The Sip: Spiaggia’s award-winning wine collection a master class in vintages

Spiaggia’s bottle list starts around $50 and can go as high as $6,000. The Italian-heavy wine list is organized by region, north to south.

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When I first meet Rachael Lowe, she isn’t the “picture” of a fine-dining sommelier I had in my mind. Down-to-earth and gregarious, she doesn’t speak in esoteric or rarefied tones, even though she is brilliant in her descriptions of the style, producer and terroir of the 800 labels on Spiaggia’s wine list. 

For over five years, Lowe has been the beverage director of Chicago’s Michelin-starred Spiaggia, recently nominated in the outstanding wine program category at the 2019 James Beard Awards. She now oversees the entire Levy restaurant division as beverage director (including the Ravinia Festival, River Roast and Maddon’s Post). 

Lowe passed the advanced sommelier degree from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2009 with a top score that earned her a Rudd Scholarship. She was the 2010 Jean Banchet Top Sommelier, 2011 Star Chef Rising Star Sommelier and 2016 Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year. She has a masters degree in food studies from New York University and has worked for acclaimed restaurants like Tru, Naha, Bouchon and French Laundry. 

Lowe said sommeliers should be approachable and “for everybody.”

One of the wine racks featured in the entrance of Spiaggia restaurant. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times

Spiaggia’s entranceway greets patrons with one of the most comprehensive collections of wine in the city.

Brian Rich

“We’re here to help you navigate a wine list,” said Lowe. “It’s really my job to find what you will want to drink whether that’s the least expensive bottle on the list to [splurge-worthy].” 

Spiaggia’s bottle list starts near $50 and can go as high as $6,000. The Italian-heavy wine list is organized by region, north to south.

“It’s a trust-based relationship,” said Lowe. “With a list of this scope it can be intimidating and polarizing so it’s nice to have someone to walk you through things if you have questions. … There are over 300 indigenous varietals across Italy so it can get a little confusing.”

There’s a fantastic selection of wines by the glass and pairings designed by Lowe. Her favorite part of the job is when guests branch out to discover something new and there’s an “Aha!” moment.”

”I think it’s important to be able to talk about what makes a wine special,” said Lowe. “Maybe the guest wouldn’t like it on its own but when you taste it with the food [pairing], they get it. That’s exciting to see.”

Lowe credits her team of floor sommeliers and her predecessors for Spiaggia’s “accumulated list that’s been building and growing for 35 years.” 

“My job has been easy to keep the beautiful shelves filled with back vintages, current vintages, and diversify where I can,” she said.

Lowe’s stamp on the mostly Italian-focused wine list has been the inclusion of Champagne grower-producers and “thinking outside the box” in terms of pairings. Highlights have included themed pairings entirely from the Balkans to currently, California and Oregon Italian varietals. She’s also featured a wine from a different country with every course. 

“I think it’s important to maintain a balance between relevancy and modernizing your list and also respecting the history of the program here,” said Lowe. 

”You can think of pairing as like with like or opposites,” she said. With the critically acclaimed menu of the legendary Chef-partner Tony Mantuano and executive chef Joe Flamm as a starting point, a rich risotto can pair with a rich, oaked Chardonnay. For an opposite pairing to a rich risotto, you can pair it with an austere Chablis or a mineral Vermentino. 

Another common opposite pairing is salty cured meats with an off dry Lambrusco. “The salt of the meat contrasted with the bright ripe fruit of the wine sings!” said Lowe. 

Spiaggia is located at 980 N. Michigan, second level. Phone: (312) 280-2750

An introduction to wine at Spiaggia

Sommelier Rachael Lowe offers an introduction to wine by the glass at the tony Chicago eatery Spiaggia. 

She recommends starting with sparkling wine or Champagne for the first course, then progressing from there to white and then to red. Ultimately there are no rules for how a diner should drink. 

Moncuit Brut, Blanc de Blancs

“Any Champagne will have a nice amount of acidity and the bubbles prime your stomach and get your mouth salivating and ready for any kind of food as any aperitif should do,” said Lowe. “It gets you hungry and excited [for the meal].”

Pair this with Spiaggia’s caviar and burrata service. An off-the-beaten-path pairing is the “Tonno Vitellato”— bluefin tuna and veal aioli with capers and smoked Wagyu. 

“People who live in Piemonte are big Champagne lovers so it made sense to follow through on the list on that end,” said Lowe of her decision to source outside of Italy. 

She recommends a broader lipped glass instead of a flute because the “expression of the nose is better from a wider glass.”

Nativ, Greco di Tufo

This recent addition is a white wine from the Campania region of Italy. Greco is the type of grape and this varietal does well in warmer climates. Lowe describes it as high acid and “more expressive” as it “jumps out of the glass” more than most Grecos. 

Pair this with Spiaggia’s “Polpo” — octopus, mortadella, Meyer lemon, olive and Aleppo pepper. 

“This dish needs a wine with ripeness but also minerality,” she said. “The stone fruit component of the Greco along with the bright acid works well with the textures of the octopus and mirrors the lemon.” 

Cantine Valpane, Rosa Ruske

Lowe often serves this lighter red with low tannins, a varietal indigenous to Piemonte, to customers who enjoy pinot noir but want to try something different. Smoky and highly aromatic, this wine has both earth and fruit notes that work with with chicken, pork and even game. 

Cantina Valpane Rosa Ruske wine served at Spiaggia restaurant. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times

Cantina Valpane Rosa Ruske wine served at Spiaggia restaurant.

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

Lowe recommends the “Malfadine” as a pairing — duck confit and fava bean pesto. “The brilliant earthiness to it balances that in the wine, while the floral notes harmonize with the green flavors of the dish,” said Lowe. 

Franco Molino, Barolo Cascina Rocca

This full-bodied red is naturally high in acid and tannin. “You really want to eat food when you drink this wine,” said Lowe. “It’s not something you drink by itself.” 

Franco Molino Barolo Cascina Rocca is poured at Spiaggia restaurant.

Franco Molino Barolo Cascina Rocca is poured at Spiaggia restaurant.

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

This wine works perfectly with rich and fatty meals. Lowe recommends the dry-aged porterhouse with sides of potato and hollandaise as the perfect pairing with Barolo. The red fruit aromas lift the earthy notes of the steak while the structure breaks down the innate richness. 

“The structure of wine is meant to work with the food symbiotically,” she said “In this case, extreme tannin helps break down fat in food found in braised meats and a rich ragu.”

Spiaggia chef-Partner Tony Mantuano (left), beverage director Rachael Lowe and executive chef Joe Flamm are photographed at the restaurant. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times

Spiaggia chef-Partner Tony Mantuano (left), beverage director Rachael Lowe and executive chef Joe Flamm are photographed at the restaurant.

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

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