Let's Do Lunch! With Sommelier Leslie Britt @ The Lodge at Woodloch

Host Robin Milling chats with The Lodge At Woodloch sommelier Leslie Britt who likes to think of herself as a 'wine slinger.' She jokes with the guests, giving them the proper phonetic pronunciation, as 'som-el-yay'! Leslie is actually a certified specialist in both wine and spirits. Leslie holds a diploma in wine and spirits from the Wine And Spirits Education Trust which is the pre-requisite for a Master of wine out of London.

Leslie believes that wine is an essential part of any dining experience. She hosted a wonderful chocolate and wine pairing – two things that go so well together. Her mantra is wine, chocolate, wine.

The presentation featured Eclat chocolate courtesy of Good & Evil featured a blonde chocolate infused with porcini mushroom and thyme which Leslie paired perfectly with Sherry, Muscat, a fruity Chardonnay or a Moscato d'Asti. The milk chocolate pairs beautifully with Merlot, Pinot Noir, Reisling and the dark at 72% cacao is a winner with Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Port.

She tells Robin she discovered that her family was part of five generations of brewery from the United Kingdom – Black Sheep Brewery. Leslie admits to Robin her passion for beer. She shares her recipe for food and wine pairings with her preference being Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc "going well with any food."

But she doesn't discriminate. She is an “equal opportunity imbiber” as long as it goes with food. Her knowledge of the history of wines and the story behind the label are impressive.

Cheers to Leslie Britt!