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f a l l 2 0 1 7 | 8 3 by David Ransom WHEN KARL WENTE tapped veteran winemaker Robbie Mey- er to head the Murrieta's Well team three years ago, it was the logical next step in a 20-year friendship that had seen both men share not just glasses of wine over the years, but many conversations on the philosophy of what defines winemaking on a boutique level. "We try to operate Murrieta's Well as an independent entity, focusing mostly on small production wines—many averaging less than 200 cases—that are sold primarily at the winery and in limited quantities to our on-premise customers, while some of the bigger, yet still limited production wines, like our Dry Rosé, The Spur and The Whip, are available on a more wide- spread basis," Meyer said recently while in New York City to host a dinner at The Capital Grille's West 50th Street location. Meyer presented Murrieta's Well to a gathering of aficio- nados over a five-course dinner that included many of the winery's wines paired with a variety of dishes, including tuna tartare with pickled shallots, tarragon and cucumber (paired with the Dry Rosé); watermelon salad with feta, Kalamata ol- ives and figs (The Whip); lamb chops with cherries, mustard and powdered oregano—a crowd favorite—(The Spur); filet mignon with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts (2015 Small Lot Merlot). Finally, for dessert, a chocolate cheesecake paired beautifully with the 2015 Small Lot Cabernet Franc: proving that red wine and chocolate really do go together. Another key quality that showed well was the wine's ver- satility and boutique appeal—a point that hits the right note with The Capital Grille's Wine Director Vince Piazza and keeps Murrieta's Well on his list. "At first, our exclusive focus was on The Spur and The Whip, which we find very compatible with a wide range of dishes on our menu," said Piazza. "But as the Small Lot series came available to us, we've found it also hand- sells very well, and offers our customers great value and the feeling of getting an exclusive experience due to the limited run we offer because of allocation. A win-win." Murrieta's Well at Capital Grille in New York City A crowd favorite at dinner was the lamb chops with cherries and mustard paired with The Spur. PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG ■cr Robbie Meyer at the Capital Grille in New York City.

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