december 2010 / the tasting panel / 103

by E. C. Gladstone / photos by Sabin Orr

Even Cowgirls Get the Booze: Mariena Mercer of Chandlier at The

Cosmopolitan and Anuhea Hawkins of Nove Italiano at Palms Casino Resort.

104  /  the tasting panel  /  december 2010

Time was, Las Vegas belonged to the fat cats and high rollers, betting more than your salary on a spin of the wheel, sleep-ing in suites bigger than your house and opening jeroboams older than your grandma. Just because they could. These dinosaurs haven’t become altogether extinct, but things are cer-tainly changing.

The muscle of so many “big bottles” and deep cellars has stirred the entire industry’s envy, as well as brought some of its best talent to town (well over a dozen Master Sommeliers working in Vegas at any given time). But it’s also attracted a new generation with new energy, who have taken new approaches to selling the grape. You don’t have to look further for proof than the fact that Bellagio’s program—the biggest of its kind in the world—is overseen by Jason Smith, MS, who’s 32. Or the number of Vegas juicemasters who’ve won Best New Sommelier recognitions in recent years.

THE TASTING PANEL’s Young Guns—all 35 or under—include four diverse sommeliers who have not only made impressive strides for their ages, but are helping reshape how Vegas thinks about wine, one bottle or glass at a time. Now a new appellation or adventure-some vintner is as attention-getting as a marquee vertical.

And because Vegas has come from behind other cities to make huge forward leaps with spirits and cocktails, we’re also highlighting two mixologists, from an ever-expanding pack. Just like the actors who populated the iconic ‘80s movie of the same name, we think this six-pack are the next A-list stars.

Arizona’s Desmond Echavarrie, 28, started his career in the most formal of fi ne dining, and has oddly gone to more casual environments with each position, starting in Vegas at Bellagio’s Picasso, then Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant Charlie, Switch at Wynn Encore, and now ARIA City Center’s Julian Serrano. But the Advanced Sommelier says the tapas concept’s 60-item menu actually provides greater challenge and opportunity. “A few days ago, we did a 16 course meal, and every course I got to pair with a sherry.”

attracted a new generation with

farther for proof than the fact that Bellagio’s program—the biggest of its kind in the world—is overseen by Jason Smith, MS, who’s 32. Or the number of Vegas juicemasters who’ve won Best New Sommelier

THE TASTING PANEL’s Young Guns—all 35 or under—include four diverse sommeliers who have not only made impressive strides

reshape how Vegas thinks about wine, one bottle or glass at a time. Now a new appellation or adventure-some vintner is as attention-getting as

And because Vegas has come from behind other cities to make huge forward leaps with spirits and cocktails, we’re also highlighting two mixologists, from an ever-expanding pack. Just like the actors who populated the iconic ‘80s movie of the same name, we think this six-pack are the next A-list stars.

Desmond Echavarrie, 28, started his career in the most formal of fi ne dining, and has oddly gone to more

once Upon a Time in the West: (left to right) Kim Wood of Jean-Georges Steakhouse at ArIA, Douglas Kim of Aureole at Mandalay Bay and Dustin Drankiewicz of Vanguard Lounge.

december 2010 / the tasting panel / 105

Hawaii native Anuhea Hawkins, a youthful 35, trained as a dancer, but caught the wine bug on a trip to Paris. The mother of two had the extra challenge of studying for her First Level pin from the International Sommelier Guild while pregnant. “I was very sensitive to sulfur and acidity,” she recalls. At Nove Italiano in the fast-paced Palms resort, Anu says, “Italian wine can be very daunting,” but “people are willing to experiment, especially if I’m confi dent in what I’m serving.” On days off, she also instructs for ISG.

Though he holds degrees from the CIA and UNLV, Douglas Kim, 24, jokes that it took a word from his mom over the counter of her Chicago dry

cleaning business to client Charlie Trotter to get Doug’s foot in the door of Restaurant Charlie. The Certifi ed Somm now assists MS William Sherer at the esteemed Aureole. “With such a tight knit commu-nity,” says Doug of Vegas, “it’s a great climate to learn in.”

Kim Wood, 32, toyed with three different corporate career paths before a job at Dallas’s Pappas Brothers Steakhouse under MS Drew Hendricks settled things. Less than fi ve years later, with an Advanced Somm pin, he was tapped to help build the cellar at Jean-Georges Steakhouse at ARIA, the star chef’s latest Vegas outpost. Kim fi nds his pairings inspired not only by Vongerichten’s diverse menu but also the diners. “Las Vegas is exceptionally worldly. It’s not uncommon in one evening to have guests from Mexico, Spain, Italy and France, and they’re very savvy about wine.”

Milwaukee’s Dustin Drankiewicz, 26, has only been in Vegas four months, but the former mixologist for the SURG Restaurant Group has wasted no time making his mark at downtown’s Vanguard Lounge. “I never understood these bartenders making it into a magic show,” he says. Instead, Dustin likes updating clas-sics with seasonal ingredients and original twists. “When I see something replicated, it’s no longer interesting.”

Mariena Mercer, 27, cut her teeth as the “Tequila Goddess” at Chef Mark Sandoval’s Isla. But as GM of the new Cosmopolitan resort’s dramatic Chandelier bar (one of three mixologists in the property’s ambitious program), the Vegas local is clearly more than a pretty face. Drawing on molecular techniques and ingredients like genever, bacon-infused bourbon, sezchuan buttons and lemon verbena, Mariena boasts, “Beverage has never been executed like this in Vegas. We have over 150 specialty cocktails.”

december

Though he holds degrees from the CIA and UNLV, took a word from his mom over the counter of her Chicago dry

cleaning business to client Charlie Trotter

great climate to learn in.”

different corporate career paths before a job at Dallas’s Pappas Brothers Steakhouse under MS Drew Hendricks settled things. Less than fi ve years later, with an Advanced Somm pin, he was tapped to help build the cellar at Jean-Georges Steakhouse at ARIA, the star chef’s latest Vegas outpost. Kim fi nds his pairings inspired not only by Vongerichten’s diverse menu but also the diners. “Las Vegas is exceptionally worldly. It’s not uncommon in one evening to have guests from Mexico, Spain, Italy and France, and they’re very savvy about wine.”

Milwaukee’s has only been in Vegas four months, but the former mixologist for the SURG Restaurant Group has wasted no time making his mark at downtown’s Vanguard Lounge. “I never understood these bartenders making it into a magic show,” he says. Instead, Dustin likes updating clas-sics with seasonal ingredients and original twists. “When I see something replicated, it’s no longer interesting.”

Mariena Mercer“Tequila Goddess” at Chef Mark Sandoval’s Isla. But as GM of the new Cosmopolitan resort’s dramatic Chandelier bar (one of three mixologists in the property’s ambitious program), the Vegas local is clearly more than a pretty face. Drawing on molecular techniques and ingredients like genever, bacon-infused bourbon, sezchuan buttons and lemon verbena, Mariena boasts, “Beverage has never been executed like this in Vegas. We have over 150 specialty cocktails.”

Have Corkscrew, Will Travel: Desmond Echavarrie of Julian

Serrano at ARIA.