Wine tasting – Memphis Flyer

Cara Greenstein

The Generous Pour runs through August 30th at Capital Grille.

“There’s nothing wrong with Merlot.”

Depending on how you look at it, that’s either the understatement of the century or a call to arms. When George Miliotes says it, he means war.

Miliotes is more entitled to his opinion than most. He’s a Master Sommelier, one of just 229 in the world. In order to qualify for that title (among other occult rituals), he had to blindly taste six wines from around the world and correctly identify five of them.

Like, sip. Oh yeah! That’s a 2009 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti La Tache Grand Cru Monopole. Of course.

Although Miliotes is based in New York, tonight he’s pouring wine at the Capital Grille in East Memphis. He’s visiting to introduce their Generous Pour program, which runs through August 30th. It’s essentially a super-deluxe wine tasting at an affordable price.

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John Klyce Minervini

The steak’s not bad, either.

Here’s how it works. First you go to the Capital Grille and order dinner. At my tasting, they weren’t 100% specific about what counts as “dinner,” so maybe ask? I’m thinking a few appetizers might cut it, or an entrée for sure. Then you pay an additional $28 dollars and get to taste eight pre-selected wines—three whites and five reds.

And now you’re thinking, yeah yeah. Wine tastings, dime a dozen. In my opinion, what sets The Generous Pour apart is a) the very high quality of the wines on offer and b) the intentionality with which they were chosen. (Visit their web site for the full list.)

Take the Galerie Naissance Sauvignon Blanc. If you had asked me, one week ago, whether I liked the flavor of oak in my wine, I would have answered with a weak “yes.” I mean, right? Oak is classic. It’s buttery.

Here’s the plain truth. Before last week, I had never tasted an oaked wine next to an unoaked wine, so I really had no idea. In the Galerie Sauvignon Blanc, tropical fruit (pineapple, apricot, orange zest) is balanced by natural acidity, and the resulting wine is deliciously crisp, without an oak in sight. Just for fun, pair it with the Pan-Fried Calamari with Hot Cherry Peppers ($15).

Moral of the story? Oak is for old people. Thank you, George Miliotes.

So what was Miliotes getting at when he said, “There’s nothing wrong with Merlot.”? Turns out, he was referring to the movie Sideways. In it, Paul Giamatti’s character repeatedly disparages Merlot, at one point snarling, “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving, I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!”

And then? All around the world, Merlot sales went into free-fall. No, for real. Experts call it the “Sideways Effect,” and poor Merlot still hasn’t fully recovered. Who’d a thunk?

John Klyce MInervini

Wine goes best with lots of dessert, I find.

The Peabody’s Capriccio Grill has hired Brian Barrow to be its new chef de cuisine. Barrow, a California native, began his cooking career in his late 20s after leaving his family’s construction business. He attended Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts in Miami and stayed in Florida after graduation to work for the Ambassador Hotel in Fort Lauderdale and Do & Co International Event Catering.

As executive chef for all of Do & Co’s domestic operations, Barrow was responsible for a staff of 138 that catered events in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami. Barrow soon built a reputation for being able to shape any kitchen into an efficient operation that consistently turns out great food.

At Capriccio, Barrow will be cooking up prime steaks and chops, and he’ll be starting a series of quarterly wine dinners.

Capriccio Grill, 149 Union (529-4199)

Sheri McKelvie is the new pastry chef at the Inn at Hunt Phelan.

McKelvie, who worked for the now-defunct City Bread bakery, started La Morinda, her own wholesale bakery, two years ago. She supplied European-style crusty breads to area restaurants, including the Majestic Grille and the Inn at Hunt Phelan as well as local coffee shops and delis. Stephen Hassinger, who heads Hunt Phelan’s kitchen, plans on having McKelvie bake at least some of Hunt Phelan’s breads but wants her to focus on pastries first. The position was vacated by Heather Ries, who has taken a position as personal chef to a local food entrepreneur.

The Inn at Hunt Phelan, 533 Beale (525-8225)

The Viking Cooking School is offering two not-so-everyday classes in April.

The Essential Wine Series, starting on April 2nd, is a six-week course designed for the wine lover who wants to learn more. The series was developed for Viking by Karen MacNeil, chairwoman of the wine department at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, star of the PBS series Wine, Food & Friends, and author of the award-winning Wine Bible. The first two-hour session focuses on wine tasting — what you should look for in a wine, how to know if a wine tastes the way it should, what makes great wine great, etc. The next five sessions focus on specific wines: crisp and aromatic whites, elegant and earthy reds, as well as sparkling and dessert wines.

The price for the class, including a copy of The Wine Bible and a wine aroma wheel, is $399.

Roland Mesnier, former executive pastry chef at the White House, will be at Viking on April 13th for a demonstration class about presidential desserts.

Mesnier grew up one of nine children in a small village (population 140) in France. He began his culinary career at age 14 in a French pastry shop and traveled extensively to learn recipes and techniques from other countries. During his career, he has worked at pastry shops in Germany and at hotels, such as the Savoy in London, Georges V in Paris, and the Princess Hotel International in Bermuda. In 1979, first lady Rosalyn Carter recruited Mesnier from the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. His career at the White House spanned 25 years.

During his years at the White House, he worked endless hours, one time making 1,500 cookies without assistance and another time preparing half a ton of fruitcake, also by himself. When he retired in the summer of 2004, Mesnier had created hundreds of desserts for state dinners, teas, parties, and receptions, without ever making the same dessert twice.

The price for the demonstration class, which runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on April 19th, is $79.

For more information on both classes, visit vikingcookingschool.com.

Viking Cooking School, 1215 Ridgeway (763-3747)

Back by popular demand are the Saturday-morning cooking classes at River Oaks Restaurant. Chef Benjamin Vaughn and local guest chefs will focus on preparations that can easily be re-created at home. In the first class on April 7th, students will learn the culinary basics, a course that will continue the following week with the next level. Then it’s classes on sushi, elegant and easy desserts, shopping like a chef, knife skills, tapas and martinis, and the ultimate spring dinner party.

Classes are $30; lunch included. Reservations are required. River Oaks Restaurant, 5871 Poplar (683-9305)