Lost in the List
February 4, 2010
“I’ll tell you what you should do,” the well-dressed bar regular slurred after his fourth whiskey and water. “You need to get rid of that Merlot and pour a Cotes du Rhone instead.”
“Yeah, why don’t you just have six wines by the glass instead of four?” another regular asked, popping her head into our conversation.
“Also, your price for the Grgich Hills Fume is quite a bit more than the place down the street. You’d sell more if you lowered it a little.”
“I’m just saying this because my friend was in here last week and she’s a wine expert. She was just commenting on the list. That’s all.”<!–more–>
I’m sure they all mean well and are simply trying to help (read: convince me to put the wines that they—and only they—want on my list). However, I have a feeling that if I were to show up at their respective offices and offer my help in negotiating a contract for their client, or give them some unsolicited tips for their next PowerPoint presentation, they’d take offense.
I know wine. There’s little else I truly have any depth of knowledge in. And while a wine list at a restaurant may sometimes look like a haphazardly thrown together jumble of bottles that have nothing to do with each other, there’s always a method to the madness.
The first thing to remember when you are looking at a wine list is where you are. Are you in a trendy bistro in Soho? A steakhouse in the financial district? Or, in my case, a venerable standard American restaurant in the heart of the theater district? The wine is for everyone who comes through that door. In the case of my restaurant, more than 50 percent of those guests are not New Yorkers, and are not “in to wine.” Every third table asks for a glass of the “house Merlot.” Why, then, would it make any sense not to have one by the glass? For as much as I love the red wines of central Austria, you will never see one on my list. Because it will never sell. In a trendy Soho bistro, however, the clientele generally want more adventurous and esoteric selections.
I actually have a mission statement for my wine list: value-priced, quality wines from around the world, representing the best of both old and new world styles made from well-known varietals. If you look at my wine list, you’d see that every single wine fits that profile.
The by-the-glass list is another matter altogether. In many instances, the way the bar is set up can make it difficult to carry many wines by the glass. There simply may not be enough room. With a by-the-bottle selection, you need only keep two or three extra bottles on hand to avoid leaving the bar in the middle of the rush to retrieve more from the cellar. With by the glass selections, one must keep upwards of six to 10 bottles per seating, per wine. That’s a lot of space, and that can keep a by-the-glass list limited.
Speaking of space, it’s what usually determines a wine’s price. As with most products, wine adheres to the well-known “buy more, save more” philosophy. Almost all distributors give deeper discounts the more you buy at one time. That’s great—unless your wine room is the size of a Manhattan closet. Wine must be kept at a constant temperature and humidity, which means that building massive wine rooms (especially in an older structure) is very expensive. That means buying wine in smaller batches, which sometimes means higher prices.
These issues are just the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t even mentioned the hassle of setting up new accounts with distributors (you think your last credit check was a headache), dealing with delivery drivers who won’t show up when you tell them to, renewing liquor licenses… you get the picture.
So the next time you sit down and scoff at the wine list, remember where you are and that you aren’t the only one ordering wine that night.
<a href=”mailto:josh@pennilessepicure.com” target=”_blank”>josh@pennilessepicure.com</a>
Wine, Au Naturale
January 28, 2010
“So this wine was made from grapes that grew… out of the ground?”
My friend Jon stared at me blankly after he said this, as if issuing some kind of challenge.
“Yeah,” I snorted. “Of course.”
“And it fermented? Naturally?” [Read more]
Bitchy Brew
January 13, 2010
In the ever-changing world of wine, there are few constants. But every once in a while, you stumble on a wine that makes you remember why everyone makes such a fuss out of the stuff in the first place. I have found such a wine, and it has made me re-obsessed with a grape that I had all but forgotten.
First, the grape: Grenache, or Garnacha if you’re in Spain (we’ll get to that later). It is thought that this grape originated in the area of northern Spain/southern France around the Pyrenees. It traveled further inland in Spain and farther north into France, as well. It is now grown worldwide, but the classic versions of this grape remain the wines of the Languedoc region of France, where it is made into red and rose, the southern Rhone, where it is used as a major blending grape, and throughout northern Spain. [Read more]
Turbo-Charged Wine
December 31, 2009
Winter is my favorite season. The food and wine that go with it are a big part of my love affair with these chilly months. This is when one can pull out those squirreled-away bottles of expensive, full-bodied reds. Napa Valley Cabs, Barolos and boutique-y Shirazes are perfect for this season. But when I think winter, I think port.
