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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/746733
www.cheersonline.com 28 • November/December 2016 "Napa Valley is a culinary and enological destination for gourmands worldwide," says Solage sommelier/beverage director Scott Turnbull. "Having the list refl ect the wineries (both large and small) that we have just around the corner is key to being relevant for our visitors." At the 130-seat, globally inspired restaurant whose cuisine is infl uenced by the growing seasons, the list naturally skews heavily in favor of Napa's fi nest. Turnbull calls the 2013 Coquerel Winery verdelho ($10 a glass, $45 a bottle) "an exotic treat from just up the road." Its light fl oral and stone-fruit notes and elegant richness go well with chilled sweet corn soup with three-seed croutons, haricots verts, nduja and thyme. The bright strawberry- and water- melon-tinged 2015 Shypoke Winery Rosé of Grenache ($40 a bottle) comes from a Calistoga producer with more than 100 years of experience. With local heirloom tomatoes, it's "a perfect foil with its clean, crisp fi nish and slight touch of cherry pit tannins," Turnbull says. And the 2012 Chateau Montelena Estate Zinfandel ($80 a bottle) is "more restrained than other full-bodied versions, classic and correct with the high alcohol and extraction." Turnbull recommends it with wood-grilled Sakura pork tenderloin with jasmine rice, ginger, chile-laced cashews tamarind sauce, coconut and mustard greens. Curating the list in such a rich wine region is clearly a challenge, but Turnbull seeks balance. "Balancing classic and popular varietals with more unusual but still locally grown wines is a great way to show the variety of what we have here. Thus, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon co-exists with gewürztraminer and refosco." In an area so full of local products for the table, Turnbull views regional and local wines as the key to the success of Solage's beverage program. "There is only so much time that people can spend going to wineries and tastings," he admits. "Being able to enjoy a meal with a bottle of wine, and be able to spend time with it as it changes and opens is a way to better understand both wine in general, as well as the wine that we can make here." General manager/sommelier Tony Rossi seeks out bottles that have a "classic, Old World aesthetic and balance" for the 60- seat Mediterranean-infl uenced café. He believes Larry Mawby makes the best sparkling wine in the U.S. The NV L. Mawby Blanc de Blancs ($16 a glass) is made in the Leelaneau Peninsula, where stable summer temperatures are perfect for bubbles. It boasts aromas of orchard fruit and light spice, juicy acidity and a dry, crisp and clean fi nish that's great with fried chicken or pancetta pizza with Bosc pear and brie, he says. Northern Michigan has a cool climate and long growing season that's akin to that of Alsace. Rossi says the 2012 Bel Lago Vineyards Auxerrois ($12 aglass) is similar to its French counterpart. "Eight months spent on the lees gives the wine a subtle nutty and yeasty aromatic balance to the ripe fruit," he says. "It's a great fall wine that pairs well with scallops and butternut squash or wild fall mushrooms." Leelanau's climate is also fi tting for high-acid and low-tannin cabernet franc. The 2011 Black Star Farms Arcturos cabernet franc ($16 a glass) balances juicy fruit and savory herbaceousness, he says. It's a winner with game fowl like pheasant, quail or duck. Michigan wines are fl ying under the radar right now, but that will most likely change as word about Leelanau's quality spreads, Rossi says. "What is great about Leelanau is the porous soil and cool temps, which are not ideal for agriculture, but perfect for the vines, which need to struggle." Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer in the Washington, D.C. area. Enolo Wine Café, Chicago Featured Wine Region: Michigan Number of Wines on the Menu: 40 by the glass, 50 by the bottle Number of Regional Wines on the Menu: 3 Enolo Wine Café in Chicago offers sever- al wines from Northern Michigan, which has a climate similar to that of Alsace. Solage, Calistoga, CA The list at Solage restaurant in Calistoga, CA, is heavily infl uenced by the Napa Valley's offerings, but aims to balance classic and popular varietals with more-unusual, locally grown wines. Featured Wine Region: Napa Valley Number of Wines on the Menu: 35 by the glass, 400 by the bottle Number of Regional Wines on the Menu: 26 by the glass, 300 by the bottle