Observations on wine and restaurants

Well, I recently had a pretty delicious dinner at Brasserie L'ecole (http://www.lecole.ca/). The food was amazing, and the wine list always perfectly complements the food, which seems to me to be rarity in the restaurant world. What I noticed at this restaurant compared to many is that guests (no matter what the level of wine knowledge) actually ask the waiter for advice on the wine list. And this isn't because the list is full of obscure producers- it is because people know that the server has learned just which wines will pair with the food to produce that 'can't stop wiggling in my seat because this is so amazing' experience. And the servers would not be able to do this without the wine list being carefully chosen in the first place, which it seems to be at high-end restaurants, but not necessarily elsewhere.



What is observable in Victoria is that the average restaurant wine list is full of big-name wine producers, chosen for the 'recognition by customer' factor, but not necessarily because the wine will pair well with anything on the menu. This is not to say that big-name wineries don't produce excellent wines, it is just that there are so many wineries that it seems a shame to limit people's experience. The little boutique winery might very well make a better wine for the particular dish, but not have enough money in the marketing budget to become a name that the average customer has heard of, so the short-sighted restaurant will just leave it off of the wine list and the guest will drink a wine that was 'alright' but not magical.



What I think is that the restaurant wine experience should be similar to the retail experience. What happens in a retail store is there are big-name producers (chosen because they always sell) and also a careful selection of wines chosen because they are simply delicious.

Many people buy the first recognizable brand name wine but those that have a little conversation with a staff member before purchasing will often be rewarded with a hidden gem. Retail liquor employees (who are not on commission!) often get to try wines, and are able to help guide people due to the sheer love of the product and the need to have the customer experience just how good wine can be. Ordering at the restaurant should be the same way; restaurants should expose the staff to the magic of food and wine pairings so that the server/bartender will be able to help guide the guest to the selection that 'ticks all the boxes'.

(And this 'guidance' through the wine list is part of why restaurants do mark-up wine 100% over retail.)

Even the possession of wine knowledge still means that asking for advice on the list is recommended. There are so many wines available- and some specifically for restaurants only- that it is impossible to try them all. Those who work in the restaurant should be familiar enough to help choose something that fits your budget, is the style you like and will complement the food. If the restaurant can't do that, then maybe it is time to try a place that can- after all, it's your money.

But don't forget to bring an open mind- sometimes you may not like a particular grape when you drink it by itself, but it could be the one that makes your experience magical!



And for those that are interested, here's how my experience went:






My dinner at Brasserie L'ecole was a celebration and so I wanted to start with something bubbly. My choices were the Veuve de Vernay brut (a delicious little sparkling wine from just outside the Champagne region), or the Cordoniu Cava Rose (a Spanish sparkling wine made by methode traditionelle). I always try to have wine that I haven't tried before, so I decided to 'drink pink' which was a good choice as this little Spanish beauty was full of strawberry, cherry and citrus notes- managing to be both dry and fresh. Conveniently, it also paired well with our appetizer of duck confit and cabbage, which was both a fluke and the sign of a well thought out wine list.


For the main course, I put my fate into the trusty hands of Marc Morrison, owner and Sommelier. I chose trout with chanterelles, a bacon-wrapped potato leek cake and an almond brown butter sauce. Marc's choice was the Jadot Rose de Marsannay, a Pinot Noir based Rose with strawberry, orange peel, spice and a hint of tannin. An excellent match for all the flavours in the dish, it refreshed the palate and was neither overwhelmed by the dish or overwhelming to my palate.


We had a taster plate of 6 cheeses for dessert, which included cow, sheep and goat cheeses. At this point I decided to have a glass of red, and allowed the bartender to choose for me. He brought me one of my favourite Rhones, the Chateau de Trignon Sablet. This wine is Grenache and Mourvedre, with lots of black fruits, spice, mineral notes and suitable tannin. This wine paired well with most of the cheeses but I also enjoyed just sipping it after we were done eating.



Yum to everything!