Personalities

Jeff Bareilles

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Wine & Beverage Director

Jeff Bareilles Wine & Beverage Director

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Jeff Bareilles calls the origin of his wine knowledge “organically based,” as it was something his family enjoyed and that he became more personally interested in while attending The Christian Brothers, Saint Mary’s College. After graduating from college he moved to Southern California to study photography and fine art at the California Institute for the Arts, from which he earned his MFA. He was then granted admission to the prestigious Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program and lived in New York before returning to California. Like many students, Bareilles originally worked in restaurants to support his studies and it was during this time that his experience in wine and food merged with his interests in the arts. “What I thought was the sideline became a highlight,” he notes. In 2003, he decided to “put some structure around what I already knew about wine” and formally trained to become a sommelier. He joined Manresa in 2005. As the sommelier and beverage director for the Michelin two-star restaurant, Bareilles works closely with Chef/Proprietor David Kinch to facilitate a memorable meal for each guest. He expertly complements Kinch’s cuisine to evoke a sense of place from not just the plate, but also from 2 guests’ glasses. His efforts have helped earn Manresa Wine Spectator’s Best of Award for Excellence for four consecutive years. Bareilles hand selects every wine for the list at Manresa, which includes over 500 selections from a variety of renowned wine-growing regions—starting with the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains to other notable California locales, as well as those from France, Germany, and Spain. Bareilles estimates that he tastes 50-75 wines a week, taking copious notes in his search for the right ones to bring into the restaurant. In addition, his wine list features 20 selections by the glass and another 20 that are reserved specifically for wine pairing and available upon inquiry. He also offers two types of wine pairings for diners, the classic and premium. “The premium wine pairing is our most popular option. It offers our guests the chance to enjoy some really rare wines by the glass with their meal.” “The pairings are decided by the season, but more specifically, by what is ripe at Love Apple Farms that day,” he notes. “I am always tasting wines, looking for those that will pair well with what will be coming into the kitchen from the farm. Chef’s menus are always challenging me and pushing the envelope of what makes an amazing wine pairing.”
Bareilles most recently developed Manresa’s new cocktail program, highlighting unique interpretations of classics with an emphasis on ingredients sourced from Love Apple Farms (which is the exclusive source for the produce that comes into the kitchen), as well as select local orchards. “The spirits are sourced from artisanal distilleries both domestic and international,” he notes, “and we feature aperitifs, liqueurs, and digestives we’ve discovered on our travels.” Whether guests are drinking wine or spirits with their meals at Manresa, Bareilles says he is there to act as an ambassador for them. “I am facilitating people’s experience with us and guiding them on a journey,” he notes. “People come here with high expectations and it’s my job to meet—and exceed—those.”