Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
MEET THE SOMM Craft-ing a Fine Dining Experience SOMMELIER JOHN DAL CANTON SHOWS A LITTLE LOVE IN L.A. by Rachel Burkons / photo by Erica Bartel I n Los Angeles, where ine dining can often come with a side of celebrity-seeking paparazzi and the circus act that accompanies it, Craft Los Angeles stands as a beacon of elegant calm. Here, at the West Coast outpost of Tom Colicchio's New York lagship, A-listers and their agents quietly talk shop over some of La-La-Land's inest cuisine as foodies from around the world gather to enjoy an impeccable meal, complete with incredible wines and spirits. When THE TASTING PANEL stopped by to meet with Sommelier John Dal Canton, we learned that at Craft, the secret to excellence lies in always providing the customer with an innovative beverage experience that gives them exactly what they're looking for—even if it takes some improvising. Recalls Dal Canton, "One night, a guest came in who happened to be from Kentucky, and he wanted a spin on the Mint Julep. So we made a huckleberry jam—very, very quickly," he says with a laugh. The resulting cocktail, the Kentucky Approval (justly named after the guest gave it two thumbs up), made it on to the restaurant's fall menu, but there was more than just quick thinking involved. "It was deinitely made with a little bit of love," says Dal Canton. It's that little bit of love that's really made Craft a standout, and Dal Canton is committed to inding suppliers who share this passion for excellence and customer service. Although the Craft wine list is home to some of Big Guns in the wine world, Dal Canton believes that by introducing his guests to up-and-coming artisan producers, he can give his guests an even better dining experience. "I'm always looking for new wines that will add to the overall experience," claims Dal Canton, "and having something new is a great way to do that. It's like making a new friend: You meet someone at a party or something, and all of a sudden you're hanging out every day. Why can't that new friend be a bottle of wine?" Two of Dal Canton's newest friends at Craft are the Jadis Red Blend, a 50/50 blend of Carignan and Grenache small-lot fermented in a lovely Languedoc style, and McCay Cellars' Zinfandel, a wine with which he's particularly enamored. "I love steering guests toward a Zin, because how much more California can you get? I love this small-production wine from McCay—it's all native fermentations and very much hands-off. They just let the wine do its thing, and it's beautiful stuff." 38 / the tasting panel / january 2013 John Dal Canton is the Sommelier at Craft Los Angeles. P