Red Hot Wine

[DonRocks]

We love Evening Star and it remains in our regular rotation of at least twice a month. I have no complaints at all about the food, my problem is always with the wine served by the glass. I have no beef with the selection - that is fantastic. My problem is that it is always, without fail, served too warm. I like a good red wine and am no wine snob, but often it is borderline hot. I have had them stick the glass in the fridge many times but normally, god forbid, I just ask for a water with it and throw a small cube in to chill it down from nasty warm. Given the association with Planet Wine and given that I mention this every time I go, it still never ceases to surprise me. Am I the only one that has this problem there? I should note we generally sit in the bar And I must repeat - I have no issues with the food and/or the service. They are both top notch and keep me going back to drink my ice cubed wine.

Same thing last time I went - I had them stick it in the freezer. I hate to single out Evening Star for a problem that is so widespread, and exists in 95% of all restaurants, but since you asked...

RESTAURANTS NEED TO REALIZE THAT A BOTTLE OF WINE IS OFTEN 50% OF THE TOTAL MEAL COST, AND SERVING IT TOO WARM RUINS THE MEAL EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS BURNING THE FISH OR OVERCOOKING THE STEAK.

Again, it's not fair to single out Evening Star Cafe for something that nearly all restaurants are guilty of, and I'll probably move this post to another thread.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[mdt]

Same thing last time I went - I had them stick it in the freezer. I hate to single out Evening Star for a problem that is so widespread, and exists in 95% of all restaurants, but since you asked...

RESTAURANTS NEED TO REALIZE THAT A BOTTLE OF WINE IS OFTEN 50% OF THE TOTAL MEAL COST, AND SERVING IT TOO WARM RUINS THE MEAL EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS BURNING THE FISH OR OVERCOOKING THE STEAK.

Again, it's not fair to single out Evening Star Cafe for something that nearly all restaurants are guilty of, and I'll probably move this post to another thread.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Way too widespread of a problem. Is it really that expensive to have some stored at the proper temperature?

I have asked to have it put a bottle of red on ice before. You can imagine the look that I got from the server.

[Dave Pressley]

We set aside a 8' X 12" space to put in a walk-in refrigerator just to keep wines in the restaurant at 56 degrees (our preferred wine temp.) The walk-in itself cost only about $4000 to purchase and install. It's worth every penny every time a customer comments on our cooler-than-most wine temps. (We did, however, have to purchase a separate cooler to keep white wines at 40 degrees due to overwhelming requests for chilled white wines.)

I wonder who the first person was that decided that white wines need to be fridge-cold. I don't get it, but I digress...

If you dine at Eventide and want a white wine at 56 degrees rather than 40, just ask and we'll pull it straight from the walk-in rather than the fridge.

On the whole, I think way too many restaurants keep wine at a warmer temperature because they use them as part of the design of the dining room. Wines displayed in the dining room are supposed to encourage wine sales...I get it...but it doesn't show the wine as it is meant to be. Think of the customers' enjoyment of the wine, not the subliminal message you're trying to send to them to purchase it. (I can't remember the last steakhouse I went to that had their wines "not on display.")