I used to weigh the wine list very heavily when deciding which restaurants and/or bars I would go to. At the time, I did not really look at the prices themselves. Rather, I looked at what vintage/region/varietal combinations were offered and how much effective variety the list had (to follow whatever courses the meal would take, or how many different palates would be at the table). Price per bottle/glass was a secondary calculation and it was very simple- If the glass or bottle was considered to be priced anywhere withing the realm of reason, then it was ordered. I really liked the way this plan worked out when the bill was not landing on my lap.
Eventually, I had to start paying my own restaurant bills...I knew this day would come sooner or later because one can only expense so many 'market research' and 'client dinners'. So when I would take friends out or otherwise plan social events on my dime, I began to really scrutinize what bottles/glasses were available and if they were really worth the price.
French wine, above all, really is a mystery to most. There is something sexy about the way certain names roll off your tongue when you order it (as many of my friends know, "Chateauneuf du Pape" is one of my favourite things to say). But once you figure out what something like "Vin De Pays" means*, you realize that it may not be worth the $50 that it's listed for.
I finally began to compare the prices of wine in my collection versus wines available by the bottle and realized that I could get a much better bottle if I were to just drink out of my own racks. Therefore, I started looking for places that had reasonable corkage fees.
For those not completely familiar, a corkage fee is basically a fee you pay to the restaurant if you would like them to open and serve a bottle of wine which you have brought in. Typical corkage fees range from $10-$25, but I have seen some as high as $50-$75 per bottle.
While this seems like an excellent way to sneak some Two-Buck-Chuck into a dinner and pull a fast one on your date, I consider it bad form to bring a bottle of wine that is obviously of lesser quality than what is reasonably available at the restaurant.
Example: A bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape can start at $60+ per bottle at some establishments. Buy a bottle from your local wine shop for $35, pay the $10 corkage fee and you've just bought a Lexus for the price of a Scion. What a hero! Your date will love you when they Google how much that bottle of wine [should have] cost at the restaurant.
Now, instead of looking solely at the wine list, I first look to see if they have a corkage fee and if it is a reasonable price for the establishment. Then I look at their wine list to see what they have available, and decide if I would pay corkage or simply buy a bottle from them. If I did decide to bring my own bottle(s) in, I then look at the food menu and decide what I should bring based on what would go with the theme of the restaurant.
Example: If it's a American restaurant specializing in heavy meats, decadent sauces and layers of flavour, I would likely bring something equally powerful- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec and the like. I also like to pair based on regions, so Italian food, Italian wine; French food, French wine, and so on. Food and wine pairing is a fun topic on it's own, so we will come back to that in another entry.
Now you have a restaurant in mind, and you know what food they serve. What kind of wine should you ultimately end up bringing? Being that we're talking about being reasonable, let's look at some quick and easy ways to narrow down your selection.
New World Wines are fairly straightforward with lower prices [usually] than
Old World selections, and because they are labeled by varietal they are also much easier to understand. Here are a few quick and easies:
California- You can't really go wrong with a Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. However, if Napa selections are a bit out of your price range then Paso Robles Zinfandel, Carneros Valley Sauvignon Blanc, and Santa Ynez Pinot Noir would all make great Napa substitutes.
Argentina- Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza, Torrontes from Salta (Preferably Cafayate, a sub-region of Salta).
Chile- CARMENERE! (Can you tell I love Camenere yet?) or Sauvignon Blanc. Both grow very well in Chile's Valle Central- Maipo, Rapel, Curico, Maule.
Australia- Shiraz from Barossa Valley, Semillon from New South Wales
New Zealand- Two words: Sauvignon Blanc! Some of the best examples come from Marlborough, South Island.
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| Some of my New World selections |
Let's see if I can do some 'quick and easies' for Old World wines. This stuff is pretty heavy, so feel free to use it as a resource and come back to it as much as you need...I know I would have to.
Germany- Riesling from Mosel Valley, Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Riesling from Rheinhessen, Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) from Rheingau. (Was that so hard? Practice saying those aloud...it becomes more fun than French.)
Italy- Barolo and Barbaresco are easily the most important wines to come out of Italy, but they can be quite pricey. Since they are both made from the same grape, look for Nebbiolo from regions like Asti or Lombardy as a substitute. Of course, we cannot forget the great Prosecco, Italy's sparkling gem and a reasonably priced alternative to French Champagne. I would also like to add Chianti and Sangiovese from Central Italy/Tuscany.
France- There is a reason I saved France for last. Firstly, it has become one of my favourite wine regions to both drink and study. I find French wine to be historically interesting and deliciously complex. Secondly, I don't really want to write about it in a Quick&Easy format because there is SO much to know.
Some of the more advanced readers may notice that I am leaving some things out, but let's remember how difficult France was to ingest when we first started in wine. I will likely be omitting many first growths and Premier Crus because they simply do not fit the criteria of 'value' wines. Here we go!
Bordeaux- Some of the most expensive and sought after wines in the world come from this region. Even though those examples count for less than 5% of Bordeauxs' total wine output, the name really does carry weight. Bring any bottle of Bordeaux to a dinner and watch people get impressed. I have bought bottles of "Grand Vin de Bordeaux" between $8 and $20 a bottle. Chateau La Croix Du Duc and Chateau De Costis both come to mind. For dry whites look for Graves or Semillon and for sweet look for Sauternes or Barsac.
Cotes du Rhone- Very famous for it's whites like Rousanne and Marsanne, and of course the famous southern region of Chaeauneuf du Pape. I have seen bottles of Appellation Cotes du Rhone Controlee start between $7-$9 on up. I recommend Viognier from Chateau Grillet, Northern Rhone. Around $20 per bottle and a great, sweet wine.
Languedoc- France's largest wine producing region and a great source for 'affordable' French wine. I recently picked up two bottles of L'Artisan Languedoc (Syrah/Grenache blend) for $18 at Bevmo's $0.05 wine sale. This is a major source for Vin De Pays, so if you want French wine on a budget, this is a great region to look into.
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| Some of my Old World selections |
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There are still other major regions to cover in France, but I think this should be enough to get you started with choosing a wine to go with dinner. I think I will cover the other regions (Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Provence) in another entry entirely devoted to French wine.
Hope this helps you choose your next few bottles, saves you some money and, as always, feel free to post any questions or comments you may have here!
* Vin de Pays- French wine classification for wines that are 'above mediocre'.
