Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.08.2015, Page 64

Sunday - Wednesday: 11.30 - 18.00 / Thursday- Saturday: 11.30 - 23.30
Grandagarður 2 - 101 Reykjavík - tel: +354 571 8877 - www.maturogdrykkur.is
We take the go
od old traditi
onal
recipes and th
e best iceland
ic
ingredients to
create fun and
tasty food.
Let tradition
surprise you!
Moooh..!
Baaah..!
...!
FOOD
FOR THE SOUL
Class is in session
For brewery and alcohol distributor Öl-
gerðin’s “Wine School,” a fresh young
journalist (me) showed up a good half an
hour before class was supposed to start.
New to the world of journalism and wine
tasting in general, I engaged in a long
monologue with myself on how this wine
tasting should proceed as I awaited the
other students. I figured I had two options:
1) I could either get full-on drunk,
not wasting a drop of the fine wines,
downing a good three bottles while
reminding myself that when it
comes to free booze, quantity always
beats quality.
2) OR, being new at the job and all, I
should remain professional, take notes
in my notebook, occasionally sipping
the wine and asking clever questions.
I’d fake it, but make it.
The class commenced at eight, when a
flock of young and inexperienced drink-
ers stumbled into the building. Some were
already quite tipsy, downing their beers
as they danced through the foyer. Those
folks were all colleagues, having arrived
together as part of a workplace outing of
some sort. I felt relieved, as my chances of
making an ass of myself quickly receded.
Our wine instructor for the night,
Jóhann Marel Viðarsson, aided by his
lovely assistant, sommelier Ingibjörg
Albertsdóttir, swiftly guided the group
through the brewery’s long tunnels as an
intense scent of beer-in-the-making en-
gulfed us entirely. After an educational
walk through the facilities, we arrived at
a warm lecture hall, where we were in-
structed to sit by the bar.
I swallow
Jóhann fired up his presentation on the
wall while Ingibjörg served up the night’s
first wine—a beautiful and sparkly Prosec-
co—while demonstrating how to properly
open the bottle with style. As instructed,
“Ehm yes, this is wine isn’t it?” The line accurately sums up my slim knowledge of
wine, or at least when I’m put in the stressful situation of having to taste wine from a
freshly opened bottle prior to a meal. Also, this is all I can say (or think, if I’m too self-
conscious to speak) when the waiter hovers impatiently over me and my companions
are dying to indulge in some wine. I then probably nod to the waiter and signal him
to fill our glasses despite not having a clue of what I was supposed to be searching for
when I tasted the wine. In the past I’ve found it best to have others taste the wine.
Photos Art Bicknick
Words Elín Rós
Learning How To Drink,
One Swallow At A Time
A school that teaches you how
to down wine like a boss
Organic bistro
EST 2006
Tryggvagata 11,Volcano house
Tel:511-1118
Mon-Sun 12:00-21:00
www.fishandchips.is
20