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Sommelier Nancy Clarke, MRKT |
On Wednesday, Nancy' last class before she had to go to work at 4:30 was in Quechua, an indigenous language spoken in Argentina and Ecuador. By the time she got to MRKT, a little restaurant in South Deerfield, she was fully focused on France. Just last week a bottle of Chateau Flotis 2011 and a bottle of Domaine Capmartin 2012 were moved from the "by-the-glass" list to the "by-the-bottle" list. It had to be done because the cases were running low.
At MRKT, the "by-the-glass wine list” has no less than five red wines, six white wines, a rose, a house Cabernet Sauvignon and four desert wines. The aforementioned Chateau Flotis and Domaine Capmartin will be replaced with wines from small distributors that meet Nancy’s standards for the little farm-to-table menu that is heavy on the local and the artisan.
There are two ways to pair wines, according to 24-year-old sommelier. The first is the lemon rule. If the food you are serving requires a bit of acid or lemon, a bit of brightness, then the wine should be bright. For example, a tuna tartare which is usually served with olive oil lemon and lemon would fare well with a Sauvignon Blanc.
The second rule is simple. If you love the wine, you'll like the food.