Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/637107
{ SOMMjournal.com } 65 WHERE Bar Terra is the much welcomed casual sibling next-door neighbor to Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani's adored Terra Restaurant in Napa Valley, set inside the same historic stone building off the main drag in St. Helena. The more elaborate Terra menu is still available at the Bar, although the à la carte menu is as full of gems as that of the dining room. There are just 40 seats, but Sommelier Lauren Helm and I managed to snag a table to pair six of her wine picks to the upscale contemporary Asian cuisine. WHO Lauren Helm is Lead Sommelier and Wine Buyer at Harvest Table in St. Helena. We'll experience some of her esoteric and well-thought-out wines, paired to Asian fare at nearby Bar Terra. "It's fun to swivel a little bit, pairing my wines to the food at another restaurant," Helm says. And fun it was, to be sure. A historic stone building houses Terra and Bar Terra. Chef Hiro Sone of Terra. This is an ideal alternative for Chardonnay lovers, brimming with gorgeous, subtle floral character- istics and aromas of stone fruit. The moderate acidity highlights the sweetness in the shrimp and refreshes the palate, while the mustard sauce stands nicely up to the acidity. Dry but not austere, it's an approachable wine that seems a great match with the succulent crispy shrimp that's fried but not greasy; the moderately salty batter rounds off the flavors in the wine, bringing more richness. Made by Mike Anderson, son of the acclaimed Todd Anderson of Conn Valley Vineyards. Hailing from the banks of Lake Geneva, this Chasselas is "a classical pairing with fried lake perch, so the cod dish makes sense," Helm explains. While rarely seen outside of Switzerland, it has strong floral elements of white flowers and moderate minerality with schist and clay on the nose. Reflective ripening off the lake creates a microclimate that ripens this wine as if it's a Mediterranean climate. There's mild sweetness and citrus notes from the shiso greens, along with an earthy mushroom broth that enriches the wine, making it taste and feel rounder. Malolactic fermentation lends rich tex - ture as well, giving it a weight that works nicely with this moderately weighty dish. SWISS CELLARS Bright cherries are the dominant characteristic of this lesser-known southern Burgundy red, with a touch of sweet strawberry, dry mint, tobacco leaf and a hint of chalk. The moderate to high acidity does wonders for the pleasant saltiness of the batter, while the fruit plays off the earthiness of the mushrooms. The dish brings more balance to the acidity of the wine, especially the earthy mushrooms and the rich dark soy sauce. The pair is lovely together, with the acidity cutting through the oil of these batter-fried mushrooms, getting the palate to anticipate the next dip and bite. BACCHUS IMPORTERS LTD. DISH 1: Fried rock shrimp, autumn salad, chive mustard sauce WINE 1: MTGA 2014 DRY RIESLING, SONOMA COAST DISH 2: Broiled saké-marinated black cod, shrimp dumpling, shiso broth WINE 2: Dubois Saint-Saphorin 2014 Chasselas Grand Cru, Lavaux, Switzerland DISH 3: Tempura maitake mushrooms, soy dashi dipping sauce WINE 3: Thierry & Pascale Matrot 2013 Maranges, Vieilles Vignes