RESTAURANTS : Eating Out, You Can Say No to Chardonnay and Cabernet

Three quarters of all wine sold in restaurants in America is either Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

And neither wine tastes particularly good with food.

Oh sure, Chardonnay and Cabernet, given enough age, can be magnificent with food--but few restaurants age their wines. What you are likely to find on a wine list is fat, fleshy Chardonnays from 1989 and 1990 and rough, tannic Cabernets from 1987 or 1988. These immature wines are awkward with food.

And the recession is making things worse; dwindling profits are forcing many restaurateurs to reduce the number of wines that they offer. Because Chardonnay and Cabernet sell well, it’s the other wines that restaurateurs are cutting from their lists.

“By cutting out the Sauvignon Blancs and Rieslings,” says Evan Goldstein, master sommelier and director of the Seagram Classics School of Service and Hospitality, “restaurateurs are forcing people to buy Chardonnays; I’ve always thought of Chardonnay as a wine to drink by itself or with certain appetizers, but when you get to the heart of the meal, you’ll find many other white wines do much better.”

What other wines? Well, consider any of the following. All are less expensive than the C-word wines, and much more conducive to dining.

WHITE WINES Gewurztraminer: An under-ordered variety, probably because it’s hard to pronounce (Guh-VERTZ-trah-meener). The spice and freshness in this wine is most appealing with Thai, Chinese and Indian cuisine. Drier versions (such as Navarro, Husch, Firestone, Adler Fels, Thomas Fogarty and Bouchaine) are also superb with dishes that have strong flavors, such as seafood prepared with tomato sauce. And the wine generally sells in restaurants for less than $20 a bottle.

Sauvignon Blanc: A decade ago some were so green they were like asparagus juice. But now Californians have learned to make this white wine with less grassiness, and it has become far more friendly. Now, even when young, the freshness of these wines is most appealing.

The lighter-styled Sauvignon Blancs, such as Raymond, Martini, Kunde, Chateau Souverain, Murphy-Goode and Ferrari-Carano, are most appropriate with delicate food. With richer foods, try the Flora Springs Soliloquy, J. Rochioli and Matanzas Creek versions. The wines usually shows up on wine lists for less than $20.

Chenin Blanc: For light aperitif sipping or to go with a first course, there is nothing to compare with this wonderful wine of the Loire. California versions from Grand Cru, Hacienda, Dry Creek, Chappellet, White Oak, and Charles Krug should set you back no more than $12 to $14 in a restaurant.

Riesling: The least appreciated fine wine grape for matching with food. Dry and off-dry Rieslings go well with a wide variety of dishes.

With the excellence of the 1989 and 1990 German wines, Americans have a wide variety of choices. Among the domestic wines, Trefethen White Riesling is a splendid choice.

Semillon: A more complex version of Sauvignon Blanc. Some of the better ones come from Washington wineries Hogue and Columbia; from Australia, and from California wineries Clos du Val and Alderbrook. Geyser Peak’s new 1990 SemChard, a blend of Semillon and Chardonnay, has wonderful fruit and richness and a spicy note at the end. Columbia Crest’s new 1990 Semillon-Chardonnay blend is a spectacular wine with great aromatic character and stunning fruit.

Sparkling wine: When the price of Chardonnay on restaurant wine lists reaches $35 and more, savvy diners often look to sparkling wine as an alternative. Its crispness and lightness can be an elegant match for grilled seafood and chicken dishes. It also can cool off the palate when seared by spiced Asian cuisine. Look for wines designated Brut, Blanc de Noirs and Blanc de Blancs, which are drier than those marked “Extra Dry.”

RED WINES Pinot Noir: My favorite substitute for young Cabernets or Bordeaux. Pinot Noir is lighter in color, aroma and texture, too. The tannins are rarely aggressive, and the flavors match well with a wide variety of foods.

“Pinot Noir is the liquid chicken of the beverage world,” says Goldstein. “It goes well with almost everything.”

I like Pinot Noirs from the Carneros and Russian River with chicken and grilled salmon; with tomato and herbal spiced dishes, I prefer Pinot Noirs from Santa Barbara.

Zinfandel: Better than Cabernet for today’s hearty cuisine. I can think of few wines I’d rather drink with a pasta all’arrabiatta or puttanesca . Zin also works wonders when matched with venison or duck.

Zinfandel comes from a wide variety of locations, and there are so many great ones being made that it’s nearly impossible to choose among them. And the 1989 vintage in California produced a string of lighter-styled wines that are especially good when matched with food. Among the best are those from Ridge (the ’89 Geyserville is exceptional), Franciscan, Gundlach-Bundschu, Nalle, Quivira, Haywood, De Loach, Ravenswood, Chateau Montelena and Fetzer “Ricetti.”

Petite Sirah: Because it is often perceived as a coarse and robust wine, Petite Sirah tends to sell slowly, and thus older vintages are often found on wine lists. And this is a wine that ages nicely and goes very well with richer food such as wild game.

Among the better ones on the market are those from Martini, Foppiano, Field Stone, Concannon, and Parducci. Newcomers Christopher Creek and Geyser Peak, both of Sonoma County, have recently made exceptional Petite Sirahs.

The Rhone varieties: There has been tremendous interest in California wines from Rhone grapes, particularly Syrah. Among the best are those from Bonny Doon (Cigare Volant is extremely popular), Phelps, McDowell Valley, Cline, Qupe, Meridian (the 1989 is exceptional) and William Wheeler R.S.

However, the value champion remains the real McCoy--the Rhone’s Marcel Guigal, whose 1989 Cotes du Rhone is an exceptional wine that should sell for no more than $20 at most restaurants. Also, don’t overlook the wonderful Grenache Rose wines from Phelps and McDowell, surprisingly complex wines that go with a wide variety of foods.

Chianti: The resurgence of this Tuscan wine in the last few years has been phenomenal, and today few restaurateurs fail to offer at least one or two on the list. While not a dark, heavy wine, Chianti is tart and somewhat austere, making it perfect for stews, pizza and pasta. It is usually priced quite reasonably.

Merlot: The “other” grape of Bordeaux can make a more elegant, approachable wine than Cabernet (although it can also be made in a rough and tannic fashion). I always like the Merlots from Clos du Val, Cuvaison and Sterling. Clos de Bois is lighter in body and easier to like when young. Richer and equally tasty when young is the Merlot from St. Francis. Others to look for include Chateau Souverain, Rutherford Hill, Golden Creek (wonderful but hard to find), B.R. Cohn and Boeger.

Barbera: Louis Martini has made making this lovely wine for decades, and older bottlings are often found on wine lists; they have probably been bypassed because the wine is so cheap. The older versions are usually a great value. In the last couple of years, new Barberas from Preston, Santino and Montevina have created a mini-wave of interest in this Italian grape.

Gamay Beaujolais: This light, fresh wine is the only red that can take--indeed demands--chilling. The best are from Charles Shaw, J. Lohr, Beringer and Fetzer. French Beaujolais can be wonderful but is often priced too high. If you see a Duboeuf Beaujolais for less than $20, it’s probably worth a try.