Meet Jocelyn

Choosing a piece of art is a lot like picking the perfect wine. Whether you’re a Picasso or Pinot purveyor is all a matter of taste, says West Linn Wine Steward Jocelyn Halverson.

Jocelyn considers herself a bit of a Francophile, someone who’s head-over-heels in love with France and its world-class wines. "I appreciate the older styles of wine-making," she says.

But Oregon wines are closest to her heart.

"I think the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie in Oregon is special," she says. "Burgundy may have hundreds of years on us in terms of winemaking, but the sharing of knowledge, equipment and labor in the Willamette Valley has allowed us to progress further, faster."

Having such a wine savvy public in Portland area drives quality, as well.

"It’s exciting to live in a place where world class wines are being made and where people are more knowledgeable about wine than maybe those who live elsewhere."

Her job is to help customers decide which wines are best suited to their own tastes.

"We really pride ourselves on making people feel comfortable talking about and trying different wines. A lot of it has to do with what you’ll be eating – it’s one of the first questions I ask people. Wine is really built for food."

If a wine seems too dry, harsh or tart, she might suggest eating a cracker or some cheese before picking up the glass again. "I think that many people drink wine more like a cocktail and don’t realize that food and wine are symbiotic."

Wine makes food taste better and food makes wine taste better, she says. A trick to food and wine pairing is to match the weight or intensity of a dish to the wine.

"You don’t want one to overpower the other, they should work together." She explains that some wines are more inherently food friendly than others. "Look for wines with good acidity that have moderate alcohol levels and little to no use of new oak."

Jocelyn also spends time probing customers for information about which wines they’ve tried in the past – what they liked and didn’t like – to help her decide which wine she might recommend.

A long-time wine enthusiast, Jocelyn poured wine in tasting rooms and restaurants before coming to Market of Choice a year ago.

She also trained with the International Sommelier Guild, as part of a 12-week program that focuses on the sensory evaluation of wine – its components, appearance, aroma and flavor.

"The shortest pathway to memory is a person’s sense of smell," she says. "Often, it’s our sense of smell that brings us back to a particular moment in time."

Smelling wine is as important – if not more so – than tasting it.

"The many descriptions and reactions we have to wine – and art for that matter –come from personal experience. And over time, those reactions change. There is no right or wrong answer. Wine tasting is subjective."

When she’s not buying, selling, stocking or tasting wine, she spends her time gardening and taking care of her pets – two dogs and two cats – which have become close companions.

"I also do yoga to maintain my health and sanity."

And she loves to cook.

"Trying out new ingredients and cooking methods is exciting and occasionally disastrous," she says with a laugh.

You can keep up with Jocelyn and what’s new in your West Linn wine department by following her blog.