Wine Not? A Conversation with Michael Klauber

The business of food, wine and hospitality is so deeply embedded in Michael Klauber's genes, he could have forgone his degree at Cornell University's renowned hotel and restaurant management school and just toiled away at his father's knee until his time came to run his family's venerable Sarasota, Fla., resort, The Colony.

But to Klauber, the opportunities were always boundless. After stints in New Orleans in hotels and landmark restaurants like Arno's, he found his true first love: wine.

When he came back to Sarasota in the late 1970s to take over The Colony's food and beverage program, he brought that love and accumulated knowledge with him to elevate The Colony's wine list to a Wine Spectator's highest award, "given to restaurants that show an uncompromising, passionate devotion to the quality of their wine program."

Today, he spearheads what is arguably Sarasota's most interesting wine shop, Michael's Wine Cellar, one of its most respected upscale restaurants, Michael's on East, and a special events venue that's becoming a must-have LGBT wedding destination now that same-sex marriage is legal in Florida.

He's also taken his love of good food, fine wine and happy clients global with first-class hosted travel packages to such nom-nom worthy spots as Tuscany and northern Italy, a Rh�ne River cruise in France, and a safari escape to South Africa.

With his focus on high-end "lifestyles of the rich and famous" experiences, you might think Klauber would be shelling Bordeaux futures or the next Screaming Eagle producer in California. But at Michael's Wine Cellar, he gets clearly excited when he's talking about the 250 bottles for under $20 he's always looking for.

"Anybody can find high-end wines," Klauber says. "The fun for me is to find those little special gems."

Among Klauber's value wines to watch include those from Spain and South Africa, in particular that country's pinot noir and chardonnay offerings. Klauber is also very keen on South Africa's new Cape Blend, a Bordeaux-style mix of cabernet sauvignon and merlot with the area's native hybrid, pinotage.

The bulk of the 1,000+ bottles sold at the shop - 80 percent, he says - are from producers Klauber has personally met, many of them at their vineyards.

"I have a relationship with those producers and a loyalty to them as well," he says, adding that he only carries boutique wines that are estate or domaine bottled, meaning they are grown, produced and bottled on the property.

He often brings the winemakers to his clientele at the shop with monthly tastings and wine-paired dinners.

"Typically at a restaurant, you pick the meal and then the wine to go with it," he says. "We start with what's going to make the wine look the best."

Journey of a Lifetime

Sometimes, for the people who go along on one of Klauber's treks, the wine may look best in a unique setting.

On a recent trip to South Africa, Klauber arranged for renowned local winemaker Graham Beck to meet the group returning from safari with a glass of his award-winning sparkling wine in hand at a formal, candle-lit dinner in the bush.

Another trip to France included a luncheon at the revered Ch�teau Margaux in Bordeaux.

"For my wife, Terri, and I, these are things we probably wouldn't do on our own," Klauber says. "But our guests challenge us to make these trips unique and special. I give very little detail to the guests, so there are always surprises."

Upcoming trips include South Africa (including Victoria Falls, safari and the coastal wine country plus a stay at Londolozi, named the #1 Hotel in the World by Cond� Nast Traveler's 2014 Readers' Choice Awards) and a 2016 river cruise down the Danube.

Klauber has also created a loyalty club so that anyone who buys wines in person or online, eats at the restaurant, holds an event or goes on a trip can accrue points toward future purchases. His blog and newsletter are chock full of great food and wine information, as well as sneak peeks into upcoming trips, which sell out quickly.

Shop online at www.store.michaelswinecellar.com.