Posted on: Wednesday, July 24, 2002
Caparoso uncorks his first vintage
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Staff Writer
Since leaving Roy's Restaurant last September, where he had been a partner and wine buyer, Randal R. Caparoso has become a San Clemente, Calif.-based winemaker and negociant (wholesaler).
He launched his own label, Caparoso Wines, bottling his first wine, a 2000 California cabernet sauvignon "that is very soft, very silky, and probably the only cabernet in the world that matches sweet or spicy Asian-influenced foods," said Caparoso, who is visiting Hawai'i to introduce the vintage. Caparoso shared a bottle with On Jin Kim at lunch a few days ago, to accompany her Kal-B and Kim Chee Sandwich.
He started selling the wine to restaurants in New York, Florida, California and Colorado and now is expanding into the Hawai'i marketplace. The wine has joined the list at Roy's, as well as at other Roy's restaurants in California (four locations), New York, Florida (four locations) and Denver.
In Honolulu, he's been making the rounds, introducing the wine to buyers and sommeliers such as Marvin Chang of R. Field Wine Co., Scott Okamoto at The Chart House, Chai Chaowasaree at Chai's Island Bistro, Stu Schroeder at Sunset Grill, On Jin Kim at On Jin's Cafe, Joseph Bardouche at the Prince Court, and Roberto Viernes at the Mariposa at Neiman Marcus.
"They all said they will be offering my wine, not only because of the local angle, but because it's really a lot of fun to drink," said Caparoso, who writes the Vintages column for The Advertiser.
Restaurants that have already ordered the wine, according to Caparoso: Alan Wong's, The Pineapple Room, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Padovani's Restaurant and Sam Choy's. Vintage Wine Cellar and R. Field Wine Co. will market the wines, as well.
The Caparoso cabernet will retail for about $13 a bottle, with single glasses priced at about $7.
The wine already is served at some of the country's top eateries, including New York's Union Square Cafe, Montrachet, Tribeca Grill, Union Pacific, AZ, Lespinasse, Mesa Grill, Gramercy Tavern, Aureole; and San Francisco's Gary Danko, Bacar and Aqua.
"Not bad for a local yokel," Caparoso quipped.
