You can drink a nice Brunello from almost any restaurant’s wine list or an Assyrtiko from almost any restaurant that carries a Greek wine on their list, but how many restaurants have you seen offering Ruché, Erbaluce, Pelaverga, Trebbiano Spoletino?
So I guess that my point is that there are plenty of options for the classic palates and plenty of options designed to make everybody comfortable. Leeward’s is not one of them, but in my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with that and no reason for them to change their wine list. If there is a restaurant where a great percentage of the wines are known to be ultra funky, mousy, or faulty then we have a more solid base for a discussion, but that doesn’t seem to be Leeward’s case either.
My only problem with a restaurant like Leeward’s would be the hypothetical case of them becoming elitist and seeing their staff rolling their eyes if a customer asks for a glass of, let’s say, Pinot Grigio. If their personnel is well trained, they should humbly offer some alternatives and even samples for the customer to try.
Exactly. The wines I’m familiar with on this list (maybe 25%) are well-chosen wines from lesser-known regions and makers. Focusing on that category of wines is where the best values are to be had. The idea that this is putting some other goal ahead of quality amounts to a claim that QPR is better on the beaten path than off of it. I think some nontrivial evidence is required if you want to make that claim.
This. I haven’t seen any OP suggesting that every wine list in every restaurant should carry at least a couple of geeky wines so the geeks won’t feel uncomfortable 
I think plenty of people would complain about a list that has just the same old wines you could see at any restaurant anywhere in the world. I certainly would. It’s boring and uncreative. And, it’s a much more prevalent problem than a too geeky wine list.
But, that wasn’t the question posed by the OP or the purpose of this thread.
It’s not remotely worth complaining about boring lists compiled by wholesalers.
That’s fine but as I said earlier, I’d prefer the other list.
Of course as we know I mostly only drink burg and champagne.
It’s compounded by no corkage. If I could bring my own wine I wouldn’t much care what was on their list.
Unless you feel like fighting windmills like Don Quixote, then it makes perfect sense.
Perhaps I should have said “dissatisfied” with a generic wine list. I wouldn’t create a thread about it and actively complain.
I was attempting to answer the point the poster was making that he hasn’t “seen any OP suggesting that every wine list in every restaurant should carry at least a couple of geeky wines so the geeks won’t feel uncomfortable.”
Yeah, the reason there are no OPs is that no one would bother to waste their time to complain about it. But, if you were at a restaurant with a conventional, boring wine list, I think we would all wish it had a couple of wines for the geeks.
What would you consider a boring wine list?
I’m thinking of restaurants that don’t put too much thought into their wine lists – having a lot of generic wines from big producers (I’m thinking Mollydooker or Catena) with nothing that I would be personally interested in drinking.
Not that I would actively complain about it. I would probably just order a sparkling water for my meal.
If you’re replying to me, my words were “wine lists with only the classics.” I see how you can read “the classics” as the same old wines you could see at any restaurant anywhere in the world, but that’s not what I meant. There are many restaurants that offer quality wines from only classic regions – I’ve seen some pretty decent lists that were largely Bordeaux and Napa with Champagne and a few other whites. Seen it with Burgundy-centric lists. I could go on.
IMO, those kind of lists are just as limiting as the list being discussed.
I wasn’t replying to you directly – I was referring to the poster talking about including a couple of geeky wines on a wine list so that the geeks won’t feel uncomfortable. I assumed he was critiquing my position that it would be optimal for a geeky wine list to include a couple of familiar options for wine newbies or non-enthusiasts so they would be comfortable.
I totally understand your position though – I would personally prefer having more off-the-beaten track wines as well rather than just focusing on classics like Napa, Bordeaux, and Burgundy. My general position is that a wine list should have a wide variety of options and that it should try to cater to all types of palates.
Maybe we are talking past each other to some extent and I am not sure I fully understanding your point. Lets see.
In the context of Italy the regions the most important regions are mostly covered, and when I refer to quality, one important aspect I have in mind is that quite a few of the wines on the list are from producers that are among the better within their region or category of wine. Yet perhaps not with broader recognition and brand awareness.
If we take red wines (Italian):
Piemonte
- its a quite strong representation with good wines Marchesi di Grésy, Giulia Negri, Fratelli Alessandria (thought I am perhaps not a Pelaverga fan myself) and maybe they updated the list but was quite sure I saw Colombera & Garella initially.
Aglianico (Vulture/Taurasi)
Grifalco (one of the best Vulture producers?), never had Luigi Tecce, but two Aglianico on a list is not too bad, many times forgotten.
Tuscany
As some mentioned, yes limited though I have high thoughts about the wines from Pacina, never had the Sangiovese from Sanguineto but would be surprised if not quite decent.
Sicily
COS and Lamoresca, among the better non-Etna producers on the island.
That leaves less than a handful of wines from other wines in Italy and would be surprised if these are not well selected as well (didn’t try the producers but I quite like Refosco dP and Cannonau when well made).
The foreign wines are well, wine geek smart and same goes for the whites.
There can be more well known “brands” on the list of course, however not sure the incremental quality up necessarily would be there - Relatively unique producers. You can of course put a Mascarello or Conterno on the list, sure but that comes at quite and I don’t feel that vibe or intention from a restaurant like this.
The largest omission is that they don’t have the Principiano red wines on the list but I am sure they will come into rotation sooner or later.
Mariano,
Leeward in particular and the Portland, Maine restaurant scene in general are completely the opposite of elitist. Leeward is bustling, cheerful, a little loud and completely companionable. Talented chefs and somms flee NY to revel in Portland’s salty atmosphere.
Dan Kravitz
Or for this place
Anyway, I agree with many earlier posters. A wine list with the likes of descombes, foillard, cos, paolo bea, pinon, forge, etc. both gives me plenty to choose from and makes me inclined to trust recommendations on unfamiliar wines from the somm.
Not a Chateau Musar fan? I am so that would definitely attract my attention.
Jay,
I had forgotten that Musar uses those two grapes. I like Musar, but am not a huge fan and IMO pricing has been out of line with quality for a long time.
Dan Kravitz
For people buying it young and aging themselves (best showings are with significant age and the library wines have been expensive for a while), I think the red is still an unbelievably good value in the world of wine. Just a few years ago, I think it was arguably the best, at least in the very top tier.
Serious thread drift here, but how many bottles/vintages have you tried? Have you had many older ones, particularly well stored Broadbent imports to the US?
I’ve been there once, last year in July. That was my impression as well, it felt like a city that combines an old spirit with a very young vibe and dynamic. Food-wise, I got lunch at Eventide which I really enjoyed.
I’d like to emphasize that my example was just an abstract hypothesis on how a good intention could potentially go wrong and how could be prevented, and by any means is tied to any particular city or restaurant.