Hello
Somba and I had a nice, little vacation, and now we’re back to our dungeonous studio apartment. Boy, do I love city living.
I think Somba might be having a depressive episode as I cannot provide a large backyard, only city parks. Sorry, buddy.
This week has been a lot, which I’m starting to see as a pattern. I hope everyone’s friends and families are safe and well. A lot is going on in the world, but I wanted to link some ways to help various causes, right now.
If you would like to help victims of Hurricane Ida, this article has some good resources. Both of these articles have guidance on how to assist Afghan refugees. If you’re interested in helping the organizations fighting against the Texas abortion ban, there are 20 listed in this article.
I know these aren’t the only things happening in our world right now, and I encourage you to donate your time, resources or both, to causes you care about, if you can.
Let’s get to it.
The Q&A
Alex Cuper is the General Manager & Beverage Director of El Che in Chicago.
The 29-year-old has been running the drinks program for El Che, Executive Chef John Manion’s homage to Argentinian Asados, for just over two years. During the pandemic, Cuper and Manion decided to massively overhaul the wine list, focusing largely on South American producers — 95% of the wines are from South America, with the other 5% being Champagne.
Alex and I sat in El Che before the dinner service and chatted over a natural red wine from one of his favorite producers, Manuel Moraga of Cacique Maravilla in Chile.
The bottle: Natural Mente Tinto 2019. More on this below.
Alex is hilarious and loves wine, two of the many qualities making him a great guide to the wide world of South American wine. Let’s hear from him.
This interview took place on August 19, 2021, and has been edited and condensed for clarity.
SN: Alex, who are you, and what do you do?
AC: I’m the General Manager and Wine/Bar/Beverage/Whatever Director for El Che. I run the day-to-day operations, but the part that gives me energy is working with the wine program.
I get to try all this cool stuff and make a list with the goal in mind of having the best South American wine list in the country. I’m not a certified somm, but I love wine and it’s a huge hobby of mine even outside of work.
SN: And what are we drinking today?
AC: This is from Cacique Maravilla, one of the producers I’m obsessed with right now. It’s a blend of 50% Cabernet, 25% Malbec and 25% Pais (pie-eese). Pais is my… listen, I love Syrah, at the end of the day it’s my all-time favorite grape, but Pais has been the grape that we’ve really gotten behind as a restaurant.
It’s the oldest grape coming from the old world to the new, brought over in the mid-1500s by Spanish conquistadors. They planted it all over Chile, Argentina and up to the coast of California where it’s called the Mission grape.
It’s extremely old and has a lot of history to it. If a wine is straight Pais, we usually serve it chilled, since that’s how they do it in Chile. It’s a light wine that you can drink a ton of, and I love it. It’s a nice transition from a Pinot Noir, but there’s a little more funkiness and herbiness to it.
Plus, Manuel Moraga is my favorite dude in wine, at the moment. His land’s been in his family since, like, 1776, and the whole thing is basically a family operation with his wife, kids and some friends who help out. They don’t use machinery, it’s all hand-picked, manually-pressed grapes. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to visit yet, but he’s such a cool guy, and I keep up with them on social media and everything. I’m kind of obsessed.
SN: It’s really, incredibly lovely. I’m not sure I’ve had a ton of Pais-heavy wines, but I’ll be looking out now. How did you get into wine?
AC: Growing up, my family loved drinking wine and my dad has a huge home cellar, so it’s always been something that’s just kind of around.
I started working in wine right out of college by coming to the city and working at, what was formerly known as, D.O.C Wine Bar, which sadly closed down a few years ago. That’s where my interest in going a lot deeper into wine stemmed. A bunch of the bartenders there loved wine and it was a really easy place to start learning more.
Those bartenders were — and still are — really fun and some of the best you can get at a wine bar.
So I ran the wine program at D.O.C and then moved to Formento’s and The Bristol and ran both wine programs.
Then I came to El Che with no previous experience in South American wine, which I told John, so it’s been a really awesome journey. It’s opened my eyes and I really believe that South American wine and winemakers are some of the most underrated in the industry.
SN: Got it. What was the push to transform the list to South American wines only? Barring Champagne, of course.
AC: Chef John and I made a pivot through COVID to open our little wine shop and provisions area, and then we decided to just lean into our identity as hard as we can: We’re a South American restaurant, let’s take the menu and wine list, and make them truly South American.
It was a cold, snowy day in early January of 2020 and we were probably two bottles of wine deep, waiting for our last order. We had this epiphany moment where we said, 'Well, let’s do it.'
We came back the next day, and were like, 'We’re both still good with that, right?' And we were. That was the day we started making appointments to try a bunch of South American wines and we’ve been just steamrolling ever since.
In terms of the food menu, we’ve always been focused on South America, but at the same time as the wine list changed, we simplified and pared things down even more. It’s still very expressive and chef-driven, but it didn’t feel all the way 'there' for us until the change. The core concept of our giant, 12-foot hearth grill that burns only wood being the central idea of the restaurant is still here, but we wanted to really focus on good meat, cooked over fire, in a high-quality way.
