Erik Johnson, beverage director for both Sel de la Terre and sister restaurant L’Espalier, is a self-proclaimed “cork dork.” Here at Sel de la Terre, this is a term of endearment used to describe Erik, who is known for his unpretentious, adventurous approach and attitude toward building and directing our award-winning wine program. Erik tastes over a thousand wines every year and takes annual trips to the south of France in search of affordable treasures to be paired with Chef Gardner’s cuisine. This extensive research has paid off; in 2005, Sel de la Terre was awarded Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston award for the “Best Wine Affordable List.”

Erik is the driving force behind Sel de la Terre’s popular “Wine Wednesday” weekly dinners. Each Wednesday starting at 7:00pm, you will find him delivering a monologue on his favorite subjects - food and wine – with a focus on a different wine region or grape varietal every week. His eclectic wine selection allows some unusual pairings of rustic Provençal cuisine with a wide range of grape varietals and winemaking styles, resulting in such favorite themes as “I Want to be A Rhône” (wines from the Rhône Valley), “Cabin' Fever” (Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc), and “It's Summer Somewhere: Australia and New Zealand.”