Page 15 - Boca Club News - August '24

Boca Club News, Page 15
Grape Expectations: Wine Math!

By Ed Wolfarth, who recently knowing they were going to have another glass each. of wine (two for your dinner partner and two for you) or a
moved to South Florida after That’s a pretty big markup for wine considering you can full bottle. Remember, four of the six-ounce glasses give
retiring with his wife, Vicki, as buy a bottle for $15 at any wine shop. And that led me you 24 ounces of wine for whatever the going price of a
Professor of Sports Sciences & to the following previously published column of mine in glass is. Wine by the glass can range anywhere from $8 -
Physical Education at both Queens Boca Club News: $18 per glass. Obviously, it depends on the quality of the
College and Hofstra University. He When you look at a standard wine bottle you will note wine and the nature of the establishment. So, do the math!
is a nationally ranked senior tennis that it contains 750 ML of “juice.” For us non-metric Will a bottle be cheaper, or should I go with wines by the
player and long-time USPTA Elite types, that’s approximately 26 ½ ounces. When you order glass?
Teaching Professional. Ed has a glass of wine at a restaurant it is the industry norm to get Restaurants need to make money on their wine programs.
written many educational and tennis articles in the past. a six ounce pour. Interestingly to note, most “lower-end” Over the years I have consulted with sommeliers, chefs,
Over the past few years, Ed has turned his hobby of wine restaurants use cheaper stemware and pour into eight-ounce owners of restaurants and clubs as to how best to price
collecting into a way of continuing his passion for writing, glasses. I suppose six ounces in an eight-ounce glass gives their wines, as well as what to include. If you examine
and has written on the subject for publications. As a self- the appearance of being fuller. At higher-end establishments, most wine lists you will always find popular names
proclaimed “wine snob,” he has collaborated on many which often use better stemware or goblets, six ounces can and producers that most patrons have heard of: Robert
wine lists for private clubs and a few restaurants. Ed can often geat “lost” in a 12 – 16-ounce goblet. Of course, you Mondavi, Kendall Jackson, Santa Margherita, etc. Since
be reached at wolfarthe@msn.com. do get the advantage of swirling! So the question becomes… you should also find some wines at various price points,
Recently, dining with friends at an upscale restaurant, is the glass half empty or half full? I like to recommend at least two offerings of a white and
they each ordered a glass of that ubiquitous Kim Crawford Wine economics dictates that the savvy consumer takes two of a red wine, for $30 or under.
Sav Blanc. I suggested ordering a full bottle for $56, into account whether it is more frugal to order four glasses Most establishments price their wines at approximately
2 ½ to 3 times retail. A restaurant will usually make more
money on a less expensive wine. That $28 bottle of a
Chilean Sauvignon Blanc may cost the owner $8. That’s a
nice mark-up. Wines priced between $30 and $40 account
for the majority of restaurant sales. Of course, those figures
increase as the establishment is more expensive. Most
consumers do not order the least expensive bottle on the
wine list, and certainly do not order the most expensive.
There are bargains to be found on every wine list or menu,
but you need to do your research prior to dining. These
“bargains” are often unfamiliar producers or varietals.
An adventurous diner may often have a wonderful wine
at an affordable price. Always ask your server. Some are
knowledgeable.
Almost all restaurants have a website and post their
menus and wine lists. It is a good idea to research the
wines before you attend. Sites such as Winespectator or
Winesearcher can give you a general idea of what the wine
is rated and some sense of what you can expect. A note of
caution here: Ratings are often subjective and at the mercy
of producers who lobby for higher ratings. We’ll save the
subject of ratings for another time.
Another interesting development in the food and wine
industry is the ever-increasing popularity of the BYO
policy. “Bring Your Own Bottle” is often allowed at even
the fanciest food emporiums. It never hurts to ask. Corkage
fees may run from as little as no charge to $2 per person
to as high as $30 per bottle to “not allowed!” In states
like New Jersey, where liquor licenses are exorbitantly
expensive, BYO is a common practice. Personally, I
always ask a restaurant’s policy as to bringing wine. My
experience tells me $15 per bottle is the norm in south
Florida, if allowed. If you bring a $15 bottle and add the
corkage fee and it comes to more than similar wines on
the wine list, well again, do the math!
In the Boca/ Delray area there are wonderful restaurants
of every conceivable type of fare with exciting wine lists.
Some of my favorites are: Taverna Kyma, in Boca, with
its exceptional fresh fish and Greek wines, Victoria’s
Portuguese in Boynton Beach and its sister restaurant a
few doors down, for the best roasted chicken anywhere,
Rancherito, a Colombian restaurant in Boca (I know it
sounds of a different ethnicity) and Farmer’s Table in
Boca, to name but a few.
If you are bringing wine, always send some to the
manager, chef or your server. They appreciate your sharing
and likely will remember you next time. Also, always tip
as if you had ordered a bottle of $30 or more. I always
include six dollars or an additional 20% for every bottle
I bring.
A well-informed diner can not only save a few dollars
when ordering wine but will get more enjoyment out of
the experience. Stay thirsty and smarter than the average
bear…and don’t forget to try different wines.