Comments on: Dear “daring” wine directors and restaurateurs http://walt.lishost.org/2012/03/dear-daring-wine-directors-and-restaurateurs/ The library voice of the radical middle. Thu, 23 May 2013 16:58:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: walt http://walt.lishost.org/2012/03/dear-daring-wine-directors-and-restaurateurs/comment-page-1/#comment-83753 walt Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:11:38 +0000 http://walt.lishost.org/?p=4069#comment-83753 We don’t actually go out to eat all that often (well, I go out for cheap lunches a couple of times a week, but we probably don’t go out to dinner more than once or twice a month)–and, truth be told, most of the restaurants in the “we’re too hip to serve California wines” category are also in the “If you care about the price, you probably can’t afford it” category.

(Just read in yesterday’s paper that one restaurant in Napa Valley has reopened with a new chef’s tasting menu at a mere $500–for those who want better than the standard testing menu for lowlifes only wishing to spend $225 per person. Certainly not including tax & tip, probably not including wine.)

I should note that the white-cloth restaurants around here–that is, in Livermore–pretty consistently feature California and, indeed, Livermore wines, with a number of them also waiving corkage fees if you bring in your own wine and it’s from Livermore. Apart from one place that’s actually owned by a winery, none of these are all that expensive (figure $20 to $30 a person for a typical entree and salad), although our dinner last Tuesday (for my wife’s birthday) was almost ridiculous: Two very nice entrees, two salads, two desserts (hers a fine tiramisu, mine an outrageous chocolate torte), three glasses of wine (shared)…for $29 plus tax & tip. Admittedly, that’s because the place comps a birthday dinner with proof of ID and because house wine was half-price before 6 p.m….

]]> By: Angel http://walt.lishost.org/2012/03/dear-daring-wine-directors-and-restaurateurs/comment-page-1/#comment-83748 Angel Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:25:24 +0000 http://walt.lishost.org/?p=4069#comment-83748 You would think here in TX, where yes, they do make very good wines, more restaurants would serve it (alongside whatever else they wish). Like you, I always make it a point to try out local wines when I go to states that make wine, and I am often pleasantly surprised. The Better Half and I are suckers on road trips when we see a billboard on the side of the road, “winery next exit.” If it is open, we pull over. Often get some good finds, in the smaller wineries (i.e. ones w/o pretensions of grandeur), people tend to be friendly, wine tends to be pretty good, and affordable.

We don’t eat out as much, but we certainly do go and buy local when we can and it is good. As my dad used to say, “you should sponsor/support what your own (local) land produces.” (It does sound better in Spanish, btw).

Anyhow, how can a Cali. rest. NOT serve the local wines? That is just not right.

Best, and keep on blogging.

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