Reading Between the Vines

Some people have anxiety dreams about falling off a cliff—mine are about restaurant wine lists. In my nightmare, I'm handed a large leather-bound book that looks like a prop from Lord of the Rings. Within it, somewhere, lies the Secret of the Ideal Wine, the one perfect drink for my friends and me.

I know I'm not alone in this dark vision: Most people would rather peel a thousand grapes than choose wine from a restaurant list. Here are a few tips on choosing a good wine from a restaurant list—and how to avoid what I call the Vinous Fly Traps; aspects of ordering and drinking restaurant wine that make you feel like a bug drowning in icewine.

Ask for help. Find someone to help you, usually the sommelier, the bartender or "someone who knows the wine list well." Most of us will ask how a dish is prepared or what its ingredients are, even though choosing between salmon and lamb is much simpler than picking one of thirty merlots. Ask which wines the sommelier is most excited about or, "What can you tell me about this wine? Does it pair well with some of the dishes on the menu?" You can help the sommelier by mentioning wines you've enjoyed in the past to give her a sense both of your favorite style and price range. Or you can point to something suitably priced on the list and say something like, "Do you have anything like this that's full-bodied and not too oaky?" (or whatever your style preference is).

Match Your Meal. Often you and your dining companion choose different dishes: You're having steak and she's having fish. If the restaurant offers the option, you can order half bottles or wines by the glass. Or you can try to find a wine that matches both dishes: Some wines such as riesling and pinot noir can pair with a wide range of dishes because they are neither too full-bodied, nor too light. European wines generally tend to be more balanced and food-friendly than New World ones, which can be fruit-heavy and oaky.

Expensive Doesn't Mean Better. I use the Wolf Blass Yellow Label Index: knowing the retail price (about $17) of this popular but overrated cabernet sauvignon from Australia, I can usually figure out the markups up the other wines. Higher up the scale, I use my Veuve Clicquot Non-Vintage Champagne (about $58) Barometer. Many diners actually mistrust a moderately priced wine, assuming it's no good. But if you know the markups (100% is considered reasonable to cover a restaurant's operating costs), you'll know if you're looking at plonk or a fairly priced wine.

Drink Local. Focus on the area of the list that seems best stocked, which often is wine that complements the restaurant's cuisine. An Italian trattoria usually offers lots of chiantis that are great with pasta; or those red velour-draped steak houses will likely be strong on full-bodied cabernets that pair with meat. If you're dining in a winemaking region, such as the Niagara and the Okanagan, local wines are often a good bet. They're usually cheaper (because there's no import tax and shipping costs); they'll complement the local cuisine; and the owner may know the producers personally, and be familiar with the wines.

Go for the Best Values. Some of the best values are from lesser-known regions and grapes. Look for New Zealand and South African sauvignon blanc, German and Alsatian riesling and Chilean chardonnay. For reds, try South African and Australian shiraz; Oregonian, Canadian and New Zealand pinot noir; Chilean cabernet; Argentine malbec, Rhone grenache; Loire Valley cabernet franc and red blends from Portugal as well as the southern regions of France and Italy.

Conversely, some of the worst values are often the big-name grapes from big-name regions, such as California chardonnay and cabernet, or the red blends from Bordeaux. They're good wines but they command a higher price because they've become premium brands, much like you'll pay more for a BMW than a Honda Civic.

Beware of House Wines. That humble little house wine is often cheap and nasty stuff that you can use in a pinch instead of Liquid Draino. Not only are they bad to drink, they're also usually a bad buy—one of the biggest rip-offs on the list. Many restaurants price a glass at the full wholesale price of the entire bottle. With four to five glasses per bottle, that can be a 300% to 600% markup. Drinking most of them is like accidentally walking into a bad neighborhood: you're going to get roughed up and robbed—and you'll learn never to take that wrong turn again. Using the clues above, plus whether the list notes the wine's name, region and vintage, will tell you whether you can trust the house wine. Otherwise, stick to a bottle.

Choosing from a restaurant list doesn't have to be a high-wire circus act; rather it can be the start of an evening where the wine and food rise up to meet each other and bear you aloft on a cloud of sensual pleasure.

Wine Picks

Sparkling Wine

Veuve Clicquot Brut, Champagne, France $58: This bubbly overflows with rich toasty aromas, loads of complex citrus fruit and a finish that will outlast the evening. Score: 90/100.


White Wine

2005 Babich Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand $16.15: A grassy, herbal, refreshing SB. Pair with salads, chicken and vegetarian dishes. Score: 87/100.

2005 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand $16.65: Grassy, herbal, gooseberry, and grapefruit aromas. Very crisp; needs food. Serve with shellfish, salads, quiche, and vegetables. Score: 87/100.

2006 Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc, Chile $12.20: Aromas of melon, lime and green apples. A simple, quaffable wine that you don't have to analyze. Pair with seafood, shellfish, grilled vegetables, salads and vegetarian dishes. Score: 86/100.

2005 Vineland Estates Semi-Dry Riesling VQA, Niagara, Ontario $13.15: I recommend this wine more often than any other white because of its great taste for value. Lovely citrus and peach aromas. Its mouth-watering acidity makes it zesty and refreshing and perfect for salmon, ham, medium curries and any dish with a touch of sweetness in it. Score: 88/100.


Red Wine

2005 Black Opal Cabernet Merlot, South Eastern Australia $15.15: A simple and delicious full-bodied red with aromas of cherries and oak. Pair with roast beef, steak, and stew. Score: 87/100.

2005 Yalumba Shiraz Viognier, South Australia $14.20: Simple and full-bodied with aromas of red currants and plums. Drink with hamburgers, stew and steak. Score: 87/100.

