Whining about wine lists
I recently enjoyed 2 wonderful meals, one in an established, consistently good restaurant and the other an exciting, reasonably new, venture.
The first was in Kinara Indian Restaurant in Clontarf, where there was a superb and interesting selection of wine by the glass, carafe and bottle, from a combination of smaller and larger importers. There was a reassuring offering of recognisable varietals and styles, but also a solid representation of lesser-known wines, focusing on pairing with spicy food like Riesling, Pinot Gris, un-oaked Garnacha and more. I chose a carafe of Grüner Veltliner by Loimer, which paired brilliantly with our Goan fish curry and my non-wine expert sister was exuberant about the way it all came together. The wine enhanced the overall experience for us both!
The second meal out (it was a good month!) was a brilliant experience of passion for food in a small, Chef-proprietor restaurant outside of Dublin, where the Chef is doing most things right. The food menu was concise and featured local, "everyday" ingredients, each with a twist of interest. The resulting dishes perfectly captured quality, restraint and finesse and the personality and heart of the chef was in every mouthful.
Unfortunately, the wine offering let it down, hugely. 4 reds, 4 whites, no vintages, standard expressions of “cheap” varietals, with a token red and white by the glass (the least expensive) and a "classic" wine from NZ, Rioja, Burgundy and Bordeaux. I get it. When food's your thing, and you're not a wine expert or even aficionado, you put your faith in a wine rep or a friend and ask him/her for a short list. Unless you get lucky with the wine company, and work with people who show an interest in your business concept and what you’re aiming to achieve, you'll get a standard, uninspiring offering.
It's funny - most likely guests won't complain. However they also may not come back, or at least will not come back to drink wine. In my experience a well-thought out, curious wine offering will excite and engage your guests and their overall experience will be improved. This is especially true in a small, tightly-run establishment, where staff are generally enthusiastic and engaged and would benefit from wine training.
It doesn't need to be a long wine list and the wines don't need to be expensive - there is a vast and varied offering out there, from importers big and small. There are easy solutions to managing an extended wine by-the-glass offering. Creating a concise, interesting selection of wines, with several by-the-glass options, and suggesting wine pairings for specific dishes, will bring your guests on a journey beyond expectation and reinforce the unique experience of dining in your establishment.
If you have faith in your customers' curiosity around food, perhaps it's time to open their minds to a curiosity about wine too. Get in touch today to explore how you can do more with less when it comes to wine!
P.S. I shared my thoughts with the Chef-proprietor, who was very open to feedback. I don’t believe it is helpful to share the name of the restaurant.
