Wine list can speak volumes about an eatery

As published in the 10/21 edition of the Nashua Telegraph (click link to view Telegraph version).

A restaurant’s wine list says a lot about who the people running it are, what their aspirations are and what they think about you. This is very evident in locations that you will visit across the country. From Applebee’s, to The Cheesecake Factory, to Mario Batali’s Del Posto, you will find very different, yet appropriate, wine experiences that fit the atmosphere, cuisine and crowd that typically dine at these establishments.

I bring up Batali’s Del Posto because a good friend of mine recently dined there while taking a long weekend in New York City. Once he returned, he had a few questions for me regarding his wine experience at Del Posto.

On a recent trip to New York, I went out for a truly fine dining experience. After being seated, I was greeted with a massive wine list. When I mean massive, I mean more than 2,500 selections. How does a restaurant build and maintain such a large list, and is it necessary?

This is certainly a legitimate way to look at the situation. A wine list of this magnitude can be overwhelming, to say the least. The answer to the first part of the question will be a bit wordy, so let me address the second part first.

Using my friend’s example, Del Posto is in the food and wine mecca of the U.S. Day in and day out, it goes up against culinary giants such as Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Cirque, Tribeca Grill and countless others. Competition is fierce, and there is a significant amount of prestige that is placed on an award-winning wine list and the service that is provided by their resident sommelier(s). Having truly classic wines available is an appropriate necessity when you are dining on a truly classic meal!

Del Posto, as mentioned before, is one of many restaurants owned by Batali. Besides being an extremely successful restaurateur, he is also a partner in Italian Wine Merchants, which is a high-end wine shop that has a selection of Italian gems unlike any other I have come across. It is this passion for bringing together the complete dining experience that sets restaurants and restaurateurs, like Batali, apart. It is also what allows the restaurant to charge a premium for the experience that it provides, while maintaining a waiting list as long as Madison Avenue! How does a restaurant build and maintain such a large list?

To build a wine list with the breadth and vision of Del Posto, locally based Left Bank at the Stonehedge Inn & Spa (owner Levent Bozkurt and son Taylan pictured right) in Tyngsborough, Mass., or any restaurant with a tremendous wine offering, takes a very structured approach. Once the structure is in place, knowledgeable people are needed to implement the list, along with an owner with exceptionally deep pockets.

Initially, the most important steps are to realistically assess your clientele, menu, storage space and budget. Not everyone can afford a bottle of a Bordeaux First-Growth, Chateau Petrus, Gaja Sori Tilden or Romano Dal Forno, especially when marked up to restaurant standards. This means that there must be a number of wines to bridge the gap between reasonably priced wines and the classics.

The job of creating any wine list typically falls either to the owner, a wine director, a consultant or, unfortunately in some cases, a distributor. Now, a list that is of notable quality will probably not be developed by distributors, so we will avoid speaking about them any further.

Depending on the size of a wine list, the owner, if truly knowledgeable, or a consultant can put into place something special that will convey to the patrons that their experience is of the utmost importance. This takes a massive amount of time and effort, so unless you plan on doing all of the leg work, hire someone to do it for you. A couple good examples of this are Unums and Michael Timothy’s in Nashua. They have modest wine lists compared to Del Posto, but lists that are well thought out and looked over by the owners.

A different example is Junipers at the Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville, Vt. The owners and management did not have the knowledge to put together a thoughtful and quality wine list. They decided to hire a consultant do so. (In full disclosure, I put together this list.) It was rewarding to see them embrace what a thoughtful wine list could do, not only for their patrons, but for their restaurant.

Creating and maintaining a list such as the one at Left Bank at Stonehedge, which offers 2,000 selections (112,000 bottles in inventory), or Del Posto, which offers 2,300 selections (39,000 bottles in inventory), takes a team effort. The organization is typically led by a wine director and generally includes personnel working beneath them (i.e., assistant director and sommeliers). The task is a daily exercise in taking inventory – thank goodness for computers – reordering, blind and regular tastings, negotiating, rotation, research, promotion, etc. It is a daunting task, but a task that is energetically undertaken, because wine professionals are exceptionally passionate about what they do.

Ultimately, a restaurateur’s goal is to create an experience that is positively unique and memorable. A strong wine list is essential in conveying the message of a restaurant to its patrons. If this is done effectively, the guests will leave happy and be more likely to return.

Wine list can speak volumes about an eatery

Be educated when looking at a wine list!

