Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/46939
SIPPING WITH SOMMS Rober Wright. Rober Wright Wynn Resort's La Cave, Las Vegas I t's no secret that Las Vegas has long been a major market for big bottles. But now, the casino resorts are also getting into the by- the-glass game too, with Enomatics and three dozen–plus menu selections appearing up and down the Strip with impressive results. Glasses and flights account for well over 50% of the wine sales at Wynn Resort's La Cave, according to Wine Director Rober Wright, CMS. One of the most intriguing new venues here, La Cave manages to squeeze several different experiences, from dark cellar to airy patio, into one smallish space, with a well-varied menu of small plates matching the carefully selected global-ranging list. "It was very important to keep the selec- tion worldwide," Wright tells THE TASTING PANEL, "since our guests at the Wynn come from around the world." With only a 1,000-bottle inventory, Wright manages to offer 250 selections, 50 of which are available by the glass, with the higher-priced bottles in 18 Enomatic slots. Education is a priority here, for the staff (the Sommelier holds training sessions twice weekly) and customers alike. The entire program revolves around an ambitious eleven differently themed wine flights, most in the unbeatable price range of $15–$30 for four two-ounce pours. "It took me four to five months of tasting to get these together," Wright admits, but the response has been rewarding. "On any given day, I sell 25 flights—and as many as 68 on a weekend day." Wright previously poured at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant here as well as Terra Rossa and Terra Verde, where he presided over one of Vegas's first Enomatic programs. Now that he finally has his own program to run, he's clearly having fun with it—and hitting the jackpot. Taylor Thompson. Taylor Thompson Ritz-Carlton, Toronto W hen Taylor Thompson approaches your dining table, there's a good chance you'll wonder whether he's old enough to drink wine, much less serve it. You'll be even more surprised to learn that the boyish 20-something Canadian is actually Wine Director of the new metro-chic Ritz- Carlton Toronto, and Sommelier of their anchor restaurant, TOCA by Tom Brodi. Mirroring star chef Brodi's locavore, Canada-centric menu, Thompson scoured all of the Great White North's emerging wine regions to offer the best indigenous bottlings, currently 30% of his 500 label list. Thompson's rise has been impressively swift. He became Ottawa's youngest Sommelier at 21, and after completing the international Wine & Spirit Education Trust certification in 2004, moved to Toronto, working with several hot restaurants before gaining Brodi's attention. He actually began collecting TOCA's cellar long before the restaurant opened, making judicious selections from throughout the world, and even a surprising number of big-name verticals (Opus One, Sassicaia). "We were able to start with a list that looks like it's already ten years old," Thompson tells THE TASTING PANEL, beaming. november 201 1 / the tasting panel / 81