From Iberia to Japan, by the glass or bottle

A Bazaar wine journey with Kara Daving

Who’s thirsty today? I know it’s only Monday, but is there ever really a bad time for an amazing glass of wine? Wine makes everything better…by itself, but also of course with food…food and wine are supposed to go together.

Today I want you to hear from one of the smartest people in the business: one of our amazing sommeliers, Kara Daving, the Lead Sommelier at The Bazaar New York. Kara has developed an incredible wine list that will take you on a journey from the Iberian Peninsula to Japan, and some really interesting areas in between. Whenever you step into The Bazaar, whether it’s in New York, DC, Las Vegas, or Chicago (and soon to be back in Miami and Los Angeles!) you’re stepping into a world of surprises (remember the omakase box from last week???), and a journey of culinary creativity—and that creativity also extends to the wine that’s paired with your food.

Let’s hear from Kara herself!

Kara Daving, the Lead Sommelier at the Bazaar New York

How did you originally get into wine?

Kara Daving:

I originally came to New York to be a painter. And like many artists in New York you have to align with another job to supplement your art career. So I launched right into restaurants…I loved working in them. My art career did take me around the world, but I hit a point where I wanted to have a career that could be financially stable, so I had to figure out a way that I could still have that creative and storytelling aspect. I found that I could do that for winemakers and cultures around the world, so it was an easy transition for me! And I wound up doing the wine program at the International Culinary School and becoming a certified sommelier.

How did you come to work at José Andrés Group?

I've always been a huge fan of Spanish wine, and unfortunately there aren’t many wine lists in the city that dive deep into Spain. And I just love Spanish food and culture, and that’s ultimately why I came here. But I also want to credit the Las Vegas Bazaar Meat because I had an incredible evening there. I was on a family trip, and we randomly picked the Bazaar and had the most magical experience. The sommelier there, Lou Sentenat, showed us the best time and showed us that food could be fun and whimsical…it broke the stereotype of what I’d been experiencing in New York dining at that point. So I always said, if a Bazaar opened in New York, I would love to work there.

Kara samples the Ocampo Listán Negro from the Canary Islands

What stands out to you from the wine program here in New York?

Having spent so much time in restaurants in New York, I’ve seen a lot of lists that are really repetitive. At Bazaar, you can come in here, and our sommelier team will guide you and show you something new—not just the Spanish classics, but also what is happening in Spain today. What winemakers are doing with climate change, and some of the interesting pivots they’ve been making. It starts there, and you can tell those stories, and it really engages people. I also find that a lot of guests here are traveling to Spain, and they get excited when they’re talking about their trips, so I help them get ready for their trip, in a way—and point them towards something on our wine list from the region they’re visiting. They get to explore something new, and you see their faces light up.

I also think it’s important to mention that our wine program is not exclusively Iberian Peninsula—the menu not only has Spanish and Japanese influences in it, it has global flavors. So the wine program needs to reflect that, and it does…we have some beautiful sake and shōchū, as well as wines from Japanese winemakers, who have made an impact on wine regions around the world—especially regions like Burgundy.

Any fun or interesting pairings that you’re particularly proud of?

Sherry is always an interesting conversation. If a guest isn’t familiar with it, I almost always get the reaction of “well, my grandma drank that.” And I get it, my grandma drank it too…it’s what we believe sherry is in America. But there’s so much more to it. There are so many possibilities with food. Sometimes the guest will say they don’t enjoy it off the bat, but I will ask them to take another sip when the food comes out, and it’s a game changer. It pulls out all these umami and nutty notes, and fruit, and it all comes together. There’s a salinity that makes the whole dish and wine pop when they’re together. I’m also a huge fan of Madeira. I know, traditionally, that it’s been a dessert wine, but you could do a whole pairing from start to finish, and the guests will love it, love you, and show up again…as well as to your Thanksgiving dinner!

If you were stranded on a desert island, what’s your wine?

A desert island sounds pretty good right now with this New York winter! I think I would definitely choose Madeira. It’s a wine of the sea. It comes from an island itself, off the coast of Morocco…way out in the ocean. It has that salty sea air, right in the wine. If I’m on this island by myself and I have one bottle, Madeira has that longevity. That’s the beauty of it.

Selecting from the expansive Bazaar wine cellar is a tough job, but if anyone can do it, it’s Kara!

If you’re drinking one bottle from the Bazaar cellar, what would it be?

I think for our food, textured white wine is what pairs the best—you can definitely go into reds, but textured white wines pair from the start of our tasting menu all the way to the end. My favorite right now is the 2019 Dominio del Águila’s “Viñas Viejas” from Ribera del Duero. It’s really interesting because 2019 is the first year white wine could be made in that region, which seems really delayed, but it’s perfect for our food. It carries perfectly from our liquid olive? all the way to the Wagyu strip. If someone else was paying I'd go big and drink a Mencia from Descendientes de J. Palacios, first choice being his highest elevation vineyard of 'La Faraona'. This single vineyard of steep slopes and slate/schist soils brings us a beautiful mix of racy raspberries, smoked meat and a flinty finish. If I were paying, I'd equally enjoy Palacios' entry level Mencia, 'Corullón', always delivers above its price point!

José here again—if you are in New York, go see Kara at the Bazaar, and she will take you on your own personal wine journey!