Name: Brian Duncan
Job: Partner and wine director at Bin 36, 339 N. Dearborn St.
Years: 1 1/2
Q. How did you get started in the wine business?
A. Wine and food has always been a passion of mine. I grew up in a family where food was very important and it was always an excuse to bring people together. I didn’t see that as being my main goal as a career until I worked in other fields and I didn’t find any passion for it. I thought I’ll go back into the food industry which I loved. I did some wine education for the staff in the restaurants I worked in, then I took over the wine program at Spruce. That was the beginning of me envisioning Bin 36.
Q. What does being wine director involve?
A. I am responsible for designing the philosophy and approach behind the wine program as well as the selection process, and wine education for both the staff and consumers.
More Top Picks Best Wrench Sets For Automotive Work
Q. In a given week, how many different wines will you taste?
A. On average I usually taste around 60 to 75 wines.
Q. What do you look for in a bottle of wine?
A. I’m looking for integration of flavors. I don’t like wines that behave like they’re all over the place. I like complexity where you taste four or five different indicators, but they’re in harmony with each other. I’m looking for a finish [aftertaste]. I want a crisp, clean finish with my white wine. If it’s reds, they should have some complexity to them.
Q. What’s your most memorable wine you’ve tasted?
A. I tasted a 1997 Astrailis by Clarendon Hills. The finish went on for close to a minute and a half. The wine did what I called a strip tease in my mouth. Once you thought you’d tasted the last flavor, another flavor was revealed to you.
Q. Do you have a favorite wine-drinking experience?
A. I was invited to see a vineyard property and go on a picnic. It was out in the Sonoma Mountains. Every wine was a whole new conversation that we shared. We were 1,700 feet up on the mountain, overlooking new vineyard land that was about to be developed. There were no facilities; we pitched tents. It was a magical evening, because it was a bunch of people who were passionate about food and wine getting together and sharing.
———-
Bin 36 will offer a “Cool Wines for Hot Weather” class from 7-9 p.m. Monday, and a “Wine Basics 101” class from 2-4 p.m. Aug. 19. To register or for details, call 312-755-WINE.