Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/833814
{ SOMMjournal.com } 59 have been shrinking, we've been growing sections of our program," says Sbai, who lists St. Francis Chardonnay and "Old Vines" Zinfandel both by the glass and by bottle. "In our restaurants, Sonoma sells just as well as Napa, and both outperform other regions of California. Wines that overdeliver for their price are always going to have a place on my list; we want every customer to have a great experience." Madigan has also developed a Chardonnay and "Old Vines" Zinfandel kegged wine program for on-premise accounts that have become by- the-glass heroes. "Within the year and a half we've been open, I've built a local fan base for St. Francis Chardonnay as a match for our Cal-Ital menu that focuses on fresh fish and seafood," says Sonoma Grille owner Nima Sherpa, who is also co-owner of the locally adored Himalaya Kitchen in St. Helena. Sherpa, whose clientele is 90 percent local, also lists the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon on his 30-bottle list. Winemaker Chris Louton joined Katie Madigan at St. Francis in 2013, after spending seven years making wine in Napa Valley. Louton focuses on the red and white Bordeaux varietals. Louton's first harvest with St. Francis was 2013, a vintage that he is unabashedly enthusiastic about. "Tannins were off the charts and color was pouring out," he said during a recent interview over the Reserve Tier wines and some cuisine to match. Managing those tannins was Louton's top priority and his technology of choice has been WineXray's VESUVVIO, a trademarked predictive modeling system that uses an ultraviolet–visible spectrum spectrophotometer (UV-Vis) to analyze red wine phenolics. "WineXray captures the chemistry of red wine phenolics in about an hour, something that took five to six hours in the past," said Louton, who then adjusted fermentation and extraction techniques accordingly. Comparing the 2013 to the 2014 vin - tage, Louton explained: "Fruit was delicate in the vineyard and it gave us fine tannin and bright acidity. Overall, the wines are more restrained with medium levels of extraction." Of the 2014s tasted, the St. Francis Reserve Merlot shows archetypal varietal expression, plummy and balanced, with intensity focused on the mid palate and a rich finish, while the Alexander Valley–sourced Cabernet Sauvignon offers pronounced cassis and pomegran - ate aromas, a spice box of clove and car- damom enhancing medium-bodied darker mountain fruit with cooler tannins. "Merlot is on fire in Atlanta," says Linda Torres, Certified Sommelier and Beverage Director at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta. "Our clientele prefers classic varietals, and for them, California means quality; they know exactly what to expect." Torres man - ages a program in excess of 100 by-the-glass pours, two restaurant lists and a banquet program that include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from the St. Francis Sonoma County line. She believes that customers equate wines from Sonoma and Napa in terms of quality. Given the quality and value that gatekeepers and consumers find in the wines crafted by the dynamic team at St. Francis, it's apparent that the win - ery's commitment to advancing wine quality and sustainability are reflected in the glass. Atlanta Certified Sommelier Linda Torres is Beverage Director at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead. CREDIT: Nima Sherpa, owner of the Sonoma Grille in downtown Sonoma, has built "a local fan base" for St. Francis Chardonnay as a match for his Cal-Ital menu focusing on fresh fish and seafood. PHOTO: ALEXANDER RUBIN PHOTO: JONATHAN OROZCO, COURTESY OF RITZ-CARLTON BUCKHEAD The St. Francis Sonoma County Chardonnay on location at the Sonoma Grille in downtown Sonoma. The restaurant's clientele is 90 percent local. PHOTO: ALEXANDER RUBIN