If you aren't really up on your wine writers or from Kansas City, you probably don't know who Doug Frost [1] is. I had only heard of Doug Frost after seeing his new series on the local PBS station, Check Please! [2]. The show is a public access romp through Kansas City's culinary scene... which may not sound all that appealing. As it turns out, there are pretty cool restaurants in Kansas City, who knew? Anyway, Doug Frost's job as host is to lead the discussion and fill in the gaps with talk about wine. It really is a fun show to watch. If it weren't for Check Please! I probably never would have made it in to Cupini's [3] in Westport, or Wine. [4] in Brookside... but more on that later.
Master Sommelier AND Master of Wine
Last time I checked there were only three people in the world with the titles of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. 33% of the world's Master Sommelier/Master of Wine population calls Kansas City home thanks to Doug Frost. Kansas City isn't the kind of place that comes to mind when you talk about the crème de la crème of the wine world...Last week a couple friends and I attended a wine tasting with Doug Frost at Wine. in Brookside. I'd never been to the Brookside Wine. store before and it sounded like a lot of fun. After all, it isn't very often that you have a chance to meet one third of the Master Sommelier/Master of Wines in the world. The featured wines at the tasting were from Pannotia Vineyards [5], a label that Doug Frost consults for. Frost had lots of stories to tell about how each wine came to be, why certain grapes were picked and why they made a Riesling and not a Cabernet. It was a lot of fun hearing about the characters involved in the making of these wines.
I ended up picking up a bottle of Riesling and Torrontes, both of which are whites - a style that I don't drink very often. I really enjoyed the Riesling at the tasting, it was sweet and not as dry as other whites I've had in the past. Pannotia's Malbec and Zinfandel were also pretty good.
The Wine. shop is a small space but that just made for a more intimate tasting. There was no stage, or sound system, it was just Doug Frost, six wines and a whole bunch of stories.
I've met Doug many times back when he ran DiPardo's liquor (now a Berbeglia's)at Martini Corner . Unfortunately for Doug and his partner, they got in a few years too early. They had a great store while it lasted. Excellent wine selection, and every Friday they held a six bottle tasting from a variety of sources and styles, but usually a common theme. They were not at all stingy with the wine, either, it was more of a free drinking party than a tasting. I don't think I ever left without a bottle of wine and a strong buzz. Doug is great, I wish him the best!
And if you didn't know KC has some GREAT restaurants, you don't know KC! We've got excellent food here!
This wine tasting was a lot of fun. I was really impressed by how down-to-earth Doug was. He made the "snobby" world of wine seem so accessible to someone like me who is just starting to like good wines. Hopefully, he’ll have more events like this. I would certainly attend!