Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/376390
september 2014 / the tasting panel / 141 SCOTT OTA Manager, Arro, Austin Last year, TEXSOM named Scott Ota "Texas' Best Sommelier"; he recently passed his Advanced exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers; and he works alongside Master Sommelier Craig Collins at Arro restaurant—one of Austin's most in-demand dining destinations. "Things are going well," he says with all humility. Arro's wine list is 100-percent French to match its regional French cuisine, but Ota, also serving as this afternoon's Master of Ceremony, says that every wine has a story, which is important for selling and appre- ciating wine. "My favorite philosophy is from Shelley Lindgren: 'You're always a student.' So whether I'm drinking French wine or American wine or Italian wine, there's always something to learn. And when I have the opportunity to talk with a winemaker and taste a flight of his wines, it's always a great lesson." The Nth Degree 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Scott's Notes: Powerful dark fruit, cloves anise, vanilla and black currant; bold and beautiful, with firm tannins and balanced alcohol. Scott's Pairings: Steak al pastor—classic pairings never go out of style—the ripe fruits of the wine balance the bitterness of the char on the meat and tomatoes, and the firm tannins bond with the fattiness of the beef. At Arro, I would pair this wine with the steak frites: a total guilty pleasure pairing. DAN FITZGERALD General Manager, Austin Wine Merchant, Austin "You build a wine list for a restaurant pretty much the same as you do for a wine store," Dan Fitzgerald explains. "At our shop, we're all Francophiles to some extent. We have similar tastes and gravitate to the same kinds of wines. Our goal is to make sure we don't fall victim to 'group think' and aren't focusing on too few wines and styles." Fitzgerald believes covering as many bases as possible is the best practice for keeping as many clients happy as possible. "Austin is growing and has become important enough to have winemakers like Karl Wente come here. It's a credit to the somms and others who attend events like this to better understand the product. It resonates to taste these wines first-hand with the person who created them." Wente Vineyards 2012 GSM Dan's Notes: This take on a classic Southern Rhône blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre delivers ripe black cherry and blackberry, with toasty and structured tannins. Notes of green and black olives give this wine an almost savory quality. Dan's Pairings: This wine paired best with the blade steak al pastor. The spices in the marinade and on the charred tomatoes paired perfectly with the slightly meaty and savory notes in the wine. I would pair this wine with any savory Mediterranean dish; I'm thinking anything with capers and olive tapenade would be brilliant. CHRIS TOSCH General Manager, Vince Young Steakhouse, Austin In Austin, former University of Texas quarterback Vince Young is a football hero—and his eponymous steak- house has been a destination restaurant for nearly four years. This high-end, independent steakhouse caters to clients who, according to GM Chris Tosch, often have relatively fixed opinions of food and wine. "My challenge is to broaden that perspective," he says. "I'm trying to introduce wines that showcase where they're from, showcase varietals in their classic forms and do it at reasonable price points." More and more, Tosch adds, the traditional guidelines for food and wine are fading. "There's not anything that I feel is set in stone in anymore," he says. "There's flexibility in just about everything, certainly wine and food pairing." Murrieta's Well 2012 The Whip White Blend Chris's Notes: This white blend is rich and creamy, bursting out of the glass with tropical fruit and heady floral notes. Its bright acidity gives it structure and prevents the wine from being too unctuous. Chris's Pairings: This was a perfect pairing with the dulce de leche and peach sorbet. I would pair this with dessert at our restaurant as well; our summer berry pudding would carry this wine very well!