A Bottled-up Vegas Secret

WE SEND OUR FOOD AND WINE WRITER TO THE WINE CELLAR AT THE RIO

Far beneath the cacophony of the slot machines and rowdy gamblers on the casino floor of the Rio lies a tranquil oasis. Rich, dark wood lines the walls, and soft music spills from the speakers. The lights are kept low, fostering a mood of sublime tranquillity. And all around you are the wine bottles. Thousands upon thousands of wine bottles.

The Wine Cellar at the Rio is the largest public wine cellar in the western United States and provides a much-needed respite from the perpetual sensory overload that often accompanies a trip to Las Vegas. It’s earned a fulsome reputation among aficionados in recent years not just for its massive collection, but also for its knowledgeable staff and stellar service. It is a reputation well earned. I’ve drained countless glasses of wine in countless cellars, and this one ranks up there with the best of them.

It ranks so high for myriad reasons. The selection is, to be sure, fabulous (if a touch too trophy oriented); the atmosphere is inviting and warm; the glassware is correct (that’s a big deal for wine nerds like me); and the service is efficient and friendly. Yet there is one particular reason I will be returning sooner rather than later. His name is Hung Nguyen, and he’s the Wine Cellar’s wine manager.

Hung met me early on a recent Saturday evening to give me a quick tour of the cellar, which is broken down into categories just like your average wine shop. California wines over here, Bordeaux and burgundies over there. Spanish wines against this wall, Germans against that one. And tucked away in a seldom-used corner: a nearly deserted Rhône rack. I would love to assume that this is because American consumers have come to their senses and begun buying anything from the Rhône region they can get their hands on, but I have a feeling that I remain one of the few Rhône enthusiasts this side of the Mississippi. Or the Atlantic, for that matter.

No trip to the Wine Cellar would be complete without a few awe-filled moments spent staring in wonder at the world-famous Chateau d‘Yquem vertical. This compilation of first-growth Sauternes runs from 1855 through 1990 and is one of the most remarkable single collections of wine I have ever seen.

On the way to the bar, Hung casually gestured at two bottles of Madeira that came from Thomas Jefferson’s own wine collection. It’s that kind of cellar.

I’ll be honest: I love wine, but I really hate wine attitude. I was fully prepared to have to deal with more than my fair share of it in this cellar (what with a $2-million, 140-year d‘Yquem vertical on the wall). You can imagine my relief when Hung and I started talking and it turned out he was (of all things!) normal.

“Wine is about having fun. I hate people who try to make it intimidating,” said Hung. (Did the guy who just breezed by a chunk of Jefferson’s private collection really just say that?) “People don’t want to be talked down to. They want to enjoy themselves and have fun.”

Hung ran me through two flights of California wines that are currently offered at the cellar while regaling me with stories of misbehaving celebrities. The flights were lush and impressive California cabernets, along with a pleasant California chardonnay. The best story he told me involved him trying to duck out of a photo being taken of a celebrity for a major fashion magazine, only to see his startled face in the foreground corner of the photograph in the next month’s issue. The best wine he served me was the 2005 Altus Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s rich and big and drinks astonishingly well considering how young it is.

It might seem silly, but any wine nerd will tell you that certain moments in time become inextricably linked to certain bottles, never to be separated. I’m looking forward to picking up my next bottle of Altus. I’ll pour myself a glass and remember the sights, smells and glorious flavors of that underground monument to the noble grape. I’ll also picture the shocked face of Hung in the bottom corner of a photo, published in a trendy magazine, in which a fashion icon is trying to enjoy a glass of wine. It tickles me.

Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino
3700 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89103
866-746-7671