Tips on ordering Restaurant wine off the menu

(By the way, this ^ is a horrible wine menu that is meaningless...)

Restaurant's are make a killing on their alcohol, that's not a surprise. And if you're like me, I love a decent glass of wine with my dinner.  But being as aware as I am of the retail costs of LOTS of wines, I really cannot get myself to pay 2 1/2 to 3 times the retail cost of a drink (or bottle) at many restaurants. 

In my vast experience the average mark-up on wine in restaurants is generally at LEAST double of what you could buy the bottle for in your local shop or supermarket.  And if you want wine by the glass, I have seen a glass of wine sell for $8-$12 in a restaurant when I could buy the bottle for that...

So let's talk about the lame excuses I have heard justifying their expense.

#1 We have to keep an inventory which means they have to be handled differently and be kept refrigerated. REALITY? I was sitting in a James Beard award winning restaurant which I went to specifically because it was an award winner of what used to be a prestigious merit. But as I am sitting at my table I am staring right at the kitchen grill and above the grill maybe 4 feet over it were racks of bottles of wine. Seriously?   Stewed grape juice anyone?

#2. I sometimes inquire about their prices and not often but enough to mention that I have been told, "Well we have specially trained people to handle the wine orders and of course that costs money." 

REALITY: The most recent restaurant I was in on a special occasion with my wife where I had been told this, the wine service was inept; The person didn't even know how to properly remove a cork much less present the bottle, much less pour your glasses.  (Suggestion--Don't let the restaurant pour your wine after the first taste for whoever ordered it, politely tell the person, "I'll pour our wine from this point, Thank you." 

Why? I can nurse a glass of wine pre-dinner and still have plenty left for dinner and whoever you have along with you. The restaurant's job is to sell wine; that's where the big profit margin lies. I have NO problem with that! But I want to be the one to portion out our wine knowing the people I am with and how much they would like and when.

The worst excuse I ever heard: #3 This was not at a restaurant but in a column about why wine prices are so high in restaurants. "Well a sommelier (if they are actually a genuine Sommelier (pronounced. Soh-MAHL-Yay) which takes ridiculous study and examinations to become a genuine one, and they are worth their weight in gold!  And hence they are WELL PAID deservedly so!  But, I am a common person with a common income and I have only ever been to two restaurants in my life that actually had a genuine "Master of Sommelier" on staff.  

And if you ever wondered how many glasses of wine you get from a 750ml bottle, the industry standard is 4, 5-ounce pours or 5,  4-ounce pours. 

Now the secrets to reading a wine list.  These are "general" observations: Always preview the wine list on line of the restaurant to which you are planning to go.  Compare the prices of their wines to retails prices. Again--expect 100% mark up over retail prices. Anything less than that is a relative bargain!

Beware when you are ordering a bottle making SURE the bottle they bring you is the bottle you ORDERED off the list!  Meaning--if you saw a bottle of "XYZ Pinot Noir vintage 2020" and they bring out a bottle of the same name but a different year you can and should refuse it!   

Why-- because I ordered a bottle of wine at a plush restaurant in L.A. which I specifically ordered being very aware of the quality and price of the wine for the particular year. It was a bargain!   I was excited to have it coming to the table but when the presenter showed me the bottle which is standard procedure they do so precisely to make sure they are bringing you what you ordered.  Well it was a different vintage.  I happened to know the bottle they were trying push on me was substantially inferior and a less expensive Pinot from the same vintner.  I refused it of course and their answer was that they had run out of the vintage I ordered.  That's shameless!  So beware of the bait and switch.

Finally: Hot Tip!  

Restaurants often put the "bargain wines" further down the wine list so you might be less likely to choose it.  Also remember that a wine that seems to be the popular wine of the day eg.  White Zinfandel, Prosecco, a generic Rosé just to name a few, are likely to also be jacked up due to their popularity.

ECLIPSE Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2021

 

Intense Deep magenta hue with yeasty nose on opening that mellows out to a fruit laden fresh berry with cherry nuances.

Palate--I love the first impression as it is integrated and supple with balanced texture and tannins which are mature with simple and straight forward fruit that is tasty and lovely. Finishes with a clean albeit fleeting finish.

I snagged this lovely Montepulciano wine for $12 and it is a super value! It was perfect with my Puttanesca. It is at its very best right now but will hold for another couple years. Raise a glass!

MAN Family Chenin Blanc (Cape Coast) 2025

Lovely sunny hue with nice aromas of flowery, lemony, baby powdery nose!

