Sommelier’s pick
Who: Camilo Boada, general manager/sommelier at Arturo Boada Cuisine
Background: Boada, a nephew of the eponymous owner-chef, hails from Bogota, Colombia, and began his restaurant career in Houston with the Landry’s group, starting at Saltgrass Steak House and eventually moving on to Brenner’s Steakhouse before joining his uncle at Arturo’s in Uptown Park. Arturo Boada Cuisine, with its Italian- and Spanish-accented menu, opened in 2011 with a wine list that focuses on boutique producers from Italy. A Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Boada has a particular passion for the wines of northwest Italy.
What: 2015 Caves Cooperatives de Donnas “Donnas” Nebbiolo, Vallée d’Aoste
Why: It’s essentially a Barolo from Valle d’Aosta, which means the vineyards are a thousand feet higher in elevation. The wine, Boada says, possesses “a rich minerality and well-balanced elegance that harmonizes with juicy red fruit, dried cherries, violets and dusty tannins. The vines sit on terraced vineyards composed of granite and quartz soil, which adds a beautiful earthy and spicy character. On the palate, it’s silky and balanced with bright acidity and a light but prolonged finish.” Boada suggests pairing the Donnas with the restaurant’s bone-in veal chop.
Price: $18 for a glass or $68 for a bottle at Arturo Boada Cuisine, 6510 Del Monte