Tasting with Ally Lanoue and Paul Swanson

In our latest blind tasting podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe speaks with two Seattle sommeliers, each working in a different sector of the business, about how they apply blind tasting skills to their daily routines. They taste a white wine that tends to be a bit tricky!

Ally Lanoue is the assistant wine director at the Canlis restaurant, a Seattle icon that has been open for more than 70 years on Lake Union. Originally from Massachusetts, Ally studied violin at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and found her way into restaurants while attending school. She moved to Washington in 2018 to take a serving job at Canlis and has progressed through the ranks, turning her career focus to wine.

Paul Swanson is the regional account manager for WineBid, where he evaluates and acquires private cellars for the online company. He is also an educator for the wine studies program at South Seattle College. Paul found his passion for wine during college while working at Bern’s Steak House, in Tampa, where he discovered how vast the world of wine is. He moved to Seattle in 2008 and, in 2011, was part of the opening service team of RN74, where he worked with Chris and a team of other talented sommeliers and later became the lead sommelier.

Enjoy the show and leave us a review if you found it helpful in your own pursuit of becoming a better taster and beverage professional!