Story
previously on farm stories
Adventurous Wine
Our Director of Food and Beverage and Sommelier, Andy Chabot, tells us how to be adventurous with our wine this July!
July is adventure month at Blackberry Farm and in that spirit, I wanted to bring up the topic of ordering wine in a restaurant. I’m often the one whogets the list when I’m with a group and it’s as nerve racking for me as it is for anyone! You have to decipher everyone’s likes, dislikes and pairings.Usually, I just end up finding something I’m familiar with and ordering that wine. The sure thing.
But what’s the adventure and fun in that method? I recently decided to not order the wine myself anymore. Instead, I put myself entirely in the handsof the sommelier of the restaurant.
I know this is in itself daunting. Trusting the sommelier when there still exists a stereotype about sommeliers that portrays them as snobbish wine waiterswhose only purpose is to sell expensive wines to unsuspecting guests. It’s time to update that image if you haven’t.
Sommeliers love wine and they love sharing wines they are passionate about. What’s more, they are on the front lines when it comes to exciting newwines.Their true passion is often in guiding their guests to find wines that they are excited to share – regardless of the price. Putting yourself in their handscan be the beginning of a great wine adventure.
To order wine in this manner I suggest the following: Describe a few wines that you’ve liked in the past. This tells them both the styles you usuallyenjoy and the price point ballpark in which you’re playing. Let them know how much wine you’d like to enjoy such as “we’re going to have a bottle of whiteand then a bottle of red.” Then ask them to take it from there.
They will then delve into their cellar and bring back wines that are exciting to them. I always find new and exciting wines this way. Wines that pairwith the food of the restaurant, and I don’t spend too much time reading the wine list instead of enjoying the company of my friends!
In the name of adventure this month, I made it my goal to search out versions of Grenache (one of my very favorite grapes) that were off the beaten path. Typically, this grape can be found in the southern Rhône Valley under the monikers of Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Gigondas. It’s also found a home here in the US in the Central Coast of California where producers such as Saxum, Alban and Sine Qua Non make strong, intense versions of the grape that have cult followings. You can find it in Australia where it gets ripe enough to be a great alternative to American Zinfandel.
But the grape most likely comes from Spain. So I wanted to find unique Spanish versions of this grape that worked with our cuisine – so it had to be elegant. What I found were incredible variations on Grenache being made in the highlands around Madrid. I was particularly drawn to the area of Mentrida, just West of Madrid where there are a few producers toiling to make a minute amount of elegant, fresh Grenache, the likes of which I’ve not found elsewhere. Jimenez Landi is a one of these wineries. Two brothers work this small estate and produce single vineyard Grenaches that showcase the all the vineyard can offer at high altitudes and with minimalist winemaking style. The grapes are biodynamically produced, food treaded and aged in large vat barrels that don’t impart oaky flavors. Their wines are balanced and fresh with a strong sense of the granitic sandy soils in which their grown. Another great example is from Commando G. It’s his Rumbo Al Norte Garnacha. Similarly produced to the Jiminez Landi wines, this wine in clear, concise and lively Grenache from Mentrida. It comes from a vineyard that is only .3 Hectares (just under one acre). He farms it carefully and makes only about 1000 bottles annually – if you can get your hands on any of them, you should!
Our Director of Food and Beverage and Sommelier, Andy Chabot, tells us how to be adventurous with our wine this July!
July is adventure month at Blackberry Farm and in that spirit, I wanted to bring up the topic of ordering wine in a restaurant. I’m often the one whogets the list when I’m with a group and it’s as nerve racking for me as it is for anyone! You have to decipher everyone’s likes, dislikes and pairings.Usually, I just end up finding something I’m familiar with and ordering that wine. The sure thing.
But what’s the adventure and fun in that method? I recently decided to not order the wine myself anymore. Instead, I put myself entirely in the handsof the sommelier of the restaurant.
I know this is in itself daunting. Trusting the sommelier when there still exists a stereotype about sommeliers that portrays them as snobbish wine waiterswhose only purpose is to sell expensive wines to unsuspecting guests. It’s time to update that image if you haven’t.
Sommeliers love wine and they love sharing wines they are passionate about. What’s more, they are on the front lines when it comes to exciting newwines.Their true passion is often in guiding their guests to find wines that they are excited to share – regardless of the price. Putting yourself in their handscan be the beginning of a great wine adventure.
To order wine in this manner I suggest the following: Describe a few wines that you’ve liked in the past. This tells them both the styles you usuallyenjoy and the price point ballpark in which you’re playing. Let them know how much wine you’d like to enjoy such as “we’re going to have a bottle of whiteand then a bottle of red.” Then ask them to take it from there.
They will then delve into their cellar and bring back wines that are exciting to them. I always find new and exciting wines this way. Wines that pairwith the food of the restaurant, and I don’t spend too much time reading the wine list instead of enjoying the company of my friends!