Josefina Piñeyro
Professor. Dagorn
HMGT 2402/E553
03/27/2020
Wine list Analysis
Wine culture has been around for well over 3,000 years and as food and beverage progresses it will continue to flourish. Pairing wines with foods is a skill that isn’t easily attained and so many restaurants have their own approach when it comes to wine pairings. Factors such as acid, sugar, tannins, and level of alcohol content are taken into account and play a huge role to the pairing of a wine with a dish. Many restaurants take so much pride in creating their menus because they want the guest to not only have an unforgettable dining experience, but they want to enhance the flavors of an already delicious meal.
I will be comparing River Café which is a fine dining restaurant that is located in Brooklyn with stunning views of New York City, this romantic setting restaurant offers extensive wine list that contributes to their already beautiful and sophisticated ambiance. On the other end is P.J. Clarkes which is a casual setting restaurant that has been around since 1884 where guest will feel right at home with their warm and friendly atmosphere.
When we observe River Cafes wine list I notice that its quite lengthy, they offer a variety of sparkling, white, rosé, and red wines ranging from as low $17 to over $2,000 by bottle or by glass. River Café features grape variety such as Riesling, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends, Chardonnay, etc. Something that I found interesting was their selection of historic California red wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon from 1968 Heitz Wine Celler -Napa Valley was actually made by Joe Heitz during World war 2, which is why wines that carry a story tend to be more expensive (Leve, 2019).
P.J. Clarkes wine list is simple and clean and I find that a shorter wine list is much easier to navigate and this allows guest to not feel overwhelmed. They offer your basic sparkling, red, white and rosé wines like River Café and they keep to the classics from Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gamey and more. What makes their menu stand out is options of hard liquor cocktails and beers. This separates them from River Café because characteristics of wine differ from that of other alcohol drinks, therefore they have the ability to offer their guest a little something that appeals to older people and what younger adults would gravitate towards. Something that is evident is that River café is much more meticulous with their wine list and offers the help of master sommeliers to provide guest with information on their wine selection. Both restaurants wine list provide guest with the location and producer which can give the wine more of an appeal to experienced drinkers.
Overall restaurants can offer extensive wine lists as long as a book, while others provide just a few pages’ worth. Taking into account the environment and type of service an establishment wants to offer, the wine list will differ between fine dining and causal setting environments. This aspect will contribute greatly to the wine list because the restaurant would want to create a menu that’s authenticate to what they represent.
References
Jeff, L. (2019, February 21). 1968 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard Oakville California USA Wine Review Tasting Note. Retrieved from https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=1968&wine=Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard
McClain, J., & McClain Cellars. (2019, January 26). The Culture, Tradition, and History of Wine in America. Retrieved from https://www.mcclaincellars.com/culture-tradition-history-of-wine/
P.J. Clarke’s Restaurant and Bar: Our Roots. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://pjclarkes.com/our-roots/
https://rivercafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rivercafe-wine-list-022720.pdf
Hi Josefina, I’m Katy from Professor Goodlad’s class. I agree with you that the wine list is designed to accommodate restaurants’ styles. Although I know most of the fine dining restaurants will offer a wide range of pricing on wine, River Cafe is surprised me that they offer $2,000 for a bottle of wine.
I did not realize that wine from a restaurant could go up to $2,000! Very intriguing, and that just makes us wonder what that wine has to offer. And I like your idea about a shorter wine list so that guests aren’t overwhelmed by an extensive wine list, it would help guests who are indecisive to make a choice faster.
HI Josefina
I really enjoyed reading your paper at the same time I was very shocked when I saw to price go up to $2,000. I did not know it could be this expensive. I get that it is fine dining but still the pricing is crazy. I also like comparing and contrasting you did of both the restaurants and how you gave very brief details.
Hi Josefina,
Its great that you spoke about price because that is a huge range. Also, you touched on something I mentioned in my analysis which is how the wine lists differed based on the environment and type of restaurant.
Hey Josefina,
When reviewing The River Cafe, the same thought came to mind about the selection of wine and the pricing. Besides the age and grape type there are many other reasons why the pricing would be so high. But stories like the one of Joe Heitz adds another level better quality and service.
I appreciate that your post received so many comments, a great conversation starter.