Morton's
Does Great Burgers and Wine
Benefit for Make-A-Wish Foundation
By
Jason Barlow
Morton's
may be a chain, but when it comes to the wines they pair with
their cuisine, every effort is made to ensure a personal touch.
The $19.78 Prime Sirloin Burger is the latest addition to
their menu. Itís available on Sundays through September
28th as part of Morton's 30th anniversary celebration, with
five dollars from every burger going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
As part of the promotion, a selection of wines has been made
to pair with the wide variety of toppings available to enhance
the burger. My colleague and I paid a visit to the San Francisco
location at Union Square to see if our palates agreed with
Mortonís choices.
Our
aide for the evening was assistant manager and sommelier,
Clarence Mahabir. He filled us in on the thinking behind the
pairings, coupling more robust toppings with a tannic super-Tuscan,
mild toppings with a refreshing, lighter wine, and a wine
with a spicy component to balance toppings with more zest
or acidity. Morton's recommendations for such wines are Cannubi
Vineyardís Marchesi di Barolo, a Ponzi Vineyardsí
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and M. Chapoutier, La Bernardine,
Chateauneuf-du-Pape. My colleague and I agreed upon burgers
topped with blue cheese, fresh tomato, lettuce, as well as
a bit of mustard, and selected the French M. Chapoutier for
our accompanying wine.
While
waiting for our dinner, Clarence talked with us about his
wine list. Some of the restaurantís selections are
made by Tylor Field III, Vice President of Wine and Spirits
for Mortonís, but there is still freedom to give the
list a personal touch. Clarence does this by being loyal to
Napa Valley and other California wines, while still giving
all the respect due to the European imports on the list. Part
of his reasoning is that the customers expect it, given San
Franciscoís proximity to Napa, but Clarence also has
a soft spot for wines from the state. In either case, he takes
a great deal of pride in his selections, boasting one of Mortonís
top five wine lists, with an inventory worth over $150,000.
He is more than happy to offer patrons suggestions for lesser
known ìgemsî or converse about wine in general.
We had an excellent chat about French versus California wines,
and exchanged a few suggestions for bottles to try on other
occasions. Mr. Mahabir may have been working, but it was clear
he is more than happy to do his job.
After
our talk, Clarence returned with our selection of wine. The
2005 M. Chapoutier, La Bernardine presents itself with a nose
of black cherry, currants, licorice, and spice. Without food,
flavors of pepper and sage dominate the palate, with hints
of red fruit in the background. The structure is firm, and
the finish left lingering notes of spice. Once paired with
our burgers, the wine mellowed nicely. More of the fruit flavors
came through, the spices were less intense, and the tannins
smoother. Thus, the wineís bold elements were not overpowering
and the juicy, rich flavors of the burgers still came through.
My colleague and I both finished quite pleased.
Should
your travels take you to Union Square on a Sunday, think about
Morton's. The $19.78 burgers are excellent, and they help
support a good cause. Along with being ample, the wine selection
is first-rate, and if you have any questions, want a recommendation,
or simply want to chat about wine, Clarence is there to serve.
Go visit him, and treat yourself to a great meal with just
the right wine to accompany it.
San Francisco
400 Post St., Lower Level_
San Francisco, CA 94102_ _
Phone: 415-986-5830_
Fax: 415-986-5829
Website: SF
Morton's
Morton's
- The Steakhouse
http://www.mortons.com/
