A Matter of Taste

0
1097

St. Regis sommeliers and wine experts share tips for choosing and tasting wines.

By Michelle Franzen Martin

John Vuong decanters

When he was just 15 years old, Sebastien Verrier was sampling 20 to 30 bottles of wine every day at one of the best restaurants in his native France.

“It was a part of my job,” recalls Verrier, sommelier at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. “Every single bottle of wine you needed to sell, you needed to taste. It’s how I discovered my passion for wine.”

Although that was 20 years ago, and Verrier since has tried countless wines from every region of the world, he keeps things rather simple when he chooses a wine.

“It’s all about balance,” says Verrier, who shares the same advice with St. Regis guests. “The different components—the tannins and the fruits—should be in harmony. But beyond that, you need to really listen to what you and your palate enjoy.”

Choosing a Wine

St. Regis sommeliers say that helping guests choose a wine depends on a number of factors—personal preference, budget and wine availability.

“But, generally speaking, the most important thing is if a person has never sampled it, they are willing to try something new, considering the risks and wonderful benefits that this could potentially involve,” says Leon Pellicer, director of restaurants at The St. Regis Princeville Resort.

To guide them, Pellicer looks at the wine’s origin—country, region, valley and vineyard—as well as what grape varietals and harvesting methods were used. These factors, along with how the wine was transported and stored, give him an idea of how a wine will taste.

“I make that assessment based on a guest’s preferences, but in the end, I am just a facilitator to express some opinions and recommendations,” he says. “The subjective taste of the guest is the most important aspect of selecting a wine.”

The guest is also at the forefront for Michael DeCanio, director of food and beverage at The St. Regis Houston, when finding the ideal wine. He says he talks to guests to discover what they’ve enjoyed in the past and to help guide his recommendations. He also offers samples of wines available by the glass.

“I’d rather they taste three or four before they make a decision,” he says.

Sometimes, using words that describe the wines can help someone choose a wine. “I can just look at their face and see their reaction,” Verrier says. “If I use words to describe a wine such as ‘earthy,’ and they seem receptive to that, I might suggest something from France or Italy. If they’re interested in something more creamy and buttery, I might suggest a chardonnay.”

NGP_7403-Edit

By-the-glass programs and wine tastings are very helpful, says John Vuong, wine director and sommelier for Ame, the restaurant at The St. Regis San Francisco.

“I try to find a good variety of wines for our tastings,” he says. “For example, I might include white wines from overlooked areas of California or Italy, or I’ll do a tasting with Champagnes and sparkling wines. I want to help our guests decide what they enjoy.”

Those who are still unsure should try as many wines as they can, says Brian Neubauer, assistant director of food and beverage at The St. Regis Monarch Beach.

“When they find something they like, they can snap a picture of a wine label and look for other wines like it when they are shopping in the grocery store,” he suggests.

From start to finish, the tasting experience can be a social affair, and Oscar Nicanor, sommelier at The St. Regis Mexico City, says this is helpful in choosing a wine.

“Gather with friends, share experiences and recommend those that have left an impact on you,” Nicanor says. “And when trying a new wine, don’t ask about the type or brand—taste it. You might be surprised with something new or different.”

Color Cues

When sampling wines, it doesn’t matter if a person starts with a red wine or white. But for dinner, Verrier says it’s usually better to begin with a glass of white wine because red wines have a tannin structure that can dry the palate.

When a group is sharing a bottle with dinner, it’s not always easy to decide on red or white. “In that case, pick a wine that works with almost any entree,” Neubauer says. “Pinot noir is a very versatile wine to enjoy with traditional dinner entrees.”

Like a good pinot, DeCanio says wine is versatile enough that everyone can find a favorite, even for those new to the wine world.

“First-time wine drinkers might order a glass of white zinfandel, but there are much better wines, such as moscato or riesling,” he says. “It’s easier to introduce new wine drinkers to wines with more sweetness, and then they build their palates.”

