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{ SOMMjournal.com } 97 Each sommelier was tasked with pairing the wines with a course from Marea's menu du jour, and suggesting a dish from their own restaurant. The food-friendly wines all found partners both at Marea and at the restaurants represented by each sommelier. Indeed, Eleonora Tirapelle picked six dishes from SD26 to go with the wines, comment- ing on their ability to pair with a wide range of ingredients and flavors—from egg- and cheese-based dishes to hearty plates such as roasted squab. "I was thinking about our menu and thinking if there was a way I could play with the Wente wines in an Italian environment," she said. Many thought Murrieta's Well The Whip worked as an aperitif, too, and the Wente Vineyards Reliz Creek Pinot Noir was voted best price/quality ratio for a California Pinot. "Without exception, they are all food friendly," Wente said. "I feel like all of them can go from patio to table—not one moreso than the other." The tasters were joined by Chris Giudice, Wente Family Estates' Vice President of Sales, Eastern Division, and guests from Southern Wines & Spirits of New York: Joe Eger, Director of Sales, and Fine Wine Managers Anita Katzman and Richard Shipman. Five of Manhattan's top beverage directors give their thoughts on the Wente Family Estates wines. KEVIN FAERKIN, General Manager, Grand Central Oyster Bar Los Angeles-born son of a restaurateur, Faerkin always knew he wanted to be in the business, but thought it would be as a chef. After receiving a business degree from the University of Southern California, he moved to New York to attend the French Culinary Institute, study- ing culinary arts and restaurant management. He quickly realized his true calling was in the front of the house. "I'm a people person," he says; "I love to interact with customers and work the floor." He made the switch, eventually landing a managerial position at the legendary Grand Central Oyster Bar, where he's been General Man- ager since 2006. Certified by the Sommelier Society of America, Faerkin oversees the century-old dining institu- tion's 300-bottle list and its expanding by-the-glass program. Faerkin favored Wente whites for his menu. "We're a fish restau- rant, so any of [them] work well. The whites were great representa- tions of what I expected them to be." His wine: The Nth Degree 2011 Chardonnay His notes: "A leaner style with good fruit and acidity. Expressing less oak than the Well the Whip, it matches better with food." His picks: At Marea, Faerkin pairs this Chardonnay with the crab and sea urchin pasta. At the Oyster Bar, it's a match with Dover sole, where he says "the leanness of the fish with butter matches perfectly with the acidity and elegance of the wine." CARRIE LYN STRONG, Wine Director, Aureole Strong's first restaurant job was as a bartender at New York City's Tao. "A great experience, but I knew I didn't want to bartend forever," she says. It was when she landed a job at Artisanal, where she "really learned the art of pairing wine with food and, in this case, cheeses." A degree from the American Sommelier Association followed, and stints at wine-focused restaurants like Ai Fiore (working under Hristo Zisovski) and the now- shuttered Jean-Georges outlet Vong eventually led her to Charlie Palmer's Aureole, where she took over the 1,700-label wine program last fall. "Aureole's list is huge, so my goal right now is to put my stamp on it and make it my own." She's adding in more New World and local wines, the latter "a current fascination of mine." Her wine: Murrieta's Well 2012 The Whip Her notes: "On the nose, it's melons, peach and stone fruit. Acidity drives the palate. There's some residual sugar, but that makes it soft." Her picks: "This is more of an aperitif wine, but it should work with the octopus and with spicy flavors such as wasabi, Thai chili, and Serrano." From Aureole, she taps tuna tartare with espelette pepper and roasted-garlic vinaigrette, or the Wagyu beef crudo green shiso with crispy scallion and soy dressing. PRIMI Polipo: grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, chilies, tonnato SECONDO Strozzapreti: hand-rolled pasta, crab, Santa Barbara sea urchin, basil PIATTI POLLETTO Hudson Valley baby chicken: lentils figs, roasted endive, chicken jus Marea's baby chicken with lentils, figs, roasted endive and jus. THE MENU THE SOMMS WEIGH IN Somm Journal June/July.indd 97 5/9/14 12:13 PM