Palate--Supple structure with perfectly integrated acidity on a lemon drop foundation asking to be quaffed more!

Chenin Blanc is one of my very favorite white wine grapes and while I am very heavy on red wine reviews, when I do whites they better be well made, juicy, tasty and begging to be drunk. 

At $10 this is an excellent grab for the money so chill it down a touch, serve it all alone or with a variety of comestible choices.  Whatever you do--Raise a glass!!!

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

7 years down the road and this Cab from NAPA and the hallowed Ch. Montelena which put NAPA Valley wine on the global map having beaten the best of France's wines.. (Chardonnay to be exact which I will be reviewing at a latter date.)

It is an inky dark black with a DEEP purple hue. Aromas of  (too cold let it warm up) 

Palate--first impression at cellar temp. is well crafted Napa Cab. seductively integrated with yet to come MUCH MORE if you have the patience...

This wine seems to list as high as $150...  Obviously it was a gift from my son who many years ago got the winecask.blogspot.com off the ground technologically.

If you're inclined to be a wine geek, You should enjoy the Movie "Bottle Shock." It is the (essentially) TRUE story of the famous "Judgement of Paris" wherein Ch. Montelana's Chardonnay beat out the greatest French wines made.  It changed the world of wine and put Napa Valley on the map!  You'll love it! Raise a glass!

Sin Zin Zinfandel 2021 (Sonoma)

Darker magenta hue with aromas of robust ripe dark berry, and a hint of cherry.

Palate--Gentle first impression with a soft texture, a bold mid-palate full of dark Zinfandel goodness and a touch of tart raspberry finishing quickly.

I think I paid $15 for this but saw it in the past couple days at a local store for $22. That's over priced but at $15 and under it's a raise a glass kind of bold wine which I am pairing with my homemade venison chili. Raise a glass!

EPICURO NERO D'AVOLA (Silicia DOP) 2023

Light to medium bodied hue of cranberry jelly with aromas of vibrant Cherry/berry, cranberry, violets, and nuanced blueberry pie. 

Palate--Acidic foundation with a solid fruit beam of all that's in the nose, with a longer lsting finish than the price point would predict.

This Trader Joe's regular offering I have been buying for years. It is always a nice value and drinks easily pairing with many cheeses, dishes, or by itself. At $7-8 it is a must buy!  I am having it with charcoal grilled chicken BBQ'd. 

Pronounced, NERo Da VO la it is the signature grape of Sicily. Grab it, enjoy it and raise a glass!

Liberté Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) 2022

Ruby/garnet hue with aromas of slightly vegetal note with a slight charred wood, and subdued berry.

Palate-- First impression is slightly acidic with youthful tannins, and tightly wound berry flavors. Structure seems to mellow out quickly with a confused palate and quick finish.

I paid $10 for this today at Trader Joe's. I would pass on this just because there are MANY wines at this price point which are more interesting and better constructed.  Eg.  Tasted side by side with the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon I blogged a couple days ago and the Chilean is more interesting and better made. FWIW

Casillero Del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon Chile 2024

Deep purple with a youthful presentation with aromas of dark rich berry fruit with a defining spice at the edge of the glass tarragon? Basil and/or oregano???

Palate--Out of the gate a youthful structure with lots of fruit, a bit of angularity to it (expected for such a youthful wine) with a slightly vegetal finish. There isn't much depth here but then again this is a "table wine" kind of offering at a very reasonable price of around $8.

Casillero Del Diablo has a fond place in my heart as it was one of the earliest wine I could afford back in the mid 70's and was always a value kind of wine.  This is not what you would expect from a quality "Cabernet Sauvignon" but remember you didn't pay $50-$150 and up for this bottle... 

It is juicy and a good buy for the money so raise a glass!

Tortoise Creek. Zinfandel 2022 Lodi

Deep magenta hue with aromas of black cherry and cranberry.

Palate--spicy hints, balanced ripe berry and cranberry.

I find this every so often for a ridiculous $7 and grab as much as I can handle at the moment. Raise a glass! 

Coppola Cabernet Sauvignon (Diamond collection) 2023

 

Garnet/ruby hue with aromas of lightly charred wood, with dark black cherries and berry. 

Palate--First impression youthful foundation needing a bit more time to come around. A nice dark berry and wood mid-palate with a pretty quick finish.

I would call this Coppola's "entry level" cab and for what I paid for it it is a decent start. $18 is overpriced. Unremarkable Cab from Coppola priced at $18 but I found it for $12. Pairing with charcoal grilled "short cut steak."  Raise a glass (at $12)