|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sommelier
Brian Hider |
|
|
|
Brian
Hider attended college in South Carolina,
where he received a business degree. When
he returned to his native New Jersey,
he took a job bartending at the Tewksbury
Inn to earn money. It was here that he
discovered his passion for wine. With
Executive Chef Patrick Robinson as a mentor,
Hider started to attend trade wine tastings.
After Robinson left, Hider took over the
wine list. One of his regular customers
was Carl LaGrassa, who noticed Hiders
affinity for wine and took him under his
wing. LaGrassa was one of Brian’s
favorite customers and the two soon developed
a relationship based on a mutual love
of wine. “We hit it off and he liked
good wines. He didn’t know many
people at the time who had the same appreciation
for it.” Hider stayed at the Tewksbury
Inn for ten years.
It was a lifelong dream of Carl LaGrassa
and his wife Gloria to have their own
restaurant. When they purchased the Pluckemin
Inn in Bedminster, New Jersey, Carl offered
Brian the position of both Sommelier and
Buyer for his own private collection and
gave him free reign to purchase whatever
he thought would best represent their
mutual tastes. Hider began by buying wine
from cellars at famous auction houses
like Christie’s, as well as from
private collectors. He is targeting the
well-known producers first and then moving
on to the more obscure wine regions and
varietals. Hider’s intention is
to keep the prices very reasonable so
that even the rare vintage wines remain
affordable. He has put together an eclectic
list that represents every region around
the world. At present, the list stands
at over 15,000 bottles, with more to be
added as he fills out certain regions.
The list will change somewhat seasonally.
He also plans to have a focused list of
80-100 wines at the front of the book
that will feature regional selections
and “awesome” values. See
the “Pluckemin 100” under
the WINE menu. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Pluckemin Inn, Contemporary American
Cuisine 908/658.9292
|
| |
|
|
|