Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/306378
may 2014 / the tasting panel / 95 JORDAN OGRON Director of Food & Beverage, The Standard, Hollywood The son of an avid wine col- lector, Jordan Ogron knew the difference between a varietal and a variety from a very early age. While his knowledge of wine is far beyond his years, he says his true strength lies in his palate. Whatever his secret might be, it has enabled him to manage a handful of upscale restaurants and become the Director of Food & Beverage at The Standard, Hollywood in Los Angeles—all before he even turned 27. One of his first tasks at The Standard, Hollywood will be to open their new restaurant later this year. Jordan believes that there are only two types of sommeliers: "the one who buys wine to go with food and the one who buys wine to drink on its own." He identifies himself as the latter and hopes that people will be returning to The Standard, Hollywood for that rare glass of wine that they can't get off their mind. Jordan's take on The Nth Degree 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: With a great tannin structure, it is very well-balanced with notes of black- berry, raspberry and cigar box on the back palate. I loved this wine with the reduction of the prime rib in today's luncheon and would pair it with the porcini-crusted rib eye from The Standard. ADAM SPICER General Manager, Café del Rey, Marina del Rey When your restaurant does over $20,000 in wine sales per week, it's a safe bet to say you've got a wine for every price point and palate. "We try to have something for every- one," explains Spicer, who also cites customer service as one of the factors that made Café del Rey's wine program a James Beard Award winner. "We serve all of our wines tableside," he says. "From by-the-glass, to bottle service, we feel that it is important for the guest to have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about what they're drinking." While we were set to put Spicer through his pairing paces, he wasn't worried too much. "Honestly," he said, "I think just about any wine can be served with just about any food. I don't like to follow the rules too much, and I think guests shouldn't have to either!" Adam's Take on the Wente Vineyards 2012 Riva Ranch Chardonnay: This golden Chardonnay is very fruit-for- ward and has a creamy texture on the palate. The buttery base of the soup would fit seamlessly with the richness of the wine. The steelhead from Café del Rey and this Chardonnay would be a delicious match. Jordan Ogron. Jason Mosley. Adam Spicer. As our host for the day, Mosley may have had his pairings in mind before we put him to the test: "I know Chef's food, and I know these wines, and I think they're going to be a great match," he told us before things got underway. Having only been at Girasol for three weeks as of press time, Mosley was excited to continue to develop the wine program, which already serves and sells "a lot" of Wente wines. "It's exciting to come in here and make it my own," says Mosley, who caught the wine bug big time working front of house in Napa. "The menu here has so many interesting, local things going on, and I really want to carry that over to the wine program. I'm open to just about anything!" JASON MOSLEY General Manager, Girasol Restaurant, Studio City Jason's Take on the Wente Vineyards 2012 Louis Mel Sauvignon Blanc: Earth tones abound in this wine. It would pair well with the soup since both are not huge palate bust- ers, but more elegant versions of themselves. I could see this nuanced wine balancing out a number of the rustic, yet elegant dishes of Chef Jacobson. TP0514_072-101.indd 95 4/24/14 11:01 PM