Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/391612
october 2014 / the tasting panel / 103 MERIDITH MAY, PUBLISHER AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR THE TASTING PANEL Magazine and The SOMM Journal Murrieta's Well 2011 The Spur May's Notes on Murrieta's Well 2011 The Spur: A dry wine—it hits your palate with chocolate-covered cherries, balanced by fine tannins and edgy acidity. Oak under- tones add base notes to plummy, brandied tones. May's Pairing: There is a definite "wow" effect when you pair it with the Sonoma duck breast. The cherries from the wine pop with the duck's earthy nature and juicy qualities. Comes out even more in the wine and the acidity pops just beautifully. CHLOE HELFAND, WINE DIRECTOR La Cave, Wynn Las Vegas After being a stay-at- home mother for a number of years, Chloe Helfand dove head first into the world of Sin City's wine scene—talk about a career change! Having no experience in this realm before, she faced quite the learning curve, but that's what she loves most about her career: "The beauty of wine is that you learn something new every day, and I want that stimulation." Now, as the Wine Director at La Cave, the only independent restau- rant at Wynn Las Vegas, she certainly doesn't need to worry about being bored. On top of working the floor, she manages a list of 350–400 wines that change out about four times a year. Although La Cave features a lot of New World wines, she is focusing on bringing Old World pieces into their program. Helfand complements the "sexy" backdrop of La Cave with seduc- tive, themed flights such as the "French Kiss" or "Running with the Bulls." Along with customizable flights, she developed these options to broaden the horizons of her customers. "I am a playful pairer," she admits, "and I want guests to try something different, something outside the standard." That's not to say that she aims to push them outside of their comfort zone completely—quite the contrary. Helfand believes in basing your understanding of wine on what you know and your experiences. Case in point: During the luncheon, she eloquently compared one of the pairings between the wine and food to a dance, an activity she used to do. This innate ability to relate wine to outside of itself enables Helfand to educate La Cave's clientele on a new and thought-provoking level. The Nth Degree 2012 Chardonnay Helfand's Notes: Minerality shines with notes of stone coming through. Orchard fruit such as apple and pear balance out the acidity. It leaves me reminded of a lovely crème brûlée. Helfand's Pairing: This wine goes very well with the components of the middle course. Texturally, I love this with the spinach, cornbread and duck breast. I would pair this wine with the diver sea scallops with polenta cakes and shrimp sauce at La Cave—the fruit would lighten up the polenta cakes and contrast the shrimp sauce while cushioning the scallops. Murrieta's Well 2012 The Whip Helfand's Notes: This mouth-watering blend of several dif- ferent varietals has an accentuated white floral component with notes of biscuits, peach and pear. The wine is light on the palate and slightly sweet on the finish. Helfand's Pairing: I really enjoyed the wine with components of the first dish—loved the marriage with avocado ice cream, the minerality of hearts of palms and the refreshing burst of watermelon. This dish has many flavor parallels to our salmon sashimi tostada at La Cave, so I would want to try it with The Whip. PHOTO: JEREMY BALL