Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1025306
september 2018 / the tasting panel / 53 According to Master Sommelier Jack Mason, who serves Limoux AOP in his role as Wine Director at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston, Texas, the appellation benefits from "a natural tunnel [that allows] coastal influences to make their way not only from the Mediterranean, but even more importantly from the cool Atlantic." "These influences keep the area cool and allow things like bright, refreshing sparkling wine and balanced Chardonnays to be made in what would otherwise be an area only suitable for rich, full-bodied red wine," Mason adds. Mason, who runs an award–winning wine program at Pappa Bros. with nearly 4,000 offerings, says Limoux provides "great value for some- one wanting to offer a traditional-method sparkling wine by the glass at a very approachable price point." He names Domaine Collin, a family- owned company with "roots in Champagne [that's] migrated south to make traditional-method wines," as one of the area's most distinguished producers, adding that the family's decision to embrace the style "is a testament to the potential of the area and the terroir of Limoux." Highlighting Limoux at D.C.'s Siren by RW Todd Salvadore has practically grown up in the hospitality business. After stints at the historic Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, several Michelin-starred restaurants in Las Vegas, and Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, D.C., Salvadore now serves as the General Manager at Siren by RW in D.C.'s The Darcy hotel. The position has also put him in charge of the restaurant's wine and spirits program, which set him up for his most fulfilling challenge: "creating the perfect wine list for [Siren's] seafood-based menu," Salvadore says. The seasonal menu requires Siren's kitchen staff to source most of Todd Salvadore, General Manager at Siren by RW in Washington, D.C., pairs the restaurant's striped bass and ceviche melon gazpacho with the Antech Blanquette de Limoux Grande Reserve Brut. Jack Mason, MS, serves as the Wine Director at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston, TX.