There might as well be a symphony in every bottle of wine.
Or at least that’s how Christina Stanley visualizes the intricate profile of wines the world over. As a classically trained violinist, so much of the Napa native’s early career pursuits were dictated by the compositions scrolled across sheets of music.
But even as she shifted careers, the myriad of notes never really stopped. In a way, the recently appointed wine director of La Toque restaurant in Napa owes her success and abilities to this unique interpretation.
“The way I approach wine analysis is very similar to the way I approach musical analysis or even visual art,” Stanley said in a phone interview. “I feel like they are all related. My musical training really informs how I view a wine or how I picture it in my head. High tone, mid tone, bass notes, structure, linearity and how music moves. Tasting and describing a wine, it’s kind of how you think of a musical phrase or analyzing a bar of music.”
But much more than analysis, Stanley reflects on the patience, persistence and attention to detail required to achieve success across her nearly two-decade musical career. This ethos translated perfectly as she shifted her professional focus to hospitality and wine.
For Ken Frank, owner and founding chef of La Toque, Stanley’s knowledge, creativity and diligent work ethic made her a perfect fit. Due to the restaurant’s unique mentorship program, which invites certified sommeliers seeking advanced or master’s titles to taste a myriad of different wines, Frank was well aware of Stanley’s abilities.
Given La Toque’s vast catalog of 2,500- plus wines, which includes a sizable collection of award-winners from several decades and every grape growing region of the world, Frank knew the undertaking couldn’t go to just anyone. In addition, La Toque’s distinctive relationship between chef and wine director made it even more crucial.
“That’s what’s so unique about the wine director position here,” Frank said. “It’s a much more culinary-focused role than in other restaurants. You know, in other places a wine director buys a bunch of great wine, the chef makes a bunch of great food and everyone is happy. Here we work more closely together to make everything better… We are constantly evolving the menu and constantly tasting. And it gives me the opportunity to make sure everything we are doing here is consistent with the standard we have long set. And holding Christina to that standard has not been hard at all.”
As Stanley reflects on this momentous appointment in her career, there exists this feeling of “living two different lives.”
Born and raised in Napa, Stanley traces her lineage from Italy on her great grandfather’s side and France on her grandmother’s side. Her father, a criminal defense attorney, inventor and enthusiastic athletic competitor, sculpted the fundamental concept that grit would play in her life.
Her mother, an artist and musician, shaped the creative spirit through her love of playing piano and singing. Though it took her decades to truly understand the significance, Stanley’s mother also showed great enthusiasm for wine. A Beaulieu Vineyard employee, Stanley’s mother would often ask her children to examine wine through smell and physical characteristics by sight for fun.
In her free time, Stanley would frequent casual upscale bars and restaurants to further hone this natural ability of pairing food and wine. Yet, the concept of this being a career was nowhere in sight.
When she returned to Napa a few years later, after her father sustained a serious injury, Stanley’s musical career advanced. In graduate school, she studied composition and improvisation, and “flexed her artistic muscles” through performance and graphic scores. All this while teaching at the Napa School of Music.
Again, she turned to fine dining to help pay the bills. At Yountville’s The French Laundry, Stanley would again hone her skills within hospitality and wine. Yet, music remained the focus. Soon, the pursuit turned toward becoming a classical violinist in a symphony.
Unfortunately, Stanley was unable to make the cut for the Berkeley Symphony. Compounded by a combination of finances, her father’s health and frenetic schedule within the arts, Stanley needed to figure out a professional path forward and sought stability.
Wine made the most sense.
In the following years, an impressive resume would be built to include roles as wine director at Oenotri and The Slanted Door Napa, as well as sommelier positions at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, The Charter Oak, Ungrafted, and Goose & Gander.
“I never thought my life would go this direction,” Stanley said. “Right after that point when the Berkeley Symphony happened, I was really feeling kind of stuck. I would have done almost anything to make ends meet and pay my bills… It’s interesting how it all went full circle, and I realized this is something I was always interested in. I grew up in Napa, and this makes perfect sense. This all makes perfect sense.”
La Toque is the signature restaurant of Chef Frank and is located in Napa at the Westin Verasa. Recognized with a Michelin star for over a decade and Wine Spectator’s Grand Award since 2014, La Toque is celebrated for its French-inspired, seasonally driven menus and world-class wine program, according to a press release. La Toque is located at 1314 McKinstry St. in Napa.
For more information, visit latoque.com.
