By Liz Miller, West End Wine Manager
My love affair with food as something other than sustenance began when I found Noma’s book: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine at my local library in high school. I was a weird kid - I’d skip school, only to spend my day reading books in the library - my favorite section being the cookbooks. I grew up poor… Really poor. I only ate once a day, because I got free school lunch through the CEP program in Florida. On the weekends my dad and I ate spaghetti with pasta sauce or Kraft mac & cheese because he didn’t know how to cook. The coffee table sized book filled with images of dishes that looked like they had been plucked right out of nature and presented on ornate plates was nothing like I’d ever seen before. I was feeding my insatiable hunger with beautiful images of alien culinary delights. We also didn’t have cable in my house growing up, so even with the few cooking shows available back then, this level of culinary innovation was totally new to me, and an exaggerated introduction into the industry.
I started my career in kitchens like most, with the grueling task of washing dishes with half eaten food waste that ended up in the cracks of my dried skin after being submerged in scalding hot and soapy water for hours on end. Eventually, I worked my way up to being called “Chef” - a subjectively egomaniacal title that the kitchen crew gives to you to wear like a badge of honor. I even graduated from culinary school (my eyes roll again), and started my own short-lived, but fulfilling pop-up restaurant on my 30th birthday, called Wawita’s. Eventually, the grind of the industry wore me thin, and I had to make a change. So here I am, many moons later and happier than ever, to be your neighborhood bottle shop wine manager.
Where was I going with all of this self-gloating banter? Well, every week I collaborate with BoVino Afterdark to choose wine for their thoughtfully curated omakase style menu. Coming from a culinary background myself, I ask Chef Chris McCord for the ingredients in each dish so that I can choose a wine that I feel will compliment those, often hard-to-pair ingredients. Chris McCord is a local creative force, having been the CDC for Gunshow prior to his tenure at BoVino. His bibliography of articles are plentiful since putting his mark on the fabric of Atlanta’s rich and ever-growing culinary scene. He is joined by a hard-working and passionate team, including their sommelier, and my unofficial sidekick, Nathanael Sancinito.
I asked Nathanael which wines were favorites amongst their diners in my year of collaborating with BoVino, and this is what he offered - all of which are generally food friendly wines that I have paired with dishes on more than one occasion:
Gramona “Gessamí” ‘22 - 22.99
This wine gained local popularity after a judged blind tasting for best wine announced Gramona “Gessamí” as the winner. Atlanta wine professionals were asked to bring two bottles of the same wine - one covered to blind taste and judge, and one added to the stockpile that would go to whoever brought the best wine. This wine stood up against the best of the best, and is a favorite for a reason. Made with a common Penedès blend of 50% Muscat (35 % Muscat de Frontignan, 15% Muscat de Alexandria), 35% Sauvignon Blanc, and 15% Gewürztraminer - this wine is floral and heady, and certainly lives up to its namesake, meaning “jasmine” in English. It's light bodied and silky on the palate, but balanced by amazing acidity to keep it fresh.
Craven Pinot Gris ‘23 - 25.99
Although most wine drinkers would assume that Pinot Gris is a white grape, it actually boasts a coppery skin tone. Mick Craven calls this skinsy style “the way Pinot Gris should be!” Every vintage gives Mick and Jeanine Craven a run for their money - as this notorious blush hued wine is always rejected by the South African Wine & Spirit Board for not complying with the typicity of Stellenbosch. After lots of tedious back-and-forth, the appeals committee always comes around. At this point, it’s a dance the Cravens know well. Rich strawberry and cherry flavors mingle with herbal accents and subtle mineral undertones, enhanced by a touch of grip. Concrete aging lends purity to the fruit expression, resulting in a wine with a satisfyingly smooth texture and savory depth.
Terenzuola Vermentino Nero ‘22 - 26.99
The exact origins of Vermentino Nero are unknown, but there are some ampelographers who believe that the grape is a color mutation of the white Vermentino grape. Pale red in color, this wine is crunchy and chillable and offers a mix of cherry juice, thyme buds, and earthy minerality on the palate. This genetic offshoot is a beautiful representation of Tuscany’s softer side.
Want to try the pairings for yourself? Well, what are you waiting for? Make your reservation for BoVino on Resy now!
