Kenny Toll’s Summer Wine Picks
Drop 07 | Season 02
Kenny Toll, the lead sommelier at NYC’s hot spot Place des Fêtes, brings an unconventional approach to wine selection. Fun fact: despite its French name, the bar is known for its predominantly Spanish wines! For Drop 07, Kenny has curated 12 exceptional wines that reflect his adventurous spirit. Join us as we dive into his journey and discover the stories behind his selections.
From sunny California to the bustling streets of New York, Kenny’s path has been anything but ordinary. Starting as an actor in San Francisco’s theater scene, he bought a one-way ticket to NYC, turning a potential weekend getaway into six years of building a life and navigating a pandemic. Kenny’s unconventional story continued as he relied on hands-on experience and expert mentorship to enter the wine world, eventually solidifying his place with Redwood Hospitality Group. Whether it’s on stage or in a vineyard, Kenny dives headfirst into new experiences, proving that passion and a bit of spontaneity can lead to incredible adventures.
Season 02 | Drop 07 Interview | July 01, 2024
Playlist’s Matt Friesen: Kenny, as the lead sommelier at Place des Fêtes, one of the hottest wine bars in NYC, how do you keep the wine list fresh and exciting for your guests?
Kenny Toll: Our team consists of three people: Piper Christensen, the Beverage Director and one of the company’s partners, Ali, another sommelier, and myself. Piper is often busy opening new restaurants, but the three of us constantly bring any wines we’ve tasted and are excited about to the table. We frequently open and taste new bottles, ensuring we never get locked into a fixed wine list.
When we first opened, our list featured a lot of French wines while we were expanding our Spanish section. Over time, we fell in love with more Spanish wines, leading us to focus exclusively on Spanish, Chilean, Portuguese, and some North American hybrid wines.
Now, our list has grown significantly with great allocations, so we include whatever we like. When we run out of a wine, it’s off the list until the next year, and we start looking for new options.
By keeping our finger on the pulse, it all comes together naturally, which is what excites me.
Wine, words, & music by Kenny Toll
Philippe Tessier’s
Phil'en Bulle 2022
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 1
Domaine Tessier is one of the gorgeous natural wineries coming out of Cheverny in the Loire Valley. This pét-nat is made from Romorantin and Orbois (Menu Pineau). It is playful and zippy with the slightest hint of oxidative apples that adds a subtle richness. It's a perfect sparkling wine to start the night.
When I hear Mr Blue Skies by ELO, it always makes me feel like I'm on the cusp of a fun evening and drinking this bottle makes me feel the same way!
MF: You mentioned that the restaurant started with French wines but are now predominantly offering Spanish wines. With a name like Place des Fêtes, which sounds like a French bistro or wine bar, I’m curious about the decision behind this shift.
KT: There’s a story behind it. Oxalis was the first restaurant under this group, and I worked there for three years, starting about four months after it opened. Oxalis features a French tasting menu with an incredible wine list that focuses on French natural wines for pairings.
When COVID hit, indoor dining was no longer an option. The owners struck a deal to access an enclosed outdoor parking lot. We cleaned and prepared the space, even during the lockdown, and opened a back-alley wine bar called Place des Fêtes. The name comes from the square in France where the owners originally conceived the idea for Oxalis. We operated there for a year and a half before deciding to open a permanent wine bar, keeping the name Place des Fêtes.
When we opened the brick-and-mortar location, Piper suggested avoiding overlap in our wine selections. We decided to keep French wines at Oxalis and focus on Spanish natural wines at Place des Fêtes, especially since the food here is seafood-heavy and follows the Mediterranean coast. I always share this story with our guests, and I tell them not to overthink it – Place des Fêtes is the party place, and its name reflects its history rather than the wine list.
MicroBio’s
Nieva York 2022
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 2
Nieva York is a pét-nat from Ismael Gozalo from Microbio Wines. He is truly the Verdejo master and this wine (100% Verdejo) is an ode to his home town of Nieva in Castilla y Leon and New York. There is a fair amount of skin contact on this wine which gives it a beautiful savory quality that pairs incredibly well with both light and heavy dishes alike.