2003 Ruffino Riserva Classico Ducale, Tuscany, Italy $25.15: Aromas of sour cherries, dried fruit, spices and violets. Mouth-watering acidity makes it perfect for tomato-sauce pasta, pizza, sausage, and lasagne. Score: 89/100.

2004 Brolio Ricasoli, Tuscany, Italy $24.16: Made from the traditional grape sangiovese though this chianti is less typical of the region than the Ruffino. Rounded notes of mocha and cherries. Score: 88/100.

2004 Trio Merlot, Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon Concha Y Toro, Rapel Valley, Chile $15.25: Generous aromas of plums and berries. A full-bodied wine with a supple texture. Aged for 11 months in French oak barrels. Pair with hearty meat dishes and roasts. Score: 87/100.

2005 Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Max Reserva, Chile $16.30: Aromas of mocha, black plums, vanilla, and smoke. Full-bodied, well-balanced, long finish. Pair with steak, roasts, lamb, and stew. Score: 90/100.

2003 Escudo Rojo, Chile $17.20: This is an elegant, well-made wine with balance and long finish that brings you back for more. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, carmenere and syrah grapes. Notes of blackcurrant, black cherries and smoky intrigue. Drink with lamb, hamburgers, steak and other carnivore treats. Score: 90/100. Favorite Red Wine

2005 Finca Flichman Expressiones Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina $15.95: Aromas of chocolate, cassis and blackcurrants. Aged 8 months in American and French oak. Full-bodied and delicious. Pair with hearty meat dishes. A fantastic value. Score: 90/100.

2005 Vielle Ferme Lasira Costiere Perrin & Fils, Rhone, France $11.15: Made from syrah (75%) and grenache (25%) grapes. This full-bodied red has lovely aromas of cherry and cedar. Simple but it does the job. Closed with a screwcap for easy and fast access when you need it. Pair with grilled meats and barbecue. Score: 86/100.

2003 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone, Rhone, France $16.70: Full-bodied with notes of spice, black cherry, and cedar. Balanced with a long and pleasant bitter finish. Not as fruit-forward as New World reds. Terrific acidity makes it a great partner to many dishes: steak, lamb, stew, hamburgers. Score: 88/100.

2004 Pedras do Monte Cabernet Sauvignon/Tinta Roriz, Portugal $10.15: Riper fruit than its cousin above with notes of plums, raspberry and vanilla smoke. Score: 87/100. Best Value Red Wine

2001 Castillode Almansa Bodegas Piqueras, Almansa, Spain $20.15: A blend of moncostrell, tempranillo, sirah and grenacha tintorera. Loaded with ripe red fruit and a touch of oak. Balanced, full-bodied and elegant. Score: 89/100.


Dessert Wine

Henriques Banyuls, France, 500 ml $14.05: Banyuls, as a category of wine, is one of the few wines that marries well with chocolate, particularly dark chocolate. It has lovely aromas of black plums and cherries. Not as sweet as icewine or sauternes, this fortified red wine from southern France has a lovely balance and silky texture. It would also drink well on its own after dinner. Score: 89/100.


Nat Decants 100-Point Scale

95-100 Brilliant, Exceptional
90-94 Excellent, Superb
89.5 Hovering on the doorstep of excellence, better than very good
85-89 Very Good
80-84 Good (still worth buying and drinking)
79 and below Average to poor (I don't include these in the newsletter due to space constraints)

Wine and Food Events

In each newsletter, I highlight a few upcoming wine and food events. I include all upcoming events on my site until the events have passed.


Champagne Charity Auction will be held February 27 in Ottawa, Ontario. Enjoy cocktails, appetizers and live jazz music while you bid on over 100 exciting live and silent auction items. Proceeds go to Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario. For information, call Cindy Scott at 613-233-9085, e-mail cindy.scott@rogers.com or visit champagne auction.

Northern Sierra Winter Wine & Food Masquerade will be held March 2 in Grass Valley, California. Hors d'oeuvres and a five-course meal paired with award-wining wines will be followed by music and dancing. For information, call Lynn Wilson at 866-355-9463, e-mail lynn@pilotpeak.com or visit wine & food.

The 10th Annual International Wine Tasting will be held March 11 in Milwaukee, WI. The main tasting will include over 90 wines, beer and coffee tasting, silent auction items, raffles and a special anniversary champagne tasting. Proceeds go to The Arthritis Foundation. For information, call Kristin Schiller at 414-321-3933, e-mail kschiller@arthritis.org or visit wine tasting.

Lanzerac Vertical Pinotage Tasting will be held March 20 in Toronto, Ontario. A vertical tasting of Lanzerac pinotage accompanied by a varied cold tasting plate. For information, call John Adam at 905-762-9161, e-mail johnqadam@rogers.com or visit pinotage tasting.

Wine & Wishes 2007 will be held March 21 in New York City, New York. Wines from around the world, tours of some of the most distinguished wineries, along with other luxury products will be auctioned during an exciting live and silent auction. Proceeds go The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. For information, call Ashley Wilkinson at 212-699.7045, e-mail ashleyw@c-sg.com or visit wines & wishes.

The 2007 Fortification Tour will be held from May 14 to May 20 in Oporto, Portugal. First-time, all-inclusive tour with combined visits to Portugal's best known fortified wine regions, the Douro Valley, and the sub-tropical paradise island of Madeira. Explore the birthplace of port wine and madeira on this remarkable journey. For information, e-mail writer and tour guide Roy Hersh at portolover@aol.com or visit fortification tour.



Copyright

Copyright by Natalie MacLean. All rights reserved. The content, design and graphical elements of this newsletter are copyrighted. Please ask the permission of the author before copying or using this material. Address: Nat Decants, 303 Terry Fox Drive, Suite 120, Kanata, Ontario K2K 1J3