111 Chop House in Worcester, MA, Wine Director Interview

I recently spoke with Robb & Madeline Ahlquist, the owners of the Worcester Restaurant Group, after we did a Worcester, MA radio show called "Dining Out Metrowest." While we were chatting I suggested that I interview the wine director of their three restaurants for the Boston Wine Buzz. They suggested that I speak with Aaron Francisco, the General Manager of the One Eleven Chop House at 111 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA. The One Eleven Steak House opened in 1999 and is an award-winning New York-style steak house. The theme of the chat was, as always, “Why is your restaurant a destination for wine lovers?”

BostonWineBuzz (BWB): Aaron, please tell me a little about the One Eleven Chop House wine list?
Aaron Francisco (AF): The One Eleven Chop House wine list is very heavily driven towards California Cabernet and Meritage wines. People like Cabernet with their steaks. About 85% of the wines on the list are from California. We have about 200 or so offerings on the list. It is an attractive and interesting list. The wine list is also very "red" focused. There are a lot of Cabs, Red Blends, Pinots, Syrahs, & Zins. We also have some Italian reds that do pretty well as the restaurant is located in the Italian section of Worcester. We pay a lot of attention to Wine Spectator. Wines that are listed on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list are highlighted on the wine list. The One Eleven Chop House has received the Wine Spectator Award for Excellence every year since 2001.

BWB: What makes the One Eleven Chop House wine list different?
AF: Again, the list is very heavily focused on CA wines, but the best part about the list is it is priced to move wine. We are very, very competitive with our wine pricing. We draw you in with our wine. Our high end wines are not marked up that much, so they are very attractive to our customers. We serve a lot of exclusive wines that don’t last very long on the list.

BWB: What are a couple of your favorite wines on the wine list?
AF: I’m a huge fan of the Joseph Phelps “Insignia”. There is not one that I’ve tried that I have not loved. The 2001 is the current Insignia listed. It goes for $140. The other wine that I enjoy and like to recommend is the 2002 Altamura Cabernet from Napa. That is listed for $89.

BWB: What bottle would you recommend to your best friend if he/she and their spouse came to the One Eleven Chop House for their anniversary?
AF: If not the Insignia, I think the 2003 Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet $90 is a special wine. I would recommend that wine for such a special occasion. Another new wine that I would recommend is the 2004 Shafer “One Point Five” Cabernet from Stags Leap. That wine is listed for $87.

BWB: Aaron, what are a couple of the best deals on the wine list? And is there a steal on the list?
AF: We have some wines on the list that are bigger and better than their price tags. For instance, the 2004 Sebastiani Alexander Valley Cabernet is a deal at $58. Also the 2004 Etude Pinot Noir is another deal for $75. Etude makes such great wine. As for the steals on the list, I would say all the wines priced over $90. The reason is that we don’t mark up our high end wines that much. They are priced to move and priced to be enjoyed. We make these special wines accessible to our customers. For instance, the 2001 Silver Oak Cabernet for $125 is a steal.

BWB: Please talk a little bit about your wines by the glass program?
AF: We have about 30 wines by the glass. They are priced aggressively so they move. We have many standard pours and crowd favorites like the 2005 Meridian Chardonnay for $7/glass or the 2005 Toasted Head Chardonnay for $8 per glass. On the red side, I would say the 2003 Renwood “Old Vines” Zin is a popular pour for $9/glass and the 2002 Rodney Strong Merlot for $9/glass moves like water.

BWB: What is the best deal in your wines by the glass program?
AF: I would say we have 3 right now. The 2003 Newton “Claret” for $11 per glass. The other 2 are Chardonnays. The 2005 Ferrari-Carano $10/glass & the 2004 Chalk Hill “Imagine” $9/glass.

BWB: Finally, why should the wine lovers of New England come to the One Eleven Chop House?
AF: Wine lovers should come to One Eleven because we have many attractive wine values on our list. You are not going to find the wines we have on our list at other places with such great prices. Our customers enjoy a great wine experience with their steaks.

BWB: That sounds just great, Aaron. If our readers want to stop by for some great wine and steaks, where can they find you?
AF: We are located at 111 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA 01604. You can call us @ 508-799-4111 or visit us on the web at www.111chophouse.com for hours, directions, and reservations. Hope to see you soon.

I know we will be in for some dinner soon.

Cheers,
Ken

Nantucket Wine Festival

Don't miss the fun at the 11th annual Nantucket Wine Festival, May 16-20, 2007. Over the past ten years the Nantucket Wine Festival has become one of New England's most exciting wine and food events! This year the event will take place in the heart of downtown Nantucket making all of the events within walking distance. Listed below are the highlights of the festival. Please click here for more details on the Nantucket Wine Festival. Enjoy!

