Unusual regional varietals can ripen guest interestUnusual regional varietals can ripen guest interest

Jack
Robertiello

Crafting a wine list is fraught with decisions: Should you gather only the most popular brands and varietals? Opt for an award-seeking compilation? Perhaps assemble a list based on a sommelier’s quirky preferences?


There are countless ways go about it, but for two concepts, Donatella in New York and Grüner in Portland, Ore., the answer was the same: Align the wine closely with the cuisine — even if it means taking guests out of their comfort zone. 


It’s not always easy, of course. Sticking with authentic regional selections and eschewing familiar favorites can leave guests mystified and requires educated staff members able to think on their feet. But a concerted effort to link wine and food through tradition and flavor can pay off by engaging and surprising guests.


At Donatella the wine list is crafted to match the casual cuisine from Italy’s Campania region, including wood-oven pizzas, pasta, bruschetta, cheese and cured meats. All but two of the 40 or so bottles come from the southern Italian region. Few of the important grape varietals grown there — Falanghina, Fiano and Piedirosso — get much attention in the United States, and even better-known grapes, such as Aglianico and Greco di Tufo, rarely get much play in restaurants. Given those relatively obscure grapes and the absence of Cabernets, Merlots or Chardonnays, selling wine at Donatella takes a clear plan.


“It was a little rough at the beginning,” said sommelier Darnell Dodson.


The staff must be prepared to hand-sell virtually the entire list of wines. When someone asks for a big Cabernet, for instance, servers are trained to offer a taste of one of the more fruit-forward bottles.


Among the pleasant surprises, Dodson said, is the way guests have taken to a sparkling red Gragnano, a fruity and crisp aperitif wine that pairs well with spicy pizza. 


Meanwhile, Portland’s Grüner, which serves contemporary Alpine cuisine, also ties its wine list to its food. Its menu, featuring such dishes as choucroute garnie, tarte flambée, and nettle and ricotta dumplings, is accompanied by a wine list of Grüner Vertliner, Riesling, Spätburgunder and Blaufränkisch from high-elevation areas of Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Whites outnumber reds three to two, and what few Cabernets and Merlots exist are a far cry in style from the intensely fruity American productions.


“When you have a lot of a varietal like Grüner, which is not very recognizable to most Americans, education is No. 1,” said Greg Cantu, the restaurant’s wine buyer. 


Convincing guests to try something new and making the case for the regional pairings is a challenge for the Grüner staff, but the city’s food-and-wine-savvy clientele is generally open to the experience.


“We’re fortunate, location-wise. People [in Portland] want to know the difference between an Italian and a California Chardonnay, and to try them,” he said.


Even so, it’s crucial to smooth the way for guests, especially about the nature of the wine-food synergies. The staff is prepared to steer someone looking for a buttery Chardonnay to, say, a Fendant from Switzerland. And, Cantu noted, they’re also battling the fact that “everyone who walks in the door thinks Riesling is sweet.”


But with the right approach it’s generally not a stretch to get customers to experiment, he said.


“The education needs to be food-connected to work,” he said. “We’re a chef-owned restaurant, and the wine must complement the food first and foremost.” 


Restaurants continually strive to delight and challenge diners with their food, but too many wine lists today present a bland face to the guest. But, as Donatella and Grüner show, with a little thought and education operators can create highly focused lists that forge a strong connection with guests, who are often as thirsty for experience as they are for wine.