Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/648009
w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 7 7 Skipping down to the ever-sunny Los Angeles, we sat down with Wine Director Nathaniel Muñoz at Chef Jason Neroni's e Rose Café in Venice, CA. Over a glass of Absentroux, paired expertly with the Rose Café's signature black kale salad with Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, jalapeño, pickled apricots and mint, and a dish of Chef Neroni's sweet potatoes with maple miso glaze and fried herbs, we asked Muñoz to divulge his thoughts on aperitifs and food pairings. "I'm a big fan of apéritifs. ey help ease into a culinary experience with aromas and flavors we do not usually encounter throughout the rest of a meal. I find that the occasional apéritif with my coffee before lunch can be the elixir needed to take the edge off," he notes with a smile. "Most importantly, they entice hunger and help make the mouth water and salivate. "Absentroux can help bring together unlikely partners at the beginning of a meal like fennel, persimmon, cornichons, olives and charcuterie. is also gives us the opportunity to start a meal with a cocktail that can have high impact aromatics without being boozy and tipping the scales on how much guests can drink. is is the key in getting that last digestif or Sauternes sell before guests leave." Chef Jason Neroni helmed the re-opening of the iconic Rose Café (a local favorite of 35 years) which is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and sports a full bakery, a hot and cold deli, and a wood-fire oven on top of the standard restaurant kitchen. Needless to say, with Neroni's creative menu to work with, the pairing op- tions are endless and offer a perfect foil to an assortment of wines, spirits and cock- tails. And Muñoz's front-of-the-house team is on board with passing this education and information on, in order to ameliorate the guest experience. "Creating opportunities to simplify the experience and compartmentalize each part of the meal helps focus staff on key beverages they can suggest at any particular time in the meal," explains Muñoz. "Apéritifs should lead the conversation, as they help ready the palate for light appetizers. Classically we find Champagne or a dry, mineral white wine as the go-to choice. However, reminding staff that certain cuisines match better with fino Sherry (Spanish tapas), vermouth (Italian antipasti) or an herbaceous alterna- tive like Absentroux (Mediterranean: pickles, salads, cold fish, deviled eggs, peppers, delicatessen), we can broaden the guest experience and ultimately earn their trust." California Garden Greens meet Southern French Distilled Greens Absentroux is imported by Crillon Importers, Ltd. TASTING NOTES better with fino Sherry (Spanish tapas), vermouth (Italian antipasti) or an herbaceous alterna tive like Absentroux (Mediterranean: pickles, salads, cold fish, deviled eggs, peppers, delicatessen), we can broaden the guest experience and ultimately earn their trust." TASTING NOTES Wine Director Nathaniel Muñoz of The Rose Café in Venice, CA. PHOTOS: DUSTIN DOWNING Absentroux paired with the Rose Café's signature black kale salad with Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, jalapeño, pickled apricots and mint, and a dish of Chef Neroni's sweet potatoes with maple miso glaze and fried herbs. Chef Jason Neroni in the Rose Café garden. ➜ Vibrant yellow/green, bright and clear. The lemon balm comes to the forefront on the nose, followed by sweet citrus peel (Meyer lemon), long summer grass, wild flowers and a hint of anise. In the mouth there is weight which I assume exits from residual sugars. The power of the wormwood exerts itself followed by a beeswax/ lime peel flavor. The finish is clean and a welcome bittersweet note lingers. —Jason Crume, Bar Manager, Rock Creek Seafood & Spirits, Seattle, WA ➜ Immediately, notes of herbs and a bouquet of florals leap from the glass. A sense of fennel, lavender and dill continue to entice the nose while the palate is grounded with citrus oils and celery seed. I can picture this apéritif over ice while lawn bowling or as you dive into the garden to collect your herbs and greens for dinner. —Nathaniel Muñoz, Wine Director, The Rose Café, Venice, CA