Everything Wine

Ordering Wine at a Restaurant 101

/ WestchesterWineGuy / 9 Comments

Wine Country 084

     Does this sound familiar…. It’s Friday night after a hell of a long week. You have plans to meet some friends at a new restaurant that you have been looking forward to since LAST Friday. You get to the restaurant, everyone goes through the standard greeting ritual and you all sit at the table. The consensus is that everyone is drinking wine tonight and selects you to pick it out for the crew. The waiter hands you the wine list which weighs about 40 lbs and appears to be written in Sanskrit! With everyone waiting for you to choose something so they can start drinking already, (they have all had tough weeks too you know) you start to feel the pressure….what the hell should I order?!?!  

     I think most of us have been in this situation before. Well, maybe not in that exact scenario, but have looked at a wine list and not had a clue of what to order. You want to get something tasty that will go with whatever you decide to order, but don’t want to have to take out a second mortgage on it!  Not to fear, there are a few tricks to keep it simple, reasonable and will ensure you get something that you, and everyone involved, will enjoy.

1. Try not to order the absolute cheapest bottle on the list (unless it is something you are familiar with and know you will like). In terms of value, typically the least expensive bottle of wine on the list is a house wine of that restaurant. That means they are buying tons of it and are probably marking it up more per bottle than others. It is a money maker for them, but typically by spending just a bit more, and going with the second or third least expensive bottle, you will get a little more bang for your buck.

 2.  Consider what a bottle would cost you in a store and double it. Restaurants usually mark up wine about 3 times what you would pay for it in a store. In really expensive restaurants, especially steakhouses, it can be as high as 4 or 5 times! So if you see something on a wine list that runs about double what you get it for in your local wine shop, go for it! It probably means the restaurant got a deal from the distributor which works out for everyone.

 3.  Don’t worry so much about pairing, order the type of wine you know you like. More and more, there are articles being written about non traditional pairings being a fun way to go….and I fully agree. For example, if you are going to order seafood, traditionally you want to go with a light, crisp white like a Sauvignon Blanc. Similarly, if you are planning on having a fat, juicy steak, most people will order a nice Cabernet. But if you see your favorite Pinot Noir or Chardonnay on the wine list at a good price, don’t be afraid to have that with your tuna. The same goes for drinking a big, fruit forward Syrah or Red Zin with your NY Strip. The more different pairings you try, the more you will open your mind and palate to new experiences.

 4. If you trust your server…..get an opinion! Depending on the restaurant, most servers should be well versed regarding the wine list and have probably tasted most of the wines on it. If you have talked a little with your server and are getting a good vibe that he has a handle on things, ask him what he likes on the value side. If he points out the most expensive wine on the list, then you may not be the best judge of servers and that should be the last thing you ask him all night.

 5. Bubbles….not just for New Year’s Eve anymore. When you first sit down and want to take some time to really go through the wine list, just order up some bubbles. I say bubbles and not Champagne as Champagne tends to be a bit pricey at a restaurant. But there is some really tasty sparkling  juice coming out of California, Italy (Prosecco) and Spain (Cava) that is a great, less expensive option compared to the French stuff. It’s a fun way to start a meal as it can act as an aperitif and open up your appetite, and can also get everyone happy in a hurry.

     Below are a few examples of some great wine list values that I have found recently. If you have discovered any of your own, I am sure we would all love to hear about it!

 Crabtree’s Kittle House, Chappaqua, NY – Seghesio Old Vines Zinfandel 1999 – $35

 They have a tremendous wine list and a great temperature controlled wine cellar with tons of older vintages at great values. It can be a bit overwhelming, so you should certainly pick the sommelier’s brain at this Westchester landmark restaurant. This wine, in its current vintage, runs about $30-35 in the store!!

 The TapHouse, Tuckahoe, NY – Paraiso Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara – $38

Located right across from the Tuckahoe train station, this upscale gastropub has an extensive wine and beer list at extremely reasonable prices. They carry Paraiso’s Pinot for only about double what you would pay in a store. For the best deals hit their Sunday brunch when all bottles are half price!!

 Haiku, White Plains, NY – Veramonte, Primus – $36

This Japanese/Sushi chain (there are 4 other locations) has a great city feel, extremely fresh, well crafted sushi and a value packed wine list. This Chilean red blend pairs nicely with the heartier sushi options as well as the numerous beef dishes on the menu.

 Underhills Crossing, Bronxville, NY – Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve Zinfandel – $50       

The value on this wine list lies in the higher end bottles. This Zin runs about $28 in the store and is full of dark fruit, vanilla and spice, yet is very complex and structured. If you’re feeling a little saucy, they also carry the Far Niente Oakville Cabernet for around $140. While that is obviously not cheap, that bottle would run close to $100 or more in a store and is not easy to come by. It is hands down one of the best wines to come out of Napa.

Some serious Wines behind some funny labels

/ WestchesterWineGuy / Leave a comment

 

Wine Country 095            The old adage don’t judge a book by its cover transcends many different facets of our lives. We are all guilty of it at times. It could be in meeting someone for the first time, or opting out of buying a new CD because of the jacket cover. In a recent marketing fad there are a number of wines that have funny, and sometimes downright racy, labels. While some are just good for a chuckle, some of these wines are well worth checking out. Granted none of them are going to win any wine of the year honors. However, in terms of value there are some real finds that are readily available out there. Here are some of my favorites.

