Ever thought about your wine program in detail? For some restaurants, the wine program is an afterthought, but for others, it’s the centerpiece. That’s the premise Star Wine List started with, bringing consumers a list of restaurants with the best wines. From hole-in-the-wall, local spots to Michelin-starred restaurants, Star Wine List is the place to go for recommendations across the world, according to its founder, Krister Bengtsson.
Restaurant Hospitality’s senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn recently sat down with Bengtsson for a history of the company — as well as some wine. The two chatted during a wine tasting where Catena Zapata wine was served — both white and red — at the New York City restaurant Chambers. Chambers restaurant was a recent winner at the Star Wine List of the Year Awards held on March 8.
The story of the bottle of red wine, the Malbec, is an epic tale. The bottle, pictured in the video above, tells the story of Malbec in Argentina. Eleanor of Aquitaine represents the birth of Malbec. She is a strong, Old-World presence, lingering at the bridge in Cahors, where Malbec came into its own. Next, the Immigrant symbolizes the movement to the New World and the unknown explorers and adventurers who connected Europe with the Americas. Phylloxera personifies the death of Malbec in the Old World, which enabled its rebirth in the new. Finally, there is Bodega Catena Zapata, represented by Adrianna Catena, who depicts birth, earth, and motherhood, sharing the riches of the New World. Today, the Catena family’s fourth generation leads the high-altitude wine program in Argentina.
