Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/91577
CHRIS SAWYER, Sommelier/Wine Educator, The Lodge at Sonoma Few properties channel the wine country experience more thoroughly than The Lodge at Sonoma, where Chris Sawyer leads a program that sources 90% of its food within 60 miles of the hotel, and a wine list that is focused on small-production and family-owned winemaking. With the recent addition of Bean & Bottle, a wine and coffee bar-slash-gourmet shop, the expert Sawyer remains focused as ever. "I select wines for the property that are as specific as possible," he says. "But at Bean & Bottle, I have a unique chance to serve super, super small-production and limited- release wines by the glass that are as niche as you can get." The Wine: 2010 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay, Riva Ranch, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County "This is one of my favorite Chards, especially for the price," says Sawyer. "Ripe tropical fruit, Asian pear, integrated oak and a butterscotch kiss. Long, lavish flavors; poached pear, nutmeg and a hint of citrus. Brioche and apricot come out as the wine opens up." The Pairings: At The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, Sawyer calls the Riva Ranch Chard a "match made in heaven" when paired with the chestnut pumpkin soup and smoked Hampshire pork chop. At The Lodge's Carneros Bistro, Sawyer would select the bourbon-brined Berkshire pork, served with creamy Anson Mills grits. "This dish has great texture, just like the wine," says Sawyer. Chris Sawyer, Sommelier/Wine Educator, The Lodge at Sonoma. DEBBIE ZACHAREAS, Partner, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant Located in San Francisco's historic and bustling Ferry Building, the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant has a unique customer base: "Half of my clientele is local, and half are tourists," she says. With the Ferry Building offering fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses and gourmet items from a variety of top-notch local purveyors, the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant offers unique opportunities in pairability. "People come into my store with a bag of food and ingredients, and we work backwards. We take a recipe we don't know, and ask ourselves, 'Hmmm… What can we pair with this?' It's a lot of fun!" The Wine: 2011 Murrieta's Well The Whip, Livermore "Simply fantastic," says Zachareas. "Honeyed notes on the nose and lovely texture combined with bright freshness. Cantaloupe and dried apricots." It's an exhilarating blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Gewürztraminer and Orange Muscat. Fifth-generation Wente Winemaker Karl Wente and Debbie Zachareas, Partner, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant. The Pairings: "My approach is that wine should be slightly sweeter than the food you serve with it," explains Zachareas. So selecting the salad of beets with figs served at The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards was a no-brainer: "The wine has the perfect balance of sweet fruit and texture, and the wine becomes more textural with this dish because it is a perfect sweetness match." 80 / the tasting panel / november 2012