Jason Carlen
Appointed as wine director and sommelier of Spiaggia in early 2011, Jason Carlen, certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, joined the team with a parallel philosophy to fine dining. Believing that some of the finest old world and artisan wines come from Italy, Carlen further enhanced the restaurant’s mission of creating luxurious, world-class Italian dining, through the selection and pairing of the finest Italian wines.
Under Carlen, the Spiaggia wine list, awarded the “Best of Award of Excellence” by Wine Spectator, continues to be a reference point for Italian wines in the U.S. With a selection of 700 bottles, the wine list represents the larger Italian wines regions of Toscano, Piemonte, as well as regions that are seeing a resurgence such as Sicilia, Alto Adige and Friuli.
Carlen articulated each wine’s story by reorganizing celebrated Spiaggia wine list by the parcel of earth in which the vineyards sit upon such as their topography, soil type, elevation or exposure to the sun, among others, thereby educating guests on their origin. A model for this type of organization is the region of Barolo, which is made up of two valleys: the Serralunga valley consisting of older less fertile limestone based soils resulting in bolder intense wines while the Central valley contains fresher soils containing a greater amount of sand and limestone with the resulting wines being more perfumed and elegant. The crus or vineyards can be compared to those of Burgundy, each tasting vastly different from the next but only mere feet apart.
Since his arrival, Carlen has reorganized the celebrated Spiaggia wine while list keeping the basics in mind: topography, soil type, elevation and exposure. A model for this type of organization is the region of Barolo, which is made up of two valleys: the Serralunga valley consisting of older less fertile limestone based soils resulting in bolder intense wines while the Central valley contains fresher soils containing a greater amount of sand and limestone with the resulting wines being more perfumed and elegant. The crus or vineyards can be compared to those of Burgundy, each tasting vastly different from the next but only mere feet apart.
With a degree in theatre, one of the aspects that Carlen looks forward to each day is interacting with guests and sharing his excitement and knowledge for wine and the story that each wine tells. Carlen’s objective is to provide each guest a singular dining experience. He gets to know the guest beyond their palate, therefore selecting a wine to perfectly match their culinary journey.
Prior to Spiaggia, Carlen spent four years as the sommelier at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, an Auberge Resort, in Bluffton, S.C. It was there that Carlen gained an appreciation for sourcing smaller, family-run vineyards, often traveling to the destinations to meet the producers in which he was sourcing the wines. Carlen honed his skills from New York City to Santa Fe, N.M. in establishments such as: Gotham Bar and Grill; Geronimo Restaurant; and The Old House Restaurant at Eldorado Hotel and Spa.
When the opportunity was presented to join the talented team at Spiaggia, Carlen knew right away it was a fit. He felt an immediate connection to the people and place, the same philosophy he uses when selecting wine.
Follow Jason on Twitter: @jjcarlen