Favorite restaurant wine program

The thread on the Bobby Stuckey interview got me thinking…what’s your favorite restaurant wine program and why?

Maybe the question should include the words “besides Bern’s”?

So, Bern’s.

But there are so many honorable mentions. Overall, I have to give the next place to to Legal Sea Foods Park Plaza, and really Legal Sea Foods as an entire chain. They have such nice offerings of wines that go well with their foods and at almost unbelievably good prices. Most inexpensive bottles are only about $20 above retail, and the high end bottles are often priced below retail. I’ve had Bollinger Grande Annee at the same price as the lowest priced retailer in our market. That Park Plaza used to have a lot of interesting aged white Burgundies and Rieslings on the list. I guess I can take some credit for wiping them out, but it’s still a very nice list. I’ve seen better in a lot of places, but this high volume chain of restaurants proves that a relatively low margin approach to wine with nice selections that aren’t intended to be showy or esoteric can be successful.

Big fan of the republique and Valentino programs.

trelio in clovis. if you ever have the misfortune of being in fresno or clovis.

Had a great experience with the wine program at Republique a while back, so +1 for them.

I think Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen does a good job at the Seattle RN74, they tend to have cool stuff btg and are pretty interactive with regards to pairing if you seem interested.
I think Canlis does an incredible job as well, the stuff they’ll pour with their prix fixe menus is surprisingly diverse.
On the cheaper end, we had wonderful under-the-radar stuff at Girl and the Fig last time we were in Sonoma, and I felt like the server really listened to our preferences.

Clovis New Mexico? I hope not.

dood

trelio is where fu, buzz, et. all, and i throw down.


back to the op - manresa (los gatos) and absinthe (sf)…burgs/rhones below market/auction.

[cheers.gif]

California. great hidden gem wine list. google it and you will be surprised at what they have and the price.

it is certainly a great spot.

Doug is right about Bern’s; many of their bottles are still marked up on their original purchase price - makes for some very good deals if you’re careful and mostly bottom feed.

A long time ago, when Castagna opened in a Portland, OR, they had the best chosen short wine list I’ve seen; something like eight whites and eight reds and a bubbly or two. And whoever was doing the choosing knew more than most - the wines were inexpensive treasures - all of them. But the place got famous and now the wine list is big and I have no idea if it’s worth it anymore. ‘Was then.
And the idea of a small list chosen with great care has always resonated with me.

Best, Jim

I will second Doug on Legal Seafood - great program and very reasonably priced. Troquet has a wonderful list, also fairly priced, and the summer wine sale has some ridiculous deals.

Any place with corkage $25 or less, good stems and great food.

In Washington, big fan of Wild Ginger programs, lots of great bottles under $50 and the trophies aren’t priced like trophies.

In NY it’s hard to argue with Racines for many reasons (the wine directors and friendly knowledgeable service, David Lillie/Chambers connection, regular pour sessions and events, BYO Monday, random acts of vinous generosity, not to mention the list), although pricing has been creeping up maybe. There is also a distinctly less hipster vibe than other places that the curmudgeon in me appreciates.

An under-the-radar gem in NY is N#%* M#%*^ on the UWS.

Being in NJ where BYOB is big, BYOB. The Legal Sea Food post hit a note with me; there is one in Short Hills, about an hour drive, and we go there several times a year for the very reason of reasonably price food and wine, and it is all very good at a minimum. I would not have thought about it without seeing another post. In Central Jersey, Pluckemin Inn does some interesting things. The basic mark up is pretty standar I think, but they have a long list and Friday’s is 50% off or $50 if over $100…and their retail arm Plucky Wines runs 20% sales frequently.

+1 on Racines. I never miss it when in NYC. I love the geeky wine list, which tends to have some mature or close to mature finds. Just a couple of years ago they still had vintage 2002 and 2003 Baudry Franc de Pieds. And Juge.

+1 on Pluckemin Inn. They have one of the best wine lists in the world (you have to see it to believe it, it’s available online), and the wine service is stellar as well, with knowledgable Sommeliers Brian Hider and Chris Cree always available to help out, and proper Riedel glassware. Just a wonderful experience all the way around. The Friday wine deal is a big plus, and I believe it is also available everyday for lunch. If you are ever in the mid-Jersey area, you should not miss it…

not surprisingly, all of the restaurants in this group have excellent wine programs. it’s Nice Matin btw, not sure why you’d hide this in a thread about favorite wine programs. they deserve the credit, don’t they?

Wow what a list. Imagine the amount of saliva I had running down my chin, anticipating the Chinon section. Only to find THERE IS NO CHINON SECTION.

WTF!?!?!? How is there no Chinon? All of that amazing ness and yet no bottles with notes of ash, green veggies and barnyard??? I was raised in the same outhouse as Alfert; what the hell am I supposed to do???

In all seriousness though it’s a great list.