Top Sommelier Tom Gannon Rewrites Steak House Rules

Jul 15, 2010 | News & Noteworthy

Former playwright Tom Gannon crafts new twist for the list at Rothmann‘s in New York and recommends Hermann J. Wiemer.

Steak and wine. Easy, right? Just match a big Cabernet Sauvignon and you’re done. But at Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner Rothmans steak house in midtown Manhattan, sommelier Tom Gannon is taking a different approach, expanding the range of choices on offer from West Coast Pinots to South American reds.Gannon, 32, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, into a “beer-drinking culture,” he says. He moved to New York in 2001 and got his first restaurant job at Fleur de Sel. “I was in theater, looking to be a playwright. So I basically was prepared to be a bartender for the rest of my life,” says Gannon. He decamped for Rothmann’s in 2002. Wine Spectator sat down with Gannon recently to talk about how to pair different cuts of beef with wine and how he’s brought a modern touch to the traditional steak house wine list……

Wine Spectator: How did you get interested in wine?
Tom Gannon:
It was at Fleur de Sel. When I hit Burgundy and the Rhône, that was the “aha” moment that really unlocked it for me. So I started taking the sommelier course at the American Sommelier Association, and from there, I applied for a job here at Rothmann’s

Wine Spectator: How did you get interested in wine?
Tom Gannon: It was at Fleur de Sel. When I hit Burgundy and the Rhône, that was the “aha” moment that really unlocked it for me. So I started taking the sommelier course at the American Sommelier Association, and from there, I applied for a job here at Rothmann’s.

WS: How has the list changed since you’ve come to Rothmann’s?
TG: It was mostly Napa Cabernet and some Tuscany, but I’ve added Rhône and Burgundy. Plus I’m committed to have the best South American section of any steak house in town. It’s something that people are gaining an awareness and passion for—Chilean reds in general. I really like Carmenère. And of course, Argentine Malbec. At the same price point as other regions from around the world, they really deliver value. Plus, they go great with steak.

WS: Ever try to match whites?
TG: Sure—a Corton-Charlemagne or Chevalier-Montrachet from Burgundy, or a big, but balanced Napa Chardonnay. These wines have the weight to match with the fatty quality of a rib steak….

 

WS: You’ve even got a Finger Lakes Riesling by the glass on your wine list. That seems unusual for a steak house.
TG: We’ve got shellfish on the menu, so some low-alcohol whites are good to have. I was always aware of Wiemer and Dr. Frank being the vanguards of quality in the Finger Lakes. Wiemer is a great combination of value and quality, and Riesling is such a food-friendly wine. The local aspect really piques curiosity among folks….

 

WS: What wine regions have you traveled to?
TG: I’ve been to the Finger Lakes, Napa, Sonoma, Chile and Burgundy … Chablis, Alsace and the Rhône [are next]. I try and go at least once a year somewhere. I like to visit and see in person the wines that I’ve known and worked with, but I also want to find new things. You always want to challenge yourself instead of sticking with what you know.

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