No matter how many times I exit the elevator onto the top floor of Scottsdale, Arizona, resort The Phoenician, part of The Luxury Collection, J&G Steakhouse never fails to impress me. Glass walls frame panoramic desert vistas as gleaming chandeliers illuminate the grand fine-dining penthouse—but stored far below are other treasures to discover.
Mary Elaine’s, the resort’s original flagship restaurant, debuted in 1988 and held court for two decades as the Valley’s grande dame of formal dining. Its tables were dressed in Wedgwood china, its kitchen was helmed by James Beard–awarded chefs, and its 40,000-plus-bottle cellar was assembled by Greg Tresner, Arizona’s first Master Sommelier. When it closed in 2008 to make way for J&G Steakhouse, much of that legacy quietly remained in the climate-controlled subterranean cellar.
For general manager Frank Armanetti, bringing those buried treasures to light has been a privilege. A third-generation wine and spirits professional with more than 40 years of experience, he began his journey at Armanetti Liquors in Chicago, the company his grandfather Leonardo founded in 1933. “The first time I came down here,” Frank recalled as he recently led me on a cellar tour, “I spent two hours just looking at everything. Being in the business for so long, it was so cool just to see those old labels.”
He pulled bottles like a curator unveiling works of art: the Clarendon Hills 1999 Astralis from McLaren Vale, a Shiraz built to age gracefully; the Gaja 1997 Sorì San Lorenzo, a benchmark Barbaresco revered for its elegance and celebrated for its longevity; the Paul Jaboulet Aîné 1995 Hermitage La Chapelle, a Rhône legend with decades ahead of it; the Bouchard Père & Fils 1999 Beaune Grèves Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus, a Burgundy monopole named for a nun’s prophecy of King Louis XIV’s birth; and the Château Valandraud 1994 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru from the garagiste that would rise to Premier Grand Cru Classé B status.
Armanetti’s sense of reverence for these gems carries into the tailored experiences of the dining room. When guests express serious interest in the wines, the server calls him over to personally present the reserve list as one of the few keyholders to the cellar. He guides diners to rare bottles that fit their tastes, budget, and/or sense of adventure, and while there’s a chance a bottle might show its age, he’s found that the anticipation is part of the charm—“especially since we price them very reasonably,” he pointed out, noting they were cellared at their original retail price. “Some guests are just curious or want to celebrate an anniversary or special occasion,” he added, recalling a recent guest who chose a Silver Oak 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon to commemorate a birthday. “These are wines that have been locked away, so there’s so much history, heritage, and passion,” Armanetti reflected. “I’ve been blessed to grow up in this business, and opportunities like this are so special.”