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{ SOMMjournal.com } 99 HRISTO ZISOVSKI, Beverage Director, Altamarea Group Recently named to Food & Wine magazine's list of top som- meliers for 2014, Zisovski, a Rochester native of Macedonian descent, grew up food-focused, "unofficially" working in his family's restaurant at age nine. Thus hooked, he earned an associates degree at the Culinary Institute of America and moved to Manhattan to pursue his career; but, he said, "I quickly realized the front of the house was where I wanted to be, and once I fell in love with wine, it all clicked." After cutting his teeth at the former March and then Jean- Georges, Zisovski has been in his post for the last four years, where he oversees wine operations for 14 Italian-focused restaurants (three more are set to open this year), with a staff of 24 sommeliers. "Now that I am more of a leader, I get to focus on the overall picture for each outlet. All are different, need different attention, and touch different levels of wine and consumption." In the end, he says, "You need to be as happy selling your customers a $60 bottle as you are a $1,000 bottle." In the Wente lineup, Zisovski leaned towards the whites, particularly the blends. "I thought the blends had a nice mar- riage of flavors, and showed a wonderful New World touch." His wine: Wente Vineyard 2012 Riva Ranch Chardonnay His notes: On the nose, Mandarin zest, fresh caramel and corn. On the palate, medium-bodied with lemonade tartness, soft caramel and oak. His picks: At Marea, Zisovski likes the octopus, noting "the citrus pairs with the fresh tomato and grill flavors." He also chose octopus for juicy Wente Vineyards 2011 Small Lot Syrenity, a wine he described as having "candied grapes and lavender on the nose." But with its cocoa smoke and fresh salami notes, he said it matched the smoky meaty quality of the grilled octopus. ELEONORA TIRAPELLE, Wine Director, SD26 Hailing from fair Verona, Eleonora Tirapelle started her career at La Bottega del Vino, where she says, "I got close to the wine world when I wasn't even allowed to drink." After nine years of growing up and coming up in the wine world and a brief stint in Tuscany, she moved to Manhattan. Seven years later she's Wine Director at the Italian-centric SD26. "I try to always find a balance between what the customer asks me for and my personal preference. This is hard, especially when you come from a world of sommeliers—you have an unusual taste that doesn't always reflect what your customers ask for. It is nice to have them trust me and watch them experiment with new things." Though we charged her with the hefty reds, Tirapelle said she was impressed with the lighter reds, and Syrenity hit a home run with her. "I particularly liked the acid balance and the minerality, and I found it really food friendly and the best match with food from my restaurant." Her wine: Wente Vineyards 2011 Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon Her notes: "This is bold and round with a deep intense color. In the mouth, it is a fruit explosion with green spice. The acidity is there but well bal- anced with tannins Attractive on the palate—for sure a big boy!" Her picks: Roasted squab from SD26. "I think the wild and gamey taste of the plate is the per- fect marriage with the tannins present on this wine." From Marea, she chose the chicken with figs and lentils, noting the similar qualities of the heritage poultry to the wild squab. And because she was so game (pun intended), we charged Tirapelle with another wine, Murrieta's Well 2011 The Spur. Her notes: "Definitely a big boy. It's intense in the color as in the mouth. Spicy but minty at the same time, long and persistent. Less intense acidity [than the Charles Wetmore], but just the right balance." Her picks: Chicken wins again! "The juice of the lentils work with the spice in this wine." Somm Journal June/July.indd 99 5/9/14 12:13 PM