What Burgundy Means to Artur Silva
Drop 06 | Season 02
From his early days as a mixologist to his current role as the Beverage Director at NYC’s renowned Japanese omakase restaurant, ITO, Artur Silva has always been passionate about creating unforgettable experiences. Obsessed with finding the perfect complement, Artur challenges traditional rules to craft unique and memorable pairings. For Drop 06, Artur has curated 12 exceptional wines from around the world, embodying what Burgundy means to him without including a single bottle from the region. Experience the art of wine and music pairing through Artur’s innovative perspective.
Artur Silva’s dedication to his craft is evident in every glass he pours. With a diverse background that spans from spirits to wine, Artur brings a unique perspective to curation. His selection of 12 wines transcend traditional boundaries, each wine thoughtfully paired with a track to highlight its distinct character, offering a multi-sensory journey that celebrates the harmony between wine and music. Dive into Artur’s collection and experience the art of wine pairing through his innovative lens.
Season 02 | Drop 06 Interview | June 01, 2024
Playlist’s Matt Friesen: What inspired your selections for the drop?
Artur Silva: I wanted to understand why pairings work, why there’s such a diversity of pairings, and what makes them possible to sequence.
In the movie Ratatouille, there’s a theme where the fictitious chef says, ‘Anyone can cook.’ The critic initially hates this idea, thinking it’s childish and ludicrous. But in the end, he realizes it’s a metaphor: great cooks can come from anywhere, even a rat. It’s not that everyone can be a great chef, but that anyone, regardless of background, has the potential.
I became a bit obsessed with this idea, thinking that anyone can make wine and every hill could produce wine. You just need the right people in the right place. From there, I asked myself, ‘Has this terroir been expressed? Is this place interesting?’ It boiled down to finding people who use grapes as a medium to transport the essence of their land.
To me, this is the essence of terroir. Not all wine embodies this, and not all wine opinions align with it. My obsession with Burgundy stems from the fact that a four-foot difference in any direction, using the same varietal, results in completely different expressions. The methods aren’t very different; it’s the land that makes the difference. It’s the art of transposing the land through the grape. I tried to apply this on a scale that might have been too ambitious.
Wine, words, & music by Artur Silva
Weingut Leo Alzinger’s
Grüner Veltliner, Loibenberg 2022
Artur’s Picks | Wine 1
Opening up with my favorite Austrian vineyard, with 750+ years of winemaking. This is precision Grüner. A surprising warm plot here balances the native fruit’s sharp edges.
A reminder that any experience you have is made better by the company you keep.
MF: If you had to describe the vibe of this drop in three words, what would they be?
AS: Three words are always tough for me because the only ones that come to mind are honesty, transparency, and being deliberate. There’s no single word for being deliberate, but if there were, that would be it.
All these words are similar yet different. Through this process, I’ve found more and more places where people are essentially making Burgundy. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s what Burgundy represents to me and what that metaphor for the wine means to me.
What Burgundy means to me with no Burgundy in the list.
Ohmine’s
'3 Grain' Yamadanishiki Sake NV
Artur’s Picks | Wine 2
A brewery that closed for 50 years but managed was given a second life. When it did, it ran full speed into the future, modernizing, and dropping tradition like a bad habit. Everything about the place, and their sources is top of the food chain. Every new release is better than the last.
Floral, clean, and fun. I could crush these all night.
The Ohmine team came too far to give up on who they are, and then Pharrell invested in the brewery. Seriously. Since then, they’ve exploded. Thankfully for all the best reasons. He got lucky.
MF: We met at ITO a couple of months ago, and I was blown away. It was the first time I experienced a Japanese omakase that paired wine along with sake. I love how that added a different level of depth.
I’m curious, how do you approach pairing wine with the complex and subtle flavors of Japanese cuisine?
AS: Pairings often come down to generalities like fat content, types of meats and proteins, vegetable interactions, and acid notes. This gives you a wide range of options. However, omakase doesn’t adhere to generalities. For example, you might have three fatty fish—Otoro, Sea Perch, and another—that fit the same descriptors but are as different from each other as lamb is from chicken.
When pairing for this level of nuance in the food, the beverage pairing has to match. I realized that you need to forget all the generalities and focus piece by piece. Start with one specific bottling and match it to one specific dish. Once you find a pairing that works, try to adjust up or down until you build a small narrative. Each pairing must be precise and piece-by-piece specific. If you don’t achieve this precision in every pairing, you’ll need to refine your approach.
