Hello
Thanks for coming back, it’s easy to just… not do that. Admittedly, I’m having some difficulties writing an introduction for this edition because it feels strange to try being lighthearted in the face of, well, everything, I guess?
I also don’t think a wine newsletter, written by *me* of all people, is really the place to discuss geopolitics with nuance, or outline my thoughts on the Delta variant.
That’s all to say, it’s been a long, weird, rough week. I really enjoyed this interview, and I hope reading it can bring some joy to your day, week, month — whatever. Ted rocks (literally).
On we go.
The Q&A
Ted Rink is the Beverage Director & Assistant General Manager for BLVD Steakhouse in Chicago. He’s also a certified sommelier and cicerone, which is kind of like a sommelier but for beer.
The 43-year-old joined the BLVD team three months before the first coronavirus-related shelter-in-place orders were issued for Chicago. Ted has spent time working in Chicago restaurants and bars, and in the Bay Area at a supper club known for hosting live blues performances. He’s also a musician himself, and the bassist for a heavy metal band, Bury Your Past. More importantly, Ted’s a father, and he loves it.
We spoke over a lovely bottle of wine from the Txakoli region of Basque Country in Spain at BLVD, an Old Hollywood-themed steakhouse, before it opened for the day.
The bottle: Antxiola’s Blanco Getariako Txakolina 2020. More on this below.
Ted’s a knowledgable sommelier and a fun guy to speak with, even if he’s exhausted from the daily rigors of being a dad. Let’s hear from him.
This interview took place on August 12, 2021, and has been edited and condensed for clarity.
SN: Ted, who are you, and what do you do?
TR: I’m the Beverage Director and AGM for BLVD Steakhouse. I came on here just before shelter-in-place orders were issued due to coronavirus, so I went from firing on all cylinders and having business be really good, to spending a lot of my time figuring out our beverage service’s next moves and our return from that break.
SN: And what are we drinking today?
TR: We’re drinking the Getariako Txakolina from Antxiola. Getariako Txakolina is one of the three regions that we see Txakolina coming from. There’s a slight effervescence to it and it’s just a really fun wine.
It’s light and tends to have pretty high acidity so it’s really crisp. It’s a great 'food' wine, obviously with tapas, seafood for sure. You can sometimes also get a whisper of saline in the flavor, probably because of the vinyards’ proximity to the Bay of Biscay.
There’s sort of a French, Normandy-style apple cider note to it as well, although it’s more subtle than in some other vintages.
SN: It’s incredibly drinkable, I definitely see what you mean about the cider notes. How did you get into wine?
TR: Well, I’m from a very small town outside of Springfield, IL, and, ironically, my family actually has a pretty deep history within the beverage industry. I had a great grandfather who operated his own soda production, which was passed down to my grandfather and then my father as well. My dad sold it and used his distribution channels for some other franchising opportunities. Kind of a weird thing.
Several years ago my dad passed away, and I was cleaning out the house and found a notebook with what looked like my grandfather’s handwriting. It’s got all of his recipes and everything in it, which is really cool.
Anyway, I came to Chicago to go to college and worked here for a few different places, including The Berghoff, one of the oldest restaurants in the city, and then with Potash Brothers in the Sandburg Wine Cellar.
I eventually worked full time at The Berghoff and then moved to the Bay Area to work in a blues club. But getting that job with the Sandburg Wine Cellar was a happy accident that kind of led to my interest in a career within wine. I had a pretty good grasp of spirits and beer, but I was kind of ignorant about wine and the different regions and detailed minutiae that you can get into with it.
SN: Makes sense to me. Now that you work at BLVD, how do you manage the wine list? It’s quite large, so what’s the curation strategy?
TR: The overarching framework of the list is slated to work within a steakhouse environment. When I started here, the menu was sort of, a la carte, American cuisine that was really, pretty much, right on the point of where you could call it a steakhouse.
So when I looked at the wine list, I thought, 'This looks pretty close to what I would find in a steakhouse.' Very California-focused, with heavy Napa Valley reds. Probably 25% to 30% of the list is from California, and probably 25% of that is just Napa Valley. Which makes sense, that’s a no-brainer.
Then, having a respectable champagne list really fit the brand and theme of the restaurant. Seeing that when I came on, the list already made sense to me. I also wanted to bring in some Italian gems that I learned about after working with Spiaggia.
Then, when Coronavirus shut everyone down, we decided to lean into a rebranding effort to refresh the concept. We made a few tweaks on the menu and the wine list, but we didn’t need to change much, really.
Covid has definitely made a few things goofy with supply and demand: Lots of logistical issues going on where people can’t get glass to bottle the wine, or cardboard to pack it. It’s caused a lot of issues with trying to maintain certain labels or purveyors on the list.
But beyond all of that, I think part of maintaining the list is having my own sort of imprint on the wine selection. I like to have a lot of things that I find fascinating because then I can impart that passion or interest onto the staff for a particular wine. I want to have fun curating and selling the wine too, so I like to have those things peppering the menu. It’s reasonable and within context, though.
