The day was ugly; rain lashed with a vengeance, the office hummed with tension.  It was time for lunch.  Known for never carrying an umbrella, I made that ‘bad weather’ grimace and dashed through the city streets.  I needed comfort…and found it in a big plate of goat cheese and duck risotto at a hip new restaurant. Fortified with a warm fuzzy feeling, I felt the chaos of that afternoon diminish.

As our lives become more hectic, it’s hard to ignore the ease of dining out.  Living in a city, there are as many justifiable reasons as different eateries to visit.

· Let’s Go For Dinner ·

Whether it’s to celebrate or simply satisfy a hunger pang, there are fundamentals to dining out.  Ambience, cuisine, location and price always factor in with varying importance.  For all the reasons we eat out, the final destination is a combination of those four elements.

In a quest to be ‘one size fits all’, many restaurants describe themselves as ‘casual dining’. This classification has grown rapidly and, as a result, has liberal guidelines.  Many upscale dining rooms have scrambled to revamp their stiff style and relax a bit.  Pubs opened the windows to let the smoke out and hired chefs to add art to their menus. 

Sitting down in a soothing atmosphere, mulling over the innovative menu, alas, it’s time to look at the wine list.  Much can be revealed by a restaurant’s wine offerings. 

Buyer Beware

Better to order wine with a name; would you ever order the ‘Special’ without knowing what it was?  A wine described as House White or Red shouldn’t suffice either.  This mystery wine sits behind the bar by virtue of its price only.  The usual mark-up on this wine would make anyone cringe.  For a bit more money, you at least know what you ordered. 

Wine lists should be regularly revamped.  There are wine market changes constantly and with a computer, it’s easy to print off new menus.  Crossed out wines, liquid papered prices and mangy wine lists indicate management doesn’t care.

Take Advantage

A decent “Wines by the Glass” program is a great way to experiment without investing in a bottle. Just as a chef keeps things interesting with the food menu, so too should the bar manager.  Try pairing different courses with a wine change. 

Feature Wines are another way to try something new and different.  Often, the restaurant is testing the wines’ success in consideration of the next wine list.  Management should welcome feedback, so mention your favourites and you may see it on the next wine list.

Servers are there to help; it’s how the gratuity is earned. A little bit of wine knowledge goes a long way.  To keep on top of their game, restaurants need to invest in training their staff.  A server who can suggest a palatable wine takes interest in your dining experience.

Bon Appétit!

A couple of wine words…

Acidity – there are several acids that occur naturally in wine, acidity gives the wine kick.  Too much acidity and the wine tastes tart, too little will make it flabby.

Body – the perceived weight of wine in your mouth.  Wine is usually divided into light, medium and full-bodied categories.

November Wine Review

This month I tried:

Wine: Old Vines Foch

Year: 2001

Producer: Quail’s Gate

Region: Kelowna, B.C.

Beautiful garnet colour with cassis and deep violet notes on the nose.  Great structure with full berries on the forward, solid tannins on the mid-point that mellow out in a lingering finish.  Paired nicely with a big helping of Hungarian goulash (lots of paprika!). 

Price: $20-22 CDN.

If you have any comments please direct them to our contact section.

Wines reviewed in this column are sourced from Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Fine Wines, 1075 Hornby Street (Phone: 604-893-7254).  Rob, the manager, is a great guide to helping you locate the hard to finds or suggesting something adventurous.

Jennifer Katona has 12 years in hospitality management and for the past 18 months has been a sales representative for a boutique winery in the Fraser Valley.  She also conducts wine training seminars for service staff and holds the occasional food and wine pairing seminar.  Her passion for wine has taken her all over Europe, including Italy where she lived for a year discovering the country via her palate.  Jennifer currently resides in Vancouver with her cocker spaniel, Dudley Dragon.