Curious wine exchange in an Italian restaurant

Went into a Pacific NW restaurant with friends this past week. Name is not important. But something happened while ordering the wine that was curious to me.

First, this is a pretty well regarded small Italian restaurant, balanced between good traditional and imaginative/innovative dishes with a fairly good focus on central Italian/Tuscan cooking at the heart of things.

Wine list is on the impressive size for a small restaurant, although not large. Mostly Italian, decent representation of different regions and styles; hits most of the bases, but is again more or less central Italy/Tuscan for the heart of the list. Plenty of good wines, and from different places though; no obvious dogs or closeouts or profit margin expanders here. Felt comfortable.

The entire place felt comfortable and the foods we had were generally pretty damn good.

Here's the curious thing: when the young lady asked about wine, I specified a Mazzei Chianti (I knew it would probably have Cab or Merlot in it and it would probably be a bit, if not more, on the sweet oak/fat side, but Mazzei can be deliciously suave, so what the hell). As a second choice, I told the server, we could go with an Argiolas Perdera, a lovely little Sicilian red made primarily from Monica (still some left there; not Cannonau, but still capable of being damned good) in a single vineyard blend.

Young lady came back out. Said they were out of the Mazzei. But she displayed another bottle and said she'd recommend this instead. "This" was a Dolcetto d'Alba, which I haven't had lately but I know was made in a "new world/international" style.

Additional information: just above the Mazzei on the list was a Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico (which Mazzei is the consulting winemaker for).

Prices were not germane to the moment...all the wines were pretty much in the same ballpark, and no difference to notice, so it wasn't a price bump effort.

I ordered the Argiolas Perdera. It came and it was marvellous.

Here's what is curious to me. And I know some of you will tell me I'm making to much of this, and that's okay. But why in the world, if I had already specified a second choice, and if there was clearly a very similar wine from the same region right there a couple of listings away from the out-of-stock, would the woman recco a wine from the Piedmont??? And a Dolcetto?

A push going on? Somebody's favorite wine? Not paying attention? An honest desire to direct me to a great buy? Didn't make sense.

So. Whattaya think. geeks?

A push going on? Somebody's favorite wine? Not paying attention? An honest desire to direct me to a great buy?

All of these sound plausible but the only way to really hash it out would have been to talk to her!

But I guess that wasn't a high priority during the meal and you got back to the business of enjoying your table?

A push going on? Somebody's favorite wine? Not paying attention? An honest desire to direct me to a great buy?

All of these sound plausible but the only way to really hash it out would have been to talk to her!

But I guess that wasn't a high priority during the meal and you got back to the business of enjoying your table?

We did, and we did.

We were with friends we don't get to see as often as any of us would like, so we were more focused on enjoying our meal. Which was good.

And the Perdara was particularly good as well. Lovely little wine, with good fruit but with a slightly earthy, slightly sharp edge to it that boosted it up a notch or two.

My guess, Hoke, is that she didn't know all that much about the wines in question and either asked someone else or relied or earlier information to decide that the Dolcetto was a suitable substitute for the Chianti. It sounds ridiculous to me, but having encountered far worse "advice" in my benighted little corner of the world, I am all too used to scenes like that. As you well know, they tailor their advice not to the likes of you and I (or most of anyone else who reads this board) but to the majority who recognize Chianti as a name but not Dolcetto (or most any other Italian name).

Mark Lipton

In jest, Argiolas is Sardinian not Sicilian; maybe she thought you wouldn't notice the difference between Tuscany and Piedmont?

In jest, Argiolas is Sardinian not Sicilian; maybe she thought you wouldn't notice the difference between Tuscany and Piedmont?

Urk! Did I write Sicilian? (Scrolling and checking quickly...) Yes, I did. Brain infarction. Considering the amount of Argiolas alone, not to mention the other Sardinian wines when I can find them, that's a major faux pas for me.

Plus I eat sardines every now and then.

My impression is that most waiters have a few wines on the list that they really like, and sell the hell out of. I would guess that she really liked the Dolcetto.

I think the most curious part is you expected your first choice to be out!
I think Oliver's right, lots of waitstaff have a very short list of favorites that they recommend with everything.

My impression is that most waiters have a few wines on the list that they really like, and sell the hell out of. I would guess that she really liked the Dolcetto.

I suspect you are correct, Oliver. From the way she presented it, it seemed to be a favorite of hers (If I like it; you should like it too.) or of the owner/list writer.

And I'm sure it was a perfectly fine wine. Wouldn't have any concerns about drinking it---but probably would not have enjoyed it as much as the Argiolas Perdera. Dolcetto...especially the "new styled" docetti---falls within the safe and consistent and reliable but rarely exciting wine. The Perdera had a slight inky, edgy nature to it; not all Monica does, but the Perdera does.

I think the most curious part is you expected your first choice to be out!
I think Oliver's right, lots of waitstaff have a very short list of favorites that they recommend with everything.

Clarification: I didn't expect my first choice to be out. I ordered the Mazzei because I hadn't had one of his wines in a good while and even though I knew it likely wouldn't be that close to my own taste preference, it would be good, well made, and satisfying to all at the table with the foods.

But I had also seen the Argiolas and dithered a little before I decided finally on the Mazzei. I like to discuss my decisions, briefly, with the staff whenever I can, as that helps (I like to believe anyway) in reinforcing the idea that some people care deeply about and enjoy wine as an integral part of a meal/social occasion, and that it should be a part of both the lead up to the meal as well as the meal itself---as important as discussing the food menu. And staff should know that, and be able to engage in it---it's part of why I'm in a good restaurant.

Egotistic, I know, but I always hope that such interaction allows people to learn a little bit more about what their (even if temporary or part time) profession is so they can get just a little better at it.

Also hasten to add I wasn't in any way upset or irate or disturbed by any of what happened. It was just curious----as in, why do people do one thing and not another? The meal was lovely (not great, but good), the restaurant was nicely run, the waitstaff were attentive, and we had a good time with old friends.

Which Dolcetto, out of curiosity?

Which Dolcetto, out of curiosity?

Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto d'Alba Trifolera 2007 @ $46

A bit long in the tooth, too.

A bit long in the tooth, too.

And that's why, IMO, at the pre-dinner service meeting the wine manager told the wait staff to recommend the Dolcetto at every opportunity.

Just another wine mystery. It sounds like this one had a happy ending. But your story shores up the argument that eating regularly in a restaurant you like, one that employs full-time wait staff, will let you ask the server / sommalier the same question that you offer the rest of us but with a far more definite answer. Connections like that are unfortunately where we're living now, in rural NE Nevada. Count your blessings, I say, and take advantage of them.

Maybe I should write "The possibility of a more definite answer." If it's a wine the restaurant has to move, well, use your imagination and post here, as you did. I think you answered your own question.