It’s not exactly fine-dining, but it’s closer to the mentality of asados in Argentina, and it’s still incredibly good food.
SN: I don’t even think the fire is going yet, but it smells incredible in here. I’m coming back for dinner ASAP. How does the self-imposed restriction of only stocking South American wines change the way you modify the wine list?
AC: It makes things a little more difficult in the sense that I really need to try these producers to be confident in what I’m serving.
At other places, I have a familiarity with European, North American and some of the more widely-known South American wines, so I knew what I was going to get, and how they could fit in the menu.
Here, I have to try something. Like with this bottle, for example. It was Cabernet-driven, but with the Malbec and Pais in there, I needed to know what was going on. Once you taste it, it’s like, 'There’s no way I could have guessed that this was Cabernet, or anything like it.'
As far as changing the list, though, I won’t lie: I’ve kind of turned into a kid in a candy store. The list hasn’t really gotten smaller, I’ve just been adding things. At this point, we’re at over 150 bottles.
SN: Good lord, that’s… amazing. Now I’m absolutely coming back. Do you have a favorite pairing on the menu?
AC: Yes. I personally love offal, sweetbreads, all that kind of stuff, and I think we have probably the best sweetbreads I’ve ever had in my life. And I order them at different places, often.
Anyway, in Chile, Pais and sweetbreads are considered a super traditional pairing, and as I said, Pais is really our 'thing' here. We have a few 100% Pais bottles that I would absolutely pair with our sweetbreads.
SN: Sweetbreads rock. You’re doing a solid sales job, here. How would you describe what we’re drinking now, Cacique Maravilla’s Natural Mente Tinto, to the layperson?
AC: It’s a weird, natural wine, at the end of the day, and I’m super into it *Points to shirt* as you can see from this stupid natural wine shirt. Branding myself.
Anyway, yeah, it’s something we’ve had people order in the past because they see Cabernet and they’re like, 'Oh great, it’ll be big, tannic, curranty, etc.,' and I always ask the table, 'Are you familiar with what you’re getting into, are you into natural, more obscure wines?' Because it’s really nothing close to a classic Cabernet.
It’s a little weird, there’s a lot more acidity than you might assume. There’s some bright, kind of almost, underripe berry notes. Basically: High acidity, low tannin and a general, all-around funkiness.
SN: This is very funky, and I’m very into it. What would be your food pairing for the 'height of luxury'? Think, fancy, gourmet dining.
AC: Well, not to toot our own horn too much, but beyond our awesome steaks, which I love, but our best dish on the menu is the quail, in my opinion. Quail is a huge deal in Argentina and Brazil, it honestly might be more popular than chicken.
Anyway, we do an amazing quail here: It gets charred on the grill and then we toss it in a red chimichurri that’s more smokey than spicy, and then it gets a bit of giardiniera for a touch of Chicago, and then some fresh oregano to add some herbaceousness. The kicker is that there are some grilled croutons in there that soak up all that oil and juice. They’re like tiny Argentinan chicken wings that taste so damn good.
So you have this rich, oily quail, and then this bright, super lively wine and it’s so good together.
SN: And how about a 'for the masses' pairing? Think a Tuesday takeout night, or your favorite junk foods.
AC: I would put this sucker in the freezer for like 20 minutes, hope it’s a beautiful, sunny, summer Chicago day, and I would open this wine and have a straight-up Chicago-style hotdog. That’s a good, good day.
Is it the world’s best pairing? Probably not. But I’m all about low brow. I think wine is this thing that’s been raised up to the point of being super exclusive, and that’s not what it should be, to me. Every situation when I was growing up, working in restaurants, whatever, that wine has been involved in, it’s just been fun. That, to me, is the beauty of wine: It’s just fun.
SN: What’s the ideal 'situational pairing' for this bottle? Where are you and what’s going on?
AC: We have a great back patio area with picnic tables and grills at my apartment, and it catches sun the majority of the day. The ideal is: I’m back there, it’s a beautiful summer day, a couple of friends are too, and we just sit, kick it and drink this.
Throughout COVID, we had our little pod and we would do this exact thing pretty often, and it just helped me forget about everything, it was really freeing. Get some sunburn, shoot the shit, drink this wine — straight from the freezer.
SN: I am extremely jealous. Shockingly, my studio apartment doesn’t have a patio. What do you do in your free time?
AC: Lately, it’s been watching Bob’s Burgers and drinking wine. No, joking. Kind of. I work a lot.
I love to cook, and it’s definitely been something that helped me get through the pandemic. I actually wanted to be a chef when I was in my hospitality program.
SN: What have you been watching?
AC: Well, Bob’s Burgers, obviously. I also got back into 30 Rock when they put it up on Netflix. Marvel’s not really a big thing for me, but during the pandemic, we watched all the Marvel movies in release date order.
My girlfriend was a theater major so we’ve also watched some fun Tony performances and musicals too.
SN: What have you been listening to?
