KEY POINTS:
Why, asked the restaurateur, do people ignore the better wines with a much lower mark-up and instead opt for the cheapest, rather average wine on the list?
The obvious answer is these are severe belt-tightening times and anything over $60 is seen as extravagant and a bottle too far.
My restaurateur friend has a small-but-user-friendly list that sits very nicely alongside his plat du jour menu.
Okay, there's no choice on what you get to eat but it's homely and generous and well-presented, without costing a fortune. You'd think then, that the diners would go for something a bit adventurous from the reasonably-priced wine selection.
For example, the mark-up on the always reliable Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is only $20. That brings the restaurant bottle price to $90, but it is a taste sensation for a premier local wine.
Urban mythology says you should always order the second-cheapest wine on the list.
If you order the bottom rung on the wine ladder you're a cheapskate and your dining partner, who you may be trying to impress, will take that as an indication of how you really feel about her/him.
However, just one step up will obviously be a better class of wine and not draw the same sigh of disappointment from your wine attendant. What's really smart, and usually gets you an excellent wine at a fair and reasonable price, is to point to a wine on the list that you were considering, and ask the sommelier what he or she thinks.
If the sommelier is any good he or she will instantly register what your price range is and will direct you to something even better, maybe $5 or so dearer, but a wine of quality and value.
You'll feel good - the onus of responsibility is no longer on you - and the sommelier feels good because you've gone with their recommendation. Win win. Cin cin.
RECOMMENDED
2006 Monowai Merlot
New boutique Hawkes Bay vineyard with some stylish, well-priced wines. Hand-harvested grapes from low-yielding vines. Rich berry flavours with a hint of earthy spice. Price: $20
2007 Framingham Gewurztraminer
Single-estate, Marlborough wine made in an Alsace-inspired style. Musk and rose- water aromas. Mellow and off-dry. Price: $27