Few things irk me more than restaurants that mislead their patrons regarding their wine offering. Whether they do it intentionally or not is not the issue. In my opinion, wine should not be a compromise and you should get what you pay for. Unfortunately this is sometimes not the case.

Many restaurants rely on big names to appeal to wine drinkers and with good reason. A majority of these big names have amassed good reputations throughout the years and continue to produce very good wines. However, for some of them, their reputation no longer is representative of what they produce.

Restaurateurs are sometimes guilty of romanticizing, being too business minded, being ignorant, or being lazy in terms of finding out the true quality of the wine they offer. This leg work and honest evaluation should be required prior to the two to three time mark-up of a bottle. We should have the assurance that the mark-up is justified.

The objective of this article is not to blast local restaurants or restaurateurs. Although they should look at their lists closely and ask themselves, “am I offering my patrons the best possible experience by offering this wine?” Rather, this article is meant to inform the public of wines that should be avoided (in my opinion), because their lack of quality does not justify the high prices they demand. The oddity in all of this is that the wines that prove to be the main culprits are on numerous lists around the Nashua area!

Here are some wines to avoid, due to overly inflated prices in return for generally mediocre quality.

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars – All recent wines. Unfortunately this former giant still has a strong reputation in the general public. This is why you find their wines on many lists and this is why they still demand higher prices. Wine aficionados are aware that they have fallen-off heavily in the past decade. Their wines prior to this decade are still aging very well.

Duckhorn – Merlot. On rare occasion they have a good vintage. However, their variable quality does nothing to justify very high prices. Add to this that there are so many other options out there, why take the risk? Read about one of my Duckhorn experiences here.

Opus One – This wine demands far too much for the quality. Recently their vintages have improved, but if you are looking to shell out a week’s pay, you can do better. This is a better wine to purchase at a wine shop or liquor store and enjoy at home (that way you are only parting with a couple day’s pay). Do not pay the mark-up!

Joseph Drouhin – Burgundy Whites (trust me it makes sense). They make the list for typically being far too overpriced on wine lists. The quality is typically good, but for the price other whites are more appealing.

Michael & David Phillips – Almost all wines. They are very big in the area for some reason. Outside of their recent Petite Syrah (which was very enjoyable), I have been very underwhelmed by the wines they offer.

Here are some wines that I recommend which are readily available at local restaurants.

Justin – Isosceles. My favorite “higher-end” value wine out there. Personally, I would look for the 2005 or 2006. If you are going to get a prime-cut steak, pair this with your dinner! The best price locally: Giorgio’s in Milford & Bedford Village Inn (also available at C.R. Sparks, Michael Timothy’s & Unums).

Caymus – Napa Valley Cabernet. You almost never have to worry about quality with this wine. If you are questioning which wine to get and this is within your range, it will be a safe bet. Available at: Bedford Village Inn, Michael Timothy’s & Saffron Bistro.

Robert Stemmler – Pinot Noir. For the price, I feel they offer some of the better Pinot Noirs available in local restaurants. Available at: Bedford Village Inn, C.R. Sparks, Michael Timothy’s & Unums.

Conundrum – White Blend. This is a fruity and crisp, food friendly wine that is typically offered at a comfortable price. Best price locally: Bedford Village Inn (also available at C.R. Sparks).

Zinfandels – Red not white! Typically, Zinfandel offers some of the best values on a wine list. They are food friendly and pair well with any red meat, as well as grilled meatier fish, poultry, pork and vegetables. Personally, I would never pay more than $65 for a bottle of Zinfandel (even at a restaurant), because you can get great deals for less. Best deals locally: Seghesio Family at Bedford Village Inn & Rosenblum at C.R. Sparks.

I hope this helps you the next time you are looking at a wine list and thinking “is this bottle worth it?” Due to the economic situation, I chose to withhold the names of the restaurants that carry these poor wines. My ego does not permit me to believe that I would have an impact on a restaurant’s bottom line, but just in case.

My intent is to help you be informed and help you avoid wasting money. To strengthen this point, I urge you to do a little research if you plan on having a bottle while dining out. Look at their menu and wine list online. If there are a couple bottles you are interested in, run them through Cellar Tracker or Cork’d to learn what others thought. You would not buy a $60 pair of jeans or a $250 suit without trying them on first would you? Then why pay $60 to $250 (or higher) for a bottle of wine without knowing if they are any good?!

Do not forget that wine is all relative to your personal taste. However, a little information and guidance can go a long way in helping you avoid a poor wine experience. When it is all said and done, we want to have the best experience possible when dining-out at a nice restaurant.