AC: I love Riot Fest, I’ve been to every one since 2012. So, per tradition, every year when they release the lineup, I’ll make a playlist of everyone scheduled and listen to it to the point of nausea. Lotta Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, punk rock in general.
SN: What have you been reading?
AC: I just worked my way back through Anthony Bourdain’s stuff. With the world being the way it is, he’s kind of a peaceful, guiding voice for me. I just finished re-reading Kitchen Confidential, which is a favorite of mine.
I also am obsessed with The Grey, a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia. It’s such an amazing concept, and Mashama Bailey is a badass. The book about the restaurant is called Black, White, and the Grey, and it’s a great read.
SN: Favorite Chicago bar?
AC: It 100% is The Victor Bar. I know the address by heart. Literally. The cocktails are fantastic and the people there are great.
SN: If you’re not drinking wine, what are you drinking?
AC: I’m low brow to the core. I love PBR, it’s the best beer out there. High Life is a close second.
Come wintertime, I also love bourbon.
SN: Where can folks keep up with what you’re doing, and what would you like to promote?
AC: I’m not the world’s best at social media, but they can follow me on Instagram at @ccupe10. Also, obviously, follow El Che’s Instagram (@elchechicago) before you even think about following me.
As for what I want to promote: South American wine, in general. It’s a thing that I don’t think has gotten enough credit and we’re doing our best here to fix that. Come by El Che and talk to me. We’re not a stuffy restaurant, so stop in while wearing shorts and a t-shirt on a Wednesday, we don’t care.
SN: Awesome, thanks for your time, Alex!
The Afters
Alex rocks, and for the record, I think his 'Natural Wine' shirt is cool.
As always, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope you enjoy the rest of summer, which, personally, I don’t believe ends until you want it to. You want to sit outside in a t-shirt and swim shorts in mid-October, drinking some cold beers? More power to you****. It’s all about mindset, baby.
****(Legally speaking, please don’t sue me if you get hypothermia.)
Anyway, have a great long weekend, folks. You deserve it.
Let’s talk recommendations.
Here are a few recommendations for this weekend and beyond. If a bottle isn’t available for shipping, see if your local shop has it. If they don’t, ask about getting it in stock! Of course, store owners rely heavily on their own tastes, but they’re interested in knowing what you want to see on the shelves as well.
A note: As with buying anything online, read the shipping fine print before you pay. Some sites may not ship to certain areas, or shipping may be unreasonably expensive.
Old Westminster Winery’s Come Together Piquette
This winery out of Maryland has been getting a lot of buzz, at least in terms of the things I see on the internet. Maybe that’s a 'me' problem? Whatever. This is such a fun bottle of wine. Piquette-style wines are usually very easy to drink (hell yeah) and fairly low-alcohol (aka, you can drink more of them). This bottle is fruity, but not overly so, and certainly not particularly sweet or jammy. Old Westminster advises a pairing with fried chicken tacos, but I had it with homemade bánh mì and it was incredible. I think it’ll work with most things. Buy it from the producer here, or elsewhere here, here and, of course, locally.
This white wine is one of my favorites we sell at BottlesUp! There’s a nearby BYOB sushi restaurant that people are always stopping in to pick up wine for, and this is my go-to bottle for them. However, it would be great with a charcuterie board, oysters or just a sunny day. It’s a 'vi d’agulla, the Catalan term for a prickly wine,' which means it’s not exactly champagne, but there is a bit of natural effervescence. It’s affordable, tasty and very pretty in the glass. Buy it here, here, here, here and, of course, locally.
Bánh mì
I mentioned this Vietnamese sandwich above, but honestly, it deserves more attention. In this photo, I’m holding a homemade version of bánh mì thịt nướng, or bánh mì with grilled pork, that I made for my parents after learning the absolutely maddening fact that neither of them had ever eaten one. Bánh mìs are easily my favorite sandwiches of all time, and while I like to think my version was passable, it wasn’t even close to how good a real one is. Find your nearest Vietnamese restaurant and go order this immediately. Preferably with a side of Gỏi cuốn, or Vietnamese spring rolls. Side note: If you see the dreaded cauliflower on my plate after last week’s denouncement of this demon vegetable, no you don’t.
Some things I read this week that you may be interested in:
Thanks in Advance — Is Earth’s Inbox Full?
Vulture — The Roys Summer in Italy: On location with the cast of Succession, the most interestingly terrible billionaires on TV.
The New Yorker — One Day—and One Night—in the Kitchen at Les Halles
Forbes — Pairing Wine With Sushi
Robb Report — How This Master Sommelier Became a Game-Changing Napa Valley CEO
The New York Times Magazine — How to Solve Any Problem Using Just Common Sense
The New York Times — Novak Djokovic Knocks on the Door of a Very Exclusive Club
Some tunes to soundtrack your weekend:
Beach Fuzz’s 2019 album, Casual Encounters
Tommy Newport’s (the guy only makes bangers) new single, Bubblegum
Feng Suave’s new EP, So Much for Gardening
And that’s it for me. Pop a bottle, or four: It’s Labor Day. Be safe out there.
-Sam