Ed Manetta, Wine Director/Sommelier for Urban Kitchen Group restaurants (CUCINA urbana, CUCINA enoteca – Irvine, Del Mar, and Newport Beach), has worked in the wine industry for over 18 years and was certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers in 1999. In 2002, he became a University of California, Irvine wine instructor and is currently the most tenured wine instructor at UCI. In 2010 he passed the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Advanced Certificate with Merit and is currently enrolled in the WSET Diploma Level program, the highest level. Upon his completion in mid-2016, Ed will enter into the Master of Wine program—the most coveted title in the wine industry.
At CUCINA enoteca’s in-house Wine Shop, Manetta has created a balanced, highly edited wine list of familiar names and rare, small-batch gems. Most recently, Manetta’s eye for detail earned CUCINA enoteca a Golden Foodie nomination for Best Wine List in Orange County.
When did wine become an important part of your life?
After college I became interested in wine. I got the wine bug in a non-traditional manner, becoming fascinated about it first through reading as opposed to tasting. However, the taste obsession came quickly thereafter.
Sommeliers always seem to be studying. With 15+ years experience under your belt what can you tell us about your continued educational path?
My goal is to become a Master of Wine; I wish I had started down the path much earlier in my career. I received my Sommelier Certification back in 1999, but it wasn’t until 2010 that I began making my way through the levels of the WSET. Passing all of their levels is the gateway to the MW program. I have one more exam to take and hopefully pass in June and, fingers crossed, I’ll be done with all 4 levels of the WSET and will become an MW Candidate later this year.
Which wine regions have you most recently traveled to, either here in the US or overseas?
A few months ago I had an eye-opening trip to several wine regions in Chile and Argentina. One country wasn’t better than the other, but they were so different. Argentina is packed with traditional farmers whose family has worked the same plot of land for generations, whereas Chile has more newness, replete with imported winemakers and overseas money. Recently I’ve also traveled to the Willamette Valley, one of my favorite regions for the wine, the scenery and the people. Locally, I never miss a chance to get to Santa Barbara wine country. In July my wife and I are traveling to the up-and-coming Okanagan Valley. We can’t wait!
What are some of your standout wine grapes at the moment and why?
Drinking Alsatian whites always reminds me of why I got into wine, especially Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer in all of its forms. Ramping up for the summer I’ve been on a bit of a buying spree of lesser-known Italian white grapes like Carricante, Catarratto and Pallagrello. Many are well made, inexpensive and very unique. It’s fun to have guests try a grape they’ve never heard of before.
In addition to Italian varietals, what other regions or small-batch gems have you incorporated onto the list at CUCINA/Urban Kitchen Group?
Carlo and Dante Mondavi, grandsons of Robert Mondavi, started Raen Winery to focus on California cool climate Pinot Noir sites. We locked up some of their 200cs production Fort Ross-Seaview Vineyard Pinot Noir, which is elegance defined. Scar of the Sea is a project started by a couple of wine geeks associated with Bien Nacido Vineyards. Their minimalist winemaking style shows through in their unfiltered and complex Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We carry both flavors whenever available and both have miniscule 100cs productions. On the California cult front, we in the OC will always take our allocations of Saxum, Scarecrow, Abreu and Kongsgaard.
What can you tell us about the wine retail program at CUCINA/Urban Kitchen Group?
Whether enjoyed at a table or taken to go, all of our wines are offered at retail-competitive pricing. To be inside of a restaurant and have access to wines at retail prices is a difficult concept for customers to grasp. But once they do we see them trading up because they realize that every dollar spent will go towards the true price of the bottle.
Do you think there has been a shift in the way wine service is conducted or how wine is represented in restaurants?
In terms of wine service, even in high-end restaurants I have seen a shift from the stuffy Somm to a more interactive one, ready to tell exciting background stories about the wines they pour. In wine-driven restaurants the service is still on-point and crisp, but more casual and inviting. I enjoy seeing wine represented in restaurants as an integral part of the dining experience. And in terms of where it’s from, other than in the most regional-driven restaurants, any wine from anywhere is fair game as long as it’s well-made and fairly priced. At our California-inspired Italian restaurants we have Slovenian Riesling alongside American multi-state red blends.
Learn more about WINE DIRECTOR Ed Manetta at his Somm’s List Profile HERE.