SN: Got it, that echoes a lot of what I’ve heard from other wine and beverage directors. You do a unique thing here at BLVD called, 'Vintage Thursdays.' Can you tell me a bit about that?
TR: When I came on board, my predecessor, Kolin Juckins, had started that program, and I had a lot of appreciation for what he did with it and with the list in general.
In a nutshell, I usually pull one bottle with 10 or more years of age, and we do a three-ounce pour. We do it at cost, which is absurd and obscene, but super awesome. We’ll pull out all sorts of fun stuff. A lot of the time, it’s stuff we get at auction or some back-stocked vintages when producers release them.
It’s definitely focused on red wines and usually falls within the theme of the core menu, but we get some really iconic producers for the vintage pours.
Today, for example, we’re going to do this vintage rosé that was up in inventory and I was like, 'Man, I think I know what this is going to be like, but I want to see.' So sometimes it’s for a selfish reason, but I love seeing if other people are into it too.
It’s not much of a loss to try it. Some of the really high-end stuff we’ve done can be like, maybe, upwards of $20 to $25 per three-ounce pour, but that’s super crazy stuff. On average, I’d say the pours are usually $10 to $12.
If you’re a wine person and you hear this, you’re like, 'Hell yeah, that’s amazing.' That said, I think it’s great for any level, from novices to more experienced wine drinkers. It’s a great deal, and it’s a really fun program.
I’ll get some folks in here who might not know a ton about wine, but when I start talking about whatever we’re pouring and why it’s really special, I think they see this as a unique opportunity. Outside of buying a whole bottle, or spending much more on something at auction, it’s hard to come by a lot of what we pour on Thursdays.
We also almost always have a beverage component to our marketing and promotions throughout the week. We do whiskey flights for Whiskey Wednesday, Vintage Thursdays, our Magnum program for Fridays and Saturdays, and then Sundays we’ll do a sparkling wine or champagne feature with $1 oysters.
SN: Not a lot of people get to drink really old wine just because of the cost. Do you think experiencing those bottles is beneficial to folks interested in the wine world?
TR: I do. A lot of people don’t necessarily collect wine, you know, they aren’t going to hold onto it. I think for the general population it’s about buying a bottle, taking it to a party, and either gifting it or opening it right away.
Being able to have access to something that has some age on it can kind of unlock what that does for a wine and bridges a gap between what you’ve had before, and what could happen if you gave that same bottle some time.
SN: Got it. I’ll have to get in here for a Vintage Thursday sometime soon, that sounds great. How would you describe what we’re drinking now, Antxiola’s Blanco Getariako Txakolina, to the layperson?
TR: Well, I’d probably try to connect it with a reasonable comparison. Most people have had a Sauvignon Blanc, and then I would narrow it down from there by region. A lot of folks might gravitate toward that and then say, 'I do like Sauv Blanc, I don’t, I only like Sancerre, I only like New World,' and then we would go from there. Albariño is also pretty comparable.
It’s going to be pretty high acid, pretty bright. There are definitely those apple cider notes, and it almost has just a slight touch of cider vinegar to it that might turn some people off, but I think it’s a really nice, balanced wine nonetheless. There’s definitely more fruit coming through on this vintage.
SN: It seems like it’s gotten a little bit mellower as we’ve been drinking, it’s really great. What would be your food pairing for the 'height of luxury'? Think, fancy, gourmet dining.
TR: This would lend itself to a lot of different foods because of the acidity, but I think seafood would be the best. Even a basic crab or lobster situation would be great. If you really wanted to do it up, I would say caviar.
The creamy texture and butteriness of most caviars would really make this bottle shine.
SN: And how about a 'for the masses' pairing? Think a Tuesday takeout night, or your favorite junk foods.
TR: I originally was sort of thinking about how just some solid charcuterie would be great with this, obviously with some Jamón from Spain.
But I think this would be great with nachos — weird nachos. Maybe like, a brie or similar soft cheese instead of a traditional nacho cheese. Kind of a bastardization of nachos, but it sounds pretty wild.
SN: Woah. I need those nachos, ASAP. What’s the ideal 'situational pairing' for this bottle? Where are you and what’s going on?
TR: Well, these days, with having kids, it’s probably sitting with my wife and having some quiet time with wine. Or, if we’re involving the kids, it’s summertime and the baby is taking a nap, my son is playing outside, and I’m getting to sit back, enjoy some wine, and play with him.
I’d love to say some beach in Maui. Maybe when the kids are out of the house.
SN: Nice. Sounds pretty good. What do you do in your free time?
TR: Parent. That’s it. And maybe I sleep. No, all joking aside, it’s an intense, day-to-day routine.
But, if and when I have free time, I play bass in a heavy metal band called Bury Your Past. We have an EP we released like, three years ago. I also got into the habit of running during quarantine since we had time off.
SN: What have you been reading?
