Thank you to Carmen McGee, General Manager and Wine Director at Joseph Decuis Restaurant for being my guest blogger and for educating us on the topic of wine.
This place for fine dining is tucked away in charming Roanoke, IN. www.josephdecuis.com

A Conversation with Carmen McGee

Carmen, would you please tell us what your job title is and what it means?

My job title is General Manager and Wine Director. I direct all operations for the front-of the-house which means scheduling servers, bartenders, bussers and valets. I also plan all of our parties, caterings, weddings and any type of special event. I arrange our wine luncheons, dinners and summertime courtyard wine tasting and appetizer parties. I am in charge of our wine program which includes our wine list, our wines by the glass program and our specialty cocktails. I order our liquor, wine and beer.

What is your training background?

Many, many, many hours on the dining room floor! I have worked in the restaurant business since I was 16 years old, it was my first job. I have held almost every position in the front-of-the-house operation so I have a good grasp on who is doing what and what is going on. I’ve worked in fine dining for about 15 years, 10 of which have been at Joseph Decuis. I learned a lot about wine by tasting and reading. I took a course from the Court of the Master Sommeliers and received my Introductory Sommelier Certificate in 1994. I have attended countless wine tastings and have been to vineyards in California a couple of times. I never stop learning about wine, it’s wonderful!

Tell us about Joseph Decuis and their wine collection.

We have an extensive collection. We have over 600 different wine labels in our cellar and our vintage depth is quite good as well. We have won the Wine Spectator Award every year since 2001. Our wines are maintained in our temperature controlled-cellar (55 degrees) for optimum storage and serving conditions. We cater to every budget and every taste. We try to make wine accessible to everyone, so everybody can enjoy it as much as we do.

As a wine expert, how do you serve the needs of the diners at Joseph Decuis?

We have guests who dine here that know more than I do about wine, and we have guests who dine here who have never even tried wine, so I have to be flexible and have a wide range of knowledge. Our more experienced guests know what they like and will ask my opinion about a certain wine of the varietal they like or a certain vintage. For instance, we have five different Mondavi Cabernet vintages-which one is the best? That’s where I come in. For the less experienced diner I start with what they like- is it red or white, sweet or dry? How much does a person want to spend on a bottle of wine…$19 or $65 or $300? We can assist at all levels.

What is some basic information that a diner should know about choosing a wine to pair with a meal?

The first rule is to go with what you like. Many people won’t drink a red with their fish or a white with their steak, but they shouldn’t be held back by stereotypes. There are very soft reds, like Pinot Noir or Gamay that can go well with fish, especially with salmon. A hearty white like a California Chardonnay can hold its own against a steak with a light sauce. Wine is quite flexible. You should think about the sauce on the food too, that’s important. Wine should accentuate the food; the two should be a happy marriage! The tried and true formulas are standards for a reason. Classical pairings I like are Wagyu Steak with Cabernet Sauvignon, an acidic Sauvignon Blanc that complements a buttery fish, Pinot Grigio with a light dinner salad. My husband, who is the Executive Chef at Joseph Decuis, loves Sauternes with Foie Gras-a melt in your mouth combination.

How do you accommodate multiple main courses with one type of wine?

Two ways: go with a by-the-glass selection, or get a bottle of white and red.

What is the average price of a bottle of wine in restaurants like Joseph Decuis?

Our prices range from $18/bottle to $900/bottle. We are all over the board!

Who should be in charge of choosing the wine?

The host of the party should be in charge of choosing the wine, or whomever the host would like to designate. There should be a clear go-to person with whom the server or wine steward can communicate

When you present the wine to the host what is the protocol for giving approval to pour?

First you present the wine label to the host to ensure it is the correct wine and the correct vintage of the wine. Next you open the wine and pour an ounce for the host to taste, and he or she will nod approval or tell us verbally, yes, that works, or that’s great. Smelling the cork before tasting the wine is like an old wives tale. Corks are not going to tell you whether or not the wine is good. However, looking at the cork can be fun and contain literal information, like a winery’s website or the vintage of the wine.

The only acceptable reason to send back a bottle of wine is if the wine has gone bad, or is “corked”, meaning it smells excessively musty or like wet cardboard. If a wine is truly oxidized or “bad”, you will know. It is not good etiquette to send back a bottle of wine because it is not to your taste. If you are unsure of what you are ordering, it is safe to go with a by the glass selection. Good restaurants have excellent wines by the glass.

Thirdly, you pour clockwise around the table, always pouring for the ladies first. You should pour about three or four ounces at a time. Do not to pour the whole bottle at first, save some for later unless it is a large group that will require multiple bottles.

Does the fact that wine has screw cap vs. a cork define the quality of the wine?

The answer to this used to be yes, but not anymore, not by a long shot. We have French wines coming in with screw caps now. We have a very high quality California Cab with a glass stopper. There are two reasons behind the change: environmental concern and wine spoilage factors. Cork comes from trees so by using screw caps or other forms of stoppers on wine, wineries are saving trees. Second, the winemaker is assured 100% that their wine will not spoil due to cork taint, or cork leakage-no oxygen is able to enter the bottle with a screw cap. So in theory, with a screw cap, the wine that leaves the winery will be the wine that you taste when you open the bottle. Screw-capped wines are usually meant to be drunk young-not aged in a cellar for more than a couple of years, especially if it’s white wine.

What are some of your favorite wines?

Chappellet Mountain Cuvée, Dry Creek Chenin Blanc, Stella Maris Red, Latour, Drouhin

Do you recommend a wine for daily table wine?

At our house we drink a lot of Argentine malbec and Oregon Pinot Noir. But I don’t turn back on too many wines! I love to drink rosés in the summer, they tend to go with everything.

Joseph Decuis is more than a place to eat. It is an experience! Visit their web site and see what they have to offer. www.josephdecuis.com