Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1013885
64 / the tasting panel / august 2018 COVER STORY co-founder Marcus Johnson says with a smile. "Think hush puppies, fried dill pickles, chipotle barbeque wings, and the best burger on the block. Our wine list is pretty sparse; because we offer pub fare, we don't typically get a lot of requests for wine." Perhaps that makes it all the more impressive that longtime Rabbit Hole bartender Matt James has carried Spoken Barrel's Cabernet and Meritage blend since they first hit the market. "We picked up the wines six months ago, and people keep requesting them, so we keep showcasing them," James explains. "Seattle is very supportive of local products in general—it's an excit- ing time for Washington wines." A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, the 2015 Spoken Barrel Meritage is, as Maurine Johnson aptly puts it, "soft yet rugged, like your favorite worn-in leather bag." Inlaid with black cherries, red plums, anise, crushed lavender, and a dollop of toasty oak, it's medium-bod- ied on the palate with a firm foundation of velvety tannins and a finish laden with baking spice and mocha. The same vintage of Spoken Barrel's Cabernet opens with a glass-filling sensory arc of tobacco, black cherries, cassis, ripe blackberries, cedar, and vanilla. Supple dark fruit dominates the mouthfeel as it ripples through a backdrop of tannins evoking fine suede. "These wines are big, even for Washington State, and both are robust," James says. "[Food and wine] pairings need to stand up to that. The earthiness and spiciness in the Meritage blend perfectly match the sweetness and zestiness of our house- made barbeque wings. It will work equally well with a steak, of course, but it's a lot more versatile than a classic Bordeaux-style blend." James says Rabbit Hole's pulled pork sandwich makes "perfect sense" for a pairing, as you need a dish that "matches the intensity and spiciness of the wine." "The sweet tobacco notes in the wine also elevate the smokiness of the pork," he adds. Capitalizing on Texture and Richness Venture just a few blocks south of the Rabbit Hole and you'll find Scout PNW on the ground floor of a stylishly urban hotel, the Thompson Seattle. While its restaurant offers an entirely different gastronomic experience than its Cheers- like neighbor, it also features Spoken Barrel prominently on its wine list. "We invite our guests to scout out all the flavors of the Pacific Northwest—to take a tour of the state as a whole," Executive Chef Derek Simcik explains. "We're such a fusion of different cultures here, so we take that to heart with the ingredients we source. At Scout PNW, Spoken Barrel's Cabernet Sauvignon accompanies a light version of beef tartare featuring blistered and dehydrated red bell peppers topped with a sous-vide duck egg yolk.