OMC: How do you approach that part of the job?

NB: I go about things a little bit differently. Certain people want a very technical, very austere recommendation -- very focused on the food pairing. When I do tasting menus on a nightly basis, that's kind of how I arrange things.

It may be a little bit unorthodox, but, I really look to see what kind of mood people are in. A lot of it will be practical questions: What do you like to enjoy normally? What do you want to enjoy tonight? I'll give them a spectrum based on style and feel rather than necessarily the technical aspects of acidity or tannin or structure and all those other things that really don't mean anything, anyway.

I'll throw out a little vague fruit style -- something red and spicy a little cherry-raspberry, something deep and dark and foreboding and blackberry. I'll usually give them a spectrum of choices depending on stylistically what they think might fit the flow and course of their evening.

Everybody who walks in is expecting something different out of dinner. Maybe they want a very technically austere, wonderful culinary experience or they just want to kick back and relax and enjoy friends from out of town or something in the middle. It might be two lovers or a couple enjoying their evening over an exciting bottle of wine. A lot of it is going to depend on what the guest is in the mood for.

To come full circle to the original question, nothing really is more fulfilling than taking about a minute and a half, tops, and narrowing down 900 selections.

I have a rule at the restaurant: I pretty much guarantee they like it. If they don't, it's no good for anybody. We'll find something different. My track record, I can humbly say, is pretty good in that regard.

That's the excitement for me. Having someone say "Man, that's good. Thank you," and then being done with it so they can enjoy their dinner and their wine.

OMC: Milwaukee has a reputation as a shot-and-beer town. Are people adventurous when it comes to wine?

NB: Milwaukee has a three-or-four-year-behind-the-curve reputation in terms of, especially, the coasts. I give Milwaukeeans a lot of credit, though. Without drawing demographic parallels, I've found that Milwaukeeans are quite savvy. They are not scared to go out on a limb.

In some cases, the reputation or perception from the sommelier or restaurant people might hinder or sway someone to make a particular selection. A lot of Milwaukeeans are up for just about anything and they are smart about it. They'll take notes on what they like. They'll keep labels. They'll establish a relationship with local retailers. That's the most fun -- really finding those small selections that at my pricing you can afford to play with. Anywhere else, you really aren't going to find them they'd be well over $100 bottles that is just kind of outside that realm of exploratory pursuit.

OMC: Do you get a lot of customers who come in and order the same bottle every time?

NB: Absolutely. I have one of my uber-regulars -- a couple who probably come in every two weeks and drink the exact same bottle of very fine chardonnay every time. That's great. That's what they like. That's what makes them happy. That's what we're here for.

OMC: I guess the customer is always right ...

NB: It really is true. Some people say "Oh, I can't believe they're going to drink that with that ..." or Grandma wins a jackpot on the slot machine and wants to order a rib eye and have some white zinfandel on ice and that's going to make her tickled pink. That's all I care about.

We try really hard to eliminate any snobbery or pretense involved. It is about something so subjective as taste. One person likes onions; one person doesn't. How can you fault the person who does or doesn't like onions: I'm always up for pushing the envelope and offering some education if that is what they're excited about or open to, but if someone knows what they enjoy the by all means that's why I'm here is to provide that for them

OMC: It seems as if wine is becoming more popular all the time. What advances have you seen in recent years to help that trend? Is it the Internet or the movie "Sideways" that have helped spark interest? Does anything stand out in that regard?

NB: Two things off the top of my head. The first is not necessarily relying on big names. Big names are big names for a reason -- usually for quite a few years, they made some pretty good wines.

Quality is something that is driving people. You have certain wines from around the world that are mass-produced, and the only way to get to that kind of volume is to sacrifice quality.

I tell people I buy wine for a living and rarely do I go to a retail shop and spend more than $15 on a bottle. You can get great wines for great prices and I think people are focusing on the quality aspect. Bigger isn't necessarily better. People are starting to explore hand-crafted, small-produced products from around the world that taste phenomenal for the price.

The other side of that is wine handling has become quite a bit more of a focus for people these days --- appropriate temperatures. With companies like Riedel dominating the market for glassware, people are really getting into how best to enjoy their wine.

A surprising number of guests all have decanters at home and they are very proactive about making sure the wine is going to show just right. That's a big thing.

I'll play with a temperature on a wine or how much air I give it if I'm pairing it up for a wine dinner or want it to show the best for a guest. I found it rather exciting that people are kind of looking for good stuff, but how can I maximize the experience how can I do that.

OMC: What advantages have you gained by moving to the first floor? I imagine the wine cellar is nicer than it was upstairs? Were you involved in the design?

NB: I got to custom design the cellar. It's right off the main dining room. It's absolutely beautiful, so it's not only convenient, but practical. I also have additional storage space elsewhere in the restaurant proper. We've been able to expand the list a bit from the room we had upstairs. To be honest, I see the list maxing out somewhere between where it is now and just under 1,000 selections. Once you get that high, it's basically a full-time job managing it. As much fun as it is for me to taste and buy wine, my bartender, Dylan who is an MIT guy, is pretty much the reason the list is as big as it is. I buy the wine, which is great. He takes care of all the logistics, the cellaring, storing, list maintenance, which allows me freedom to spend time with the guests, but I'm also the general manager of the restaurant, so I've got the financial obligations that come with that.

OMC: Where do you like to go for dinner and a nice bottle of wine?

NB: In terms of restaurants, it's tough. My wife and I would like to get out a lot more. My days off are Sunday and Monday, if I'm lucky. We love to cook at home. We are rarely able to get out and do dinner like I wish we could. When we do go out, I like Nanakusa. They have the freshest fish in town and a gorgeous sake selection.

I like Nessun Dorma, too. The owner, Joe Gilsdorf, is a guy who just loves wine and insists on taking the pretense out.

We probably do a little bit more of the fun, less-time consuming endeavors than hitting Bartolotta or Sanford or some of the other big boys.

OMC: I don't want to get you in trouble, but who are your favorite retailers in the area?

NB: I've got to give a pop to Rick and Orey Laev from Ray's Wine and Spirits (in Wauwatosa). They're Wisconsin's number one retailer for a reason. If they don't have something you want, they'll find it for you. I also like Marc Goodman and the Sendik's group and the guys at Discount (Liquor).

We're very lucky because there are a lot of really cool wine people around town. They try to take the intimidation out of the thousands of selections they have and really try to talk you through it. If they steer you toward a great bottle at a great price, you're going to love it and you'll be excited to come back and look for the next thing.

OMC: What's the next big thing at Dream Dance?

NB: The first floor access is absolutely astronomical. There were some people who didn't want to come to the restaurant because we were on the second floor of the casino.

A lot of Milwaukee area diners, their idea of adventure is the five feet they have to walk from their car to the valet. That's fine. That's the town. To be able to cater to that.

Now, there is no excuse. We are right by the main entrance and we now have multiple private party rooms as well. We can handle parties or board meetings all the way from 16 people up to 50. That's something we never had.

Things are going very well.