If you could have one last drink, what would it be? Better make it a good one. See what a sommelier, bar owner and venue manager would choose.
Choosing a drink is hard any day of the week, let alone if it’s the last one you’ll ever have. Should you opt for something nostalgic, something rare or something frivolous with 14 paper umbrellas? Then, of course, there’s how you want it served, and what meal you’d pair it with.
These are tough questions – ones we love to debate here at Dan’s Daily on the regular – so we decided to throw them to a few industry personalities so they could share their decisions.
We turned to Monica Lay of Melbourne’s The Local Taphouse, Louella Matthews from Trippas White Group, who is also President of Sommeliers Australia, and Hannah Wagner of Brisbane bars Dark Red and Dark Blue. Three savvy operators, three very different answers, but all incredible selections we now need to try for ourselves – no morbid scenario required.
Red Flanders Ale with a cheeseburger
As venue manager at The Local Taphouse in Melbourne, Monica loves working with so many different beers and styles. She’s been at this specialist Euro-inspired neighbourhood tavern for the past four years – and in hospitality for 15 – and says one of the best things about the venue is its 20 beer taps that are on constant rotation. This allows the team to showcase – and, importantly, sample – more than 400 beers each year. “It’s great to be able to try new beers and styles every time I come into work. You’re always learning something,” Monica says.
As someone who believes there’s a beer for everyone and every occasion, it’s no surprise Monica chose a coveted, rare brew for her own death-row drink. “I’d have to go with a Flanders Red Ale. It’s such a special-occasion style to me.” If you’re not familiar with this beer, it’s a complex Belgian-style ale that’s aged in oak and blended. “It often draws a lot of similarities to wine, which is totally understandable. Think lots of cherry and fruity flavours with a bit of a sour punch to it and some nice toasty malt undertones. There are so many great ones out there, but the Rodenbach Grand Cru is a standout.”
So, how would Monica request this beer to be served? “It has a lot of aromas, so you’d miss out on the full experience if you drink it straight from the bottle – it needs a tulip glass or stemmed wine glass,” she says. As for the ultimate meal to go with it, Monica is keeping it easy for this pairing. “Honestly, I would pair it with something pretty uncomplicated like a cheeseburger for my death-row meal. It’s such a great beer – super tart and crisp – and it pairs so well with fatty foods like meats and cheeses. It’s a dream combo.”
Bordeaux with a marbled ribeye and duck-fat potatoes
In her role as group beverage manager at Trippas White Group, Louella Matthews oversees the drinks program at more than 35 venues and event spaces across Sydney. Also President of Sommeliers Australia, Louella works to connect the industry, while encouraging and nurturing the next generation of wine professionals. “Wine is all about community and conversation,” she says. “It’s a conversation starter. There’s nothing quite like sitting around a table with a couple of wine drinkers, talking all things life and wine. We need more of these interactions – not less.”
Despite usually reaching for a white or sparkling, Louella is going another way for this decision. “My death-row wine is actually a red – the 1998 Chateau Lafleur from Pomerol in Bordeaux,” she says. It relates to a special memory for Louella. “When I was starting out, I was having a tough time and questioning if I should stay in the industry. Then a very generous guest offered me a glass of this wine, which I took to our tasting room and enjoyed in silence. There was something so pure and ethereal in that moment by myself, it got me hooked. So, I’d like to try it again and think of that moment of stillness, generosity and connection.”
To serve this wine right, Louella would try it as soon as she opened the bottle, as well as while it evolved in the glass. “Sometimes if you decant too early, you miss this journey. Plus, it would be quite old at that point – fingers crossed! – so I wouldn't want it to fall over.” In an ideal world, Louella says she’d design and hand-blow the perfect glass for the occasion. Failing that? “The glass needs to highlight the bouquet of violets and bramble, and the elegance of the tannins on the palate,” she says.
To pair with it, Louella’s going all out with “the most marbled beef ribeye I could get my hands on, with the crispiest, duck-fattiest roast potatoes and Dijon mustard,” she says. “I want a total gluttonous feast – a sort of opposites-attract with my elegant, pretty Bordeaux.”
A Spanish red with snacks
Hannah Wagner opened Brisbane wine bar Dark Red almost three years ago with a focus on Italian varietals, particularly reds. In May, she launched Dark Blue just around the corner. While the new venue specialises in Chilean, Portuguese and Argentinian wine styles, both bars also serve cocktails and spirits, including small-batch and rarer independent drops. For Hannah, her love for running bars is all about the people and her passion for the products they list. “When I have new wines, each service feels like I’m just showing my friends my new goodies, and it’s fun!” she says.
After a lot of thought about her death-row drink, Hannah went for a sentimental choice. “I’d request the Radio Boka Tempranillo – the first red wine I loved. I was 23 and they used to sell it at two of my local bars as their house pour. It has a lot of nice memories for me, and it was my gateway wine to reds,” she says. Super smooth and easy to drink, Hannah describes it as a reliable, fun wine. “We started calling our wine and music catch-ups Radio Boka nights. My friend Pat originally showed me that wine and we tracked down a few bottles for the bar’s second birthday and got to drink one together a few weeks ago.”
Hannah says this is a wine that needs to be served with great friends – and some good Spotify playlists and a spread of tasty snacks. “I love Spanish varietals with sardines, octopus… ‘girl dinner’ kind of vibes,” she says. “We have a duck cherry paté I absolutely love at Dark Blue that goes great with wine. I’m more of a light-dinner kind of person when I want to focus on wine and catch-ups.”