            Let’s start with the Magnificent Wine Company located in the Columbia Valley, Washington. Their wines are the ones with the very plain black and white labels that just say House Wine, Steak House, Fish House, etc. However there is nothing plain about these wines. They are producing some great Cabernet blends on the red side and Chardonnay blends for the whites. They have been highly rated in the top wine magazines (Spectator, Enthusiast, etc.) and for good reason. The same goes for the Red Truck Wines, which is actually an offshoot of Cline Cellars in Sonoma. They also produce a variety of reds, whites and roses under the Red Truck, White Truck and Pink Truck labels. While all the labels feature classic American trucks, these are not “powerhouse” wines. The blends are extremely well structured, balanced and food friendly (so much so that my wife and I served it at our wedding!). You can find all of these wines for under $10, making them all terrific values.

            Also coming out of California is The Big Red Monster (which locally you can find by the glass at The TapHouse in Tuckahoe, NY). The label is a comedic spoof for a promotion of an old style horror movie. The wine is nothing but good California juice made by two of the best winemakers in Cali (Bob Pepi and Jeff Booth).  They figured out how to keep the costs down without losing the quality of a fun Zinfandel/Syrah blend. It has lots of big fruit, spice and even a little vanilla to smooth it out. Fun drinkin’ wine!

            I saved the two most “inappropriate” labels for last. I am sure you have seen the fat Italian guy sitting down, sipping wine with a giant Il Bastardo label above him. Don’t be scared! He’s a pretty good dude, and the wine in his bottle is quite tasty for under $8.  It is pure Sangiovese from Tuscany, the same grape they use in Chianti. The wine has lots of ripe cherry, nice tannins and a delicate feel. Grab a bottle the next time you are doing a pizza and pasta night.

            Then there’s the Bitch….and no I am not referring to (fill in the blank with whoever came to mind). The label just has a pink oval with the word Bitch in it.  My wife likes to bring a bottle of this to parties as a fun gift for the hostess. However, after trying it for the first time at a barbeque….the Bitch rocks!!! It is a Grenache from Barossa, Australia and really has a lot going on. It has the strawberry and cherry you would expect, but it also has an earthy, smoky quality that is quite intriguing. Since you can get this at most places for around $9 a bottle, it is clearly another winner. Again, the key to finding a lot of these deals is doing a little research on where the wines are made and possibly if they are affiliated with a winery that you already like. And of course the fun part, keep tasting new things!

            Have you found a fun labeled wine that you’re into right now? I would love to hear about it….

Red wine deals for the Recession

/ WestchesterWineGuy / 7 Comments

   Wine Country 119            RECESSION…..it seems the word is impossible to escape these days. You can’t turn on the TV, pick up a newspaper or have a conversation without it coming up. Some economists argue we are coming out of it, others say it may last years. While of course we hope that this is a short lived situation, there is one major upside to this current state of our economy….VALUE WINE!!!!

            This recession has reached all facets of industry, and the wine and spirits sector was hit as hard as any out there. There are many people, including myself, that consider wine as a part of everyday life.  However when the cash flow slows down, it is a lot tougher to buy those bottles that are just out of your normal wine price range, and even tougher to make that splurge purchase on that special bottle. But the same way clothes shoppers may have taken a break from Nordstrom and Neiman’s to hit TJ Maxx or even Old Navy (gasp!), wine lovers are taking the less expensive road as well.  And since the wineries and distributors are aware that is where they are making their money during these tough times, they have afforded us, the consumer, some great deals out there. The trick is to be able to distinguish the deal from the just average bottle of inexpensive wine.

            For example, sure you can buy the Woodbridge Cabernet for around $5-7 a bottle at most stores. It is a staple inexpensive wine and is fairly drinkable for the price. But for the same $6-7 a bottle you can also pick up the Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet-Merlot Blend which includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc as well as Merlot. It is a really fruit forward Bordeaux style blend that has great structure, a smooth finish and is quite food friendly. The same goes for Barefoot Cellars Zinfandel at $6 a bottle. While all of the Barefoot wines are decent, the red Zin is made from Lodi (California) fruit, the same area where some of the best Zins in the world come from! Then there’s McMannis Family Vineyards. Depending on the store, the wines are usually around $10 and can even go as low as under $8. Again, all their wines are quite good, but the Petite Sirah is a clear standout. Full of big fruit, chocolate and even hints of licorice, it drinks like a bottle twice the price.

     You can also find a number of deals from less popular, yet up and coming, wineries from other countries (aside from France and Italy). There are some great Shiraz and Cabs coming out of Australia (Barossa being the best area in the region). Roo Estates is producing some very jammy and rich reds at under $8 a bottle. I am sure most people know the Yellow Tail label, which puts out a very decent entry level Shiraz and Cab. But if you spend a couple dollars more, still around $10-11 a bottle at most stores, and jump up to the Reserve there is a tremendous difference in quality…especially in the Shiraz!

     It is important in the smaller market wine regions to know which specific areas are the good ones. Then it is worth taking a shot at something on the inexpensive side. For example, in Argentina you want to find Cabs and Malbecs from Mendoza. In Spain, Ribera del Douro, Rioja, Jumilla and Priorat are where the best reds are made and in Portugal there are some wonderful red blends coming out of Douro.

            The most important thing is to keep trying new wines. Talk to your local wine merchant and see if they have something a little out of the ordinary on sale. Many times, if they have an excess of inventory, they may be looking to unload an older vintage. As long as it is within the last 5 years or so, and the wine has been stored properly, you can find some excellent deals that way as well. Just make sure if you take the wine home, open it and it is corked or gone (smells like vinegar or and old shoe), that they will refund you. After all, even the good deals should still bring full enjoyment!