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Well-Priced Wine Lists


drummeral

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:)

HI,

Starting a thread for those DC venues that have a reasonable pricing on the wine that they sell. Please no Wine Dictator lists with 300% mark ups. They can be small lists with interesting wines with reasonable prices. Please post the restaurant, the general markup over retail and a short description of the list!

Many Thanks! AL

Drummeral, Potomac, MD

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Some guy in Washingtonian wrote up a list on the best value this month :) , if you want to check that out.

My vote would be for Corduroy's, some incredible bargains on there!

And if you venture out into Virginia, Tallula and Evening Star Cafe.

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Some guy in Washingtonian wrote up a list on the best value this month :) , if you want to check that out.

My vote would be for Corduroy's, some incredible bargains on there!

And if you venture out into Virginia, Tallula and Evening Star Cafe.

I think most all would agree that among the fine dining places in the DC area, the wine list at Corduroy provides the most bang for the buck. It defies generalities because it spans so much geography and so many grape varieties. The mark-ups are incredibly low. Just ask jparrott.

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There's also some cool things at Bistrot du Coin. Just ask Wabeck.

Citronelle has some gems that are quite reasonable. As does Tosca. There's always fun on Jaleo's list, and Zaytinya has value to burn, especially amongst the Xinomavros. And as I recall, Old Ebbitt's markups are gentle for their surprisingly decent list.

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Perhaps Eli could post something about the list at Sonoma, which I think are reasonably priced for the restaurant, however I have no idea what the markups are. I'd also recommend Dino and Notti Bianche. The list at the latter, while not particularly extensive, seems quite reasonably priced. And, yes, as that guy in Washingtonian noted, Ray's the Steaks.

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:)

Thanks to everyone for replying. Have been to Firefly, Waybeck's place. Also Old Ebbitt.Aswell as Citronelle, Le paradou, and Cityzen, all expensive.

Vidalia is also good as well as Cashon's in Adams Morgan, DC Coast is also good if you know what you are looking for. Ardeo/Bardeo is also good.

A couple in Maryland that are pretty good given it's Montgomery County are Jackie's in Silver Spring and Persimmon in Bethesda. Clydes in Chevy Chase and Tower Oaks are also pretty good.

Having lived south of SF for a couple of years and traveled out to all the wine country from Mendocino to Santa Barbera about 4dozen times you really need to hunt for some California wines back East due to the limited amounts and availability. I take about 3 to 4 trips out there per year and have been doing so for the last 15 years.

I appreciate everyone's input. Let's not stop posting and we can expand to areas outside DC in the Baltimore/OC/ Annapolis/Frederick areas as well.

Thanks Again!!

AL, Potomac, MD

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Some guy in Washingtonian wrote up a list on the best value this month :) , if you want to check that out.

My vote would be for Corduroy's, some incredible bargains on there!

And if you venture out into Virginia, Tallula and Evening Star Cafe.

Tallula, Evening Star and Vermilion all have a unique relationship with Planet Wine and tap into the services of our wine director Jennifer Witebsky. The unique relationship allows the restaurants to list bottle prices at or around $10 over Planet Wine retail prices. At Tallula and Evening Star, since they are physically connected to the shops, patrons who enjoyed the bottle of wine they had at dinner can purchase additional bottles to take home with them for retail price.

Edited by MelGold
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Some insider info on Corduroy's wine list, you can get Turley Moore Earthquake 2001 for $73.  If you google this wine you'll see it going for $79-$154.Plus shipping. :)

I'm convinced that Turley is a myth. Every time I've ever had it (always at someone else's expense) I've been disappointed. In the immortal words of Clara Peller, 'Where's the beef?"

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Everyone has thier likes and dislikes in the world of wine. Robert Parker liked the Turley to the tune of 95 points. Wine Spectator was in for 92 points. We also have 2000 Chateau Mongravey for $46 and many more. The point however was that the mark up on wine at Corduroy was much more in tune with the retail market than some other resturants. Hence my posting on the cheap wine list thread. The Turley was but one example.

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I just went to Notti Bianchi last night and was stunned at how reasonably priced their wine list was, particularly for some of the hard-to-get gems such as Turley White Coat and Sin Qua Non Albino (both deliciously rare white wines). The Reds were just as impressive.

Vidalia can't be beat for their eclectic list. And Zola is often over looked (and shouldn't be).

Check them out.

Scott

The Vine Guy

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Well - at the risk of causing a commotion, my column today in the Examiner explores the resonably priced wine lists of several DC area restaurants.

It is evidently one of the more controversial articles I have written since I had received 15 emails this morning from readers telling me I forgot to include their favorite restaurant!

So, before you write back with some witty retort that begins, “I can’t believe you were stupid enough not to include (fill in name of favorite restaurant overlooked by idiot wine writer)” please remember, I only get 700 words. At least I credited donrockwell.com in the article!

But don’t worry – given the popularity of this theme, I will explore it once again next year. And I will have the good sense to poll this audience before I write it! :lol:

Restaurant Wine List Gems

Cheers,

Scott

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I met Patrick Bazin today whose restaurant, Bazin's on Church, is slated to open next Friday evening in Vienna. Initially he'll have about 50 wines on his list, primarily Californian. He plans to minimally mark them up, creating a stir not just for what he plates but also for the price of what he pours in a glass!

I am already planning on being a regular customer!

Note that he was the former chef at the Occidental. This should be a very real plus for Vienna and this part of Fairfax County. He and his wife are opening this restaurant alone without investors; note that it was built from the ground up! From suede paint to granite countertops and brick walls to a recessed wood beam ceiling his is a restaurant that has potential for wine, food and ambience. I wish him the absolute best.

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Resuscitating this thread in the hopes that folks can post current places that have good, well priced wine lists.

Honestly, I'd love to see a list that prices some of the more expensive wines well so some of us could actually splurge and try them. Pricing a wine that retails for $150 at $500 is just pointless IMO.

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Honestly, I'd love to see a list that prices some of the more expensive wines well so some of us could actually splurge and try them. Pricing a wine that retails for $150 at $500 is just pointless IMO.

Unless you're Cafe Milano and the Black AmEx holders get tipsy and stop caring.

Sober, anyone with enough knowledge to appreciate a $150 wine isn't going to drop $500 on it; it takes a making-it-rain, bottle-service, Armand de Brignac mentality to pay triple retail for expensive wine and not care - it has been one of the longest-running con jobs of the restaurant industry.

I'm also calling on some respected organization, such as the American contingent of the Court of Master Sommeliers, to set forth reasonable guidelines on tipping for wine. No, it can't be 20% across-the-board. The American consumer has gone *way* too long without knowing what to tip on wine.

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