THE WINE LIST

Adventuresome diners--especially those for whom Chardonnay and Cabernet are becoming boring--will love what Steve Grant has done with the wine list at Red Car Grill.

The 100-item card was selected to show off how well American wine can be made outside California. You’ll find the delicate spiciness of an Oregon Pinot Gris and the lean tartness of a New York Merlot, the complexity of a Washington Semillon and the fragrance of a Riesling from Michigan. Also available are a Texas Cabernet, Chardonnays from Virginia and Pennsylvania and, one of my favorites, a dry Gewurztraminer from Wagner, located right on Lake Seneca in New York’s Finger Lakes wine country.

Since Californians aren’t likely to know much about these wines, you have to gamble and trust that they’ll be enjoyable. But all wines selected are from reputable producers with a track record of excellence. And all prices are quite fair, so experimenting isn’t painful.

The lovely Wagner Gewurztraminer is $16, just a few dollars more than its retail price, and it was superb with some of the spicier dishes on the menu. Wine lovers will find some older selections also reasonably priced: 1976 Heitz Cabernet, $80; 1981 Phelps Insignia, $65; 1979 Grgich Hills Chardonnay, $75; 1980 Ridge York Creek Zinfandel, $32.50.

The Red Car Grill also offers 12 wines by the glass and 10 beers, most from micro-breweries. And there’s even a bottled water--from Arkansas.