Once a diner decides upon price and category (White, Red, Rosé, or Sparkling) from a restaurant wine list the real challenge begins, but so does the fun if one knows how to break the codes and make the connections between Old World wines and New World wines.  Much of the confusion and difference comes down to varietal labeling (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, etc.) in the New World versus generic labeling in the Old World (Burgundy, Chianti, Rioja, etc.).  This is especially important when a large number of wines from France, Italy, and Spain appear on a wine list.

For starters, all white French wines from Burgundy, which include Chablis, Macon-Villages, Pouilly-Fuissé, and the wines of Chassagne and Puligny are all made entirely from Chardonnay grapes.  On the other hand, white Bordeaux springs almost exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with the emphasis on the former.  Sancerre, another popular  French white wine on restaurant wine lists, comes from all Sauvignon Blanc.  Red Burgundy, which includes many place names (Beaune, Côtes de Nuits, Pommard among a host of others) must be made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes.  And Grenache and Syrah constitute the major grape varietals found in the red wines of southern France, including the Languedoc and the Rhône Valley: think Côtes-du-Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Corbières, Fitou, Minervois, etc.  The latter constitute some of the best red wine values.  The problem is the grape variety or varieties rarely appear on the label.

Italy can be a bit more daunting because of the proliferation of varietals, but even there, several great red grapes appear ubiquitously: Barbera and Nebbiolo from Italy’s Piedmont, and Sangiovese from Tuscany and throughout central Italy.  A clone of Sangiovese plays an integral role in all Chianti, Brunello, Vino Nobile and nearly all Tuscan reds.  Many of Italy’s most popular white wines (Frascati , Orvieto, and Soave for example) bear only the name of their place of origin and are blends of indigenous grape varietals not widely grown outside of Italy.  For the record, they are typically at their best in the first three years of life.

And then there is Cava.  Cava is Spain’s answer to Champagne, except it goes down more easily than Champagne partly because it’s fun and easy to drink and one need not blow a paycheck on a bottle at a restaurant.  Cava is made from a variety of indigenous Spanish varietals along with an increasing amount of Chardonnay.  Meanwhile, Spain’s most popular red wines, Rioja and Ribera del Duero, emanate all or primarily from Tempranillo.  Tempranillo rules the finest growing areas of Spain, though old vine Garnacha (aka Grenache elsewhere) from Calatayud, Castilla y Leon, La Mancha, and Toro, can be equally satisfying and constitute exceptional value.  So, let’s start breaking those intimidating codes and enjoy perusing the restaurant wine list.

Salute!
Don

photo credit: ilovebuvette via photopin cc

Even the most ardent, self-proclaimed wine geek can become bewildered when faced with a restaurant wine list. So many wines, so little time, and what does it all mean, as half of the selections are in another language?

Step 1: Download the online wine list

If possible, download the wine list ahead of time, as many restaurant wine lists now appear online. Besides, choosing the wine before the meal makes perfect sense to wine lovers and beginners alike. In addition, you won’t be easily coerced to spend more than you had intended if you have one or more wines in mind before sitting at table.

Step 2: Categorize each wine

Next, learn to categorize: White Wines (may also appear as Blanc, Blanc de Blancs, Blanco, or Bianco); Red Wines (often masquerade as Rouge, Rosso, Rojo, and Tinto); Sparkling Wines (more often than not hide under the names Cava, Champagne and Prosecco-based upon their country of origin); and of course Rosé Wine, which can run the gamut from a light sweet blush wine like White Zinfandel to a bone dry, thirst quenching French Rosé that can make you think you’re sipping heaven at a table in the South of France.

Step 3: Make the grape varietal connection

Next, try to make the varietal connection. New World wines most often bear the name of the predominant grape varietal on the label, while most Old World wines bear the generic name of their appellation or region of origin. If you can make the varietal connection between Old World and New World, you can break much of the code that makes restaurant wine lists so intimidating. This is especially true for wines from France, Italy and Spain, the world’s three largest producers of wine.

Stay tuned for more on how to crack the code and navigate restaurant wine lists. In the meantime, don’t forget to consider a restaurant’s by the glass selections, which are typically more exciting than what is offered by the carafe (a full liter of wine that more often than not flows from a much larger box).

For more information on grape varietals, visit our Wine Grape Varietals page.

Salute!
Don

photo credit: Wombatunderground1 via photopin cc

The answer to the question is an unequivocal yes, and no. The traditional adage says to serve white wines cold and red wines at room temperature, but traditional wisdom appears out of synch with recent studies that indicate the temperature range most of us prefer to drink red wines is much cooler than room temperature in most contemporary American homes and restaurants.  But first and foremost, what is room temperature?  Room temperature varies from season to season and locale to locale.  In addition, the term doesn’t take into account modern heating and air conditioning, which greatly alter the temperature of a room.  Moreover, when the conventional wisdom of serving red wine at room temperature came into vague in England and France centuries ago, room temperature was 55°- 62° F most of the year, if you were lucky.

Not surprisingly, university studies confirm that the vast majority of wine drinkers garner the most flavor and pleasure from red wines consumed between 55°- 65° F, which is decidedly cooler than room temperature in most American homes.  Consequently, the term room temperature is useless to most of us today with central heating and air conditioning.  If one wants to enjoy a good bottle of red wine in July in Arizona or Southern California, room temperature will hardly make the grade, so why not put the bottle of red wine in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to bring it down below 65° F.  And there’s no law that says you can’t chill red wine further, if you prefer it that way.  One wine drinker’s loss of flavor is another’s perfect potion, so as you like it.

Salute!
Don

Don’t forget that you can order your favorite wines at www.WineMonthClub.com