For the love of wine
‘Iwould like a glass of wine with this… what do you recommend?’’ Cue bemused look from the waiter. Maybe a shrug or even an eye-roll. The enthusiasm barometer needle is stuck on zero.
‘‘Mmm… well... I like pinot gris.’’
That’s how it was at more than a few of the restaurants around the country that I judged for the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2017 (CGFG). Great food, smart ambience, then this yawning blind spot when it came to wine.
Lack of knowledge is one thing – I understand wait staff turnover can be horrendous. But the lack of appreciation of wine’s role as an important part of the taste experience is another. Many also seem oblivious of the fact that customers will often spend as much – if not more – on wine as they do on food. Why wouldn’t you want to excite customers about the wine you have on offer?
In too many establishments, wine is given little thought and less love. They seem to think that as long as they have a wine list containing a few staples, the job is done and no-one will think otherwise.
It reminds me of something a French woman working in New Zealand back in the 1980s once told WINE me. She said Kiwi women don’t get the importance of shoes. They’ll wear a delightful dress and then put Jandals on their feet. By not giving that crucial component its due, the whole effect is ruined.
Great wine knowledge and service aren’t the preserve of topend, fine-dining restaurants. Every establishment that prides itself on the food it serves needs to instil a modicum of wine consciousness into all its staff. And at least one person should be totally fired up, clued up, and eager to talk wine to all comers.
Which brings me to the big wine winner on CGFG awards night… Wellington’s Noble Rot Wine Bar.
Restaurant awards aren’t often announced to universal agreement. A bit of grumbling comes with the territory. But I don’t think there was a dissenting voice in the house when Noble Rot took out the Negociants New Zealand Best Wine Experience award.
This place is on its own when it comes to devotion to wine. Its list is extensive and imaginative. Its staff are all about helping customers explore and enjoy wine in an unfussy, attractively rumpled environment. And don’t think it’s all about wine – the food at Noble Rot ain’t half bad either.
Crimson Pinot Noir 2016 $36
Ata Rangi’s recently released second tier pinot is not second class. I love the structure this wine offers – an entry of bright berry fruit and spice leads you into it a fine, dense whirlwind of tannins.
A very attractive pinot for the price. Enjoy it now or keep for a few years.
The Bone Line Sharkstone Chardonnay 2016 $35
Beautiful white flower scents are the start of an exciting ride. This is a lean and keen chardonnay, alive with taut minerality and dabs of stonefruit. It is the product of some of Waipara’s oldest chardonnay vines.
Go to theboneline.co.nz.