Chicago Sommelier
Elizabeth Mendez
UNCORKS A FEW MIDWEST
SPARKLING WINES

Elizabeth Mendez, known in the culinary and oenophile (wine connoisseur) worlds marries what she calls “the enticing and tantalizing world of fl avor on the plate, in the glass, on the road and in business” on the blog, The Cook & The Corkscrew. Partnered with husband and Chef Mark Mendez, together, they chronicle “the trials and tribulations of becoming an entrepreneur and opening a restaurant.”

EC: Share with us some of your personal favorites from Midwest wineries.

EM:

L. MAWBY IN MICHIGAN

This winery actually changed my view of local wines, and proved to me that they can in fact be great. Th e winery produces the L. Mawby line of products and also the M. Lawrence label.

L.         Mawby Blanc de Blancs: Predominately Chardonnay;

Aromas of baked apples and pie dough, a bit more crisp on the palate. Perfect sparkling wine to pair with local fall food, this would pair well with a spiced butternut squash soup.

M.        Lawrence Sex Rosé Brut: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay;

Aromas of red currants and a touch of yeast. On the palate, pomegranate, cranberry, slightly nutty and quite delicate. Pairing: a great sparkling rosé with cured meats, specifically the Acorn Edition Spallacia from La Quercia.

LYNFRED WINERY IN ILLINOIS

Here’s a winery that fights the good fight every day for local wine.

Illinois’ oldest and largest winery.

Lynfred Sparkling Brut: Green apples, ginger, lemongrass: this sparkling wine makes me want to hit the Green Acres Farm stand at Green City Market for many of the Eccles family greens to sauté with onions and bacon to pair with this sparkling wine.

Lynfred Sparkling Brut Rosé: Strawberries, touch of toasted spice. Sparkling wine and cheese is one of my favorite ways to end a meal (I’m not a dessert person). We (my husband Mark and I)    are big fans of Judy Schad and Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheeses.

To pick just one of Judy’s cheeses to pair is tough, because I’ve yet to have one I didn’t love but for the Lynfred Sparkling Brut Rosé I would pair Piper’s Pyramid, apples from Mick Klug Farms and Heritage Prairie honey.

EC: How did you decide to become a sommelier?

EM: While financing my education at DePaul University, one of my first jobs—waiting tables in Chicago—I worked for a gentlemen from Sardinia, Italy where his passion for Italian wine made a huge impression on me. That job was where the food and wine bug hit. After years of self education and working with a few mentors in the wine business, some wine directors and Master Sommeliers, I realized being a sommelier was one of the many facets I wanted to incorporate into my career. Being a sommelier has also been inspiring, since my husband (and business partner) is a chef.

EC: Tell us about your new venture with Mark.

EM: Uva, meaning grape in Spanish, is a wine bar and restaurant in the West Loop with Spanish cuisine, worldly wine. Whether we’re talking food, wine or beer the focus will be on quality, artisanal products, made and presented with great pride and care. While you won’t necessarily see farm names on the menu, we will of course have the same commitment to the farms we’ve worked with in the past, many of which you see at Green City Market. We will also be highlighting great beers from the Midwest, as they can be very food friendly especially with the cheeses you’ll find at our cheese bar. We’re very excited to be featuring wine on tap as well, for various reasons: environmentally friendly, freshness, quality and affordability. We’re hoping to open mid-October, while I enjoy the bounty that summer has to offer, seasonal foods of fall are really exciting to me and are some of my favorite to pair with beer and wine. ec

Editor’s note: You can find L Mawby sparkling wine at Marion Street Cheese Market in Oak Park, LUSH Wine and Spirits, Provenance, or purchase online: lmawby.com.

Lynfred is at select Binny’s, LUSH Wine and Spirits, Whole Foods Markets, and available for purchase online. Stop by the winery’s Chicago area tasting rooms, for more information: Lynfredwinery.com

As an alcohol-free option, Cedar Creek Winery of Cederburg, Wisconsin offers a Sparkling Grape Juice. No sugar added. Available: cedarcreekwinery.com.