miss the pate chaud or any of Susan’s desserts
- I stopped by Tail Up Goat. They are now doing a tasting menu only in the dining room so I just sat at the bar had a wonderful glass of La Croix Gratiot Les Zazous — a truly lovely white that Bill Jensen recommended. He also poured me a funky wine - Sipon from Slovenia — and of course, he poured me a Riesling because it makes him crazy that I don’t like it. And I have to tell you — he didn’t even try. He poured me a Riesling that had a sweet finish and I was like, you gotta be kidding me. When I bring in Winn we are going to talk about Somms and their love of Resling!
- Last one — although I have so many more places that I have been — I went to Service Bar. Now if you know me you know I’m not really a cocktail drinker. But it had been a minute since I had been in and I was looking forward to catching up with Christine Kim. Again, the city was pretty lit up. U Street had bars filled, with people waiting on lines to get in and other people pouring out. So fun. They play amazing music, and if you are a cocktail drinker while, the place looks like a hole in the wall — the cocktails are thoughtful, balanced and well made

Okay! On to today’s show!
When you are at Bourbon Steak there is a very tall individual walking around busily taking care of all the patrons — you cannot miss Winn Roberton, the head sommelier. And there’s over 750 labels on that wine list!
A local boy, raised in Washington, DC, Winn's journey into the world of wine started as a server at Bourbon Steak in 2008.

Listen to our full conversation here, or watch it unfold on YouTube, here.