WineAnswers.com - Meet Our Sommeliers

Jake Kosseff
Jake Kosseff Wine Consulting

An award-winning Sommelier, wine writer and consultant, Jake Kosseff is the proprietor of Jake Kosseff Wine Consulting, and the founder of The Extraordinary Dining Society and The Extraordinary Wine Club. Since his move to Seattle Washington in 1999 Jake has consulted on some of the most successful wine programs in Seattle, winning the Best of City Search's wine list category 3 years running. He was named Seattle Magazine's "Best Sommelier" in 2007

Favorite Wine Regions:

I find a new region to love almost every time I taste wine. But when the cards are on the table, I have to say France is the place (everywhere in France) . . . or maybe the Wachau in Austria. I'm also a sake fanatic.

Varietal that Best Describes Me:

Chenin Blanc. A rustic grape at heart and often underestimated, Chenin Blanc makes very good wine in many forms (sweet, dry, sparkling). This varietal has the potential to make something spectacular and complex.

Philosophy on Wine:

Wine is about enjoyment. Anything related to wine that does't have enjoyment as its main purpose is missing the point.

First Wine Experience:

My first memorable experience was while I was a busboy at The Treaty of Paris in Annapolis, MD. A waiter had been tipped with a half bottle of 1974 Château Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon (this was about 1993) and offered me a glass. The wine was glorious. This was the first time that I understood why people got so excited about this stuff.

What I Do When I'm Not Working:

I love going to restaurants of all sorts (from the diner on the corner to the latest temple of gastronomy. They all have something wonderful to offer). I have been known to go fishing and hiking. I also love watching movies.

#1 Wine Myth I'd Like to Debunk:

That there are foods that can't be paired with wine. Everything has a wine that makes it taste even better.

A Bit More About Jake:

I learned about wine from a combination of sources, including the great sommelier community in Seattle, a lot of great chefs and restaurants I have worked for and a few Master Sommeliers who have been very generous with their time. But most of what I have learned has come through tasting wine, traveling to wine regions, reading books and searching out the answers to questions guests have asked me that I couldn‹t answer. Yet despite this, I have still managed to win the 2006 Best Young Sommelier in American Competition and posses the Advanced Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. I am also a wine writer and have been published in Seattle Homes & Lifestyles and Seattle Magazine. Additionally, in 2006 I won the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs "Best Young Sommelier in America". To me, this means that anyone can learn about wine.

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Favorite Wine Regions:	I find a new region to love almost every time I taste wine. But when the cards are on the table, I have to say France is the place (everywhere in France) . . . or maybe the Wachau in Austria. I'm also a sake fanatic.

Varietal that Best Describes Me:	Chenin Blanc. A rustic grape at heart and often underestimated, Chenin Blanc makes very good wine in many forms (sweet, dry, sparkling). This varietal has the potential to make something spectacular and complex.

Philosophy on Wine:	Wine is about enjoyment. Anything related to wine that does't have enjoyment as its main purpose is missing the point.

First Wine Experience:	My first memorable experience was while I was a busboy at The Treaty of Paris in Annapolis, MD. A waiter had been tipped with a half bottle of 1974 Château Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon (this was about 1993) and offered me a glass. The wine was glorious. This was the first time that I understood why people got so excited about this stuff.

What I Do When I'm Not Working:	I love going to restaurants of all sorts (from the diner on the corner to the latest temple of gastronomy. They all have something wonderful to offer). I have been known to go fishing and hiking. I also love watching movies.

#1 Wine Myth I'd Like to Debunk:	That there are foods that can't be paired with wine. Everything has a wine that makes it taste even better.

A Bit More About Jake:	I learned about wine from a combination of sources, including the great sommelier community in Seattle, a lot of great chefs and restaurants I have worked for and a few Master Sommeliers who have been very generous with their time. But most of what I have learned has come through tasting wine, traveling to wine regions, reading books and searching out the answers to questions guests have asked me that I couldn‹t answer. Yet despite this, I have still managed to win the 2006 Best Young Sommelier in American Competition and posses the Advanced Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. I am also a wine writer and have been published in Seattle Homes & Lifestyles and Seattle Magazine. Additionally, in 2006 I won the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs "Best Young Sommelier in America". To me, this means that anyone can learn about wine.