It can be hard finding the perfect wine for the right occasion. Bottles never taste as crisp as their restaurant counterparts, and even when they do the meal pairings are just off a tad bit. With Wine Access' MICHELIN subscription program, you'll no longer spend hours in the wine aisle.
Curated in partnership with MICHELIN Starred restaurants like Two Star Saison and Three Star Addison, The MICHELIN Guide Wine Club delivers four bottles, five times per year, and MICHELIN Guide worthy wine to your front door. The best part? The bottles cost between $160 - $200 and come with custom pairing recommendations along with exclusive invitations to wine events and the opportunity to learn from industry leading experts.
Below, MICHELIN Starred restaurants share their favorite pairings with some of the wines from this year's Wine Access deliveries. So grab your corkscrew and some fabulous glasses, because it's time to crack a bottle.
Addison
Sean McGinness, Director of Service
WINE: 2016 CVNE GRAN RESERVA RIOJA
PAIRING: A5 WAGYU, MISO-EGGPLANT, MATSUTAKE BROTH, BLACK GARLIC
A dish this rich with decadence and savory umami calls for a wine with firm tannins, bold flavor, and balanced acidity—and the 2016 CVNE Gran Reserva boasts all three. Family-owned since 1879, CVNE is one of the region's greatest producers. Addison Director of Service Sean McGinness calls their sophisticated Gran Reserva "a wine for the ages," and "a benchmark for the legendary wines from Rioja."
WINE: 2019 CHÂTEAU DE NALYS SAINTES PIERRES DE NALYS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE RHÔNE VALLEY
PAIRING: SQUAB YAKITORI, PEANUT MISO, PAK CHOI, TOKYO TURNIPS
From the iconic Guigal family, this wine exemplifies the wild aromas and seductive fruit and spice flavors of the Mediterranean that arise from Southern Rhône blends. It matches the succulence of the squab and brings freshness ot the creamy, salty-sweet peanut miso.
WINE: 2021 STORM WINES PINOT NOIR SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
PAIRING: ROASTED SWEETBREAD, CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER, GEM LETTUCE, BLACK TRUFFLES
Ernst Storm has sourced biodynamic, organic, and sustainably farmed vineyards in Santa Barbara County to craft a wine that McGinness describes as "delicate, distinct, and lovely al at once." It's got silky red fruit to play off the sweetbread's smooth texture and dark spice to complement the earthiness of the truffles.
WINE: 2021 JONATHAN-DIDIER PABIOT ELISA POUILLY-FUMÉ LOIRE VALLEY
PAIRING: KANPACHI SASHIMI, PRESERVED PEARS, SALTED KIWI, SHISO FLOWERS
A philosophical disciple of legendary winemaker Didier Barral, Jonathan Pabiot has crafted an expressive, transparent Pouilly-Fumé from the first biodynamic estate of the region. The sashimi's buttery freshness makes a perfect match for the wine's expressiveness and bright acidity, while the sweetness of the fruit integrates wonderfully with the Sauv Blanc's zesty citrus notes.
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami
Henrique Castillo, Head Sommelier
WINE: NV CHAMPAGNE DEUTZ BRUT CLASSIC
PAIRING: LA VOLAILLE (TERRINE OF HERITAGE CHICKEN, BLACK TRUFFLE, SHAVED FOIE GRAS, CHERRY AND LEEKS)
Henrique: "A classic champagne that's rich in texture, benefiting from long maturation on the lees, it remains fresh and savory with aromas of brioche, dried apple skins and honeycomb that interplay beautifully with the earthy truffles and sweet foie gras."
WINE: 2021 BEDROCK WINE COMPANY THE BEDROCK HERITAGE SONOMA VALLEY
PAIRING: LE PORCELET (SUCKLING PORK LOIN, SPRING PEAS AND SAUCE BLANQUETTE)
Henrique recommends pairing vintner Morgan Twain- Peterson's outstanding Bedrock Heritage red with Atelier's tender pork loin with fragrant Blanquette sauce. It's a gorgeous match of French tradition and one of California's most historic vineyards.
WINE: 2022 DOMAINE RAFFAITIN-PLANCHON SANCERRE BLANC
PAIRING: LES LEGUMES PRIMEURS (WARM COMPOSITION OF SUMMER VEGETABLES, CORIANDER FLOWER, MINT, GOAT CHEESE)
Grassy, herbaceous, and tangy—the flavors of this spectacular Sauvignon Blanc mirror the flavors of the dish, making it a gorgeous pairing, especially for the warm summer months. You won't find a more classic match than goat cheese and Sancerre!
