Who: Scott Sulma, managing partner of the Vallone Restaurant Group. Sulma started working for Tony Vallone as a waiter in 2005 and quickly rose through the ranks, and today oversees the wine program for Tony's, Ciao Bella and Vallone's Steak House in City Centre.
What: 2012 Arnot-Roberts Syrah
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Why: Sulma says the pungent, "meaty minerality" of this small-production North Coast syrah pairs beautifully with Vallone's 55-day dry aged beef, adding: "The wine is bold yet elegant, appealing to almost all palates, with just the right amount of acidity." The fruit comes from two Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Clary Ranch in the Middle Two Rock Valley and Griffin's Lair near Lakeville. Both profit from what's call the "Petaluma Wind Gap," where convective forces bring cool winds off the Pacific Ocean inland. The winery was founded in Healdsburg in 2001 by Ducan Arnot-Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts, who had been childhood friends in Napa Valley. Roberts' father was a cooper, a profession he would pursue as well.
Buy it: $92 for a bottle at Vallone's