This was the sparkling wine I had at my wedding in 2022, the song "Detectorists" by Johnny Flynn is the song my wife walked down the aisle to. The two are forever linked in my mind.
MF: As both a sommelier and an actor, how do these two passions influence each other?
KT: Surprisingly well, actually. There’s a cliché about actors in the restaurant industry for a reason. Most actors are only employed for short periods, unless they’re on a successful TV show or a long-running Broadway production. In between gigs, they need to make money, and restaurants, which operate mostly at night, fit that schedule perfectly.
Actors learn early on that they must be confident on stage and during auditions. This confidence translates well to the restaurant industry. As a server or in specialized positions, being confident, storytelling, and entertaining are key skills. At the end of the day, what we’re doing is offering guests a night of entertainment through food, wine, and service.
Working in wine is very similar. I have to bring my best every night. It’s challenging, but it’s the job.
Bonnet-Ponson’s
Cuvee Perpétuelle Non Dosé NV
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 3
From another beautiful natural producer, Thierry Bonnet and Cyril Bonnet have the distinction of having fully organic vineyards in Champagne. The Non-Dose is sourced from vineyards in Montagne de Reims. A blend of the main three grapes, this wine is produced in the Perpetuelle Method, then aged on the lees.
It may be corny but Champagne Super Nova by Oasis really does remind me of this wine. I want to sit on a warm beach with a cold bottle of Non-Dose with the relaxing voice of Liam Gallagher singing me into a daze.
MF: If your journey as a sommelier were a film, what would be the title, and what kind of wine would be the star of the story?
KT: The title would be “Hard Left Turn” because I often say I got into this industry sideways. A series of events in my life led me down this path. Initially, being an actor was always my plan. Then the pandemic hit and changed everything. It felt like a reset for many of us. Any momentum I had gained in my career seemed to disappear as the world changed.
In addition to that, I had a unique experience with my voice over the past year. A random illness, not COVID, affected one of my vocal cords, making it difficult for me to speak for a long time. For over a year, I couldn’t project my voice enough to be on stage. It was a freak incident, not dangerous and not painful, but it changed my trajectory. As challenging and strange as it was, it allowed me to focus entirely on my work and the people I collaborate with.
Regarding wine, I think it would be “value wine that punches up.” I recently attended a seminar about an incredible old vine Garnacha from Castilla y León in the Sierra de Gredos mountains. It’s grown on granite, which gives it intensity and linear earthiness, yet it’s affordable. There are both light and heavy-aged expressions of it, but that’s the kind of wine I want to drink. That would be the wine for my movie.
Fazenda Agricola Augalevada’s
Mercenario Blanco 2019
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 4
Whats better than flor aged Galician white wine? Not much. Iago Garrido is making wines in Ribeiro in Galicia, he's a former professional soccer player turned vineron. Inspired by the ever imaginative Jean Francois Ganevat. Once he realized that flor was growing on his white wines that were aging in buried amphora he never looked back.
Murder on the Dance Floor might now be famous for a certain risque dance scene in Saltburn, but it just makes me want salty, chalky wines aged under flor.
MF: We all have those unexpected favorite moments. Can you share an experience where a wine surprised you with its complexity or story?
KT: Yeah, actually, I had a fun moment recently. We received a case of wine from the winemaker Alberto Domingo, located in northern Catalonia. When I first opened it, it was reductive with strong barnyard notes. It would have been enjoyable for wine enthusiasts, but it wasn’t ready yet, so I decided to put it aside.
A year later, I tasted it again… and it was gorgeous. The characteristics that initially made me hesitant were gone. The wine was now soft with aged qualities and umami notes coming through, yet it remained light-bodied, which was surprising for a Tempranillo.
I was expecting it to either be past its prime or still the same, but it turned out to be my favorite bottle on the list. We sell it for around $60, so it’s a great value. It was a funny experience because now, whenever I taste it, I can’t help but smile.
