Food & Wine
Spilling Secrets
Sommelier Larry Stone Of San Francisco'S Rubicon Talks About Moonshine, Caviar And The Joy Of Burgundy.
November 2001
"I've liked wine almost since I was a baby. My parents let me take sips of it from a very young age, so I learned to drink responsibly and developed a lifelong love for it. Once I even made a little moonshine in my school lab--and got caught."
When did you realize you wanted to be a sommelier?
LS: I had finished my doctoral exam in comparative literature and was looking for a part-time job while I wrote my dissertation. A position became available as an assistant to a sommelier in Seattle. I got it because I had once worked as a busboy. If you want to become a sommelier, any restaurant experience helps.
Can you study to become a sommeiler?
LS: The Court of Master Sommeliers offers courses to professionals only. It's kind of a Catch-22: In order to go to sommelier school, you have to be a sommelier.
What about classes for nonpros?
LS: The major U.S. cities have independent wine schools, such as the International Wine Center in New York City and the Chicago Wine School. There are also night courses associated with universities, such as the UC Berkeley Extension Program. Some restaurants and wine shops offer classes: The Windows on the World wine course in Manhattan is justly famous, and beginning in November, Rubicon will offer a weekly evening tasting course, too.
Do you make your own wine?
LS: I am one of about four sommeliers who also makes wine. My line is Sirita, my daughter's nickname in her Spanish class. (She also designed the label when she was eight.) The 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon has components of cherry, plum, vanilla and toast, with a silky texture. The smoky, spicy, chocolaty 1999 Cabernet Franc just came out this fall.
What do you think are the most versatile wines to pair with food?
LS: Red Burgundies and other Pinot Noirs are incredibly versatile. For white wines--and I hope I'm not lynched by my sommelier associates for saying this--Chardonnay can be the easiest to match with a wide range of foods, as long as it's properly fermented, dry, balanced by acidity and concentrated.
Which foods are the most difficult to pair with wine?
LS: Artichokes are the worst because they contain a chemical called cynarin. Green beans and asparagus are tough, and eggs are notoriously difficult. Caviar is very sensitive--even Champagne will make it taste fishy; only the lightest blanc de blancs work well.
Do you cringe when people order tea or soda with their meal?
LS: Yes! Tea is great after. Soda...Never!
What are some of the trends you're seeing in American wine?
LS: I think that sales of high-end California wines are slowing down, especially from some of the newer estates whose first releases had triple-digit price tags. People seem excited these days about the top-quality Pinot Noirs from specific vineyard sites in Oregon's Willamette Valley and on the Sonoma Coast, like Beaux Freres and the myriad Hirsch wines.
How can I be sure a sommelier won't just steer me to the priciest bottles?
LS: It's easy to tell if they do: They should give you choices within a range.
What's your Thanksgiving wine?
LS: Most likely a red Burgundy on the lighter side, a 1992 Joseph Roty Charmes Chambertin ($75).
What's your celebration wine of choice?
LS: 1986 Krug Clos du Mesnil ($300).