TR: Usually I’ll read something non-fiction, related to food or wine, or beverages in general. My wife said to me once, 'You know, since we’ve been together you haven’t read any fiction.' I was kind of shocked.
I have a pretty significant library, though. I was a philosophy major because I wanted an excuse to read all of that, and it’s not really fiction, but I’m really into that kind of literature. I’d love to get back into reading some fiction, my stack of Kurt Vonnegut books and Russian literature is staring me down.
SN: What have you been listening to?
TR: Right now it’s a lot of wine-related stuff, the GuildSomm podcasts. I’ll play those in the car during my commute.
Definitely a lot of music, too. I’ve been addicted to this duo, Drab Majesty. They do kind of this, darkwave, 80s sound with great production and really cool melodies. I also just got put on to Entheos, the technical drumming is super interesting. Oh, and Hangman’s Chair, everyone should listen to them.
SN: What have you been watching?
TR: Usually my wife and I will try to find something new to watch together. Recently we got through Loki. I just got finished The Night Of, but she couldn’t watch it, it was just too much. If it’s something pretty dramatic and intense, I’m usually on my own.
I do a lot of documentaries too.
SN: Favorite Chicago bar?
TR: *Long, long pause* Uhhh, probably HopLeaf. That’s the best beer bar in Chicago, to me.
SN: If you’re not drinking wine, what are you drinking?
TR: The usual go-to for after work is a nice, light beer that I can crush. If I’m going out to eat though, I like to start with a cocktail and then segue into wine.
I don’t regularly drink gin, so I’ll try a gin-based cocktail if I’m going out. It’s kind of like R&D for me.
SN: Where can folks keep up with what you’re doing, and what should they look out for?
TR: I’m kind of social media-challenged, but BLVD Steakhouse has a really active Instagram (@blvdchicago). We also have Facebook and Twitter.
As for what they should keep an eye on, we’re planning on having some more events soon, but right now we’re offering a Spanish food and wine dinner on the BLVD website. It’s on August 25, and it’s going to be awesome.
We also do quarterly Champagne and caviar events, which are really fun.
SN: Awesome, thanks for your time, Ted!
The afters
Catch me at BLVD just absolutely crushing some caviar and champagne. You know, once I have a job, or whatever.
Folks, that’s a wrap. It’s late Friday morning, I’ve got a splitting headache and, for some reason, there are, what sounds like, military-grade jets circling my neighborhood? I have no idea what's happening. Which is, honestly, kind of my baseline state of being.
If you’re someone who knows what’s going on, generally? Huge. I’m very jealous.
Let’s talk recommendations.
Here are a few recommendations for this weekend and beyond. If a bottle isn’t available for shipping, see if your local shop has it. If they don’t, ask about getting it in stock! Of course, store owners rely heavily on their own tastes, but they’re interested in knowing what you want to see on the shelves as well.
A note: As with buying anything online, read the shipping fine print before you pay. Some sites may not ship to certain areas, or shipping may be unreasonably expensive.
If you can’t tell from the photo, this bottle is yet another light, chillable red that’s almost too easy to drink. Almost. This would be a fun bottle to try a couple of times a year, every year, since it’s non-vintage which means it’ll be different every time. It’s also a great entryway to natural wine if you’re nervous or new. Chill it, get some friends together, and crush the bottle. I shared this with reoccurring guest mention Rebecca Holland at the end of a shift at BottlesUp! where we both work. Buy it on the California-based producer’s website here, here (when it’s back in stock) and of course, locally.
Aperol Spritz
It is patently insane that it’s taken this long for me to mention the king of summer cocktails, the Aperol Spritz. I deeply, truly love this drink. Please excuse this terrible photo, as I cropped it out of another photo on my camera roll. I somehow haven’t taken any other pictures of an Aperol Spritz. Bizarre. Anyway, you should drink this. Often. It’s the perfect cocktail for summer. Everyone does their spritz a bit different, but I like filling half a white wine glass with Prosseco over ice, adding a glug of Aperol (play around, find your preference, I prefer mine on the lighter side) and then topping with club soda and fresh lime juice. Take it outside and relax.
Some things I read/watched this week that you may be interested in:
The Wall Street Journal — These People Who Work From Home Have a Secret: They Have Two Jobs
The New York Times — Who Needs a Whirlwind Trip When You Can Take It Slow?
Frontline PBS — (YouTube) As Taliban Sweeps Into Power, Look Back at How the U.S.-led War Began
The Associated Press — How AI-powered tech landed man in jail with scant evidence
The Wall Street Journal — The 10 Best $15 Wines: From Chardonnay to Rosado
Vulture — Mike White Accepts the Criticism: The White Lotus creator understands if you feel conflicted about that ending. So does he.
Some tunes to soundtrack your weekend:
Jackie Hayes’ new EP, There’s Always Going To Be Something
I’ve been returning to Wallows’ deluxe EP, Remote, a lot.
Kyle Dion is consistently so good, and his new single, Money, is no exception.
That’ll do it. Happy weekend from Somba and me. Go eat a bagel.
-Sam