Help Me Choose a Two Reds from this Wine List

I left the list so others could see it in the response.

The first question is why you want a red with Vietnamese fusion cuisine. The perfect match will be a sweet German riesling. If one insists on something diferent then a demi-sec Loire chenin blanc or even a gruner veltliner would work. But clearly the top choices are all white.

If you really want a red than look for one that is lighter and softer. A high alcohol high tennin red will be a disaster. A rose or lighter styled pinot noir, Loire cab franc or beaujolais would work but not well.

The closest I see are the Okanagon Pinot and the Beaujolais.

Enjoy your meal!

John

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news:1158173778.939791.195550 @b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

It is difficult to conceive of what kind of mind would conjoin European wines with "Vietnamese fusion", wheatever that may be. The project is hopelessly ill-conceived.

Oh, sorry, I wasn't clear on "Vietnamese-fusion". It's actually Vietnamese-French fusion, heavy on the French. Think Jean Georges Vongerichten, but with Vietnamese instead of Thai. The cuisine is extraordinary, really one of the best restaurants in Seattle.

Here's the full wine list, not just reds (which I posted):

Thanks again.

UC wrote:

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com in news: snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com :

This situation arises periodically in the San Francisco area (especially at the Slanted Door, an accommodating modern Vietnamese restaurant prominent after Bill Clinton popularized it -- kind of like John Kennedy with Château Pétrus). German Rieslings of good sweet-acid poise and fruit (still incompletely appreciated for their amazing food-pairing capability) have done well, also Austrians such as Grüner Veltliner. (Grüss Gott!)

A tasting group of experienced people once did its blind tasting of new German wines, IIRC, at that restaurant, with advance arrangement, and the kitchen happily prepared a range of dishes to accompany the wines once we'd finished the blind taste-and-spit part. This worked out extremely well. The restaurant's own list showed a sophistication for pairings. If your restaurant's _kitchen_ has person(s) who understand wine, please consider selecting the wines, then informing the person(s) and leaving the dishes to them. This freedom is much appreciated by good cooks, who will then show you what they're capable of. I Am Not Making This Up. It has worked in many restaurants and regions and countries. It is cross-cultural.

-- Max

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news:1158173778.939791.195550 @b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Amazing. The one from La Mancha is probably 3 euros in a supermarket in Spain. And the Beronia is about 6 in most hypermarkets.

They are both as low end as Spanish wine can be. If I had to decide between both of them I would go for beer. Specially with asiatic food.

S.

Thanks, John. Have a look at the whites and tell me what you think:

John Gunn wrote:

I might just try that. I'll post the results it I do. Thank you for the suggestions.

Max Hauser wrote:

NO!!! The Ox is a $8AUD quaffing wine. 42 US ?.. how do they get away with it ?

hooroo....

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news:1158190212.841867.216890 @e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com:

There are some pretty impressive mark-ups on this list. What is the corkage policy? I had thought Seattle was pretty corkage friendly. Perhaps it makes sense to take your own given high mark-ups and few wines that seem a good fit to the menu?

I think my clear choice would be this:

Next I'd look at the following dependign upon what you order.

01 Kurt Angerer "Lengenfelder Donatus", Riesling (Kamptal, Austria)

01 Studert-Prum, Riesling Auslese (Mosel, Germany)

01 Nicole Chanrion Cote-de-Brouilly (Beaujolais)

I hope this helps. Remember, the advice is what you paid for it.

John

Jeesh, the bulk of these are close to 600% markup!! I'm a distributer, and i represent some of these wines on the east coast... The McManis is on sale this month for $9.99 _retail_... Castle Rock is about the same.

Seriously, check out the corkage policy.

Buyer Beware.

KMS

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Easy answer. Many people simply do not like sweet wines nor white wines.

Not sure whats meant by Vietnamese Fusion. I've only heard of 'Fusion' referring to a blending of differing cuisines in one dish such as Italian-Vietnamese Fusion.

When I eat lighter foods I prefer a light styled Sangiovese or Pinot Noir.

Most places I've been to in Nevada and California are $10 or sometimes free. Is this typical in other states? Here in Arizona it is illegal to bring your own wine to the majority of restaurants. The exception is if the restaurant can only seat 30 people or less and has no liquor license. The few restaurants I can bring my own bottle to in AZ do not charge corkage.

miles wrote in news:eu2Og.4088$AP2.3637@fed1read10:

That is perfectly reasonable. One always has to follow their tastes.

But the orignal poster seemed interested in feedback on what wines were the best match with the food. If you approach the question by first eliminating half the wines in the world you are saying the match with the food is not the primary goal. There is nothing wrong with that. It just means the goal is diferent. Personally, I prefer a wine that matches with the food to one I like that does not match well.

Additionally, my experience has been that the people who do not liek off- dry, sweet or white wines simply have not had one worth liking.

John

Miles, I am not sure what the writer meant with Vietnamese Fusion food but there are places in San Francisco like "The Slanted Door". It is Vietnamese but probably a fusion with other mostly asian cultures. ie: Japanese, Chinese, Thai---and then with a French Flair.

That would be my definition.

With those seafood dishes that can be spicy I like and off dry Reisling or Gvertz. Sometimes a Alsace Pinot Gris.

But I agree with John Gunn. I may or may not typically drink certain wines...but with some foods the wines I normally like don't work.

The Slanted Door in San Fran was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. VERY CREATIVE place.

Not US, Matt: the restaurant is in Canada, so the prices quoted are in CAD. The markups are still pretty fierce, though.

Mark Lipton

I agree with your overall advice, John, but would add the Ostertag Riesling to the list (higher than the Sparr, too) and also the Luneau-Papin Muscadet (interesting: a cuveé I haven't heard of before). As others have mentioned, though, the price markups are pretty outrageous.

Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton wrote in news:0oadnZXH0biITZXYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@insightbb.com:

Oh, wait, the original poster stated "Oh, sorry, I wasn't clear on "Vietnamese-fusion". It's actually Vietnamese-French fusion, heavy on the French. Think Jean Georges Vongerichten, but with Vietnamese instead of Thai. The cuisine is extraordinary, really one of the best restaurants in Seattle."

As for prices, I think the link is to the Canadian branch. Still high, but 90% of what it looks like. Which makes most really really high, as opposed to outrageous. :)

I think that Luneau-Papin is what is usually referred to as the V.V. , I'd be cautious re ordering a 2000 Muscadet unless I was very conscious of storage (and yes I do age some Muscadets). And I'm not sure Muscadet would be as versatile as the sec-tendre Vouvray (though I've never heard of producer).

There's some funny th> John Gunn wrote: