Since opening in March 2019, Lazy Betty has become known for its multi-course tasting menus, which can be paired with exceptionally curated wine pairings or wine by the glass, bottle or flight.
The wine list is spearheaded by the restaurant’s Wine Director & Lead Sommelier Gracie Barwick and features a good selection of fine, hard-to-find wines from classic regions alongside surprising gems from around the world. The team focuses on offering wines from family-owned wineries that are women- or minority-led and at least practicing organic and/or Biodynamic methods. This approach helps steer the wine list while allowing for a range of tastes, from traditional to adventurous.
Aiming to offer wines from producers that give back to the environment and also their communities, Gracie is particularly excited to offer the following selections to guests and shared the following tasting notes.
- Famiglia Cotarella, Roschetta, Lazio Ferentano Bianco, 2019 – made from 100% Roschetto, a white grape from Lazio Italy, this wine is paired with Lazy Betty’s “Truffle Hunt” dish, featuring pomme puree, black truffle, potato soil & pickled hon shimeji. Rich bruised yellow pear and a pleasantly oxidative quality match the dish’s richness, and the bright acidity cuts through the profound umami.
- Ottin, Fumin, Vallee d’Aoste, Italy, 2021 – The winemaker produces a red wine out of 100% Fumin, an indigenous red grape from the alpine region of Italy in Vallee d’Aoste. Lazy Betty pairs this wine with their Dry Aged Crown Roasted Duck, made with sweet potato, confit tartelette, sauce bigarade & satsuma. Don’t let the deep opaque color fool you; this is a light-to-medium red and a play on a deep Pinot Noir. The wine is full of juicy fruit, like ripe red cherry and blackberry, that pair traditionally with a fun play on duck a l’orange with citrus.
- Royal Tokaji, Furmint, Tokaj, 5 Puttyons 2019 – a dessert wine from Hungary offered with Lazy Betty’s tasting menu, this wine is very small production, and Georgia only gets so much. Lazy Betty is grateful to be able to offer it. The wine is high in residual sugar, but the acid keeps it nice and light and balanced on the palate, not to overpower the sweetness of the banana brûlée.
- Honig Vineyard & Winery, Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford, CA, 2022 – paired with Lazy Betty’s tasting menu dessert (Kumquat Entremet with maple ice cream & caramelized walnut) is Honig’s late harvest Sauvignon Blanc. They have a talented, all-female winemaking team in Napa’s Rutherford, California. The wine offers intricately woven aromas and flavors of baked apple, dried apricot, orange blossom and freshly toasted almonds. It’s rich and exquisitely balanced on the palate to match the dessert’s kumquat.
- Adrien Renoir Grand Cru 2019 – While the restaurant’s by-the-glass options include popular luxurious names like Cristal and Dom Perignon, their by-the-bottle list is ever growing and changing. Gracie was able to get her hands on Adrien Renoir’s Grand Cru 2019. A lengthy aging process in the cellars gives their champagnes superb style and structure. Fruity aromas on the nose are accompanied by vanilla notes and hints of dried fruit.
- Hirsch Vineyards’ Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs & Chardonnay – Lazy Betty serves several single vineyard Pinot Noirs on the by-the-bottle list as well as the vineyard’s Chardonnay – one of just a few they produce. The Chardonnay is paired with Lazy Betty’s Scallop Pithivier, which is a very French dish. Gracie pairs the pithivier with something classic yet New World. The wine drinks like an Old World Burgundy, with green apple, Asian pear, stone fruit flowers and lemon curd. The acidity is present but balanced, and the mouthfeel is full and slightly toasty.
- Nebbiolo, Rivetto, Langhe, Piedmont, ITL, 2021 25 – poured by the glass, this is an approachable option for guests that want something by the glass that is ready to drink and great with food. High acidity and ripe fruit on the palate makes this a choice for guests that may want one glass of wine for the whole meal. Gracie appreciates how Rivetto incorporates biodiversity on its property and has an onsite school to teach the next generation of winemakers the importance of its farming practices.
Gracie, who brings over a decade of experience to her role at Lazy Betty, welcomes the challenge of pairing wine selections with Lazy Betty’s elevated, modern and ever-changing tasting menus and relishes in the opportunity to educate guests on pairings or a la carte wines. Serving customers ranging from seasoned wine drinkers to guests experiencing a wine pairing for the first time keeps Barwick excited about the industry and learning every day.
Prior to Lazy Betty, Gracie worked at Atlanta’s Empire State South for James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Hugh Acheson and at Woodfire Grill where she gained experience under Nicholas Quinones, a knowledgeable Atlanta wine professional. In Washington, DC, she worked at one-MICHELIN-star Fiola, The Riggsby and ESquared Hospitality. A level one sommelier, she is studying for her level two WSET certification and her Court of Master Sommeliers certification. She is active in local sommelier tasting groups, always working to expand her palette and knowledge, and orchestrates weekly tastings with Lazy Betty staff to further the team’s wine education.
