Thatcher Baker Briggs has dealt with more revered wines in his young career than most industry types do in a lifetime. The 29-year-old consultant and sommelier sources some of the most coveted wines in the world for collectors all over.
Based in San Francisco, Briggs got his start in wine through restaurants. He did time at some great ones, like Saison in the Bay Area and Takazawa in Tokyo. Along the way, he sharpened his palate, tried some amazing wines, and developed relationships with lauded producers. It was the makings of his current venture, which involves highly curated wine wisdom and sourcing as well as an online shop of his own rare finds, which he launched over the summer.
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His restaurant era set him up for success today. Briggs says it was a combination of exposure to extensive wine lists and learning the human aspect inherent to hospitality. “A lot of what happens in restaurants is also similar to what we do now,” he says. “When you cook, you often learn how to multitask and be quite focused on the things that need to be handled quickly. Working in fine dining and having an understanding of service and hospitality is make or break in this business.”
Selecting wines for somebody is about as subjective as things come and Briggs gets the importance of real connection, something he absorbed on restaurant floors. “We are such a niche service that understanding of what clients want is incredibly important,” he adds.
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Like too many other industries, wine has a history of not being the most welcoming and inclusive. It remains mostly run by older white males, although it is evolving. Briggs doesn’t dwell on the subject, noting that somebody has to be the first one through the door. He thinks we should step back and question the entire scenario.
“There has been a lot of press on how the wine world isn’t diverse,” he says. “I think rather than focusing on how there is a lack, perhaps we should be asking ourselves why that is the situation. For me, I have been far too worried about living up to my own standards to worry about if someone feels that when they first look at me, if they feel I am capable of doing my job.”
It’s fair to say Briggs doesn’t carry himself like a lot of twenty-somethings. He displays a maturity earned from an early start in the business. Being the youngest person in the room is often a challenge, “But I started in restaurants at 13 and it’s how I have lived my whole life,” he says. Briggs adds that he was at a dinner recently and somebody at the table tried — and failed — to point out his inabilities on account of his age.
“I laughed after and decided to read even more about the particular subject that was being debated,” Briggs says. “I tend to focus on goals rather than people’s tones.”
Liz Daly
Wine is steeped in tradition but it’s not above progress. Younger people are entering the scene as younger consumers are flocking to wine. Briggs thinks the efficiencies of today’s world naturally breed younger, more capable people, no matter the industry. It might be more obvious in wine because the realm has simply been pretty stale for quite a while.
“I think that we are in such a big window of change,” he says. “The world of wine — which has been a rather dull, quiet, and outdated world — is gaining spice! It is not just a group of ten guys in the room talking about how big their … wine collection is. It is a connected community of men and women who are passionate about who is making the wine, and where it is from, and the intricacies of winemaking or the environment.”
Industry types are increasingly asking questions about the structure and nature of the wine world. Briggs sees the same curiosity among collectors, which he finds thrilling. “I am excited for all the young people to take a chance and push the limits,” he says. “If it is building a retail platform that is very niche, or reviewers taking the time to taste with young winemakers and bring them to everyone’s attention, or collectors wanting to not collect just what is known but who are looking for the next big thing. It is an exciting time in wine!”
32 amazing gifts for the wine enthusiast in your life
What do you get someone who loves wine? (Besides wine, of course)
Gifting to a wine enthusiast is good fun because there's a plethora of great routes one could go. Casual imbibers might enjoy a simple crisp sauvignon blanc while a big time fan might prefer a sommelier-made wine. And in between, there's so much more that covers the best gifts for wine lovers, from gadgets and tools to books about the age-old beverage and fun puzzles that double as wine maps.
Sure, wine is a great options and there are no shortage of incredible regions and styles out there. But don't forget about all of the associated gifts too, from storage racks and tasting journals to actual grape vines you can tend at home. And we've even included some tasty grub, as it's tough to top a great food and wine pairing.
The Block Distilling is celebrating its anniversary by releasing a six-year-old whiskey
The Block Distilling is releasing a new anniversary whiskey
Denver’s The Block Distilling was founded in 2017. To celebrate its seventh anniversary (on Repeal Day), the popular distillery is releasing its oldest whiskey to date: a six-year-old straight whiskey made in collaboration with the Denver Whiskey Club.
Block Distilling Six Year Straight Whiskey
This year’s anniversary release is a bottle-in-bond whiskey that began with a mash bill of 41% Troubadour Maltings Serenade Malted Barley, 13% Root Shoot Malting Metcalfe Malted Barley, 20% Colorado Malting Company Malted Rye, and 25% Whiskey Sister Supply Oats. If you didn’t guess it already, it’s made from 100% Colorado-sourced grains. It was distilled on a four-late column still and matured for thirty-six months in char three, toasted head American white oak barrels.
The World Whiskey Society is releasing Doc Holliday 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Fans of 'Tombstone' will love this bourbon whiskey
Named for John Henry Holliday, also known as Doc Holliday (he was a dentist if you didn’t know it already), The World Whiskey Society is set to release Doc Holliday 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Luckily, you don’t have to be a historically famous gunslinger to enjoy this nuanced, complex, long-aged whiskey.
Doc Holliday 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
This Kentucky straight bourbon begins with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. It was matured for fifteen years in new, charred American oak barrels. It’s unfiltered and bottled at a potent 61.5% ABV.
