#368
The Surf Club
Latest Episode
- 8/2/23 | 4:37
About this Episode
Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, and Robert Tas take a trip to The Surf Club at Miami Beach, a Kellers flagship restaurant and one that celebrates and upholds the glamor of the '50s and '60s hotspots. The Surf Club offers a list of traditional wines with a lot of the big, famous names that always deliver, and Tina identifies bottles on the list that pair well with delicious dishes on the menu.
Wines reviewed include:
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2019 Henri Germain Meursault, Burgundy
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2020 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie, Beaujolais
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2016 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune, Alsace
Cork Rules Script
The Surf Club Restaurant
Music Intro
RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!
I’m your host Robert Tas along with Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier.
Hi Tina, thanks for being back with us on another episode of CorkRules, - a podcast where we help simplify and demystify the wine lists at some of your favorite restaurants. We talk with certified sommeliers and wine professionals who point out interesting bottles, classic food and wine pairings, hidden gems, value wines, or splurge wines that will take your dining experience over the top.
TJ: Thank you Robert, happy to be back. The restaurant we’re diving into today is The Surf Club located in Surfside, Miami Beach. The Surf Club Restaurant has one Michelin star, and as it’s run by chef Thomas Keller I think no one is surprised. Those of you who’ve heard about The French Laundry in California know exactly what I’m talking about, and for those of you who doesn’t yet, it’s Kellers flagship restaurant and a truly iconic three Michelin star establishment. So yes, I’m very happy to look into the wine list of The Surf Club today.
RT: So am I, as you say Thomas Keller is an incredibly successful chef with Michelin restaurants from California to New York, and of course here in Miami. So in The Surf Club Restaurant the food is so called continental, meaning inspired by French and Mediterranean cooking and the design is Art Deco with a beautiful vintage bar you should try out before dinner.
TJ: Yes, it’s quite beautiful here. And the wine list is a sight to behold as well. It’s a big list with focus on France but you can find good bottles from all over Europa and California as well. I would say the list is rather traditional with a lot of the big, famous names. Since the food menu offers many different options I think it’s nice that the wine list does as well.
RT: So do I! So what would be your pick to The Surf Club’s classic Bay Scallop Crudo with buttermilk basil dressing and caviar?
TJ: I would probably opt for a classic Chardonnay. They have the 2019 Henri Germain Meursault which is a beautiful wine with well integrated oak from Burgundy. Elegant enough not to overpower the scallop, but it has a bit of body to stand up against the buttermilk. I think this wine would go well with a lot of their other seafood dishes as well, like the oysters or the prawn cocktail.
RT: Who can say no to Meursault? I know I can’t. Sounds like a great pairing! And how would you continue the evening? I know they have som great meats on the menu as well, like filet mignon and New York strip steak. What are we drinking to this?
TJ: Given the more elegant food at The Surf Club Restaurant I would pick a wine that is not too full-bodied. They have the 2020 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie which is great value for money in my opinion. Fleurie is one of the crus of Beaujolais in France and this producer makes a more structured style of the local grape Gamay. Quite dark fruit flavours and more tannins than the juicy style Beaujolais is know for. And, if you’ve ordered many different courses around the table this is the kind of wine that could suit a lot of different plates!
RT: I would probably not have thought of Beaujolais as a match with meat but you have me convinced! And finally, if we’re here to celebrate – which is your bottle of choice? Which wine stands out a bit extra for that special moment?
TJ: That would have to be a wine from one of my top regions when talking of gastronomic wine – Alsace. I would celebrate with a bottle of 2016 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune, a dry and quite oily and concentrated style of Riesling. Trimbach is one of the more well-known producers of the area, and this is their top wine, making it a benchmark wine for the entire region. A must try for wine lovers at some point!
RT: Thank you for your delicious recommendations Tina, already looking forward to next time.
And to our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.
If you would like us to review one of your favorite
restaurants, please send us email to:Info@CorkRules.Com or visit our web website where we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.
We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists wherever you get your podcasts. And finally, drink what you love and please make
sure you drink responsibly.
END
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