Sommeliers are some of
our favorite people. The good ones can
make a good meal great. The great ones
can open your eyes to wine choices that
you didn't even know existed. They awe
us with their dedication; they inspire
us with their imagination. In each issue,
the Wine Skinny will spotlight one Sommelier
who we think is doing a tremendous job.
We struggled a bit with
this issue’s selection – the
question being the use of the term "Sommelier."
We have the utmost respect for those individuals
who have passed the rigorous sommelier
certification process and earned the right
to use the capital "S" title.
At the same time, we also believe that
the non-certified wine lovers of the world
– the wine stewards, the wine managers,
the lower-case "s" sommeliers
– can have knowledge and passion
enough to achieve great things with a
restaurant wine list and enhance our dining
experience, even without the certification.
As you might have surmised, this issue’s
choice is not certified, but is, nonetheless,
an excellent example of what a restaurant
owner with a passion for offering fantastically
matched wine can do. And so, without further
tap dance…
As the proprietor of this
charming restaurant, Bernstein has structured
a wine list that features primarily Viognier
and Rhône Rangers. The cuisine is country
French, and the wines present California’s
version of Rhône Valley terroir, with
a few of the real French thing thrown
in for good measure. The "Rhone Alone"
wine list has grown from a dozen wines
to nearly one hundred strong and features
wines like Cold Heaven 1998 Viognier,
Santa Ynez Valley ($42), Cline Cellars
1998 Syrah Los Carneros ($32), Preston
1998 Syrah Dry Creek Valley ($28), and
many more. These varietal wines are famously
food-friendly and earthy – perfect
for dishes such as the braised lamb shanks
or traditional cassoulet that highlight
the menu. For true nirvana, pair one of
the wonderful Syrahs with the array of
artisinal goat cheeses featured on the
cheese cart.
According to Bernstein,
"We still get regular requests for
Chardonnay & Merlot, but we are spending
a lot of time educating our staff in the
Rhone varietals so that they can tailor
wine selections to best match our guests
requests. Nine times out of ten, we are
rewarded with a guest that is pleasantly
surprised and pleased with a newfound
wine choice." the girl & the
fig is ready to launch an international
Syrah/Shiraz Flight, with a sampling of
a California syrah, a French syrah, and
an Australian Shiraz. Bernstein’s
new project, "the girl & the
gaucho" is staged to open the end
of March. This restaurant will be located
in the former "fig" spot in
Glen Ellen. The restaurant will be mostly
Latin in cuisine style, focusing on unique
tapas, seafood specialties, and paellas.
The wine focus will be related directly
to the food, with a small list featuring
good wines from around the world.
For more information on
the girl & the fig, its menu and its
wine list, check out their website.
110 west spain street
sonoma, ca
Telephone: 707.938.3634
To read up on our past Sommelier
picks - click here.
