The Wine Observer

Navigating the Restaurant Wine List

A refreshing break from the routine.

By Paul Karpecki, OD

Like ice cream and apple pie, wine and food simply go together. In fact, most European wines are meant to be enjoyed with food. It irks me to see someone at a bar sipping a chianti! These are extremely acidic wines, which is why they pair so perfectly with rich Italian foods and mimic the acidity of a great tomato or Bolognese sauce.

Although cynics believe the restaurant wine list is intentionally left complex to intimidate the customer and allow for overpricing of some common wines, most restaurants have moved to a more “user friendly” wine list. Either way, a little knowledge can save you a lot of money and provide you with wines that create a truly memorable dinner experience. Below is a quick guide through the restaurant wine list.

Wines will be grouped by type, often beginning with whites. These make a good starting wine or aperitif, and go well with many appetizers, salads, seafood and delicate dishes. Then come reds, starting with lighter-bodied wines (e.g., pinot noir, barbera) and ending with fuller-bodied wines like cabernet sauvignon and red zin, which go well with hearty foods such as steak.

White Wines

• Champagne. Sticklers will insist on calling it “sparkling wine” if sourced from outside the Champagne region of France. Whatever its appellation, this makes a great celebration drink and the ultimate first wine at a meal, as it helps to open the palate. Some great ones might include “J” Vineyards, Roederer (US is less expensive than France), Piper-Heidsieck, Gloria Ferrer, as well as Cava from Spain (e.g., Segura Viudas) or Prosecco from Italy.

• Chardonnay. The most popular wine in the United States and one of my favorites, but when dining out I think you can sometimes save money or enjoy a more impressive wine for the price by looking elsewhere. Consider instead a pinot blanc, such as Sinskey vineyards or one from Alsace France.

• Sauvignon Blanc. Besides pinot blanc, another white wine that will save you at least 30% off of comparable chardonnays is sauvignon blanc. The best in this category are at least as good as many chardonnays but more crisp and citrus flavored (grapefruit, lemon), so if you prefer the butteriness of a chardonnay this is not a good substitution. If you can find a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand on the menu, you won't be disappointed.

• Other whites. If having a meal that uses a relatively sweet meat such as lobster or crab, consider a riesling — look for Dr. Loosen Riesling (Eroica is the name on the label) or a German QBA from Rheingau or Pfalz. Rieslings are no longer those over-sweet German wines that knocked the category down. And although the new rieslings are wonderful, they still remain inexpensive in price because of the poor reputation.

Red Wines

• Pinot Noir is one of my favorite wines, especially with seafood like salmon or tuna, because it is a lighter red, very versatile and almost silky.

• Merlot. This middle-of-the-road wine is good with most dishes, though I personally prefer pinot noir for lighter food and cabernet for steaks and lamb. Overall, merlot in the US is inconsistent and of poor quality relative to price. However, there are a few exceptions that are always great and we'll cover them in an upcoming issue.

• Syrah (and its Australian variant shiraz) may be a better value than a merlot or cabernet when you need a “big” wine because it is a very versatile wine that pairs with many hearty dishes. Excellent Australian shiraz wines include Peter Lehmann and Yalumba.

• Zinfandel. Often the best bargain on the menu when the cabernets are overpriced (as is common in steakhouses), this goes with almost anything big, is a truly American grape and is highly underrated because of white zinfandel. Some great examples include Tobin James, Turley, Quivira and, strangely, almost any wine that begins with the letter “R,” such as Rochioli, Rafanelli, Ravenswood, Rosenblum, Ridge and Rancho Zabaco.

• Malbec from Argentina is wonderful and usually very well priced. It would substitute for a merlot, zin or even a cab. Almost any malbec from Mendoza will be consistently great.

• Cabernet Sauvignon. The big red wine, perfect with steak or lamb as the tannins of the wine cut through red meats perfectly. Unfortunately, these are sometimes a bit expensive. Cabs that commonly show up on wine lists and are good values include Louis Martini, Hess Collection, Chateau Souverain, Chateau St. Jean, Benzinger, Stag's Leap, Geyser Peak (Alexander Valley) and Sebastiani (Alexander Valley). Or look to Washington state for some of the best-drinking cabs.

The above provides a rough “road-map” through the wine list (dessert wines and ports will be discussed in a future column). Navigating this list will allow for a greater dining experience without breaking the budget. OM