Arguably one of the oldest continuously made alcoholic beverages, port is one of my faves for a number of reasons. Aside from being delicious, it is affordable. Because a bottle of port isn’t meant to be drunk in one sitting, even among a group of friends, it is a drink that lasts for a while. [Read more]
Cocktails 2.0
December 18, 2009
I stared at my friend, Aaron, long and hard. I stared at him hoping that if I did so long enough, the 12-pack he held in his arms would disappear.
“Dude,” I croaked. “Natty Light?”
“It’s got bubbles!” he proclaimed. [Read more]
Malbec Beckons
December 9, 2009
South America has been one of the rising stars in the wine world for the last two decades. Unlike Australia, however, the prices of most South American wines have not risen significantly. Chilean Merlots began showing up in North American wine stores decades ago and they remain bargains, while ultra-expensive wines like Australia’s “Australis” are becoming more and more common.
Even more of a Mecca for bargain vino than Chile, however, is Argentina. Many international grapes, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, thrive there, especially on the sunny, fertile plateau of the Mendoza area. <!–more–>These grapes, which were originally grown to produce “California style” wines, are now coming into their own, and an Argentinian Chardonnay now tastes like, well, an Argentinian Chardonnay. Softer and riper with telltale tropical fruit flavors, the white wines from Argentina are a surefire bet when you need something refreshing and inexpensive.
As far as reds are concerned, however, one grape rises above them all in Argentina: Malbec. It has traveled a long way to get to where it is now considered king, however. A hundred years ago, Malbec was used much more prominently in the blending of red Bordeaux wines. While it is still legal to use small amounts of Malbec in Bordeaux, it is very rarely done. At the same time, south of Bordeaux in the Cahors region, Malbec was being blended with the rustic Tannat grape to make the namesake “black wine” of that area. Once it traveled across the Atlantic to Argentina, however, the grape took on a softer, less tannic and riper flavor profile.
The typical Argentinian Malbec can be anywhere from medium- to full-bodied, but it will always have dark fruit up front and a little spice on the finish. Not as jammy as a warm climate Syrah or Shiraz, spicier than Merlot and less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec has a character all its own.
If you’re a first timer with Malbec, a great place to start is simple and inexpensive. Enrique Foster Ique Malbec 2008 ($8.33 @ Cabrini Wines, 831 W. 181st St. @ Cabrini Blvd., 212-568-3226) is a fantastic basic Malbec that won’t throw your palate or
pocketbook for a loop. On the lighter side of the grape, it starts with ripe cherry and plum fruit. The finish balances out the fruitiness with notes of cinnamon and pipe tobacco. It’s great all by itself, but it’s even better with a chicken empanada.
The Malbec grape has a dark side to it, as I mentioned before, even in sunny Argentina. When allowed to ripen to its fullest and spend time in oak to mature, you can wind up with a serious wine that has bigger and bolder flavors. The Punto Final Malbec 2008 ($10.95 @ Sherry-Lehman, 505 Park Avenue betw. 59th and 60th streets, 212-838-7500) is darker and more muscular than the Ique. With baked fruit flavors of black currant and blueberry, the intensity follows through the middle with smoky notes and finishes with a hefty dollop of black pepper and vanilla. While there’s a lot of fruit up front on this wine, it definitely fares better with food. Preferably something grilled that was, at one point, attached to a mooing animal.
If you’re entertaining and you want to share your South American find with your friends and family, the Astica Malbec 2008 ($10.99 @ Grapes the Wine Company, www.grapesthewineco.com) comes in a party-friendly magnum. Remarkably full of flavor for the low price point, this Malbec has the signature dark berry-driven fruit up front and zing of spice on the finish, but with a little less smoky oak.
For a grape that once played second fiddle in Bordeaux, this storied berry needs absolutely no help being delicious and inexpensive south of the equator.
<a title=”Send an e-mail to Josh” href=”mailto:josh@pennilessepicure.com”>josh@pennilessepicure.com</a>
Beaujolais Quoi?
November 25, 2009
Every year on the third Thursday of November it happens: the release of Beaujolais Nouveau. Much hoopla and fanfare is given to this event, especially here in New York City, where the wine receives its unofficial U.S. welcome party. What is all the fuss about, you ask?