Maison Valette’s
Pouilly-Fuissé 2018
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 5
An incredible Chardonnay from Phillipe, this smooth and aromatic white wine has an incredibly long and pronounced finish that I'm still thinking about today.
You Know That I’m No Good by Amy Winehouse is a song about an outsider doing something that they know they shouldn't, but do it anyway. If that doesn't describe one of the godfathers of natural wine bucking the trend even though they are told not to, I don't know what does.
MF: You’ve likely seen trends come and go. What’s one trend in wine that you’re excited about, and why?
KT: Hybrid grapes are an emerging trend that’s really cool. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting winemakers from Vermont, upstate New York, and Canada who are pioneering the movement. In fact, a friend of mine, the founder of Kalchē Wines in Vermont, refers to their wine as “space juice” and “the wine of the future.”
It’s a different species of grape, not Vitis vinifera, but a variety of other species specifically bred to combat climate change. Which is crucial because traditional wine regions are facing challenges like excessive heat and rain, and these issues aren’t going away.
It’s a fascinating development, and I’m thrilled about it.
Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot’s
Patchwork 2020
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 6
Another connection to my wife, we got to visit the Tissot tasting room in Arbois on our honeymoon. I've been fans of the Tissot wines for a long time and the Patchwork was by far my favorite. A Chardonnay with a deep smokey vibrancy that gives you a different experience with each returning sip.
Tom Waits has been one of my favorite musicians forever and something about the sweet longing nostalgia in his beautiful ballad "Martha" makes me think of this wine.
MF: What’s one thing about being a sommelier that people might find surprising or unexpected?
KT: There’s a ton of daily grunt work in the background, and you have to enjoy this aspect as much as everything else. Organization, updating menus, and other tasks way beyond interacting with guests and selling wine.
But I’d say it’s the constant learning. You have to study… a lot. Even the best sommeliers in New York City, at tastings or events, are taking copious notes and asking questions. It’s a job where one question can lead to 16 more, and so on. You have to enjoy the journey of continuous learning, and that’s what makes it fun. It's a lot of work, but it's a fun job.
Bodegas Cota 45’s
Miraflores UBE 2022
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 7
Take a sip and I dare you not to whisper to yourself "My oh My" in Leonard Cohens sexy barritone in realization that you just discovered something special.
Oh boy, the first time I tasted Ramiro Ibenez's wines was a reminder that wine will always surprise you. This is a Palomino from the famous Miraflores Pago and Sanlucar de Barrameda, aged in used sherry barrels.
MF: As an actor, you must have some great storytelling chops. Can you tell us the story behind one of your favorite wines on the current list?
KT: Iago Garrido is currently one of my favorite winemakers. He’s a former semi-professional soccer player turned winemaker, working out of Ribeiro in Galicia. Inspired by the wines from Jura, he fell in love with their unique characteristics.
He got his hands on a large amphora, buried it, and was surprised to discover that flor (a layer of yeast) was growing on his wine. Initially, he thought it was a mistake because Galicia wasn’t known for producing flor.
But the wine turned out to be incredible, with a layered mineral vibrancy that I’m still obsessed with. The wine is called Mercenario Blanco, from his winery Fazenda Agrícola Augalevada. And now all his white wines age under flor.
It’s amazing when a winemaker lets the wine dictate what it should be, rather than trying to mold it into something else. Garrido’s approach is a perfect example of this philosophy.
Jade Gross’s
Jabalina Rosato 2022
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 8
Jade is doing incredible things in Rioja. A chef by trade she now is making insane (and limited) expressions of Tempranillo. She is in the heart of what people are calling the "Third Wave" of Rioja. The Jabalina is her Rosé and is as playful, fresh and fruit forward as they come with bursts of strawberry and minerality.
Florence and the Machines "Dog Days" makes me see the light at the end of the tunnel when I'm feeling down. This wine does the same.
MF: If you could introduce one of your favorite characters you’ve played to a wine, which character would it be and what wine would you choose?
