Thursday, June 4, 2009
Restaurants Atlanta wine service is swill
Posted by Besha Rodell @BeshaRodell on Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Here's a scene from a meal I had this week at a new-ish, high end restaurant in town.
Me: "I'd like to know about a couple of wines."
Waiter: "OK, which wines were you interested in?"
Me: "This German pinot blanc, and this white Burgundy. What can you tell me about them?"
Waiter: "I'm not familiar with either of those wines. Let me go check for you."
The waiter left for around 10 minutes, and when he came back he said "The French wine is going to be a little bit dry, like a chardonnay. And the German wine will be fruity."
I bit my tongue. It's tempting, in these type of situations, to say something like, "You mean like a chardonnay because it IS a chardonnay? Yes, I knew that, what can you tell me about it?"
But really, is it even the waiter's fault? Shouldn't the restaurant be training, and even testing its servers on wine knowledge? Or, just as acceptable to me, if the waiter doesn't know the wine, shouldn't there be someone on hand who can give me more information than a broad description of what wines from that country generally taste like?
Unfortunately, this experience is not uncommon in Atlanta restaurants. And I'm talking expensive restaurants, the kind where you're paying a premium for touches like...wine service! Apart from general lack of knowledge, I've recently had a waiter pour for my husband when I ordered, another waiter bypass the tasting altogether (on the one bottle of the year so far that I've had to send back - a real pain when everyone at the table already had full glasses), many waiters who don't even recognize the name of a wine I'm ordering off of relatively short lists, and many, many waiters who, if they do know anything about wine, assume that I don't and lecture me about how I probably won't like the French chardonnay I've ordered because it isn't buttery. Or something equally insulting.
In fact, wine service is so bad in Atlanta, that for all the meals I eat out, I can remember more vividly the ones where the wine service was decent, because it's so uncommon. Craft. Repast. A former sommelier from Floataway Cafe who I still remember three years later just because she was enthusiastic and recommended something I wouldn't have picked otherwise but loved nonetheless.
What's up Atlanta? Why is this one area of service that so often falls apart? My challenge to you: step it up! I'm thirsty!
(Image courtesy sxc,hu)
Comments (17)
Showing 1-17 of 17
Atlanta is still part of the South. Always remember this; it will get you far in either dealing with the place or far in the literal sense of moving away out of frustration. A vast majority of the customers at these high-mid range restaurants aren't exactly wine connoisseurs; they're just people who are trying to go to trendy restaurants which probably explains why the waiters don't feel the need to know anything about wine. Do you have any idea how many strippers and nouveau riche rappers like MF Sushi and Blue Point? A LOT. Hope this helps.
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I recommend switching to beer. It pairs much more easily with most foods than wine, in my opinion. Plus, if you get in on draft you'll be sure to never have anything relative to a 'corked' bottle of wine. Here's a site with good beer/food pairing suggestions: http://savorcraftbeer.com/beers.html With the wine/food thing, maybe you can carry an iPhone or similar handheld web browser with you and use the Wine Enthusiast search to find descriptions of the wines. As for why there isn't a call in Atlanta for more wine expertise in restaurants, I wonder if it has to do with the weather. I personally can't think of anything I'd like to drink less in the hot humid Gerogia weather than a glass of cabernet. Gack.
You know, Besha, this subject has plagued me since I returned to Atlanta in January. After working as a critic in San Francisco and Dallas (and don't balk at Dallas -- lots of money = interest in wine and strong lists), it shocked me to move back here and confront not just boring, overpriced wine lists, but servers who aren't trained nearly enough in their lists. Hint: If your food sales are suffering, train your staff on the wine list so their knowledge and enthusiasm will inspire customers to order something beyond the $9 glass of California pinot noir. Makes a fella want to stick to cocktails. Grumble, grumble.
As a part of the wine professional community here, we are constantly trying to combat this with staff trainings, seminars, and 101 classes available to servers and managers alike. Unfortunately here in ATL the lack of enthusiasm and follow through seems to begin in restaurant management: someone has inherited a wine program but doesn't have the experience, will or even feels compensated enough to "own it" and deal with the responsibility. I feel I am always reading about negatives in wine programs, but want to point out there is no lack of good wine in Atlanta, including ATL restaurants. With as many as 30 distributors, many of those being boutique, a lot of the world's best importers, wineries and producers are represented here. I wish more restaurants were commended in your publication for having interesting lists, great food and wine pairings, and enthusiasic and talented wine stewards. You mention Craft and Repast, and what about Bacchanalia, Eugene and Holeman and Finch, Top Floor, Cakes and Ale? From the owners down to floor managers and servers in these restaurants (and many many others) wine is appreciated and selected and served thoughtfully.