WINE: 2018 TAPIZ MALBEC BLACK TEARS UCO VALLEY
PAIRING: LE SHORT RIBS (BRAISED SHORT RIB & FOIE GRAS WRAPPED IN SAVOY CABBAGE AND SERVED IN A RED WINE SAUCE)
Henrique: "With its full spectrum of red, blue, and dark fruit character and aromas of dried plums, figs and menthol, a full-bodied wine with ripe, integrated ripe tannins and a long, polished finish, it's perfect to match with this rich and succulent dish."
Saison
Molly Greene, Beverage Director
WINE: 2016 SAISON WINERY PINOT NOIR COAST GRADE VINEYARD BEN LOMOND MOUNTAIN
PAIRING: SONOMA DUCK BREAST, RUBBED WITH HONEY & SPICES, SMOKED
A Pinot Noir grown on the Coast Grade Vineyard in the tiny Ben Lomond Mountain AVA, beverage director Molly Greene pairs it with Sonoma duck breast, which has been rubbed with honey and spices and smoked. The dish is served with a sauce made from duck bones, as well as the duck heart and gizzard.
WINE: 2009 BODEGAS RIOJANAS VINA ALBINA RIOJA GRAN RESERVA
PAIRING: ANTELOPE SADDLE, AGED FOR 18 DAYS AND GRILLED OVER THE EMBERS
Antelope saddle, aged for 18 days and grilled over the embers, brings out the best in this perfectly aged Rioja. The saddle is served with braised and grilled endive, grits seasoned with garum, and a sauce made from the antelope bones.
WINE: 2018 SAISON WINERY SYRAH COASTVIEW VINEYARD MONTEREY
PAIRING: A5 WAGYU, COMING FROM MIYAZAKI, JAPAN
The Syrah Coastview is a perfect match for Saison's A5 Wagyu, which comes from Miyazaki, Japan. The beef is served with radicchio grilled over the embers, a sauce made from dried mushrooms, and the marrow of the same Wagyu.
WINE: 2019 J. MOREAU & FILS FOURCHAUME CHABLIS PREMIER CRU
PAIRING: A SALAD OF LOCAL DUNGENESS CRAB WARMED OVER THE FIRE
This wine is pure poetry with a salad of local Dungeness crab warmed over the fire, with heart of palm, citrus, and a vinaigrette made from the crab shells. The pairing brings out the lemon zest and saline minerality, plus hints of nuttiness in the wine and the sweetness of the crab.
Providence
David Osenbach, Wine Director
WINE: 2019 TOPA MOUNTAIN WINERY BLEND 150 SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
PAIRING: LIBERTY FARMS' DUCK BREAST
This one I like to pair with our Liberty Farms' Duck Breast. Right now, it's coming with roasted pear and vadouvan curry, and the toasted cinnamon and clove in the wine really make that curry spice sing. The wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, with enough weight to stand up to the richness of the duck, but also with a surprising elegance and brightness.
WINE: 2021 DOMAINE DE PANISSE LE MAS CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE
PAIRING: A5 WAGYU
This is also a Grenache-based wine, but different from the Topa Mountain. I'm pairing this one with our A5 Wagyu. The wine has a beautiful structure, and a good punch of acidity, which the rich Wagyu beef needs. It also has a touch of smokiness, which accents the smoked Wagyu fat and toasted sesame in the sauce beautifully.
WINE: 2022 LOUIS MOREAU CHABLIS BURGUNDY
PAIRING: MUSSELS
I'd happily drink this wine with anything, but right now I'd pair it with a mussel dish that we just put on the menu. It's essentially a trio of mussel flavors—a shot of rich mussel broth, followed by a mussel in the shell with shiitake mushroom gratineed with toasted breadcrumbs. Finally, there's a Japanese egg custard, or Chawanmushi, made with mussel stock and garnished with Hokkaido Uni and chive. The Moreau works with all of these flavors—of course Chablis is a no-brainer with all kinds of shellfish, but there's a distinct savory note to the wine that really enhances the mushroom and chive flavors. Also, it has a perfect balance of bright acidity and ripe fruit—the former cutting through the richness of the dish, and the latter picking up on the natural sweetness of the mussel itself.
Hero image: Katie June Burton/L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami
