Cannonau = Grenache. But I think perhaps that furthers your argument rather than counters it.
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This is what I was thinking…someone from this place has spent time in Montreal.
List is way too geeky for my own tastes, but some interesting selections as well.
You all definitely don’t get out much. This is a standard list in cities like Copenhagen, LA, NY, Paris etc.
And kudos to them for at least having a few choices that would work for those that don’t like natural wines like the Foillard, Koehler-Ruprecht, Tempier etc.
Two of my complaints with many natural lists is that they are all the same and that many don’t have a single wine that would appeal to someone with more classical tastes.
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That’s far from my experience with Foillard!
I drink quite a bit of Foillard and recent vintages have been pretty clean.
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I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is a natural wine list, there is probably just as many non natural wines on the list. It’s just a good mix of many good producers. Many high quality offerings as well and as someone mentioned with focus on being affordable as well.
As far as the list in general, my first thought is: what are the hybrid grapes doing on there? I understand trying to promote local and semi-local wines, but there’s really no excuse for having those on there, in my opinion.
Other than that, I think it’s a fun and interesting list. Yes, there’s a bit of ego involved in crafting a list like this. It excludes the preferences of a lot of wine drinkers, which I always wonder about. There’s an implicit condescension in not having anything remotely similar to what a customer likes when they tell you they like Napa Cabernet, Sonoma Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or some other major category. “These go better with the food” does not cut it when we’re talking about what someone likes to drink.
All of that said, there’s a similar list at Oleana in Cambridge, MA. They can definitely get away with it because the food is so good. The wine list is very well chosen, too, even if some of it veers more natural than I like. I always find something enjoyable to drink there (occasionally something hard to find since the distributors take care of them), but I wonder what happens with the people who are only used to certain major categories. I guess there’s always beer, cider, or non-alcoholic drinks for them, but I do think a couple of token wines from small producers of major categories would help many of those people to have a better experience. We wine nerds tend to love trying new things and having new experiences. Not everyone is like that, especially when it comes to wine.
I haven’t had one in a few years, so I’ll take your word for it. Brun somehow pulls off making clean wines while doing very little. Some others in Beaujolais, not at all. I’ve always mentally had Foillard in the latter camp, despite their glowing reputation. I will keep an open mind until I try some more.
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Being unclean is not the definition of a natural wine in my book. Clean is just a sign of a good natural wine.
Let he/she/them without geekiness cast the first stone . . .
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I have a European view but I think Robert is quite right in that it’s a quite regular wine list to see around more quality focused restaurants here. It somehow shows that care about details, in wine and quite likely that’s reflected in the food as well. I’m not out eating very frequently but when I do I look for places with wine lists that shows they care and are passionate. To me this places shows that.
A place that is busy and have a good occupancy is doing something right, and might be that this type of wine list is part of whey they are going there. They might as well look for that something which is not the regular suspects.
Not a geek critique really, but the choice of all lower case & that font on the wine list is messing with my mind. Even the few bottles that I am very familiar with and should recognize immediately seem new and unfamiliar to me.
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There are lots of stores with similar inventory in Brooklyn now. Some wines are phenomenal and underrated, and I am glad they showcase them, and others are just novel and they have less competition on them. Though they are affordable, they are overpriced due to the fact that customers are not able to compare their prices as easily.
Imo you can find better wine for less, but the good news is they are shedding light on regions and grapes that deserve more attention. Who knows what those appellations and grapes will have to offer with 10s of thousands of iterations.
Wow! So many options, but I would probably have chosen the Domaine du Closel “la jalousie” Savennières, the Jean Foillard Fleurie, or the Tempier Rose.
That’s a bit of a stretch as a characterization of standard wines lists in NYC, or Montreal for that matter (Haven’t been to any of the other places you mention for years so can’t speak to those with any authenticity). Sure, there are points and trends in common, but a typical NYC list which has those would either have less choice (full on geek - neighborhood place ) or would have those choices plus several more standard choices (so as not to scare the horses - plus more prestigious place).
If I put on my a-hole NYer personality hat for a second I would look at this list and say “trying too hard. Looking for extra credit. Lower case, keeping it real. 2 wines from VT, really? We need this? Where is my Pinot? Oh, e.e. cummings was too cool for Pinot?”
Ok, taking off the NYer hat and returning to being a human being. I want to reward somms that try this hard. I’d love to see a list where I don’t recognize a majority of the wines on offer. I’d love to talk to the somm and for once not know what he or she is going to say……
Also, agree with you re: applauding the selection natural v non-natural.
@JohnMag My point which was in certain areas this is not abnormal or geeky. Take La Garagista, one of the Vermont wines, they are actually highly regarded and very hard to get. I have seen them on wine lists all over the world. I actually visited them with Pascaline Lepeltier and Alice Feiring. Deiedre Heekin the owner and winemaker has written a very successful book and they have inspired many winemakers.
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That is a pretty good list! A good mix of things and certainly not a “natural wine” list.
If it is geeky or not i don’t know.
Your point is absolutely true. Although you will have to admit not that many people get to travel with either Pascaline Lepeltier or Alice Feiring. No disrespect was intended toward you or the wines in question.
The surest way to sell the wine you like is to offer zero alternatives that people are actually looking for. 
This list would have me pick a grape like carricante blind. I bet the version is nice