QOTD: This is my… area of expertise. As a fellow Sommelier and restaurant server of many years, I am extremely interested in what the WLTV comments peeps will post here. For me, it is extremely important that the person serving customers wine at any given restaurant should be well educated in the world of wine, should listen and tap into the specific needs of the customer (including style, price, and pairing of the wine with food ordered), and do so in a welcoming, informative, efficient, and UNPRETENTIOUS manner. I try to deliver this to all of my clientèle on a daily basis, and this is the benchmark for me when I go out to eat as well.

But where’s castello’s review of the 2004 Marion Valpolicella?

QOTD: Wine service in America? Generally poor. High end places with good Sommeliers are exceptions, but where the real effort belongs in the majority of restaurants is a) assembling a good list, and b) training the waitstaff. The general ability of servers to communicate information about the wines, let alone make reasonable suggestions is poor.

My first real experience with wine (and a Sommelier) was on a trans atlantic ship quite a number of years ago. The Sommelier was extraordinary, interested and engaged. I would say he was key to my introduction to, and interest in wine today.

Too many Sommeliers barely know their wines, let alone take the time to know their customers. Thankfully, there are exceptions.

There is too much business and not enough passion in too many restaurants today.

Hi Gary – great show. Rajat is an interesting guy and has much to say that is worth listening to.

Given his and your comments on the huge quality and value of 2009 Beaujolais could you please do a show soon where you taste a range of different 09s and comment on them? Would be good to focus on superb wines that are available in Wine Library to buy. Just a thought but I think it would a great show and in line with many themes you have been highlighting – try new things, huge quality at good prices, spectacular 2009 vintage, Gamay is an under appreciated and under valued grape, huge opportunity to buy and taste fabulous affordable wine…

QOTD : The quality of wine service in the US is improving. A good sommelier should do a number of things in my opinion (i) have an interesting wine list with a range of wines and styles at a range of price points from affordable to expensive for special occasions, (ii) know their wine list thoroughly and be able to talk knowledgeably and passionately about every wine on their list, (iii) have some suggestions for wine pairings with the items on the menu – some traditional but also some more unusual, (iv) have some unusal interesting wines on the list that they promote to help educate customers, (v) should return to a table as a wine is being drunk to ask what the party thinks of the wine chosen and get their feedback, (vi) should have an interesting and quality selection of wines that are available by the glass and/or in half bottles – too often buying a wine by the glass is the kiss of death – poor wine, badly kept, badly served and disappointing and finally – be FRIENDLY and WELCOMING. A sommelier’s job is to encourage, excite and educate customers. They know their wine list and should be able to ensure spectacular wine for every customer irrespective of price point and their level of knowledge. The best sommeliers do all of this – clearly Rajat is in this group

QOTD: I think that a lot of restaurants in America take wine for granted because they don’t know enough about it to care about it. Fortunately, I’ve been noticing a steady rise in interest for wines in restaurants and this is promising. Obviously the bigger cities have a jump start because of a more diverse population. People like Raj, make me hopeful for the future of wine, of which I want a part as well.

Gary said if Mott had a cell phone he?d (Gary) call him (Mott) every day. I wonder if Gary realizes that Mott may have already considered that fact.

Phenomenal explanation…like seriously *clap* *clap*. If you are going to Trolly McTroll it up, at least throw down some facts. Here’s an example to get your creative juices out and away from that road block: “His head makes him look like Darth Vader and because I don’t have all but one hand, he scares the shit outa me…aka he’s a wanker.” Yeah? Well it’s a start

QOTD. In the average restaurant wine service is dismal. The average waiter doesn’t know or care about wine. But luckily that’s changing. But I probably don’t go to enough Michelin starred restaurants either since I can’t afford them.

My pet peeve is restaurant markup when you get that kind of bad service. If a restaurant just has a list they get from a big distributor with all current release why do they have to charge 4 times wholesale? It just artificially makes wine expensive and foreign to the average American consumer. Don’t mistreat it like that!

Rajat is a cool dude! I really enjoyed this show. And Gary did not interrupt him too much either. ;-)QOTD: First of all, great question. Boy, I could probably write a dissertation on this one. There are so many “fine dining” restaurants that just don’t have a clue about wine service. They don’t train their servers very well on the wine. I’ve asked questions and had servers give me the dumbest answers. If I can actually get their Somm to come to the table, then I have been always treated well. But if I ask the server, I usually am disappointed. They either assume that I am a wine idiot or I have to explain the wine to them. That’s not good when you are paying $50-100 for the meal and another $100 on a bottle of wine. Every once in awhile, I ask a server for a wine suggestion and they actually come up with a good answer or say, “Let me get our Sommelier for you” – that’s fine. But all too often, I am disappointed. Of course, when I do get to speak with a Sommelier, my wife gets annoyed because we usually have a 10 minute discussion about wines and she thinks I’m monolpolizing his or her time – which I guess I am, but that’s what I am paying top dollar to do, IMO.

