I’ll be dining there this weekend with 3 friends who appreciate wine but are not geeks.
We will be ordering off there 4 course menu. Menus & Wine List | Frasca Food and Wine - Your neighborhood restaurant serving food from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northeast Italy.
Budget is $400
Aim is for 3 different bottles. The group leans more new world but are open to anything. I was thinking one of the Quintarelli bottles would be nice.
Here’s the list. Thanks for the help.
I love Frasca. In my view, the main strength of the restaurant is the level of service. The food itself is ranges from “very good” to “outstanding” (only occasionally truly exceptional). The wine list is lengthy, but it’s also pricey and strangely lacking in selections under $100, especially reds…Why so few Chianti Classicos, Langhe reds, Sicilian wines, Aglianicos, IGT blends, etc.? I assume it’s because they really want to sell $250-$400 bottles instead of $70-$80 bottles…Which to me makes it strange that they do have a few such bottles, yet not the selection I would want to see in that price range. There are plenty of solid $20-$30 (at retail) Italian reds in the world that could be sold for $60-$100 on their list.
However, I have been very successful in leveraging their terrific service (and especially terrific wine service) to get a good bottle…Typically I just let the somm know my expectation as to the type of wine, my budget, and the fact that I’m wanting something expressive, delicious and drinking well today. For my budget, that typically means that I ask for something under $150, though I have some flexibility if there’s something that they think justifies going a bit higher than that. And they’ve always done a great job…
The last time they pointed me to a terrific Champagne, a relatively inexpensive Brunello that I’ve never heard of (and turned out to be a huge success), and also a delicious Sicilian Nerello Mascalese. The time before that they pointed me to a really amazing Gattinara for only about $100.
So I would forego trying to wrestle with their list (which to me is difficult to read in addition to having far too many $500+ selections), and let them do the work for you. They really are focused on service and doing their best to ensure you enjoy whatever they recommend…
We were there in July and I think John K.’s advice is excellent. That is pretty much we did. Great restaurant- enjoy!
JD
Sounds like a solid plan. Thank you
“feminine” and “masculine” wines on the list is very 2019
As John K mentions I always simply put myself in the Somm’s hands there. I have been going since they soft opened many moons ago and never even open the wine list. The wine folks there generally know my palate but if there is someone someone I do not know I just say I would like something with character and that I generally prefer old world. They always pull something of character that is super fun to try. Often something I have never heard of. This is generally the only place I put myself in their hands. Enjoy.
Colle Stefano Verdicchio di Matelica, Le Marche, Italy 2018 $49
Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Italy 2007 $231
Isole E Olena Vin Santo, Tuscany, Italy [375 ml] 2004 $121
$49 + $231 + $121 = $401
PS: The 2008 Mastroberardino Taurasi is intriguing, but everyone at Cellar Tracker says that it needs at least a day of air, whereas people are much more enthusiastic about the 2007 Pepe.
PPS: Don’t be surprised if that Verdicchio is the Wine of the Tasting…
Everyone beat me to it. I very, very rarely let the somm pick. I very, very rarely consult the somm at all. But at Frasca, I give a budget and let them choose. It has always served me well. Frasca is one of my favorite restaurants, period.
Whoops
Could not agree more with Ryan! Frasca’s strength is Bobby S and his amazing wine program. I always just hand the list back and put myself in their hands. The Friuli (esp whites) are deep and mind blowing- many only available here in the US on their list. They also offer incredible value. They know what I’d drinking well. It has won its numerous James Beard Awards for the wine program for a reason. It doesn’t matter if your a baller or have a small budget your service and experience will be outstanding.
As a side note when planning our Aspen wedding back in 1998 Bobby was the Somm at Little Nell. Not knowing a thing about wine back then we ordered game and asked for his recommendation for a bottle of wine between $75 and $100. He served us a Domaine Dujac MSD for $75. Thus the slippery slope began. 