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“What makes<br />
Vegas different<br />
is that we are<br />
brand new. We<br />
haven’t had time<br />
to get full of<br />
ourselves.”<br />
— Kevin Vogt, Master Sommelier<br />
to Spanish grape varieties<br />
grown in California.) “We<br />
love having Paolo’s wine on<br />
the list,” Rhonda says. “We<br />
try to support him and he<br />
supports us.”<br />
The rest of my trip is<br />
a whirlwind. I try sakes at<br />
Bar Masa in ARIA Resort<br />
& Casino; visit Bubble Bar,<br />
the champagne lounge at<br />
Restaurant Guy Savoy in<br />
Caesars Palace; hit the fourstory<br />
wine tower at Aureole<br />
in Mandalay Bay. One of my<br />
favorite places is The Wine<br />
Cellar at the Rio. The manager of the store and bar, Hung Nguyen, shows me a<br />
collection of Château d’Yquem dessert wines from 1855 to 1989 for sale for $2<br />
million and tells me Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous stories about serving tens<br />
of thousands of dollars in bottles in one night. Yet, back at the bar, he spends 45<br />
minutes patiently explaining the difference in taste profile between European<br />
and American wines to a Michigan couple that is never going to spend more<br />
than 50 bucks.<br />
I end my journey at Michael Mina in the Bellagio, where Master Sommelier<br />
Joe Phillips walks me through a five-course menu paired with chardonnay,<br />
pinot noir and cab from ZD Wines in Napa. (The restaurant does a tasting<br />
menu like this for a different winery every two months.) I ask Phillips why he<br />
thinks the Vegas wine community is so down-to-earth.<br />
After a pause, he says that the public in Las Vegas is<br />
different from other cities. In any given restaurant,<br />
you’ll get people of all backgrounds, coming in at all<br />
hours, expecting to be impressed, yes—but most of all<br />
to have F-U-N.<br />
“I think we’ve adapted to the unique environment<br />
here,” he says. “After all, this is Vegas.”<br />
LOTUS OF SIAM 953 E<br />
Sahara Ave; 702-735-3033;<br />
saipinchutima.com<br />
DELMONICO STEAKHOUSE<br />
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S; 702-<br />
414-3737; emerils.com<br />
OSTERIA DEL CIRCO 3600<br />
Las Vegas Blvd S; 702-693-<br />
7223; osteriadelcirco.com<br />
ALEX 3131 Las Vegas<br />
Blvd S; 702-248-3463;<br />
wynnlasvegas.com<br />
MARCHÉ BACCHUS 2620<br />
Regatta Dr #106; 702-804-<br />
8008; marchebacchus.com<br />
BAR MASA 3730 Las Vegas<br />
Blvd S; 877-230-2742;<br />
arialasvegas.com<br />
BUBBLE BAR AT RESTAU-<br />
RANT GUY SAVOY 3570 Las<br />
Vegas Blvd; 877-346-4642;<br />
caesarspalace.com<br />
AUREOLE 3950 Las Vegas<br />
Blvd S; 702-632-7401;<br />
charliepalmer.com<br />
THE WINE CELLAR 3700<br />
W Flamingo Rd; 702-777-<br />
7962; riolasvegas.com<br />
MICHAEL MINA 3600 Las<br />
Vegas Blvd S; 702-693-<br />
7223; michaelmina.net<br />
TO LEARN more about what to do, where to eat and where to<br />
shop in Las Vegas, turn to page 131 in the Go Guides.<br />
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