Meet the Sommelier: Garrett Winton of THE DELMONICO ROOM at Hotel Fauchere in Milford PA

Garrett Winton works as the sommelier for Hotel Fauchère, in Milford Pennsylvania. Hotel Fauchere is a member of Relais & Châteaux, a group of exclusive hotels and inns that specialize in fine dining. He collaborates with the hotel's Chef de Cuisine, Scott Myers in their fine dining restaurant, The Delmonico Room.

Garrett commented, "The hotel itself is very beautiful and The Delmonico Room is really charming. Chef Scott Myers sources almost everything from local or family farms. Understanding what's going on and relaying information to our guests is important. We are both very committed to the farm-to-table concept. Scott is very passionate about his work so he's always asking what's going on in the dining room and if all the guests are happy. His culinary knowledge is unbelievable and he's always more than happy to share all that he knows. Working at Hotel Fauchère has been a great opportunity."

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Garrett Winton about becoming a sommelier and The Delmonico Room at Hotel Fauchère.

What special personal qualities or talents have enhanced your career?

I have the urge to give people an excellent dining experience and make sure they are having a good time. You want everything to go perfectly and it doesn't always happen. But you keep trying to hit that level of perfection. So you either have that feeling inside you or you don't.

Who have been some of your professional mentors or individuals that have inspired your work?

Two winemakers, Michael Sheridan and Jeff Blake. I worked as a dishwasher at a winery in New Jersey and got along well with Michael the winemaker. Eventually, he asked me to give him a hand cleaning tanks. He was into organics and sustainability so we got along right away. The amount of time and love he put into his wine was amazing. He would get really frustrated when the wine wasn't turning out just right. Hands down, he's the reason I'm into wine. He was also self-taught so a lot of things were done a little differently.

That's where the second wine maker, Jeff Blake helped me. He was a UC Davis graduate. He's very smart and was able to calculate numbers in his head with out even blinking. He showed me how to be more efficient in the production room and balance fun and work. The little tips and tricks he taught me from his schooling and 20 plus years of experience helped me to get things done a lot quicker.

Tell us a little about your travel experiences as a sommelier.

I'll be taking classes in NYC and will take the exam for my level 1 in May. I've been lucky to travel a little bit. I was invited to a birthday party trip to Tuscany, which was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We went on day trips and did tastings in places that most people don't get to go. We did a blind tasting at The Fortress in Montalcino. We rented a 14th century winery for dinner called Villa di Geggiano. We had lunch and wine tastings at a beautiful Farm called Fattoria Corzano e Paterno. It was extremely extravagant and not something I'll probably be able to do again. On that trip, I had some down time so I was randomly walking down the road from Collalto, the villa we were staying, and all of a sudden found myself surrounded by olive trees and grape vines. I saw a house, walked up to it, knocked, and asked if it was a winery. The man who answered was also the owner and gave me a private tour of Casale, his winery. We wound up having a few glasses of wine. It was so warm and inviting. It was one of nicest random acts of kindness I've ever experienced. The owner used a lot of sustainable methods for his property so it was as though I was meant to wander there.

I've been to quite a few wineries in New Jersey and I'm starting to explore Pennsylvania and New York. Because I work in the food service industry, most weekends and holidays I'm working and many Monday's and Tuesday's when I'm off, wineries aren't open.

Why do you find your career as a sommelier so rewarding?

Grapes are so malleable and the same varietal can taste wildly different depending upon where it's grown. The history of wine is fascinating too. Many wines in the old world are named after a place. They don't just come out and say what grape it is like we do in the states. You need to study the history and laws of a region to see what grapes are going to be in a particular wine. It's like decoding a puzzle in that sense.

What is one of your favorite meals and what wine would you select for it?

I like jammy reds or a nice Pinot Noir. As far as white wine, my aunt and grandmother like Chardonnay a lot so I enjoy having that with them when we go to the beach. At the same time, just sitting on the porch with a glass of white wine while my dad is grilling chicken and my dog is running around is nice too. Where I am and who I am with is important. My preference changes a lot depending on those two things.

Hotel Fauchere, the home of The Delmonico Room and Bar Louis, is located at 401 Broad Street in Milford, Pennsylvania, 18337. Milford is in the heart of Northeastern Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains and is considered an ideal destination for day trips, weekend getaways and leisurely vacations. For more information about Hotel Fauchere and to view the menus for their restaurants, visit www.hotelfauchere.com or you can call them at (570) 409-1212.

You can also read our "Chef Spotlight" about Chef de Cuisine of Hotel Fauchere, Scott Myers by visiting: /bwwfood-wine/article/Chef-Spotlight-Scott-Myers-of-DELMONICO-ROOM-and-BAR-LOUIS-at-Hotel-Fauchere-in-Milford-Pennsylvania-20151214.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Garrett Winton