Restaurant Wine, Issue 96 (July/Aug 2003)

Wine Pairing Issue

Operation Profile: This Denver restaurant is a neighborhood favorite, with a focused flexible wine program. Factors that make this a restaurant that customers love to return to (70% of the restaurant's regular customers frequent the restaurant at least once a week!) include: a clear concept, a hands-on wine manager, an unusual selection of wines, a variety of portion sizes, and wine suggestions on the menu.

Merchandising: "Cabernet Sauvignon Counterattack." This prominent wine country restaurant recently lowered its markups on the Cabernet page in its wine list--and the results have been extraordinary (as you might expect).

Master Sommeliers: Meet Paolo Barbieri, Richard Betts, Eric Hemer, and Alpana Singh, new Master Sommeliers in 2003.

Wine Reviews: 127 wines are recommended. Highlights include outstanding newly released 2001 Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels from California; wonderful Chardonnays, Cabernets, and Shirazs from Australia; superb, moderately priced Cabernets and Merlots from Chile; fine Rhone Valley reds from France; and exceptional white and red wines from Italy. Also: a vertical tasting of Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignons from the Eisele Vineyard, from 1991 through 2000.