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For
The Best Wines In Town,
Take
Stock
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Enzo Mauro
is a man committed to wine. So committed in fact that his personal
quest for the perfect dinner companion has led to a recent nomination
for Best Wine List in the forthcoming Manchester Food & Drink
Festival. And with a selection that is resolutely Italian, Enzo has
managed to uphold the restaurant's position as the epicentre of
Italian fine dining in the North West.
There are over
105 different wines available at Stock. An '85 bottle of the sublime
Sassicaia Antinori will set you back a whopping £2,350. But
whilst not all wines require a second mortgage to enjoy, Enzo argues
that it's important to respect quality. Many still go down the budget
wine route, which is a mistake, according to the executive chef and
founder of Stock restaurant. "For a good meal to work, you must
have a good wine and it shouldn't matter how much you pay," he enthuses.
Supermarket
friendly tipples are definitely out at Stock. According to Enzo,
their cut-cost production methods devalue the end product, however
this doesn't mean that the enjoyment of good quality wine is a past
time reserved for the viti-culturalist elite. One of Enzo's
favourites from the list is the Parlante 05 from Sicily. As the house
white, it is fresh, affordable and full of sun with an elegant citrus
aroma. Perfect for those celebratory moments!
Enzo's passion
for wine shines through, "Wine is alive and to understand it,
you really need to invest time and energy. Our list is improved all
the time and there is no limit. If I find something interesting, it
goes on. I only use the best and I look hard for them."
Enzo's search
for the perfect wine has taken him all over Italy and, inspired by
his friends' recommendations, he has explored all the different
traditions and practices that go into producing choices worthy of his restaurant.
The list at
Stock is very respectful of traditions in Italian dining, however as
Enzo reflects, it is equally important to keep pace with changing
tastes. Since last year alone, a quarter of all wines on the Stock
list have changed. As a result the selection is organic in its
development, reflecting current trends in wine. "At the moment
Rose wines from southern Italy are becoming increasingly
popular," says Enzo. "Whilst Chardonnay has gone out of
favour, Pinot has definitely taken over and wines such as the Pinot
Grigio and Pinot Bianco are some of the most popular on our list."
Stock
encourages its clientele to be adventurous. "You have got to be
confident with your choices", says Enzo, "Or you will never
know what suits you. However it's important to understand that not
everyone has the same tastes. Sometimes a customer may try a wine
that they love but their dinner partner has a completely different palette."
As Stock
continues to break boundaries with its signature dishes from southern
Italy prepared with fresh ingredients and bursting with flavour, it's
clear that the wine list is equally adventurous.
"It's an
honour to be nominated for such a prestigious award," says Enzo,
"Especially for something that we believe so passionately in. At
Stock our wine list reflects a restaurant that is constantly moving
with the times. We place the quality of our wines at the highest end
of the spectrum and want to give our customers the opportunity to
sample the best that Italy has to offer."
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