Dinner this weekend at Fiola Mare. No corkage allowed on Saturday night (and $50/bottle Sun-Thurs!).
As the name suggests, this is a seafood-first restaurant, so we will clearly want white and/or sparkling, and may also want a flexible red. No bottles over $100 allowed. Easier to do with whites, of course, but it looks as though there are interesting choices for both
Seeing restaurant wine prices like this make me roll my eyes. Like 1990 Ducru for almost $700. Sigh.
Having said that, I think there are many decent choices sub-$100. The Prosecco choices should be decent, and the Greco di Tufo/Fiano category looks like it
has some real possibilities. But I would also ask them about Fabio’s White Collection–see if you can get them to recommend wines that will complement your dishes, are drinking well now, and that are “moderately priced.”
If you have to get a “flexible red,” possibly a Beaujolais?
Thanks Bruce. For the red, I am more likely to go Dolcetto than gamay. The prices on many bottles is obscene, but there do seem to be a few more reasonable choices available, and that makes it easier to forgive the excesses.
I’d be tempted by Nigl Gruner Veltliner Freiheit for $45. It’s simple, but great with a variety of seafood dishes, and not marked up as much as some other options. Or Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo at $50 for the same reasons. There wouldn’t be anything on that list urging me to spend more. It’s a nice list, but with pricing like that, I tend to look for value.
Most of the pricing is pretty appalling, but there are some decent options under $100. The Pieropan La Rocca Soave is generally good and not outrageously priced, and the Liocco Chardonnay tends to the AFWE style, though I haven’t had this bottling. Jermann Pinot Grigio is also generally pretty tasty, as is the Nigl Gruner Veltliner.
On the red side, I agree with your Dolcetto idea, and the Occhipintis are pretty flexible and quaffable. The Lopez de Heredia may also work.
Wine wine everywhere nor any drop to drink (at those prices).
I thought this was eye-watering Ceretto, Bricco Asili, 2009 | 1500mL
800
Of course you are paying for the extended cellaring this wine has undergone in their cellar to bring it you your table in it’s optimum drinking window. Or not.
I’m sorry, beyond tap water, there is nothing I would recommend… and that at 5 bucks a glass for whacking it through a Brita filter.
2012 Louis Michel Butteaux is a good call for the white, plus maybe the 2012 Occhipinti Frappato if you need a red. FWIW, the markups notwithstanding, I had a really good meal there. Maybe I was just grateful to finally have some decent waterfront dining in DC, but I thought the food (and view) were excellent.
I keep getting “server error in application fiolamaredc.com” with a 404 page not found message.
Edited to add…
Went to the restaurant’s home page, and got to the list that way. Nothing new to add. I would just second the Pieropan Soave Classico, the Feudi Falanghina and the Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo.
It’s a big markup, but the half bottle of Bellavista Franciacorta is an excellent sparkling wine (and at retail, great QPR). At $48 for the half, it’s within your range.
For a full bottle, the Ayala NV champers is a lovely wine and that’s $80 for a 750.
EDIT to add the Torii Mor 2011 Pinot for $55 is a fine wine too. Light pinot that would go great with fish - IIRC, under 13% ABV.
Neal, I would agree with Bill here, if of course budget comes into play. 80 for the LM is relatively good in terms of m/up. I also like the Copain Monument Tree, although at 160…gulp.
The place looks really cool. I book marked for next trip there.
Here are a couple more thought
Louis Michel Chablis - Butteaux for $88 would be great with seafood and its almost priced right too Thivin Brouilly Cru Beaujolais for $55 is a very nicely balanced characterful Bojo
I’d also consider one of the Dolcettos or Barberas for $36-$50
