Nearly a decade ago, a driven and engaging student of hotel and hospitality management left his native Ireland to study in Switzerland. As he cycled past the breathtaking Alpine mountains and lakes in his spare time, he was struck by the vineyards and wineries that dotted the picturesque landscape. Then one day, Eoin O’Donnell found himself among a large group of people being interviewed for a single, American-based food & beverage position with Hyatt.
Suddenly, O’Donnell’s bags were packed and he was en route to the topographical opposite of Switzerland: the flat lands of Chicago. But his local experience has been anything but plain. He fine-tuned his expertise in wine while mentored by two Chicago-based Master Sommeliers: Fernando Beteta of NoMI at the Park Hyatt, and Joe Spellman during a stint at the Conrad Hilton.
Eventually, First Hospitality Group (FHG) – which owns both the Hilton’s Indian Lakes Resort in suburban Bloomingdale and freestanding restaurants – offered O’Donnell the opportunity to be their Regional Food & Beverage Director, overseeing several programs. Having obtained his title as Certified Sommelier, O’Donnell specifically set about revamping two suburban restaurants and their wine lists: Indian Lakes’ Shiraz on the Water and Salsa 17 in Arlington Heights. Chicago Budget Wine Examiner sat down with O’Donnell recently to discuss these two restaurants’ wine programs – plus his view of the value sector:
Chicago Budget Wine Examiner: What went into crafting this 1,000-plus-bottle list? Was this area ripe for a wine-themed restaurant?
Eoin O’Donnell: When I arrived in late 2007, the restaurant was called Sedona. Then, after some time, it was re-launched as “Shiraz on the Water.” Our first full year after the re-launch was 2009, and we made approximately $250,000 in wine sales. This was huge growth, and showed that the model worked. We knew there were a couple of other places that had a wine theme, but they were not all that close to us, and we felt there was a real need to provide this type of list, which I designed with its great variety. We started some fun wine flights and established a large by-the-glass program: 40-45 wines by the glass. Even though the majority of our business is hotel-based, our goal is to create an identity that we’re more of a true freestanding restaurant – one that really attracts the local community.
CBWE: What else presents a challenge with such a big list?
EO: When we bring new staff on board, we have to ensure that they are servers equipped with the knowledge to up-sell to a higher-priced wine in a credible way. Expensive wines can cause some apprehension – for both the guest and the staff, alike – and we want servers to really embrace the wines they’re putting forth and achieve a comfort level with the guest so they can really communicate their knowledge. We don’t bring in college kids to work for the summer; this needs to be your career, to come in here as a server.
CBWE: Talk about Salsa 17 in Arlington Heights, and Mexican food and wine pairings: What do you recommend with Chef Jose Luna’s specialties, in particular, his different mole sauces, and their often spicy character?
EO: I think sometimes when you’re pairing wine and food, you do have to consider taste, weight and texture. But, then you start focusing more on the sauce. A Riesling that has a good spine, some good backbone to it is great to have with many of Chef Luna’s meals. But also, a jammy or smoky Zinfandel would complement some of the richer sauces. Chef Luna’s menu is so authentic – he buys ingredients fresh from vendors you’ve never heard of, right down to the chips and guacamole. He is one of the most talented chefs I’ve worked with in my life. His method of cooking really lends itself to wine, and patrons don’t automatically think cocktails or beer. We have a list of 30 wines by the glass, plus a reserve list of 100 wines. A goal since we’ve put the new list together is promoting some of the newer, emerging wines, such as Torrontés and Vinho Verde. These varietals allow us to achieve new ways of pairing wine and Mexican food.
CBWE: In your own words, how do you distinguish between value wine and wine that’s simply inexpensive?
EO: I think that value is a perception whereby people want the best-quality wine at a truly great price, but [for the purveyor] it also means that big margins and the bottom line are not everything. Repeat traffic often outpaces the bigger margins. When we consistently pass value on to people, they come back. A huge element of value is the customer’s perception. And we let people know about some of the wines that are different, and not as familiar. Wine from parts of Chile won’t bear the same real estate costs as wines from Napa Valley. Providing value also depends on having a good pre-shift discussion with your staff about wine. They’re then empowered to communicate the sense of value to the customer. When a guest can leave with a little more knowledge about something than when they walked in, they can feel so great about themselves.
CBWE: Any obscure varietals caught your attention lately?
EO: I really enjoy Portuguese Vinho Verde, especially its zippy acidity. Greco di Tufo from Italy is a terrific white, too – with tropical flavors of mango and ripe peach. A value red that I really like from southern Italy is Aglianico. It’s a real powerhouse, with some Amarone characteristics. It’s so leathery and earthy, with some rose petal aspects and lots of black fruit.
CBWE: What are your personal favorites – red and white – priced at or under $15 at retail?
EO: For a red, I like the Renato Ratti Ochetti Nebbiolo d’Alba 2006. It’s very well made, and a great value-priced way to taste that grape. You can’t go wrong with it because of the consistency from vintage to vintage. It has to be this way, or the wine just won’t make it into this market. It’s delightful on its own, but it complements the stronger, red meat-based dishes. You could get for around $12 a bottle.
For a white, I like the Greek Santorini [the Boutari is well rated], which is lovely in the summer. I’m really partial to it. It has a nice acidity, but it’s not overpowering, I would recommend it with our ahi tuna, as well as many other seafood dishes.
And, just a friendly reminder from Chicago Budget Wine Examiner: Law enforcement is cracking down on drunk driving over the Labor Day weekend. Plan ahead and have a designated, sober driver, take a taxi or access public transportation.
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