MF: I would imagine the progression of the evening changes frequently, if not daily. How often do you have to update them?
AS: I used to say I updated the pairings once a month, but it really ended up being every four or five days. For example, we would swap different types of sashimi: sometimes it would be ChuToro, sometimes Otoro, Akami, or Hirame. These changes worked with the sauce set by adjusting the acid balance.
However, with wine, I can’t manually change the acid balance in the bottle. So, I learned to adjust the pairings piece by piece. I could switch the order of the wines, deciding where the champagnes fall, starting with the rosé instead, then moving into the white, and building a progression with alternatives that are brighter or less bright.
For instance, we have an Egon Müller that leads into a Ridge Grenache Blanc from the U.S. From a technical standpoint, there’s no congruency, but side by side, piece by piece, it makes perfect sense. It’s the only way it works. The challenge is that if you remove that pairing from the specific omakase, it results in chaos. But when experienced together, it fits neatly.
Weingut Max Ferdinand Richter’s
Graacher Dompropst Riesling Alte Reben 2022
Artur’s Picks | Wine 3
I stumbled into meeting the 9th generation maker as he waited to meet the buyer for the restaurant. He introduced himself as “Dirk” and poured me some of his wines.
I asked naively perhaps, “Why don’t you charge more for these wines, they’re fantastic?” Looking almost insulted, Dr. Dirk replied “Because I don’t have to.” I’ve been in love ever since.
Don’t stress out, stop overthinking, just go find your love.
MF: What’s the wildest reaction you've ever seen from a guest after they tasted a wine you recommended?
AS: People often act mind-blown and get confused, especially when they know enough about wine to recognize that I’m breaking the rules in a major way. I’ve had people react more strongly, asking, “Are you sure you want to do this?” I assure them that my title and credentials mean it’s okay and to just trust the professional. We’ll be fine.
Beyond that, it’s the lifelong friendships that have come from wine suggestions and pairings that stand out. I’ve met people at a table who I’ve since attended their weddings and built deep, well-connected relationships with. It all started with small conversations about preferences, leading to moments where they realized, “I didn’t know wine could do that.” I share these discoveries passionately because I didn’t know either until I did.
Ridge Vineyards’
Grenache Blanc 2022
Artur’s Picks | Wine 4
2022 is the first year they added Fossil creek fruit to the wine, and they’ve unlocked something special. Piña colada wine. Delicious.
A Harlem anthem, by a legend cut short. Much like TG with the wine, he throws everything and the kitchen sink at this track. No half measures, but still effortless.
MF: As someone who’s worked extensively with both cocktails and wines, how has your approach to creating cocktails influenced your approach to wine?
AS: Professionally, I started at a high level with craft cocktails. I was learning about spirits, building programs, and eventually running one. The biggest change is the culture. Craft cocktail culture has a sense of humility and experimentation, along with a bit of irreverence. Cocktail enthusiasts are willing to put 40-year-old whiskey in a cocktail without hesitation. I am still one of those people.
Transitioning from that to the Jean-Georges group, where there is a reverence for the history of wine and definite do’s and don’ts, was a significant shift. However, maintaining the attitude of ignoring traditional rules and just making it worth it was important. The biggest cultural difference is the willingness to make mistakes, step on sacred lines, and experiment on the edges.
MF: I love that. That really embodies the spirit of Playlist. It's not about the traditional rules - it's about having fun and drinking delicious wine and discovery.
I’m curious, do you have a favorite wine-based cocktail?
AS: Absolutely. There’s a clear answer to this question. My favorite, and the first one that came to mind, is a mulled wine New York sour that we developed at Clocktower. It is incredible.
If anyone is making New York sours, try making some mulled wine first. Play around with it, and text me if you need a recipe that works really well. That drink tastes like magic. Besides that, the Aperol Spritz is a close second. It’s happiness in a glass, perfection, and stupid simple. What would you rather have on a beach?
Michelini I Mufatto’s
Certezas Semillon 2021
Artur’s Picks | Wine 5
A hand harvested, old vine, single plot wine from the Finca Manoni vineyard in a 120-year-old estate of the Uco Valley. Balance and depth though authentically itself. High acid, high alcohol sémillon. Beautiful now, and beautiful in 20 years. A marquee wine in the making.