Sommeliers enjoy wines both from the Old World (Europe) and the New World (the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South America). But when making a recommendation to a guest, they often take into account a person’s tasting preferences rather than favorite locale.

In general, Old World wines are more earthy and structure-driven, while New World wines tend to be more fruity and varietal-driven. Many New World wines—particularly those from California—tend to be relatively consistent year after year because of weather patterns. But in Europe, one year’s vintage can vary quite a bit from another.

Still, Verrier says that there is no one “bad year.”

“It’s really just that there’s a different time to drink it,” he says. “Right now, for instance, it’s a shame to drink a 2005 Bordeaux, but the 2004 is beautiful. So you should drink the 2004 or the 2006, but wait a few years to open the 2005.”

StREGIS_8x11Involving the Senses 

Oenophiles will better appreciate a vintage when they go through the steps often taught to new wine drinkers. These include looking at the wine, smelling it, tasting it and feeling it. “It’s all part of the experience, whether you’re a first-time wine drinker or a sommelier,” DeCanio says.

Smelling a wine is more than just a ceremonial ritual, Vuong says. It can tell a person a lot about the wine. “If a wine has been in the bottle for, say, anywhere from one year to 10 or 20 years, when it’s exposed to air, it will keep developing,” he says. “Every few minutes you smell it, it should change in your glass. In an older wine, the floral aromas are expressed more. In a newer wine, you’ll more so smell the ripeness of the fruit.”

When trying a new varietal for the first time, many guests become surprised because the name of the wine belies its taste. Red zinfandel—one of DeCanio’s favorite wines (not to be confused with white zinfandel)—is one example.

“That’s when you see those ‘a-ha’ moments, when somebody realizes they enjoy a more non-mainstream varietal,” DeCanio says.

Nicanor recalls one of those “a-ha” moments while serving a guest.

“He asked me what my favorite wine was, and I told him I am fond of Mexican wines from Ensenada, Baja Calif.,” Nicanor says. “I told him that they are very expressive and they leave a zest in your mouth. He decided to taste one of my choices, and I noticed the joy and satisfaction of the recommendation. Since then, my option has always been to surprise my guests with a wine they have not imagined yet.”

Perfect Pairings

When it’s time to enjoy wine with dinner, people might immediately pair a steak with a red wine and chicken with white. But food pairings take into account more than just the type of meat.

“You should think about the intensity of the dish and how it’s prepared,” Verrier says. “You could have a rack of lamb grilled without any spices, and it would go well with a light red wine. Or you could have a grilled piece of lamb with a reduction of berries, in which case a New World wine, with its bright fruit character, would be a good choice.”

At Ame in San Francisco, Vuong pairs the chef’s signature dish, sake-marinated Alaskan black cod, with a 50 percent pinot noir (red) and 50 percent pinot gris (white) blend called P2 from Copain Wines in California’s Anderson Valley.

“I like how light and elegant is it,” he says. “I talked to the winery, and this year they held a couple of cases back for me. I believe I’m the only restaurant pouring it.”

IMG_8676

Whether it’s red, white or a combination of both, the weight of the wine and food should match, Pellicer says. Otherwise, one might overwhelm the other. “If a wine is lighter-bodied, it must be powerful in flavor to stand up to the food,” Pellicer says.

But diners should also think about the texture of the meat itself when pairing. A piece of smoked salmon will stay on your palate for hours. It’s also, by nature, an oily fish. In that case, Verrier says that he would avoid a creamy chardonnay because it would be too heavy on the palate.

“You’d want to contrast it with something completely the opposite, such as a very sharp sauvignon blanc,” Verrier says.

For DeCanio, that means pairing foie gras with moscato and a rib-eye with a cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. But he adds that there is no hard and fast rule. “If you think you will enjoy something else, go with what your palate prefers,” he says. “They’re just recommendations because ultimately you want to go with what you enjoy.”

Still, there is no one perfect pairing, so when in doubt, guests shouldn’t be afraid to ask, says Neubauer. And with exceptional St. Regis sommeliers assisting  guests’ palates, every sip is a memorable one.