So, what should a wine list look like? Especially the wines by the glass...
Most importantly the wines offered need to mirror a balanced selection. Not only by price point and also by offering a variety of different sparkling wines, white, red or rose wines.
A good wine list should have all of them for you and not like most places, only offering the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet by the glass and the rest in the bottle!
No, different wines such as dry style rose, Torrontes, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Malbec, red wine blends et cetera, all should be available by the glass for your enjoyment. And while you add it, offer a cheese and/or chocolate plate to compliment the wine!
As I mentioned yesterday, too many times have I been to places which call themselves wine bars or advertise for the great wine selection or simply being a great restaurant. Just to find what? A selection of 10-15 wines by the glass or the standard corporate wine list which they use as a crutch when you ask them why they don't offer other wines? And of those 15 wines, 7 are white wine with a Pinot Grigio (most likely Santa Margherita-yikes), 2 Sauvignon Blanc and 4 Chardonnay; and the 8 reds are most likely 2 Pinots, 1 Merlot and 5 Cabernets.
To make it even worse, most of those wines are nationally recognized by name do to the large volume they produce and due to the fact that you properly bought them in a grocery store such as Publix before.
Those are often great wines, but certainly don't add to the experience when dining out or looking for something unique and different when visiting a wine bar or having dinner in a nice restaurant.
No, different wines such as dry style rose, Torrontes, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Malbec, red wine blends et cetera, all should be available by the glass for your enjoyment. And while you add it, offer a cheese and/or chocolate plate to compliment the wine!
As I mentioned yesterday, too many times have I been to places which call themselves wine bars or advertise for the great wine selection or simply being a great restaurant. Just to find what? A selection of 10-15 wines by the glass or the standard corporate wine list which they use as a crutch when you ask them why they don't offer other wines? And of those 15 wines, 7 are white wine with a Pinot Grigio (most likely Santa Margherita-yikes), 2 Sauvignon Blanc and 4 Chardonnay; and the 8 reds are most likely 2 Pinots, 1 Merlot and 5 Cabernets.
To make it even worse, most of those wines are nationally recognized by name do to the large volume they produce and due to the fact that you properly bought them in a grocery store such as Publix before.
Those are often great wines, but certainly don't add to the experience when dining out or looking for something unique and different when visiting a wine bar or having dinner in a nice restaurant.
So, the next time you visit a wine bar or restaurant, challenge them to offer more wines by the glass, a larger selection of different wines by the glass and share your story with me!
It is time to rebel the shortage of wines by the glass and the poor selection that comes with it!
Tomorrow, we are back at wine education simplefied, but I just had to get this of my chest.
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