The National Wine
UnClub
Blog/Newsletter
September/October 2010
When In Doubt
Those of us who count ourselves as budding wine enthusiasts and who dine out regularly are quite often faced with a daunting challenge when it comes to making a choice of wine for the evening. Let's say you need a white wine. Should one go with the safe selection of Kendall Jackson Vintner's Chardonnay or should you try something new and off the beaten path? If we're honest, we'd probably admit that the safe-bet wine is probably going to make it onto our dinner table. No one wants to experiment on an unproven wine in such a situation, so it's KJ to the rescue!
The same scenario is true when you come into a fine wine shop or even while browsing the local grocery store's wine section if that store operation is serious about providing an interesting variety of nice wines from around the globe. You are probably going to end up with a safe national brand after you clear your head from the dizzying array of labels you've been perusing. Large brand marketers also know this so they have the store management stock their labels prominently on end-caps for ease of access to the befuddled wine shopper.
The problem with this may not be immediately obvious as you will almost certainly enjoy, even if it's somewhat boring. the safe choice you've made, otherwise why would it be called "safe"? The point here is that when you want to go beyond 'safe' in your wine experience you must step out beyond the comfort zone of what is well-known to the exotic unknown labels that make up maybe 80% of the store's selection.
If the store or restaurant carries nothing but well-known national brands your new experience will not be so new! You must venture out to those shops and restaurants that have made a commitment to the wide world of wine that exists beyond the small proportion of well-known brands so prevalent in your average establishment. This effort may require some diligent research on your part as these intrepid wine outlets aren't found on every street corner!
When you've found a cool wine shop or an eclectic restaurant that has such a selection then you've found your portal to a true wine adventure. Just the knowledge that the store ownership/management has gone through the exercise of choosing wines for their wine selection should inspire some confidence in you that these folks mean business in the world of wine imbibing! Most establishments let large importers and wholesalers 'write' their lists because it's easy to do this and these big brands do sell well after all!
So you've found a place to explore your growing fascination with the vast world of fine wine. You're still faced with the challenge of selecting something that will be to you and your guests' satisfaction. You're in luck! When you arrive in one of these establishments you are certain to be greeted by a person who is fully conversant with the wine selection: your friendly wine consultant. You might even meet the proprietor of the operation who made all the difficult decisions on which wines to carry in his/her store or restaurant.
When in doubt about which wine to buy in a place such as we've described, you should look no further than speaking with the individual or group of individuals who made the store or dining establishment's wine selection. The best of these wine purveyors/consultants made the selection decision based on the classics of the wine world which include the best regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone (France); Piedmont and Tuscany (Italy); Rioja and Ribera del Duero (Spain); Napa and Sonoma (California) and so on.
When you see these top regions well represented in the establishment then you can trust that the rest of the world's best wines will also be present nearby. Your choice then becomes: "Shall I explore the wines of Argentina this evening, or perhaps something from Bordeaux?" You know you will be well-guided to get a first-rate example of each region or wine type when you're in such an establishment. Don't rely on 'shelf-talkers'; rather listen to what the store or restaurant's wine buyer has to say about his/her selection. You'll be better off by far!
Cheers!
Captain Vino