INTRODUCTION
Give your business "class" and help retain your customers through unique, innovative wine and spirits tastings and food pairings.
Enchant your friends at customized in-home or venue-based private tastings of wine, whisky, or sake.
Feel more comfortable when entertaining clients through one-on-one in-office wine tutoring.
My name is Sharona Tsubota. Let me lead you on a journey to great wines, smooth whiskies and rich sake from around the world... in a relaxed atmosphere closer to home. Each expedition is customized to a client’s unique desires. By combining entertaining seminars with intriguing tastings, you will increase your knowledge while having a great time, all in the comforts of familiar surroundings.
Sound tempting? Think about what corner of the globe you want to explore, and I’ll take you there. These exciting evenings will surely leave you In Great Spirits!
TESTIMONIALS
This past January the Rotary Club of Portland had a super whisky tasting session on January 22nd to commemorate the 250th birthday of Robert Burns, the Scottish national poet. Sharona volunteered to guide us through the different single malt whiskies we had. Wow, what a background she has! She knew so much about all of the different types of whiskies and made the whole event totally enjoyable!”
I recently enjoyed a unique and educational wine seminar given by Sharona. Her presentation skills were of the highest quality. She was both knowledgeable and entertaining. She is dynamic, creative, and relates well to an audience, answering numerous questions from the participants. She took an enjoyable subject — wine — and raised it to a new level of fun.”
Sharona is a true wine aficionado that not only teaches you about the wines you're enjoying, but surprises with tips and tricks for helping you appreciate - and differentiate - them. For someone like me - with a lead palate - I think I was able to distinguish subtle differences for the first time. Sharona is fun and educational, and a great way to kick-off dinner with friends.”
FEATURE
With Michael Jackson, renowned whisky writer, at private whisky nosing in Japan
Sharona is a remarkable person to taste beverages with not only for her extensive knowledge of drink, but also for her remarkable intuition for creating new and interesting approaches to comparing various drinks within the same category. Personable and outgoing, she is a pleasure to follow and work with in a variety of settings. Her programs should not be missed.”
Sharona... is a born leader. [She] was a great asset to our organization, [and] presented some of the most successful events our AIWF chapter ever had.”
ABOUT ME
In the 1990’s, while I was living in Tokyo, I found myself surrounded by a wealth of French and Californian wines, fine single-malt whiskies, and sake that knocked my socks off. After extensive study and many hours spent tasting, I began to offer my own tasting events to clients and friends in Japan, the UK, Australia, and the US.
What started as a private passion evolved upon my return to the U.S. in 2000, when I joined the board of the non-profit American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) in San Francisco/Napa. Over the next five years, I had the joy of personally bringing more than 25 events to our members in my roles as Chairman, Vice Chair, Program Chair, and Membership Chair.
In 2002, I founded Angel’s Share to offer high-end food, wine, and spirits events to the public. Our first event was the “Spirits of Scotland,” enjoyed by over 1,200 whisky lovers. In addition to nearly 300 single-malts, we tantalized our guests with fine tequilas, aged rums, and other rare spirits, as well as delicious food from many of San Francisco’s top restaurants. Other Angel’s Share events included a tasting of five Krug champagnes and the Cult Wines Classic, held at the gorgeous Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Over the past 12 years, I have continued to expand horizons and blast preconceptions through private and corporate tastings in Portland, Napa, Tokyo, London, Philadelphia, Singapore, San Francisco, and Sydney.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
IN GREAT SPIRITS BLOG
ingreatspirits.wordpress.com
DRINK MATCHER WIDGET
WEB LINKS
www.enobytes.orgwww.decanter.com
www.wallywine.com
www.winespectator.com
EXPLORATIONS
Corporate Explorations
Client Appreciation
Want to stand out in today’s market? Retain your best clients and show them how much you value their business by hosting a tasting for 10 to 100. Structured or free-flowing, this is an excellent way to reward your clients in a relaxed, no-pressure environment.
Corporate Morale-building
Tired of the same old team-building exercises? Strengthen the bonds within your company as you take a break after work to learn a little and laugh a lot. I offer entertaining, educational tastings, on-site or off, for small or large groups. Your “bored” room will never be the same!
Private Explorations
Host an expedition for adventurous friends with extraordinary tastes!
In-home or venue-based tastings from 6 to 16 guests
These 90-minute events feature sumptuous, catered food and a lineup of wine, whisky, or sake, so you can taste and compare side-by-side. I will personally guide you and your guests as we discover the history, flavors, and charms of your favorite libation.
Private Wine Tutoring
One-on-one or semi-private, in-office wine tutoring for busy executives
Give me an hour and I’ll increase your confidence and raise your sophistication level about wine. We will simplify the mysteries of wine lists, decanting, and pairing wine with food. Afterwards, you can feel comfortable and knowledgeable when ordering wine for clients and special guests.
Sample Explorations - Wine
“Pinot Noir from Around the World” – Delve into the mysteries of Pinot Noir, learn the history of the grape and taste 5 different expressions from Oregon, California, Burgundy, and two lesser-known regions, such as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Alsace, or others.
“Dry Creek Valley Zins” – Discover the unique and complex Zinfandels made in this part of Sonoma, CA.
“Napa vs. Sonoma Cabs” – Can you really tell the difference when drinking them blind? What is “Rutherford Dust” anyway?
“Wine Basics (and more)” – From colors to varietals, from dry to not-so-dry, from glassware to decanters, enhance your knowledge of wine in a 90-minute course.
“Cheese and Wine Pairing” – For die-hard cheese lovers This is a chance to push the boundaries of what you think you know about pairing wine and cheese.
Whisky
“Single-Malt Basics (and more)” – Explore Scotland’s finest single-malt whiskies from North to South, paired with savory and sweet foods to get your palate dancing!
“Highland/Speyside Drams” – For single-malt aficionados who know their preferred style, this offers a chance to taste a range of less well-known whiskies, accompanied by delectable, complimentary foods.
“The Islay Whisky Festival” – In honor of the annual shindig, try drams from each of the active distilleries on Islay, and learn about the history of this famous island and its peaty whiskies.
“Whisky vs. Whiskey” – Explore the differences between traditional American whiskies and those produced in Scotland and Ireland, and between blended, vatted, and single malt styles.
Sake
“Sake and Food” – Taste surprisingly good pairings from a range of cuisines, matched with several outstanding Japanese sake.
“Sake Basics (and more)” – For true sake lovers, an-depth exploration of this sublime drink. You will come away with a better understanding of sake and a greater cultural awareness through the insights gained from my 10 years in Japan. We will discuss the merits of honjozo vs. daiginjo, chilled vs. warmed, Akita vs. Nagano, and more.
SEND ME A MESSSAGE
At Toa Shuzo in Japan with Michael Jackson, author of ‘WHISKY The Definitive World Guide’ and others
CONTACT INFORMATION
What are you interested in exploring?
Contact me and we’ll plan a fabulous time together.
Telephone: 503.213.3043
E-mail: Sharona@InGreatSpirits.com