KT: Ooh, that’s a good question. Have you ever read or seen an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? Years ago, I played Mr. Wickham who’s kind of the villain. For some reason I tend to play a lot of villains.
Wickham is a cad who enters the play about 20 minutes in, just as everyone is celebrating Christmas. He bursts through the door, beat up and drunk, and wreaks havoc on the Christmas plans of the Pemberley estate.
Wickham strikes me as the type of guy who likes fancy things without really knowing why. He’d want something just because it’s expensive. So, I’d give him a Corpinnat, a good sparkling wine from Penedès. He would probably call it champagne because he wouldn’t know any better, and he’d think it’s amazing. He’d be sitting there, enjoying this excellent sparkling wine, and never know the difference.
Frank Cornelissen’s
Munjebel 2018
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 9
Frank Cornelissen needs no introduction from anyone. A rockstar of a winemaker who's Munjabel wines are responsible for making Nerello Mascalese as famous as Pinot Noir (at least to me). His cuvees were some of the first that got me excited about wine.
When I was in high school there was no bigger rockstar than Jack White. So next time you drink this wine. Blast Icky Thumb as loud as you can and bask in how bad ass you'll feel.
MF: If you could only drink one type of wine for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
KT: Oh man, that’s such a hard question. It’s like the desert island question.
You need a wine for all seasons - good at all times. I’d probably choose a mildly macerated, medium-bodied white that goes with pretty much everything. Something you can enjoy when it’s hot or cold, with a touch of yeasty, herbaceous undertones to give you something to think about.
And it shouldn’t just be clean and crisp, but maybe also a bit volatile, so each bottle is slightly different, providing some variety within your one choice.
Arianna Occhipinti’s
SP68 2021
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 10
Fine, I like Sicilian wines. But it didn't take Stanley Tucci for me to discover this incredible Frappato blend from Ariana Occhipinti. A complex, mysterious wine that piques my imagination when I taste it.
This is wine that makes me contemplative and Transatlantisicm by Death Cab give me the same experience, something about this modern epic song that feels like it spans centuries and continents reminds me of this beautiful, layered masterpiece of a wine.
MF: What’s the most unusual food and wine pairing you’ve tried that actually worked?
KT: This was a weird but funny experience. It involved a Spanish wine paired with dessert.
The wine we used was called Kilometer Zero and we paired it with a sorbet with citrus notes that was quite rich. The wine had a savory taste, almost like beets. And at the time, I thought it needed something to complement it, as it wasn’t a wine I’d want to drink on its own.
We tried pairing it with the citrus sorbet, and it blew my mind. The combination of the beet-like wine with the citrus sorbet worked perfectly. In any other situation, I wouldn’t know what to pair with such a unique wine, but it was an excellent match.
Another fun pairing, which isn’t so crazy but worked really well, was a Manzanilla sherry from De La Riva with Dover sole. It was a phenomenal pairing. Now, whenever I have a delicate fish with a rich sauce, I crave some Manzanilla sherry.
Gomez Nevado’s
Abocado NV
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 11
A sweeter expression of Sherry from the famed Gomez Navado. The sweetness comes from the addition of partly fermented juice. I tasted it recently and was blown away.
George Harrisions My Sweet Lord has always been one of my favorite songs and after drinking the Abocado the first time I found myself nearly saying Hallelujah out loud. You listen and tell me if you see it.
“Wine is a really fun thing to immerse yourself in. It’s not like math. It tastes good and you get a little buzz.”
MF: To wrap up, if you had to describe your wine and music curation style using only three words, what would they be?
KT: Ooh, I’d say eclectic, history (as in personal history), and delicious.
Listen, there are few Amaros out there better than the Marseille from Forthave Spirits. The balance of bitterness and sweetness is a master class. I've had it a million times but still find myself ordering it when I see it on a list.
Forthave Spirits’
Marseille Amaro NV
Kenny’s Picks | Wine 12
Maybe Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve is too on the nose, but you know what? I love the song and I love this Amaro so let's pair them together.
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Thanks for Reading
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