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38 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com Sniff Ripe dark fruit, cherries, plums, pineapple, smoke; let your memory run wild. If you smell musty basement, wet dog , or soggy newspaper, just plain run. ose unpleasant smells indicate a wine is "corked," invaded by the dreaded TCA fungus. W hile it won't hurt you, it is unpleasant, although rather rare, occurring in about one out of every 30 boles. ou've opened a bole or two, and know what you like, but you're no expert. Here are a few tips to help you sniff, sip and swirl your way to sounding like a sommelier or at least a well-informed wino. Justin Chamoun, the respected house sommelier at Sea Salt in St. Petersburg, has been focused on wine for ten years, most recently opening the Annata Wine Bar on Beach Drive. He did that job so well that Sea Salt tapped him to take the reins of their cellar, which he has built to 700 selections and 3,000 bottles, and he's only half way to filling the bins. Justin likes to recommend very special wines to those dining at Sea Salt, suggesting exquisite vintages like Poggio alle Gazze dell'Ornellaia from the Tuscan coast near the village of Bolgheri. Crafted with 100 percent Merlot grapes grown in the vineyard's exceptional conditions, this smooth, beautiful libation will accommodate several friends, as it comes in a three-liter double magnum format. Only three hundred bottles were produced, and one of them awaits your arrival in St. Petersburg. Also from Ornellaia, the Poggi alle Gazze Sauvignon Blanc is a very special white he recommends with Sea Salt's lighter dishes. Privileged to receive ten cases of this beautiful pour, with another ten shipped to the Naples location, if this shipment disappears from the list quickly as the last, don't be disappointed. Justin ensures it will be replaced by something even more spectacular. When asked about his current favorite dish at Sea Salt, he mentioned the fried Hogfish, served Asian style with a very light rice flour breading. With that delicate fare, Justin recommended an Alsatian wine, with a little sweetness, balanced with a little minerality. The list changes quickly, as the wines he chooses are small batch deliveries, so simply ask Justin for his recommendations. With such a divine progression of plates, it would be a shame to stop after the entrée, and Justin suggests just the thing for a slightly sweet, easy drinking dessert wine in the Donnafugata Ben Rye dry muscat. Pairing well with crème brulee, tiramisu, or any caramelized dish, it puts the exclamation point at the conclusion of a perfect evening. Notes from a Sommelier Y CULTURE WINE 101

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