Nightclub & Bar - May 2009

Grape Finds
Hot Varietals on Wine Lists Generate Buzz

While some varietals are mainstays on wine lists, others wax and wane in availability and popularity due to the whims of wine writers and ever changing tastes of wine drinkers. Of course, you can’t help but wonder if trendy grapes become that way due to well-deserved mentions in the media or if the chatter fuels a buzz that compels wine directors to include them on their menus. Perhaps it’s a little of both.

Operators offering these wines, or increasing existing options, furnish their lists with a contemporary vibe. Moreover, pouring them by the glass or in even smaller amounts sparks confidence in guest experimentation while increasing operators’ sales. Across the country and across the board, wine professionals weigh in about what’s hot right now in the glass.

Malbec and Syrah

South American wines have grown increasingly fashionable in the last few years, and no varietal has taken greater hold than Argentina’s signature grape, Malbec, a spicy and robust varietal traditionally used in Bordeaux blends. Andrew Stover, sommelier and director of wine marketing at Washington, D.C.’s OYA Restaurant & Lounge and SEI Restaurant, reports that guests still can’t get enough of this grape. He believes diners gravitate towards Argentinean Malbec because of its similarity to Merlot or Cabernet, although he considers Malbec to be more food-friendly.

“Malbec is the new Merlot,” proclaims Haley Guild, wine director at Bacar in San Francisco, where at any given time the 1,200-bottle wine list includes a handful of high-end Malbec bottles. Stover favors producers Andeluna and Urban Uco by O’Fournier, which “offer loads of dark fruit notes yet have an elegance that some Argentine Malbecs are lacking.” He pairs these Malbecs with lamb or grilled pork dishes, while partnering more extracted

bottles with red meat.

Domestic versions of inky and brooding Syrah also have a prominent place on wine menus today. At Michael Mina’s four Bourbon Steak locations, wine and cocktail lists vary depending on the market, but San Francisco-based Mina Group Inc.’s wine director Rajat Parr offers plenty of Syrahs in all the restaurants to keep up with demand. He likes wines from California’s Peay Vineyards, Copain Winery and Qupe Wine Cellars, and recommends them with meat dishes —especially lamb.

While California Syrahs tend to be fruit-forward and full-bodied, Washington bottles more closely resemble a more refined French style, with restrained fruit and increased minerality. At Purple Café & Wine Bars’ three Washington state locations, the staff and customers are loyal to the state’s wines. In fact, one-third of the wine list is dedicated to the local juice, and director of liquids Christene Prentice features many local Syrahs.

Washington state Syrah is popular at Purple Wine Bar locations.

By Kelly A.

Magyarics

Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer and wine educator in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her web site, www.trywine.net.