The song on the demo that made Dr. Dre believe in Eminem, and push past anything other than the music.
Michelini i Mufatto (M & M) is on to something special here. This might not be their famous big hit, but this is the raw beginnings of genius, and their potential = infinite.
MF: What was the moment you realized that you fell in love with wine?
AS: I can thank my parents for my early interest in food and wine. They owned a restaurant when I was a kid in Brazil. Although my parents are Portuguese, they traveled a lot around the world, doing all kinds of things—much like yourself—very entrepreneurial people.
One of my earliest memories is going to dinner with my father at a restaurant in Portugal. It was a relatively formal place with nice stonework, and at the end of dinner, he had port wine. My father is an ex-military, stoic, old-school European, with a strong sense of boundaries and rules. Despite this, he gave me some of the port wine, which was a very OG European thing to do.
I was just a kid, and it shocked me how different it was from anything I’d ever had. It stuck with me like a lightbulb moment. I will always remember that first taste, as it changed my perception of what things could taste like. It was a pivotal moment for me, even as a kid.
Luis Seabra’s
Xisto Cru Branco 2021
Artur’s Picks | Wine 6
Luis is a pioneer making single vineyard wines expressing the magic of their terroir. Bringing with him the wines of Portugal into the future, kicking and screaming.
A haunting musical embodiment of a word in Portuguese with no direct translation: “Saudade”.
This group brought “fado” into the present, and thus re-popularized a culturally unique musical style. The parallels are uncanny.
MF: Could you describe your perfect bite and what you would be pairing it with?
AS: The word “perfect” is so loaded for me. When I really boil it down, I realize that perfection doesn’t exist. So, is the perfect bite something we’re always chasing, or is it just a series of transient experiences?
For me, it’s the latter. It’s about the moment in time when it happens, making it perfect for that experience. And then, a new perfect will come later.
MF: Wait, wait… so what you’re trying to say is that the perfect bite isn’t just about the taste of something, but it’s the perfect moment?
AS: Exactly.
Domaine Anita’s
Fleurie Les Moriers 2021
Artur’s Picks | Wine 7
An instrumental that played the backdrop of a time when I embraced my own obsessive tendencies.
Beaujolais with backbone, made by a professional cyclist turned winemaker.
Anita is an obsessive human, and as such everything is done the hard way. Horse drawn plows, and hand harvesting.
"How you do anything, is how you do everything” and she does everything right.
MF: Imagine you’re hosting a relaxing Sunday brunch with friends. What’s a surprising / out-of-the-box wine that you’d serve?
AS: This is an easy one for me because I can just go with sake. There’s a very specific type of sake called Bodaimoto, made in a traditional way by a brewery called Mimurosugi. They do a once-a-year release, and it’s not crazy expensive. It’s made by monks in a temple dedicated to the god of sake, and their attitude towards it is very laissez-faire—pour it, drink it, who cares? The temple itself is over 800 years old.
This sake is my Sunday brunch wine for all those contrasting reasons. In fact, I’m heading to a barbecue today, and I’ll be bringing it along.
MF: This wouldn’t be Playlist if I didn’t ask you, what song perfectly complements the brunch?
AS: I Got You by James Brown!
Antiquum Farm’s
Pinot Noir, ‘Passiflora’ 2019
Artur’s Picks | Wine 8
Some of the most breathtaking vineyards in the US. With vibrant blue Pinot Noir, and split color Pinot Gris. Nothing about this winery is typical.
This is cult wine before it’s cool, and you should join us.
They have goats… ; )
Both bending the rules into the future. Singular musical artists, for singular wine artists.
MF: In the spirit of breaking the mold, what's a traditional wine pairing rule you love to break?
AS: That’s an easy one for me because I do it every time we do the pairing.
It’s the uni with red wines. High-grade auction uni has many rules regarding shellfish and what you’re supposed to pair with it. I’ve paired it with Barolo, Pinot, and other reds. I usually choose reds because, in my opinion, they’re the right pairing. It might surprise some people, but it’s delicious.
I argue that it’s probably the right pairing, and maybe once consensus shifts, I’ll switch back to whites or try sherry or something fun. The idea that there’s a generic rule saying you can’t pair a certain category of wine with this is something I like to challenge. Whatever the rule is, I like to find the exception.
So, I guess all of them, but definitely challenging categorical rules in pairing, basically with all of them.