Be educated when looking at a wine list!

When a wine list is more than a wine list!

A restaurant’s wine list say a lot about who they are, what their aspirations are, and what they think about you. This is very evident in locations that you will visit across the country. From Applebee’s, to The Cheesecake Factory, to Mario Batali’s Del Posto, you will find very different, yet appropriate, wine experiences that fit the atmosphere, cuisine, and crowd that typically dine at these establishments.

I bring up Batali’s Del Posto, because a good friend of mine recently dined there while taking a long weekend in NYC. Once he returned, he had a few questions for me regarding his wine experience at Del Posto.

"On a recent trip to NYC, I went out for a truly fine dining experience. After being seated I was greeted with a massive wine list. When I mean massive, I mean over 2,500 selections. How does a restaurant build and maintain such a large list, and is it necessary?"

This is a certainly a legitimate way to look at the situation. A wine list of this magnitude can be overwhelming to say the least. The answer to the first part of the question will be a bit wordy, so let me address the second part first.

Using my friend’s example, Del Posto is in the food and wine Mecca of the US. Day in and day out they go up against culinary giants such as Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Cirque, Tribeca Grill and countless others. Competition is fierce and there is a significant amount of prestige that is placed on an award winning wine list and the service that is provided by their resident sommelier(s). Having truly classic wines available is an appropriate necessity when you are dining on a truly classic meal! This is true not only for NYC, but anywhere a high level of importance is placed on quality.

Del Posto, as mentioned before, is one of many restaurants owned by Chef Mario Batali. Besides being an extremely successful restaurateur, he is also a partner in Italian Wine Merchants, which is a high-end wine shop that has a selection of Italian gems unlike any other I have come across. It is this passion for bringing together the complete dining experience that sets restaurants and restaurateurs, like Batali, apart. It is also what allows them to charge a premium for the experience that they provide, while maintaining a waiting list as long as Madison Avenue!

"How does a restaurant build and maintain such a large list?"

To build a wine list with the breadth and vision of Del Posto, locally based Left Bank at the Stonehedge Inn & Spa (Tyngsboro, MA) and Bedford Village Inn in (Bedford, NH) or any restaurant with a tremendous wine offering takes a very structured approach. Once the structure is in place, knowledgeable people are needed to implement the list, along with an owner(s) with exceptionally deep pockets.

Initially, the most important steps are to realistically assess your clientele, menu, storage space and budget. Not everyone can afford a bottle of a Bordeaux First-Growth, Chateau Petrus, Gaja Sori Tilden, or E. Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto, especially when marked-up to restaurant standards. This means that there must be a number of wines to bridge the gap between reasonably-priced wines and the classics.

The job of creating any wine list typically falls either to the owner, a wine director/sommelier, a consultant, or unfortunately in some cases, a distributor. Now a list that is of notable quality will probably not be developed solely by a distributor, so we will avoid speaking about them any further.

Depending on the size of a wine list, the owner, if truly knowledgeable, or a consultant can put into place something very special that will convey to the patrons that their experience is of the utmost importance. This takes a massive amount of time and effort, so unless you plan on doing all of the leg work, hire someone to do it for you. A good example of this is Unums in Nashua, NH. They have a modest wine list compared to Del Posto, but it is well thought out and looked over by the owners. A different example is Junipers at the Wildflower Inn located in Lyndonville, VT. The owners and management did not have the knowledge to put together a thoughtful and quality wine list. They decided to hire a consultant do so. It was rewarding to see them embrace what a thoughtful wine list could do, not only for their patrons, but for their restaurant.

Creating and maintaining a list such as the one at Left Bank at Stonehedge, which offers 2,000 selections (101,000 bottles in inventory), or Del Posto, which offers 2,300 selections (39,000 bottles in inventory) takes a team effort. The organization is typically led by a wine director and generally includes personnel working beneath them (i.e. assistant director and sommelier). The task is a daily exercise in taking inventory (thank goodness for computers), reordering, blind and regular tastings, negotiating, rotation, research, promotion, etc. It is a daunting task, but a task that is energetically undertaken, because wine professionals are exceptionally passionate about what they do.

Ultimately, a restaurateur’s goal is to create an experience that is positively unique and memorable. A strong wine list is essential in conveying the message of a restaurant to its patrons. If this is done effectively, the guests will leave happy and be more likely to return.

When a wine list is more than a wine list!