Wine lists under $50–and some diner psychology
Eric Asimov’s column in the Times today highlights ten restaurants with strong selections of wines under $50. What are notable restaurants you would add to the list?
Wine under $50 certainly has obvious appeal. But it also has pitfalls, notably dull selections available at stores or supermarkets for $10 might appear for $40 on a list. That’s why there’s a paradoxical diner skepticism: on the one hand, we love a deal but on the other hand, we are apparently incredulous that lower-priced wine could actually be good. Pascaline Lepeltier of Rouge Tomate flagged this for us earlier, and she tweeted an elaboration yesterday about the place of wines under $50 and diner psychology:
i would say it is mainly the area where people may not expect to find good AND cheap wines; so you have to convince them
So which places can you cast aside your possible skepticism and order with confidence from the under $50 selections?
On September 7th, 2011 at 9:21 am ,Anatoli Levine wrote:
I think fair prices for wine and good food mean that people will come back. If wine list is overpriced, I don’t have a problem to drink just water (ok, beer). But you can definitely find good restaurants with good wine lists. Here is one example: Cognac Bistro in Boston, MA http://www.cognacbistro.com/ – most of the wines are under $50, and lots of them are very good, like Muscadet, for instance. You can also find great specials in a different places, for example a Summer Pour event at The Capital Grille – flight of 9 excellent wines for $25.
On September 7th, 2011 at 10:17 am ,Carole Wurster wrote:
I like Apiary in the East Village. Brett Feore is always pouring new wines and treating the diners to a generous tasting.
I Trulli’s (Murray Hill)wine list and its adjacent wine bar is always enjoyable–there is a price point for every budget at both.
On September 7th, 2011 at 1:45 pm ,Robin C wrote:
Since my friend and I usually stay at the Lucerne, Nice Matin is an obvious choice for us. We like Bar Boulud too, but we never order by the bottle – too much wine for us. I wish that the sommelier would spot small groups and offer a bottle of wine to share amongst them.
On September 7th, 2011 at 2:36 pm ,Wine lists under $50–and more diner psychology | Dr Vino's wine blog | Social Fobi - Det Du Behöver Veta wrote:
[…] more: Wine lists under $50–and more diner psychology | Dr Vino's wine blog This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged area, earlier-tweeted, lepeltier, […]
On September 10th, 2011 at 2:41 am ,JP wrote:
I believe a good Petite Sirah like the Petite Petite from Michael David Winery with a slab of bbq spare ribs is a meal I could eat every night for under $50.
On September 10th, 2011 at 12:26 pm ,Obi Wine Kenobi wrote:
In a galaxy far far away, such as westchester, there really aren’t many places to be exited about. That being said, The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry (where everything on the list is under 50) and Arrosto in Port Chester have fun lists. You’ll find things like Bianchello de Metauro, Slovenian wines, Pigato, Bierzo and etc. Thanks to these guys we don’t have to travel to another galaxy to enjoy good wine!
May the juice be with you.
On September 12th, 2011 at 1:58 pm ,Tom Powers wrote:
I have found that many of the wines in Bobby Kacher’s portfolio are tremendous values. The work he has done in the Costieres di Nimes region offers several different wineries producing an array of wines that are lovely. From Mas Guiot to Chateau Or et Guele to both Grande and Petit Cassagne, etc, his wines are varietals that we are familiar with Chard, Merlot, Cab Sauv and Syrah to more esoteric blends. These wines work beautifully with food and are often available in a traditional style or more oaked, depending on your palate.The roses are always enchanting. Kacher also offers many great values in the Loire and in Gascony.
On September 12th, 2011 at 5:34 pm ,Doug Lynch wrote:
Actually, my favorite is the outdoor barbecue place up the street in Brattleboro, VT (Top of the Hill Grill). Nice outdoor atmosphere, and you can bring your own! BYOB’s forever!
Who wants to spend 8 bucks for a glass of yellowtail? Makes you want to stay at home or go to the the Top of the Hill.
On September 13th, 2011 at 3:00 pm ,The Web Uncorked – Our Favorite Wine Reads of the Week wrote:
[…] Vino brings up some good points about wine pricing. Is it cheap just because it’s […]