Descendientes de J. Palacios’
Corullón 2021
Artur’s Picks | Wine 9
Made by “The” Spanish authority on biodynamic winemaking. A winery with a strong opinion.
Vintage variation is remarkable, truly a wine expression of the growing season seasons. Honesty in a bottle. I try one every vintage.
“Well, I’m lost behind the words I’ll never find. And I’m left behind, as the seasons roll on by.” And roll on by they will, embrace it.
MF: In a world where personalization and algorithms dominate our lives, how do you discover new wine and music?
AS: I’m not really affected by these constraints because I’ve avoided social media so actively. I don’t use Instagram, and my Facebook account is mainly for texting old family members. Instagram is the most modern platform I understand; I don’t use TikTok or Snapchat.
Without the social ecosystem constantly pointing me in new directions, my experiences haven’t changed much. It’s still pretty routine, word-of-mouth-based. For new wines, I rely on authorities in the field—importers, distributors, and sommeliers. We do big portfolio tastings and get early access to what’s coming to market.
For new music, it’s similar. I’ll watch a film or show and then look up the composer or producer. I’ll check the credits, find a producer whose style I like, and explore other music they’ve created. So, avoiding social media hasn’t affected me much because I’ve stepped out of the bubble enough.
Tenuta di Carleone’s
Chianti Classico 2021
Artur’s Picks | Wine 10
Every time I pop one of these, I can hear a cool wind blow through my fantasy villa in Tuscany.
The winemaker is a savant, and this is a steal.
With a small group. Have everyone sit on oversized bean bags, or a couch with sinking cushions. Sip the wine and play this song. Thank me as your head sways you into serenity.
MF: What do you think is the next big trend in the world of wine?
AS: I think the real question is about the next big change in the wine industry. Regenerative agriculture is where it’s headed. Everyone striving to be biodynamic and organic is now looking at soil depletion and its effects on wines and soils. Vines are a monoculture, and we want to plant them for 70 to 100 years, maybe longer. To bridge this gap, we’re moving towards cover crops and regenerative agriculture.
Regenerative agriculture is no longer confined to small pockets in Spain or a few dedicated individuals. It’s becoming mainstream in the wine world and will soon be the standard practice.
Another significant factor is how global warming will change varietals. Burgundy, for instance, is benefiting from the warmer climate, though this may not last long. The English wine industry is also thriving, producing beautiful bubbly wines due to the warmer climate.
So, while global warming is a major factor, regenerative agriculture is the most significant upcoming change. It will revolutionize how we make wine and address the challenges we face.
Familia Zuccardi’s
Poligonos del Valle de Uco 2020
Artur’s Picks | Wine 11
Bright, mineral, fresh, herbal. Think I’m describing a white yet? Welcome to Mount Malbec. High altitude with attitude. Forget what you know, and just listen to the flavors.
Accepting losing control is the first step to more fun, or recovery. I forget which.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I assure them that my title and credentials mean it’s okay and to just trust the professional. We’ll be fine.
MF: Thanks Artur. To close out, if you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
AS: Get more sleep. For sure. Am I going to take that advice moving forward? Nope, absolutely not. Giving advice and taking advice are very different.
We often know what the right answers are, but will we follow them? It’s about making the immediate best choices, right? Do you sleep well? I ask because you’re a serial entrepreneur.
MF: I don’t sleep well at all. I go to bed late and wake up early. I try different things like acupuncture to bring my energy down and make it easier to sleep. But no, I don’t sleep well.
AS: Yeah, I haven’t met anyone who does a lot of things and sleeps well. We all know how important sleep is; the science is clear. But there’s no small coincidence—I’ve never met any high performers who sleep well. Not one. Maybe it’s the delirium that keeps people going. Hopefully I’ll figure it out one day.
A Varietal that went extinct in it’s home of Bordeaux and was rediscovered in Chile roughly 200 years later. 2 plots in Colchagua blended into a powerhouse.
When the right grape meets the right land, done carefully, it tastes like it all belongs.
A lush bomb of black and red fruit that just keeps going and going.
Montes’
Purple Angel 2019
Artur’s Picks | Wine 12
A vibey ensemble piece where the notes just keep coming. Some of them jump out of line, then fall back in like pulsating spikes inside an unpierceable latex glove.
Every layer has its moment. Too long, and too short, and yet somehow it all fits.
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Thanks for Reading
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