It was towards the end of the Celebrating Excellence wine list awards lunch at the Vancouver International Wine Festival when the Platinum Awards were announced. This is the highest possible honour for the very best wine programs in Vancouver. The first two werent much of a surprise. Perennial winners known for their excellence, Blue Water Café and Cioppinos Mediterranean Grill, are dependable and admirable in the depth and focus of their respective programs. When the third and final restaurant was announced, the room full of British Columbia and Albertas wine trade erupted; The Wine Room at JOEY Bentall One rounded out the lauded trio.
This is notable for a few reasons. I love that a very accessible, casual fine dining restaurant received this award because it easily dismisses any assumptions that theres a glass ceiling on on ambition or potential achievement, just because a place isnt high-end. And speaking of glass ceilings, this award wasnt received by some guy whos been an industry veteran for decades on end, or a conservative-suited consultant, part of some old boys club. Nope, bounding up the steps as applause filled the room were two well-loved, spirited young pros: Jessica Bryans, beverage purchasing manager of JOEYs 22 locations, and her cellar manager at The Wine Room, Lisa Cook.
Do I think its a tougher run for females to reach these heights in the world of wine? Jessica pondered during our chat in her ninth-floor Bentall Centre office (being the head buyer for such a big, popular chain is a pretty plum gig, after all). Shed previously climbed the ladder quite high at Everything Wine for four years, working virtually every possible position in the company. She swirled the wine in her glass a potential addition to her Wine Room list and looked at it thoughtfully for a moment. No, you know what, I really dont think it is at all, she responded. But I dont take that for granted. I think its only possible because so many amazing women have already paved that road in the past that it makes it much more attainable to everyone today.
While much of her tasting, meetings and business occurs way up above The Wine Room, she often pops downstairs to The Lab (her pet name for the place, as its where she trials most wines for the company). However, she leaves it to Lisa Cook to be her eyes on the floor. Lisas role is keeping staff (well-) educated, engaging guests and assisting with the direction of the wine program, a program that offers a clever breadth of wines from more conservative classics like California Cabernets to quirky, eclectic options like a Sancerre Rouge. As one of the wine list award judges, I and any guest I brought into The Wine Room were consistently blown away by the staffs knowledge and enthusiasm for the program, always keen to assist us in navigating two-ounce tasters and offering as much or as little guidance as was appropriate. This kind of enthusiasm and savviness is rarely spontaneous, and I guarantee its a top-down attitude in this situation.
I encourage you to go and see what the fuss is about. Theyve done a lot of hard work to bring The Wine Room at JOEY to the top of its game but its all of us who get to enjoy the fruits of their labour.
While I had her to chat about the award, I wasnt going to let the opportunity pass to have Jessica recommend a wine for your weekend. Ill let her ably take it from here:
Alain Brumont 2010 Gros Manseng Sauvignon | Madiran, France | $16-18 | Private wine stores
Here is a wine that really over-delivers for the price! Brumont combines the grape varieties Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc to make this crisp and refreshing white wine that works perfectly with seafood dishes. The palate shows lively acidity with flavours of lemon-lime, gooseberry, honey and apple. Incredibly clean and well-balanced for a wine of this price and a perfect white for spring.
