Inside Eden Restaurant’s show cellar at The Rimrock Resort Hotel, cellar master sommelier Robert Irving uncorks and pours four wines. He pairs each bespoke pick with a small bite and stories about the vintage — a 2006 Charles Gardet Champagne that’s a perfect opener, for example, or a 2016 organic pinot noir from Frey Vineyards. Not only is the new Cellar Experience an intimate introduction to The Rimrock’s extensive wine library (that currently includes 17,000 bottles and 900 labels), it’s a jumping-off point into the resort’s culinary scene. “It’s a wonderful way to draw people in, enjoy the cellar environment, and taste some food and wine,” Irving says.
The Cellar Experience is also one of the first programs under the hotel’s new ownership and management. Oxford Properties Group added the Banff mainstay to its Canadian portfolio in June 2023, and hospitality company Accor is operating the 333-room property located on the flanks of Banff’s Sulphur Mountain. Oxford and Accor are planning a top-to-bottom renovation that will refresh the luxury brand and improve its environmental sustainability. They’re also committed to building on The Rimrock’s three decades of culinary excellence and innovation, a pedigree that has shaped upscale dining in the Bow Valley.
Leading the way is Eden, a five-diamond restaurant that serves globally inspired dishes created by sous chef Miroslav Halamicek and executive chef Sebastian Brand. The team looks far and near to source quality ingredients, from Icelandic Arctic char to Black Apron beef from Alberta, then plates them in delicious and creative ways.
The results are beautiful dishes served over four- or seven-course fixed, wine-paired dinners; in a dining room with panoramic windows overlooking one of Banff’s best views. Be sure and raise a glass between every bite — the sommelier chooses wines that enhance the food and highlight what’s in the stemware, and collaborates with the culinary team to get the pairing just right.
“Achieving this balance is central to our philosophy,” says assistant maître d’ and sommelier Julien Morissette, who runs the Cellar Experience and chooses wine pairings, alongside Irving.
As the sun sets behind the mountains, each sip and bite becomes a celebration of The Rimrock’s dedication to elevating the art of fine dining — an experience as sublime as the view.