* Winemaker Symposia
* The Grand Tasting
* Great Wine in Grand Houses
* The Gala
* Celebrity Chef and Wine Auction Dinner
* Winery Lunches and Dinners

Meritage in Boston, MA, Sommelier Interview

I recently sat down with Jonas Atwood, Sommelier, at the beautiful Meritage The Restaurant in Boston, MA. Jonas has been the Sommelier at Mertiage for about 2 years. Meritage The Restaurant is a concept that evolved out of the Boston Wine Festival that was started by chef, Daniel Bruce, 18 years ago. The theme of our chat was, “Why is your restaurant a destination for wine lovers?”.

BostonWineBuzz (BWB): Jonas, please tell me a little about the Meritage wine list?
Jonas Atwood (JA): The Meritage wine list focuses on wines that match well with food. The list's main focus is on California Cabernets and Meritage blends from California. There are also a fair amount of French Bordeaux and Burgundy wines on the list. We have over 1,000 selections on the wine list. The wines are sorted by grape varietal. Finally, the Meritage menu is organized in a way to match the food with the wine. For example, the menu lists Snake River Kobe Beef under Robust Reds and Pan Seared Sea Scallops with pink grapefruit butter under Full Bodied Whites. The other nice feature is that each dish is offered as a small plate ,$16, or large plate,$30. The small plate option allows you to try different foods with the wines.

BWB: What makes the Meritage wine list different?
JA: There are some very unique wines that are not available anywhere else in the Boston marketplace. Our connections through the Boston Wine Festival allow us to obtain some unique wines for our customers. A good example is the Tom Eddy port. Only 40 cases were produced and the wine was not available to distributors.

BWB: What are a couple of your favorite wines on the wine list?
JA: For a white wine, one of my favorites is the 2004 J Hofstätter “Kolbenhof” Gewürztraminer, $99. For a red wine, I have 2 favorites. The 2001 Oddero “Barolo,” $136. It is well balanced and has good acidity. The tannic structure is there but it is not overwhelming. Finally, the 1998 Valdicava “Brunello di Montalcino,” $278, is amazing.

BWB: What bottle would you recommend to your best friend if he/she and their spouse came to Meritage for their anniversary?
JA: Anniversaries are a time for celebrating so let’s go with a Champagne. It's a toss up between 2 Champagnes which both have great body. Option #1 is the Non Vintage Alfred Gratien “Brut Classique,” $42 (half bottle). Option #2 is NV Ruinart “Brut Rosé,” $114. The latter is a bit toastier and would match best with zestier foods.

BWB: What are a couple of the best deals on the wine list? And is there a steal on the list?
JA: The first wine that comes to mind is the 1999 Château Fortia “Châteauneuf-du-Pape,” $80. This wine from a very good year, is drinking well right now, and it is quite balanced and food friendly. Another great deal is the 1997 Oakville Ranch Cabernet, $125. Finally, the 1997 Corison “Kronos Vineyard” Cabernet, $185, is a deal. This wine has limited availability and 1997 was an excellent year for California Cabernets. As for a steal, I would say that would be the 2000 Château Ferrière (3ème cru), $117. As you know, 2000 was an excellent year for Bordeaux. This property backs up to Château Palmer. The 2000 Palmer is on the list for $500.

BWB: Please talk a little about your wines by the glass program?
JA: We offer about 30 to 35 wines by the glass, not including dessert options. The list changes about every 2 weeks or so. It has the same flair as the menu. It list wines by style. i.e. Sparklers, Light Bodied Whites, Full Bodied Whites, Fruity Reds, Spicy/Earthy Reds, and Robust Reds.


BWB: What is the best deal in your wines by the glass program?
JA: For a red, I would say the 2003 Taz Syrah, $16, from Santa Barbara, CA. For a white, the 2004 Huber “Alte Setzen” Grüner Veltliner, $10, from Austria is a steal given the quality.

BWB: Finally, why should the wine lovers of New England come to Mertiage The Restaurant?
JA: Wine lovers should come to Meritage because our “Food to Wine” pairing concept is very unique. We feel the wine is a component of the dish. Each component complements each other.

BWB: That sounds just great, Jonas. If our readers want to stop by for some great wine and food where can they find you?
JA: We are located at Rowes Wharf in the Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston, MA. You can reach us by phone at (617) 439-3995 for reservations and directions. Our website address is www.meritagetherestaurant.com. Hope to see you soon.

I know we will be in for some dinner soon. Cheers, Ken.

Wine Meritage Wine List Jonas Atwood Sommelier Boston Wine Festival Boston Harbor Hotel Meritage Restaurant