List-O-Mania

RE: List-O-Mania

Thomas Hogan — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:49:38 GMT

Interesting post.

The small list is very much in fashion here in Australia - however (and I speak with bias as a Head Somm managing a list of 1000 wines) , there's still a time and place for the encyclopedic list - what's important for me is to match the list to the style of the restaurant and its associated pressures - clientele, cuisine, budget constraints, economic climate, history - rather than blindly following fashion.

My goal is to show a distinct philosophy in my selections - admittedly, sometimes difficult to convey across such a broad offering - I think all should incorporate this idea in their wine list design - whether it be a 50 or a 3000 bin list...

RE: List-O-Mania

Rod Smith — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:54:56 GMT

Thanks, Catherine. Eric—focus is certainly key. But 95 percent Italian is still a fairly soft focus, given the incredible diversity and specificity within regions and even villages. Is it a general selection of good wines, or do you zoom in on exemplars of style or grape, mineral, fleshy, aromatic, austere, with a thesis in mind?

RE: List-O-Mania

Catherine Fallis — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:44:39 GMT

Brilliant, insightful, beautifully written as always. Kudos Rod and nice to be reading you again.

RE: List-O-Mania

Eric Lecours — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:26:25 GMT

I've constrained our restaurant wine list to one piece of paper since our opening, an 11X15 sheet of paper folded lengthwise resulting in four long, narrow pages. Of the ~120 wines on my list 95% are Italian with a decidedly northern slant. Our chef is Bergamasco. Most consumers appreciate focus. I know that I do. If you constrain yourself to a short list, the only way to provide any depth is to focus. The results can be a quality-packed easy to read short list where the guest can quickly make choose a great, interesting bottle that fits their budget. If they really want a Napa Cab (not recommended with our cuisine), they will bring it in themselves next time...