Andy Myers, CityZen

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - You may be forgiven for thinking that Andy Myers’ background belies his professional surroundings.

A former drummer in a well-regarded punk rock band, My Life in Rain, Myers is now the sommelier at the ultra-elegant CityZen restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and the wine director for the five-star property.

He has about 500 bottles on the list, but confesses that he doesn’t keep much in stock, because he’s “addicted to buying wine” and would rather sell out of one and find another great bottle than “keep the same things on all the time.”

A native of Washington, Myers began his hospitality career in hospitality working at a country club snack bar. Later, as his music career took off, he made ends meet between touring and recording by waiting tables and bartending.

After the band split up, he landed a job at the nationally renowned Inn At Little Washington, where he would eventually work his way up to assistant sommelier.

From there, it was on to Restaurant Nora, where he managed the floor and oversaw the wine program.

He completed the first of the Master Sommelier exams last year and then joined the Mandarin. And yes, he’s now banging the skins in yet another rock band.

Q Are there any challenges to pairing with Chef Eric Ziebold’s occasionally eclectic food?

A It’s always exciting getting to work with such creative dishes, and though some are harder than others and Eric will occasionally throw me a curveball with an artichoke entrée or some such “wine-killer,” I really look forward to each new menu. Let’s face it, I’m goofy about food and wine, and I get the privilege of pairing off of one of the best and most exciting chefs around.

Q What’s the strategy in assembling the list?

A Well, it’s a two-pronged approach; first, there is a certain amount of depth and breadth that a list in a restaurant of this caliber requires. One should have a certain amount of big-name California Cabs, first growths [Bordeaux] and Grand Crus, for example. … Secondly, I feel it important to offer a good range of fun and eclectic wines like Taburno’s Falanghina, Terre Nere Guardiola and Nicols Joly Savennières. It’s this second category where I have the most fun. It’s easy to find great $300 bottles of wine, but the killer values offered in quirky, indigenous grapes from odd locales ... is where the true pleasure lies.

Q Do you find more people ordering bottles or asking you to do pairings with the tasting menu? How do you go about that?

A Bottle service wins out by a bit, but I do end up doing a fair amount of pairings each night as well.

Q On the advice side, what’s one grape/region/style that you think is ascendant, that people should be taking a longer look at?

A I’ve been quite fascinated by cool climate, southern hemisphere wines lately; South Western Australia and non-Marlborough, New Zealand. I have a delightful Pinot Noir from Tasmania (Tamar Ridge “Devil’s Corner”) on by the glass right now that has all the class of young Haut Cotes de Nuits.

Q If you were going to a desert island and could only take one bottle from the list, what would it be?

A The biggest one.

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