Weekly Wine Online

4 glasses: 4 letdowns.

It’s not that they have been horrible – it’s worse. They’ve been mediocre. In our visits to restaurants in San Francisco over the past few weeks, my wine tasting friends and I have been shocked at how boring the wines have been. Last night, after taking a sip of his glass, a friend looked up at me with a raised eyebrow and the expression of someone who has been duped yet again:

“Well,” he sighed. “Should I even say it?”

Uninspired.

Lately, it has seemed almost like restaurants are afraid to take a risk on a wine lest they overhwhelm their patrons. (Granted, we patrons have probably asked for this, since we are often so quick to complain or send something back.) But we are now left only with limpid sauvignon blancs that lack freshness and pizzazz for fear of the grassy blast or cat pee stink they might find were they to try something new; figgy, flat zinfandels lest they take a chance on too much spice or charred wood.

So where does one go to seek inspiration? I go to 2 places: my cellar and SPQR.

My cellar really isn’t a cellar: it is 2 boxes under a table in my hall where I keep my favorites hidden. I have a few precious pinots, a couple of old Bordeaux blends, and a bunch of random gifts of wine that I’m a bit intimidated by truthfully. But I think now just might be the perfect time to pull out those bottles: not only does this wine taste better, but it also mitigates the cost of an evening out. I mean, in these recessionary times, who doesn’t love to save a penny or two? Plus, sharing a treasured bottle really does add a special charm to the evening. Thus wine-hoarders of the world, now is the time to pull out your good stuff. Save yourself from the tepid waters of mediocre wine!

As for those who want to go out for a meal and be assured of a good glass, head to SPQR on Fillmore Street. You can’t make a reservation, and the restaurant is crammed to the gills, but the sommelier, Ehren Jennings, knows what she is doing and won’t lead you astray. On top of that, she’ll introduce you to wines that will send your mind racing as it tries to figure out all the new flavors you are experiencing!

Recently, Ehren recommended to me a wine variety called Pecorino. I knew this name from the delicious Pecorino sheep's milk cheese of Italy, but I had never had such a wine. This golden-hued, slightly viscous wine absolutely surprised me! Though it had a lemony freshness, I felt almost like I could bite into the wine, much I like I would a piece of sponge cake, and sensed the honey-like crystals of honeycomb I love to accompany with sheep’s milk cheese. It matched perfectly with my fried Brussels sprouts, mollifying their bitterness with its tender sweetness.

From the Pecorino, I turned to a Falanghina for the rest of the evening: a light-bodied grassy wine, much like a very mild Sauvignon Blanc / Chardonnay blend. It was perfect with my cream-based gnocchi, adding a freshness to the otherwise heavy dish. I left the restaurant feeling grateful not only for the great meal and good wine, but also for the bravery of the SPQR team for fending off the banal choices most restaurants make and selecting brilliant, risky wines instead. I have yet to find a wine there that I haven’t admired, if not adored, and I will certainly be back again soon for more!

SFGate article about SPQR and its wine list: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/16/CMQHTJOIR.DTL&type=food