Darin: I do drink beer, and agree that beer is great with food. But I also love wine, and I think that if someone sells something, their sales staff should know what they're selling. Hot Georgia nights may not call for a glass of cabernet, but that pinot blanc I was inquiring about would be perfect for such an occasion. Bill: We could do so much damage with some sort of call-and-response grumble... Vinodino: You're right, all the places you mention have great wine lists (well, I actually think that Bacchanalia's list is underwhelming for the caliber of food it's matching, but that's a quibble). I do commend restaurants for their lists and wine service in my reviews, as much as possible. I wish I could more often - that's kind of the problem. But it's something I've made an effort to give credit for, and will continue to do so.
I had a waiter at P'cheen last year that served me wine with cork floating in it. When I asked for a fresh glass, he walked around to the other side of the bar, stuck his fingers in the glass to fish out the cork and then brought the glass back to me as if he had repoured it. I refused to drink that wine and haven't been back since. Wine service in Atlanta really does leave something to be desired.
i think restaurants will start paying attention once the industry as a whole wakes up. why spend your time training staff on a topic that rarely comes up in a review? after all, this publication employs a food critic that does not imbibe. as a beverage industry professional i just don't get it. for me it's a symbiotic relationship. i am much more likely to give a place a second chance for off food. if the wine list sucks, it's still going to suck the next time i go there.
Besha: I hear you loud and clear. I’ve come to expect very little from wine service around town and I agree with you also on thinking that servers cannot possibly know it all; but someone should be on hand to tell you about it, right? I mean, who chose the wine for the list? The distributors? From the standpoint of restaurant management and training; I know I have it easy because I have a staff that is constantly trying to improve; but I know it is not easy out there. Most restaurant managers in Atlanta deal with staff that care more about their school schedule than the difference between California and Burgundy chardonnay. How do we inspire these people into learning more about what makes for a good dining experience? Food for thought
I would like to throw another vote in for Top Flr - not only is the list creative, manageable, and well-priced, but the servers I have had have been knowledgeable.
Thanks for writing this Besha. There are some absolute standouts in ATL for wine service- you mentioned a few in your post, but in general, restaurant wine service is awful and not limited to ATL. Even if the server doesn't know the list (which they should) there should always be someone on hand that knows the list inside and out. This doesn't have to be a sommelier, just a go to person that knows and most importantly LOVES the list. ATL diners are bashed a lot for lack of sophistication- Here is a industry's chance to enlighten, to educate, and to give someone a fresh experience. Restaurants are almost always where people try something new. If you can't properly train your staff on wine, shorten your list. Why Cheesecake Factory your list with 100+ wines (75% being Chard, Pinot, and Cab) that no one on the floor knows anything about? Put on 10-20 interesting bottles that can be learned quickly by your staff, train them on what dishes pair well with which wines, and bring value to the customer. I don't knock distributors here. Some of the most passionate wine people I know in ATL sell for distributors. Great wines are in this market- Find the great ones and partner with good people. Wine should be the perfect restaurant / customer / server intersection. A customer has the chance to learn and experience something new, the server has the chance to generate a larger check, and the restaurant can hopefully show more value to the customer and earn repeat business. In the end it is about passion for wine. The restaurant needs it, the servers need it, and if paired with value, it will be well received by your customers.
I had a sommelier describe a Rioja as a spanish matador: a little dusty, a little bold, and way fruity. Don't underestimate the power of a good adjective.
Couple thoughts: JSF3000: I laughed out loud :) On training waiters on wine: I was weirded out when my 17-yr old son started working at one of the higher-end chain eateries and received rather extensive tasting and training. Is this legal? (Note: I'm not sure he learned much, but he did enjoy it :) Good lists/servers: I recently had a great experience at Ecco. I drink primarily Pinot Grigio (so sue me) but there wasn't one on the list. The bartender knew what I'd be eating (I was there for a winetasting w/a fixed menu) and chose a wine for me that I just loved. One of my guests only drinks bold reds, and he also chose a wine for her that she was extremely happy with. So I think Ecco deserves to be on the excellent wine service side of this debate. He was also able to articulate what it was about each wine that he thought we'd enjoy.
It's funny you mentioned Ecco. Another gem in the Fifth Group Restaurants that is on point with wine service is La Tavola. It boasts a staff that is genuinely interested in wine and very knowledgeable about the big wine list. Good wine service in ATL can be found if you know where to go.
This is why I always bring my own wine. I can bring a great bottle that would cost me several hundred dollars if purchased at the restaurant. I don't go to restaurants that don't have BYOB policies.
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