Good question. Even those in the wine industry don’t really understand exactly why everyone is so incredibly excited by this often mediocre (and occasionally downright terrible) juice. To be fair, Beaujolais wines tend to be good predictors of that year’s vintage, especially for wines from the Burgundy area. But that doesn’t exactly excuse the over-hyping of this middle-of-the-road product. [Read more]
Help from the Vine
November 19, 2009
I love Thanksgiving! And hate it. The holiday itself is a wonderful excuse to gather ’round family and friends for a conveniently short amount of time. Just enough hours to get in, reminisce for a day, get a ridiculously large meal into your gullet and leave before the fam starts to work your nerves.
It’s also an excuse to cook, which I love. But that’s when the frustration sets in. The menu has already been decided for you. Oh sure, there are those who experiment with the old turkey/cran/mashed/stuffing formula with deep fryers, Cajun sausage and fusion cuisine. The fact remains, though, that if you mess with the basics too much, the people will revolt. You are boxed in to a turkey dinner, no matter which way you look at it.
Luckily, any dinner can be made better with a little help from the vine. I always think of Thanksgiving as a perfect opportunity to bring wine into the picture, because there are so many different types of foods presented. More food variety equals more varieties of wine to use for pairing.
Let’s start with the 500-pound gorilla in the room, or more accurately, the 12-pound turkey. Hopefully, Aunt Gladys will give the bird a little less time in the oven than she did last year, so it isn’t as dry as the Sahara. When cooked well, turkey can be delicious (especially the ALWAYS underappreciated dark meat). When matching wine with roast turkey, I like to go to a place I rarely travel to by choice: oaky Chardonnay-land. A wine that might seem over the top or too buttery on its own is the perfect foil for the texture and flavor of roast turkey. Hope Chardonnay 2008 ($14.99 @ K&D Wines and Spirits, 1366 Madison Ave. betw. 95th and 96th streets, 212-289-1818) is not the most full-throttle, oaky Chardonnay out there, but the notes of vanilla up front and smoke on the finish coupled with the rich, tropical fruit flavors of papaya and pineapple make it the ultimate turkey wine.
How about those sides? Mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy can sit heavy on the plate and even heavier in your stomach. Rich and satisfying when made well, but dense and bland when done poorly, these ubiquitous side dishes cry out for a big, spicy red wine to break up the monotony. The Seghesio Zinfandel 2008 ($21.99 @ PJ Wines and Spirits, 4898 Broadway betw. 204th and 207th streets, 212-567-5500) is great all by its lonesome, but even better when you let it flex its muscle. Tons of baked cherry and currant fruit up front give way to baking spice in the middle and a peppery finish. It’ll cleanse your palate between each bite of stuffing and potato readying you for more gloppy goodness.
Then there’s the pie. Thanksgiving isn’t complete without an inappropriately voluminous proliferation of pies. The king of all Thanksgiving sweets is, of course, the pumpkin pie. You need something sweet, but also something that can match up to the array of baking spices used in the pie filling. Look no further than Cockburn Fine Ruby Port (pronounced Koe-burn—get your minds out of the gutter, $12.99 @ 67 Wine, 179 Columbus Ave. at 68th Street, 212-724-6767). Sweet, dark berry fruit is balanced by a touch of acidity, reminiscent of candied orange peel, to keep this port from being too cloying. The finish is full of nutmeg and cinnamon spices, sure to lull you into your post-Thanksgiving meal nap in front of the boob tube.
josh@pennilessepicure.com
At Your Service
November 11, 2009
This week I will be taking a short break from discussing wine to address a recent piece that was published in the New York Times concerning the service industry.
On Sept. 17, Phoebe Damrosch published an op-ed lamenting the poor quality of service in the American (specifically New York City) table waiting industry. As a food service professional, and on behalf of every waiter I know, I am responding with my own lamentation—not concerning the declining performance of New York City waiters, but the poor behavior of restaurant guests, and how this trend has worsened significantly in the last decade. [Read more]
Chez Bodega
November 5, 2009
I couldn’t have been more wrong. A few Sundays ago, my wife and I were finishing up dinner at around 9:30 p.m. An admittedly late hour for a last meal on a school night, but we had been running around all day.
“You want wine tonight?” Natali asked.
“Sure,” I said, “Let me run out now to get it before the store closes.”
I hopped over to my trusty standby wine shop on York that I know is always open late on Sundays. This weekend, for whatever reason, it wasn’t. I stood, staring at the darkened interior, as if my intense glare would somehow magically raise the metal gate. [Read more]