@Jag – I certainly agree that to have a decent wine program at a restaurant, they need to put together a good wine list and train the wait staff – one or the other is often missing at some pretty decent restaurants which always surprises me.

STOP YELLING! 😉

yeah but even with air conditioning it is still really hot. It is difficult to explain but trust me. You can tell the difference even inside with AC between an area being intensely hot and humid and an area that is in the low seventies and not so humid. Especially if you’re in a restaurant by the beach that has a lot of windows so you can see the view.

Please do a show on Beaujolais 2009

Where do you all live? And to answer your last comment, I can only say,
“Well, it’s disqus isn’t it?” 🙂

I totally agree. If any of you are in SF, after hitting up Rajat’s place, go down the street and around the corner to Orson. Elizabeth Faulkner’s staff are really nice and Carl, their sommelier is excellent. Perfect pairings, jovial, fun and informative.

That is actually proper wine service, regardless of whether or not you brought it from home. The purpose of the taste is not only to make sure the wine is sound for you, but as the host, it is your job to make sure the wine is fit for your other guests at the table to drink as well. The waiter did nothing wrong.

If there was someone in the wine world I’d like to have a glass with, other than GV :), would now be Raj. Such a cool, unpretentious, regular guy.

QOTD: I expect the sommelier to ask questions of the diners, (if they have not already made up their mind on what they want). Ask if they have decided on their food choice, from appetizer to entree. Suggest a pairing for the appetizer and entree AND explain why the pairing will work.

I expect the sommelier to have integrity and be able to read the person ordering. The sommelier should sense if the person ordering has no clue and just trying to impress the others by ordering the expensive wine. He or she should then tactfully offer other possible suggestions. Raj seems like one who has that instinct. A great sommelier has that ability to suggest without insulting the person ordering. On last thing, don’t ever,ever present me with the cork like it is some ceremony. Open the bottle, put the cork on the table, if i need to check it for signs of seepage, I will. I certainly do not want to smell it.

Rajat,
I was SOO bummed when Rubicon closed. I had the privilege of speaking to you there a few times. Excellent wine list. Once a month or so I would come in and sit at the bar, get a glass of red followed by one of the desert-desert wine/port pairings. That was my supper. You had that wonderful desert chef, what was her name? She drizzled thunder all over the top of everything!
One evening I walked up (mouth watering) and the places was closed. I must of stood there for a long while, like a kid, with my nose pressed up against the glass, slack jawed.

But Zuni Cafe! The ricotta gnocchi. Anyone? Must go and try the chicken. Their house Pinot is actually pretty good.

QOTD; It needs work. Decades ago waiting was more or a respected profession, especially in Europe and G.B.. Thus their wine knowledge was usually avant guard. Now, mostly college types, except in the finer places. NYC might have higher standards for servers, I got that impression. But yea, when we’re giving up our hard earned dough for a nice night out, we don’t expect ignorance or snobbery.

Excellent show. Mott, there’s an I-phone in your future, just kill your landline.

QOTD: I find it “adequate”, I’ve had bad experiences and good ones like most people who dine out regularly.

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Nice to see the Chartogne Taillet getting some love on the show. Several years ago I experienced this wine at Les Nomades and it immediately became a favorite.
QOTD: I’ve found that wine conversations in restaurants have become less intimidating over the past few years. It’s nice to find restaurants who attend to Beverage at the same level as Cuisine.

GV – Another great guest and another great two-parter!

QOTD: On average, I don’t think the wine service is that great, unless you are dealing with the higher-end. I find most time, there isn’t enough attention to detail!

An awesome two-parter. It’s neat that GV has a kindred spirit of room temperature wine out there. Rajat: I’m sure you’d enjoy having wine with a bunch of Vayniacs on this list! 😀

QOTD: My experience with sommeliers and wine direction have mostly been favorable, though mostly in higher-tier restaurants. (Rajat: for the record my experience at Michael Mina in SF was great.) The worst experiences I’ve had is when wine staff pushes wine that either 1) is too plentiful in stock, 2) is made by a friend, 3) just to gain higher margin on my bill. The best experiences have been when the staff listens to my thoughts on pairing or tasting preferences, and then engages in proper dialogue…they don’t just look down on my palette just because they’re a “wine professional”. Sincerity is great.

By the way, I enjoyed the episodes. Your qotd is way too involved for me to attempt to answer here.

Good episodes, good guest. You continue to encourage Champagne and I will try some this season for certain.

QOTD – My experience with higher end restraunts is limited and my view is insufficient to add meaning.