Los Angeles–based sommelier Devin Reed was singing in the shower on New Year's Eve when inspiration struck. "I think that day was the day," he recalls. "I was like, if I'm going to ever do it, I should do it now. And it has to be about wine." Just over 75 days later, Reed has released his first track, "Wine, Wine, Wine," an eno-rap homage to Jay-Z's 2001 hit "Girls, Girls, Girls."
"I'm not a rapper, but I was like, man, I haven't ever heard anything where people are talking about Montrachet or the Cahors wine region or anything like that," Reed told Wine Spectator. " I just wanted to do something cool and different for the wine industry."
Dev the Somm's "Wine, Wine, Wine," released this week on Apple, Spotify and other platforms, celebrates a lengthy list of the wines that have inspired Reed during his long career in wine. Reed got his start in wine as a warehouse and shipping manager at Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning Wally's Beverly Hills, where he rose to the assistant GM position before joining LVMH and then La Fête du Rosé as business development manager early this past year.
Reed worked as the wine consultant to NBC's Grand Crew TV sitcom, which ran for two seasons, and he's also worked with LeBron James' Uninterrupted media company. He even has his own YouTube show, Wine and Culture LA, where his interview subjects have included Cedric the Entertainer and James' longtime business partner Maverick Carter.
For those who listen closely, Reed has dropped plenty of insider wine references into his lyrics, from "Warhols on my Rothschild" to "That movie Sideways is sideways / We love Merlot (let's go)," and Jay-Z's Ace of Spades Champagne gets an obligatory shoutout. Reed published an annotated version of the lyrics for anyone who'd like to cross-reference their references.
"Wine, Wine, Wine" was produced by DJ Ahsohn Williams (not an "ah-so" reference), who Reed was connected with through Grand Crew star (and Wine and Culture LA guest) Carl Tart.
Reed hasn't yet committed to producing any additional eno-raps, but his future is no doubt full of wine, wine, wine.
Pairing Wine and Cheese Cover Songs
It turns out the world's greatest pairing (wine and cheese) also applies to cover songs, as Vermont cheese icon Jasper Hill Farm has also just released a music video, this one dedicated to their passion for cheesemaking.
"Flip Me Baby One More Time" is Jasper Hill's blue cheese–themed homage to Britney Spears' 1999 debut smash "… Baby One More Time," except in Jasper Hill's case, it's "Oh Bayley, Bayley"—Hazen Blue, that is.
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