Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/188061
W The most popular pairing of the day was the salt-cured black cod, marinated in Chardonnay lees, served over heritage squash and topped with a basil-zucchini salad tossed in pumpkin seed oil and balsamic vinaigrette, paired with the Wente Vineyards 2010 Reliz Creek Pinot Noir. Christopher Chan, Wine and Spirits Director at the Rainier Club, called the pairing "silk on silk." hen Karl Wente, Fifth Generation Winemaker at California's Wente Family Estates, visited Seattle in August, the city's top somms were eager to hear what the legendary Livermore family had to offer the Emerald City. THE TASTING PANEL wanted to give Karl an opportunity to meet with these tastemakers face to face, so we invited some of the city's top wine-buying professionals to join us for a unique pairing lunch that explored the Wente range, combined with Pacific Northwest fare. Southern Wines & Spirits of Washington's B. J. Wakkuri, VP Sales SW Division, and Matt Haskins, Senior Vice President, Wine, were also on hand to taste and talk. "My family is extremely proud of what we do," Karl said, addressing a room of nine sommeliers gathered at downtown Seattle's ocean-focused hotspot, Blueacre Seafood. "We create food-friendly, fruit-forward styles of wine. I'm in the business of flavors: I want the wines to taste like the ground it comes from." With flavors at the forefront, we put the panelists to the test: Taste each of the eight Wente Family Estates wines, and select the perfect pairing for our three-course meal at Blueacre. Then, to up the ante, we threw an additional challenge their way: Pair the Wente wines with a favorite dish on the menu at their restaurant! To kick off the challenge, Blueacre Executive Chef Kevin Davis explained that with wines as food-friendly as Wente's, the pairing possibilities are endless, even with seafood. "I didn't want to match any dish to any particular wine," comments Davis, "because there were so many different ways to go. There should be a little something in each dish that works well with each wine." With so many flavors and profiles to work with and build off of, the wines from the Wente Family have their foothold in Seattle. Now, it's your turn to imagine up some pairings of your own! —Rachel Burkons Kyle Brierly, Wine Director, Café Juanita, Kirkland F ollowing in the footsteps of a family of wine enthusiasts and collectors, Michigan-born Kyle Brierly came to Seattle in 2004 from California to follow his own path in joining the wine community. At Café Juanita, a revered Italian restaurant in the upscale Kirkland community, Brierly oversees a selection of local wines in addition to his handpicked list of Italian varietals and specially chosen California labels. "I love the people who come into the restaurant; the wine and the people connections I am able to make every day is fantastic," he glows. He is especially proud to work for Holly Smith, nominated for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant and Outstanding Chef in the U.S. In 2012, Holly received her second nomination for Outstanding Chef in the U.S., cementing Café Juanita as one of the most celebrated restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. Kyle's Tasting Notes on Wente Vineyards 2011 Louis Mel Sauvignon Blanc, Livermore Valley "Classic nose: extremely clean and fresh with gooseberry, grapefruit and Meyer lemon. Lots of citrus and grassy undertone." Perfectly Paired: "The bright acidity is a perfect fit for our oyster appetizers, and on the menu at Café Juaninta, I would pair this wine with our Tonnamaker Farms grilled asparagus with a fried hens eggs and Parmigiano Reggiano. Asparagus is notoriously hard to pair with, although one of the best wines with asparagus is Sauvignon Blanc. Matching the grassy undertones and pairing with a wine that has a lot of acidity always helps." Kyle Brierly. october 2013 / the tasting panel / 97 TP1013_066-107.indd 97 9/23/13 10:36 PM