Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/859549
{ SOMMjournal.com } 63 restaurant group Lasco Enterprises, which oper- ates ten restaurants in Texas and Colorado. "This is a great value for a wine aged for 20 months, has a Rutherford dominated blend and, consistent high quality." Named one of the best wine bars in Houston by Thrillist, Lasco's The Tasting Room offers a full restaurant menu, yet operates their wine pro - gram more like a retailer. Keeping a relatively low markup attracts guests looking for a memorable experience at a great value. According to Baumunk, "One piece of feedback from our guests is that they love how the wine is big and round on the palate, has silky tannins and solid acidity." Exceptional Versatility The wine's striking profile is a testament to Hill's skills as a winemaker. Sequoia Grove's Senior Wine Educator, Dean Busquaert, notes, "She has an incredible palate. When people talk about our wines, one thing they always say is that they have "this velvety quality." Busquaert leads the "Taste for Cabernet" private tasting experiences at Sequoia Grove. The objective is to demonstrate how to pair Cabernet Sauvignon with food by simplifying the flavor considerations to sweet, salty, bitter and acidic. "We want to be the ones that show people how to drink Cabernet properly by balancing [Hill's] great wine with food," says Busquaert. He relishes teaching consumers how non-traditional pairings can work well with Cabernet simply by balancing flavors in the dish to match the wine. That way, Hill's work in the cellar is appreciated as intended. Hill makes of point of not wanting one element to stand out more than another. "I look at five ele - ments in wine: acid, tannin, fruit, alcohol and oak. I do not want you to taste any one by itself. I want you to experience them as a whole," explains Hill. This principle creates wines that work seamlessly at table and on their own. Rafael Hernandez, Head Sommelier & Beverage Director at The Winery Restaurant in Newport Beach, CA, attests to that point, having carried the wine on his list for the last four years. "Overall, the wine speaks for itself and it's a crowd-pleaser," he notes. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list, and their BTG selections change weekly to offer guests something new to try at each visit. Hernandez adds, "All I can say is that I'm very pleased with Molly's wines and the passion put into the project. I am happy I can deliver all of that to my guests on a daily basis. Sequoia Grove is my best-selling wine by the glass." The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers consumers a window into the inner-work - ings at Sequoia Grove and Hill's deft hand at blending. The team is eagerly awaiting the completion in early 2018 of a new winery that will allow them greater flexibility. "We're really supported to make quality decisions, and when I started, it was really about vineyard sourcing. The winery is the next step," says Hill. She goes on to add that the longevity of the team is a testament to Trujillo's ability as a leader. "You can source the best grapes in the world, but if you don't have devoted employees who also care about quality, who touch the wine at every stage of the process, it doesn't matter." Shawn Westhoven, Beverage Director at 22 Bowen's Wine Bar & Grille in Newport, RI. Darrin Baumunk is Corporate Beverage Buyer at for Houston-based restaurant group Lasco Enterprises, which operates ten restaurants in Texas and Colorado. Rafael Hernandez, Head Sommelier & Beverage Director at The Winery Restaurant in Newport Beach, CA. PHOTO: MARGARET SOSS PHOTO: FELIX SANCHEZ PHOTO: KRISTIN TEIG TASTING NOTES Sequoia Grove 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($39.99) The Napa Valley bottling is a blend of grapes sourced from the winery's estate vineyards as well as A-list growers through - out the valley. Friendly and aromatic upon opening, with a core of dark black fruit and savory barrel spice. Silky in the mouth, beginning with a subtle, mineral profile before filling out on the mid-palate expressing rich, black fruit and baking spice mingled with flavors reminiscent of candied bacon and boysenberry pie. The fruit is more pronounced than the single-vineyard wines (sold exclusively at the winery) but with the same velvety tannin structure found on all Sequoia Grove Cabernets.