Cover Les Bouchons wines (Photo: Les Bouchons)
Les Bouchons wines (Photo: Les Bouchons)
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Do restaurant wine lists give you mild anxiety? The sommelier is there to help—truly!
Welcome to the first article in the Think Drink series. How to “shop” from a wine list ranks high on the questions I’m most asked. Rather than pelting into a thin, racy sauvignon blanc that you don’t fancy after the second sip, take your time and consider your options.
Firstly, there are numerous types of restaurant wine lists. If you’ve read this far, I’m guessing you’re a semi-regular gourmand who hasn’t (yet) built up your wine palate as much as your food one. Chances are, you’re heading to a fine dining outlet hoping to make the most of your experience, and to avoid being intimidated by the extensive tome of bottles. (P.S. If you’re a pro, skip to the last part.)
Most articles give the same few points about chatting up the sommelier and setting a price range. But price is often relative and the sommelier might be overstretched. What now? Here are some scenarios, not exhaustive, to guide your interactions on your next night out.
In case you missed it: Winner of Singapore’s Best Sommelier title, Yeo Xi Yang, opens champagne bar Convivial
You wish to be pleasantly surprised
In this scenario, you have some basic appreciation of wine, and know that you prefer a silky pinot noir to the heavier body of a cabernet sauvignon. You’re ready to consider lesser-known grapes such as the lively furmint with its notes of pear, lime and smoke (try: Iggy’s), or venture to lands yet unconquered, to encounter malvasia grown in funnels of volcanic ash in the Canary Islands (memorably savoured at the now defunct Pollen).
Let your sommelier know that you’re open to experiment, but be sure to give clues as to what you have enjoyed before. Mention whether you’re intending to pair the wine with your appetisers or mains in particular, or if you prefer an all-rounder for multiple courses. Some menus make it easier from the start—Bar Cicheti’s breezy Sommakase wine flight ($45) plots out three different wines throughout your meal, based on the ever-changing wines available by the glass, and your preferences.
Hot tip: sommeliers love volcanic wines, ask them why and get an educational conversation going.
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You definitely do not want to be surprised
Perhaps you’ve had bad experiences in the past, or are on a strict budget. There’s no harm in confiding these criteria, no matter how pointed, with your wine server, to establish trust. Consider also the context. If you’re at a one-Michelin-starred Italian restaurant like Buona Terra, it’s a good bet that the excellent wine list will have well-priced Italian varieties. Perhaps they might have the vibrant pinot noir grown by Terlan in Alto Adige (incidentally, another volcanic wine)—it’s a great opportunity to venture beyond Burgundy.
In your fervour to control your experience, don’t assume the cheapest bottle on the menu will taste cheap. Most, if not all, menus will have something under $100, curated for its viability with the restaurant’s food. The sommelier may be especially proud of those! When in doubt, ask and ask again. A good sommelier will recognise your concern and spend more time with you.
You’re already a pro
For those who love wine and fancy a bit of a splurge: If you are the sort to pore over the wine list in advance, checking online to gauge prices and cross-checking your vintage inventory—you’d be surprised; there’s more your sommelier can do for you. The well-versed wine director (who may even be one of the Master Sommeliers: Mathias Camilleri at Como Group, Benjamin Hasko at Cloustreet) may have procured some hard-to-get or up-and-coming gems that you’re not aware of. Be sure to ask specifically about these bottles.
Remember: Speak up, or hold your wine in regret till the next time.
As a journalist for over 20 years, June Lee eats and drinks for a living, even picking up a few wine certifications along the way. She doesn’t have a favourite wine or whisky because she has yet to taste them all. Send June your burning questions, brickbats and (wine) bouquets at www.instagram.com/junedrinkswine.
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