In recognition of Mill’s Tavern’s award winning wine list and in conjunction with National Wine Day Katherine Turner the Assistant General Manager and Wine Enthusiast has written a to piece explain her love of wine and the impact that wine has on the dining experience.
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I love wine! This is mostly because I have an abounding curiosity for everything. A recent Yale University study shows that drinking wine engages more of the brain than any other human activity. (http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/04/03/521415892/the-taste-of-wine-isnt-all-in-your-head-but-your-brain-sure-helps) Every bottle of wine holds not just an enjoyable beverage, but it also contains chemistry, art, philosophy, passion and snap shot of history. There are few things that are so integral in life. Bringing all this to the table, wine transforms a sufficient meal and a great meal rises to an almost spiritual experience. At Mill’s Tavern our wine program is built around creating these experiences.
There are several reasons I believe wine makes a meal. I can still remember the first few times I had a perfect food and wine pairing. Separately the food and wine were fine; together they were transformed. George Hendry, a physicist as well as wine maker of Hendry Vineyards in Napa, taught me that the mouth, the food and the wine have chemical reactions that come together into a pleasurable symbiotic relationship. The wine actually strips your palate to better taste the next bite and the food allows you to taste different aspects of the wine. Then you have to factor in the history of the vintage and region in which the wine is produced. These things create a unique experience in the bottle with particular characteristics to pair. Then we arrive at the more cerebral qualities of a wine- the art, philosophy and passion that have created it. These are the tools each winemaker uses to build their signature, creating something one of a kind. Every bottle of wine is like consuming poetry, a painting or great piece of literature.
At Mill’s Tavern we have the freshest local seafood. Our briny oysters call out for an effervescent and crisp glass of champagne or Sparkling wine. A perfect choice would be Perrier Jouet Brut which we offer by the glass. You can drop by the bar after work or start off your dinner with this pairing. After your raw bar you might want to move on to our Assorted Spring Vegetable Salad; a mélange of the first produce of the season in Truffled vinaigrette with Herb Marinated Mushrooms, Cured Egg Yolk and Sunchoke Chips. Pour me a glass of Commanderie de Peyrassol Rose with this and I am in heaven! Then we arrive at one of the things Mill’s Tavern is known best for- the wood grilled steaks! Here you can’t go wrong with the classic, bold Napa Cabernet Sauvignons of which we have an outstanding collection. We have the big names like Heitz, Jordan and Caymus. I choose a ribeye at this point in the meal and pair it with something a little different- Petie Sirah. My choice is the Retro Cellars; an inky purple wine from historic vineyards on Howell Mountain made by Mike Dunn. The power, fruit and bold tannin are the prefect choice. Now, if you have room left for dessert we have an extensive selection of port and some very special dessert wines. Start to finish your meal at Mill’s Tavern will be enhanced by wine. Next time you join us, ask for me and we will have some fun with wine!