A few years ago you might not have recognized Robér Wright. He had long hair, a guitar in his hands and was singing lead vocals for a rock band. When he decided becoming a full-fledged rock star wasn’t in the cards, he turned full time to his other passion, wine. “I played a lot of good shows, had fun with the bandmates, but couldn’t break through, so here we are—I had to cut the long hair off, and I had to go legit,” Wright said.
Today, you can find the certified sommelier working inside Green Valley Ranch Resort, running the wine program for the resort’s fine dining restaurants, Hank’s and Terra Verde.
“I give guests the complete wine experience,” Wright said. “I enjoy talking with (them) and pointing them in the right direction.” That direction includes about 400 wine selections at Hank’s and about 200 at Terra Verde. A standout in the wine realm, Terra Verde is one of just a few places in town that has an Enomatic wine dispensing machine—32 selections made up of eight white and 24 red wines.
As a Las Vegas native, Wright’s love for the locals scene makes him a perfect champion for the locals resort. “There are first-class amenities to be found off the Strip, and Green Valley Ranch is a perfect example of that. … Terra Verde and Hank’s—these are gourmet restaurants,” he said. “It’s nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip and still know that you’ll be well taken care of.”
Raimondi Amarone della Valpolicella Photo by: Christopher DeVargas
Raimondi Amarone della Valpolicella
This unique red wine comes from the Veneto region of Italy and is offered by the glass at Hank’s and by the bottle at Terra Verde. Wright loves the Amarone for its full-bodied flavor with notes of mocha, espresso, exotic spices and dried fruits. The process of making this wine involves drying three different types of grapes on a straw mat for a few months, resulting in the juice becoming concentrated and rich. It is a perfect pairing with either a steak at Hank’s or the Northern Italian cuisine at Terra Verde, said Wright.
