225BatonRouge.com

Finding a wine seller to rely on is a lot like finding a movie critic: someone to trust whose word is always spot on. When he or she likes or hates a movie, so do you. Bill Hounshell at Kenilworth’s Matherne’s Supermarket is that kind of wine guy. When he has more than one case of a wine on the floor, that’s your clue—he likes it, and you can trust it’s something worth pouring. When Bill began his wine journey, Matherne’s had only eight feet of wine (two shelves). Today, the store houses a wine room spanning 3,000 square feet and 1,500 different wines. Bill talks about wine poetically. He’s enamored with Chateau Felice’s 2001 Zinfandel Estate Reserve ($24) from the Chalk Hill appellation of Sonoma County, California. “It’s an elegant wine that has a beautiful finish. It’s a bit of a surprise because these incredibly well-crafted wines start off subtle, but then the finish is big, and that lingering is what makes it great and so memorable.” It pairs beautifully with grilled meats, a big steak or lamb. A quick stop in Matherne’s reveals there is more than one case of this wine on the floor, and we know what that means…Never been to Matherne’s? Here’s a hot tip: Every Friday, the store holds wine dinners (Bill’s the chef, too). Three full courses served with eight wines for only $35 to $45 per person. People in the know are on “the list,” but it’s first-come first-served, and these dinners book quickly. Call the store at (225) 767-0074, or email Bill at bill@mathernes.com.