As one of the foremost wine experts in St. Louis, sommelier Alisha Blackwell-Calvert has been responsible for assembling wine lists at some of the cityâs top restaurants. Passionate about turning people on to lesser-known bottles, one of her fondest instances of pushing people toward something new was when she highlighted an Israeli Cabernet at the former Reeds American Table.
âI had this cabernet from Gilgal [vineyards] in Galilee as our glass pour, and it was just so delicious,â Blackwell-Calvert recalls. âI wasnât sure how people would react, but they loved it. The response was great, and I was so happy that St. Louis responded to a Cabernet that was not from France or the United States.â