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Chef José Leone with one of his favorite Whip pairings, tuna tartar. Some 1,500 miles away in downtown Austin, Texas—mecca for live music, homespun charm and gutsy barbecue—is Austin Land & Cattle. Tucked away in a windowless building, with guitars festooning its walls and servers clad in tattoos, ALC is Capitol City's only family-owned steakhouse. With a knack for catering to resident celebrities, politicians, musicians and athletes, ALC serves The Spur alongside its handcut aged beef. "It's a nice little red," smiles ALC partner and former chef, Scotty Mescal. "It's perfect with ribeye, but it also works with grilled pork chops or roast chicken." For Meyer, pairing The Spur with steak is an intuitive choice. Like The Whip, it's a wine that's built with versatility in mind. "The idea is to present a wine that has a wide spectrum. With The Spur, we immediately think of steak, but it also goes with a wide range of grilled meats and veg- gies. Through blending, I am able to put an artistic touch on the winemaking process. It requires an open mind, experience and patience to try and try again until you get the blend just right. For Meyer, pairing The Spur with steak is an intuitive choice. Like The Whip, it's a wine that's built with versatility in mind. "The idea is to present a wine that has a wide spectrum. With The Spur, we immediately think of steak, but it also goes with a wide range of grilled meats and veg- gies. Through blending, I am able to put an artistic touch on the winemaking process. It requires an open mind, experience and patience to try and try again until you get the blend just right." PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG Chef leone ■cr w i n t e r 2 0 1 7 | 6 7 and expansive. Layers of plums, ripe boysenberries, black cherries, spice and cedar lead into a wine that is fleshy and welcoming. The tannins here are mod- erate; the overall impression is softness with sweet fruit at nested at core. "The components for The Whip and The Spur are fermented separately; we look at the assemblage based on these finished wines," explains Meyer. "We want a beautiful aromatic profile and a solid palate with weight and texture. We have great Viognier and Muscat Canelli, which flesh out The Whip's aromatic profile. Semillon and Viognier add depth and texture in building the palate. The Sauvignon Blanc keeps it lively and fresh and adds acidity. Each variety has its strengths and weak- nesses, and through blending, we can accentuate the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses. We're growing all of these varieties, and we have full con- trol over them, and it allows us to make these wines a top level." The Whip is a favorite at Chat American Grill in Scarsdale, New York, where it's available by the glass and bottle; its versatility as a blend comple- ments the restaurant's vivid and fresh multicultural fare. "In the summertime, I bring a bottle with me to every table, to let our guests try it," says Gregory Galli, Beverage Director at Chat. "I'm Italian," he laughs; "we share what we're passionate about." He admits he's particular about the wine list and says blends aren't usually to his liking. But The Whip, with its fleshy texture and juicy acidity, pairs beautifully with tuna tartar, paella and Executive Chef José Leone's signature branzino ala plancha. "This is the wine the Chef and I drink together at the end of the night," Galli smiles. Leone, who honed his skills at a French culinary arts school, likes the branzino for its texture: "It's a nice, lean fish that cooks in two to three minutes. You can pair it with anything and the flavor is there." The dish is finished with quinoa, wilted spinach, oyster mushrooms and a whole-grain mustard and citrus sauce.