UNDER executive chef Bruno Chemel, Mountain View's Chez TJ remains one of Silicon Valley's premier fine-dining restaurants. Sommelier Suzanne Chowla oversees the restaurant's deep wine list and coordinates wine pairings with Chemel's superb tasting menus.

METRO: Why did you decide to pursue a career in wine?

SUZANNE CHOWLA: I developed an appreciation for wine and winemaking when I lived in Lausanne, Switzerland. The shores of Lac Leman [Lake Geneva] are covered with beautiful, steeply sloped vineyards. I learned about Swiss vineyards, winemakers and wine, and some of the wines from the rest of Europe while living in there.

Many years after returning to the United States, sommelier Robert Williams was the first to suggest that I consider becoming a sommelier, because he felt that I have a knack for pairing wine with food. He told me about the sommelier program at the Professional Culinary Institute (PCI) and referred me to speak with his friend, Master Sommelier David Glancy, who is the director of sommelier education at PCI. I visited PCI and was immediately impressed with what the sommelier program had to offer. I decided to go for it, completed the program, became a Court of Master Sommeliers certified sommelier and haven't looked back since. I am having the time of my life working as the sommelier at Chez TJ.

What makes the wine list at Chez TJ special?

George Aviet has owned Chez TJ since it opened in 1982. George has a great appreciation of wine and has created a cellar filled with wonderful wines, many of which he wisely chose many years ago and has cellared. Our wine list prices represent great values for our guests, especially on those extra-special wines. Additionally, I actively seek out exceptional wines for our wine list from some extraordinary winemakers, both domestic and foreign, who produce small quantities of especially beautifully crafted wines. I am continuously expanding the variety of wines and winemaking regions represented on Chez TJ's wine list.

What wine or wines are you passionate about right now?

Right now, I am passionate about Austrian wines. Austrian wines are not well known in this country, so I am having fun introducing our guests to how glorious they can be. Among the broad diversity of grape varietals that are common in Austria, I love gruner veltliner (made into both still and sparkling wine), blaufränkisch, welschriesling, bouvier and blauer zweigelt. I'm also really enjoying sharing the wide range of fantastic Austrian dessert wines with our guests as part of our wine pairings.

What are some of the best wine values now?

I am seeing many excellent wine values coming out of the Mendoza region of Argentina and from many wine-growing regions in Chile. The quality of the wines just keeps getting better and better, and the values on some wines are so good it's hard to believe.

What is your go-to wine for everyday, casual drinking?

The 2008 Susana Balbo Crios torrontés is a delicious, well-made aromatic white wine I've been keeping in my refrigerator lately for when guests drop by. I made a surprise discovery recently that it pairs amazingly well with homemade sour cherry pie. I'm also really enjoying the 2006 Domaine Ruet Brouilly Vieilles Vignes Cru Beaujolais. It's a subtle, elegant wine for under $20.

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