How to Order Wine

Not want to appear like a total buffoon, I would like some help with the intracacies of ordering wine in a restaurant. I remember from a past post that it is difficult to order wine as we do in N.A. by the grape variety such as asking for a sauvignon blanc. My wife rarely drinks red and I like both. I routinely buy chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, sauve etc. How would I order wines similar to these in a restaurant as well as buy them at Nicolas. The alternative is always asking for the vin de maison

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In Paris you%26#39;d order by region: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone, etc... If it is important to you, I am sure that you can google these regions and find out exactly which grapes go into each one, as it is all very reglemented.

However, I really recommend that you explore a bit and try something entirely new. The waiter or Nicholas salesperson can really help and will more often than not guide you in the right direction. It is a myth that they will systematically suggest the most expensive wines. They want you to be happy and will give the best rec for the meal you are planning.

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At least when you%26#39;re shopping in Nicolas, you can ask the salesperson to help you find wines that %26#39;match%26#39; the terms you usually use (the grape variety)...

Wine menus often break down by %26#39;color%26#39; so at least that%26#39;s a start.

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Try visiting www.twis.info.

It breaks varietals down by specific region (in France, the AOC). With a little research, you can familiarize yourself with a few areas that commonly produce wine with the types of grapes you%26#39;ve come to enjoy.

Sadly, marketers all over the world have done a pretty good job of convincing people that there are only 10 grape varietals, completely ignoring the other 358. As phread suggested, they%26#39;re definitely worth trying.

As a start, however, Pouilly-Fuisse produces wine using only Chardonnay grapes from Burgundy, Pouilly-Fume produces wine only using Savignon Blanc grapes from the Loire, and both are historically very, very good. Any bottle of French wine the says Bourgogne on the label is a Pinot Noir (and should not be confused with the wider Bourgogne region....there is a Bourgogne within Bourgogne).

You will discover multitudes of wine makers and wine regions while you%26#39;re there. If you scan through the website I suggested, you%26#39;ll be able to write down 10-15 wine regions that primarily use the grapes you like, and you should be able to find bottles from those areas in restaurants and stores.

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Selling wine labeled with the varietal is an American invention and I cannot add to what has already been said about choosing an equivalent while in France. Most of the varietals produced in the US are French in origin (Zinfandel being one exception) so you should have no difficulties finding what you like and what you are already know.

What I should like to suggest is that you approach wine selection with a sense of adventure. For most French people wine is food; to be consumed while eating. Try what the locals imbibe i.e. whites in Alsace, Rosés in the south, reds in the west. Of course these descriptions are very general and do not actually portray what is widely available by each region. If you travel outside of Paris I strongly suggest considering locally produced wines (vins du paye). They offer the best value.

Never be intimidated to ask for suggestions while dinning (except maybe in a crowed Parisian bistro; the servers probably do not have the time). Otherwise waiters and waitresses (or the sommelier) are always glad to help suggest an appropriate wine. Do not hesitate to express what you are willing to spend either (give a range for example). The real gems on a wine list are seldom the most expensive wines. Use the same inquisitive spirit at a restaurant that you used to post this question on the forum. I think you%26#39;ll have very positive results.

As for your wife%26#39;s preference for only whites, perhaps she might be willing to try a gamay (Beaujolais) or maybe a rosé (Tavel is considered an excellent one). This might be the perfect time to allow her to more fully appreciate how wine (even red) really enhances food.

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Thumb rule: for white wine - ask for a %26quot;un bon Sancerre%26quot;

- and otherwise you must trust that you will get wonderful wine - even if you don%26#39;t know what grapes they made it from. Why travel halfway across the globe and then just do what you do at home ?

I always go for middle-range prices on the list - in my experience you can get excellent wine in ordinary restaurants, bistrots and cafés at about 15-20 euro pr. bottle. And the open house wines are often really OK, you can buy a small jar (pichet) with 50 cl. - so no big catastrophe if it wasn%26#39;t a %26quot;bull%26#39;s eye%26quot;.

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PR --

My rule is to drink the local wine when eating the local food - they grew up together and go well together.

Before you leave on your trip, think about the characteristics of the wines you usually drink. Pay close attention as you drink them. What are the dominant aromas? How dry, sweet, light, heavy, full-bodied, etc. are they? What is the finish? Write the answers down so they will stick with you, and then when you talk to the sommelier at dinner, you have a description that he (not often she) can understand and that will enable him to recommend one or more wines that should be to your taste.

It is never wrong to order le vin de maison ou le vin du payee. There is no way a restaurant in France can survive without a decent one, unless they cater only to tourists.

Bon voyage.

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With regard to %26quot;...open house wines are often really OK, you can buy a small jar (pichet) with 50 cl.%26quot;

When one orders the house wine, is the choice basic red or white, or are there other variations?

Thanks!

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%26lt;%26lt;or are there other variations%26gt;%26gt;

Walker

There can be other variations, particularly in larger restaurants located in geographical areas very serious about wine production i.e. Dijon, Beaune, Bordeaux.

In small restaurants, there may not be a larger choice. I once ate lunch at a relais near Chantilly. Upon entering the establishment, the patronne greeted us asking only one question:

Rouge ou blanc?

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Hi again

Don%26#39;t worry - it will be crystalclear from the menu, what is white or red.

Ask for %26quot;Un bon vin blanc%26quot; or %26quot;Un bon vin rouge%26quot; ,,,,. There will be open house wines, in all flavours: red, white andn rosé. Only once have I encountered a house wine that was unsatisfactory.

I recommended the Sancerre, as it has NEVER disappointed me,

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GitteK%26#39;s recommendation for a Sancerre would be great choice as well. Sancerre wines come from the Loire Valley (predominantly), and are made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

I will caution you on one minor detail however, if you are accustomed to drinking SB%26#39;s from California, or especially New Zealand and Australia: they have a habit of adding a LOT of grapefruit. If that%26#39;s the flavour you%26#39;re looking for in a SB, you won%26#39;t find it in a Pouilly-Fume or Sancerre. What you will find is a perfectly balanced dry white wine that will tingle your senses and make you begin to wonder what it ever was that you saw in that dreadful California stuff.

Ahem...just kidding.

Sort of.