November 2013
Location, location, location. Is it a hackneyed phrase or premium advice for a business? If Cuveé 928 Wine Bar is the example, its strategic setting on Heritage Square has garnered some serious foot traffic, but it’s their business strategy that has garnered them ongoing success. Seven years ago, owners Jennifer Shafer and Taryn Beveridge enjoyed socializing in town, “but there was nowhere to go for wine that was kept at a proper temperature and also offered a menu of light food,” Shafer said. “Surely there were more people like us—we saw a niche opportunity.”
Shafer had worked in the restaurant business, and Beveridge, who had previous ownership experience, partnered to open Cuveé 928 in 2006. Recently, Stacy Loesche joined the venture. In response to demand, the wine-centric eatery also expanded to embrace a full-service liquor and cocktail bar. Here, a man in a work shirt and ball cap nurses bourbon on ice, while in the original space, gals learn about wine by sipping a flight of whites. An admitted regular dips her beef brisket sandwich in blue cheese fondue and grins. “We’re a friendly combination of casual and sophisticated, catering to all tastes,” Shafer said. “And it’s the locals that get us through the winter.”
The restaurant’s brick front of arching glass invites patrons to watch the action on the square, whether it’s music or a movie. The newer bar in dark wood with pub-height and standard tables looks inward at bold photography and flat screens. Shafer said folks come in to eat Sunday Brunch, like their surf-poached eggs with crabmeat, coriander and lemon béchamel. Then, they stay for NFL Ticket games on the tube. The bar focuses on whiskey, scotch and bourbon, incorporating them into signature drinks like 928 Indulgence and Bourbon Peach Tea.
Cuveé is a French term, referring to a large vat holding the first press of wine. Cuveé 928 invites guests to explore it with daily $6 specials on a glass of red or white wine. These bargain buys are not bargain bottles and provide customers the chance to broaden their grape horizons. As far as food goes, beef was on our minds, and Shafer recommended two reds. Au Bon Climat, a pinot noir from Santa Barbara County, California with a bold bouquet, sipped smooth and dry. The Columbia Crest H3 les Chevaux, a red blend from Columbia Valley, Washington had a richer nose, a mature mouth and a deep, berry color.
We began the meal with caprese salad. Panna cotta mozzarella and pesto sat atop fire-roasted tomato purée with toasted bread for scooping. Truffle oil and a swirl of balsamic reduction enhanced and balanced the smoky acidity with sweet and salt. The beef brisket sandwich is a staple at Cuveé 928. It’s braised for 12 hours with gallons of red wine, according to Shafer, and served on ciabatta with traditional red potato salad—roasted and smashed—with whiskers of onion and red peppers for a crisp, yet creamy, side. Plunging the tender meat sandwich with caramelized onion into blue cheese fondue created memorable mouthfuls. A salad of baby greens with rosemary vinaigrette completed the plate.
The glazed, certified New York strip steak, slathered in a sagey, limey chimichuri and served beneath an arching branch of grilled broccolini, was charred to perfection. It came with a rough smash of potatoes. Spice is nice, and especially so on the achiote chicken with Vera Cruz sauce and calabacitas. It’s a sunset on a plate in the fiery paste on the chicken and chopped vegetables, delivering a forkful of flavor. Fluffy polenta on the side was reminiscent of southern spoon bread.
Keep it Latin light for dessert with the ancho chocolate flan, floating in a puddle of tequila lime caramel and covered with bruleéd strawberries plus a sprinkle of cocoa.
At Cuveé 928, the evolving standard menu is the result of sipping and brainstorming by Chef James Hoffman after a night of cooking. With 20-plus years in the business, Hoffman is also a sommelier, who can suggest perfect pairings for his kitchen creations. When it’s time to rotate the menu, the crew chats, and invariably, Hoffman’s ideas get the thumbs up and become the next gotta-have-it item.
Cuveé 928 has been ranked in Arizona Highways Top 25 Restaurants, recommended by Frommer’s and rated 4.5 out 5 stars on Trip Advisor. So, how does Cuvee envision its location in the future? A bigger presence on the square as they enclose patio space for expanded dining and private parties. Location, indeed. NAMLM Gail G. Collins
Visit Cuvee928winebar.com