I Want To Be Like Mike!

I knew going in that Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa is something very special, and I knew the outstanding reputation of Napa Valley's Sequoia Grove. My "job" this particular evening was to have dinner (at Bern's Steakhouse) with the President and Head Winemaker at Sequoia Grove, Mike Trujillo. The challenge was to sample the great wines of Sequoia Grove and the great steaks of the much revered Bern's Steakhouse, and if it gets any better than this, please let me know.

Beyond all that, Bern's has one of the best wine lists in the world - some 6,800 selections, and some half a million bottles. What's amazing is that they offer many old and rare bottles at extremely reasonable prices. At a time when most American restaurants think nothing of a 300% markup, the prices on Bern's famous list could almost convince you that it is the 1950s all over again. The steaks, dry-aged for up to eight weeks, are trimmed and cut once you order, and broiled over lump hardwood charcoal and they are indeed something special. My advice to anyone interested in tasting a truly superb wine from Napa Valley, Sequoia Grove and Berns go very well together.

So many of us dream about opening our own restaurant - it sounds like the perfect life, and it's so easy to do. It's actually so easy that most people quickly discover that their best dream has turned into their worst nightmare. A secondary dream has to be living in Napa Valley, and of course, becoming a player in the wonderful world of wine. The wine thing is a bit more complicated, but actually, every bit as dangerous as opening a restaurant. Mike Trujillo had zero dreams about wine and/or restaurants (so he says). He was studying engineering in college and by total accident, he was working for the former owner of Sequoia Grove and ended up applying his knowledge of chemistry and mechanics to the wine industry. He also acquired a winemaking certificate from the University of California, Davis, and obviously, he was thinking more about wine and probably less about a career in engineering.