Celebrated chef and restaurateur Grant van Gameren is teaming up with two alumni from his restaurant Bar Isabel, Nathan Morrell and Ellen Shrybman, to open Piquette, a new wine bar scheduled to hit Queen West next month.
Piquette is a French term for a simple and refreshing wine made from pouring water into the leftovers of winemaking. This process mirrors the ideology behind the upcoming wine bar. The 30-seat bistro will focus on expanding the minds of wine drinkers without the exclusivity and expense of a more fine dining experience. It will feature a clever wine list curated to present lesser known wines and producers. Morell hopes that others will see that pretension and good wine don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
As an award-winning sommelier with experience in some of the world’s top wine regions, Nathan Morell is passionate about expanding the minds and palates of his clients. Piquette is looking to expose Torontonians to wines they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else, showcasing some of Shrybman and Morell’s favourite small vintners. Shrybamn received a masters in Food Culture from the University of Gastronomic Science in Piemonte, Italy.
“In our years working in the restaurant and wine industries, Nate and I have come across so many incredible wines that you can’t easily get in Ontario. One of the most exciting parts about this project is that we can finally showcase our favourite small producers that are making exceptional wines,” said Shrybman.
Each bottle featured on the list is personal to the owners and they can’t wait to share some stories with their eagerly anticipated guests. The wine list will be made up of several different bottles and wines by the glass that will change daily, so there will always be something new and exciting to try.
The menu that is being developed by van Gameren for Piquette will be simple and ingredient-driven, but fashionable with his usual flair for the unique. As fans of the whimsical design and architecture of all Grant van Gameren’s previous ventures, there is little doubt Piquette will be as visually stunning as it is delectable.