Favorite Wines By The Glass
With many people drinking less overall, and generally drinking less wine than they used to, bars and restaurants need to pay close attention to their by-the-glass selection. What makes a wine a good contender to offer by the glass? We asked several on-premise wine professionals to share their current favorites.
Patrick Panella, beverage director, Malagón in Charleston, SC
WINE: Clos Sainte Magdeleine, Côtes de Provence rosé ($14 to $16 a glass, depending on pour size, vintage, inflation, etc.)
WHY: This wine embodies everything I love about Provençal rosé, with its crisp acid, floral bouquet and the salmon color.
Kristin Courville, sommelier, The Bazaar By José Andrés in New York
WINE: Dominio del Challao Angelita 2020 from Rioja, Spain ($24 a glass)
WHY: I love this wine because it shows the true elegance that Spanish wines are capable of. Angelita drinks like a beautiful Côte de Nuits, and is fantastic paired with a range of dishes from fish to pork.
Craig Biggins, general manager, Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder, CO.
WINE: Château Bela Riesling, Sturovo, Mula, Slovakia ($14 a glass)
WHY: This is a fun wine to feature because it is made by Egon Müller, a great winemaker from the Mosel in Germany. It is an ancient property that was first planted to vine by the Romans. He ferments this wine dry, and it has the classic unmistakable character of citrus, flint, beeswax and mineral crispness comparable to the great rieslings made in Austria and Alsace rather than Müller’s native Mosel style.
Madeline Maldonado, lead sommelier, Mercado Little Spain in New York.
WINE: Balma Brut Nature Reserva Mas Bertran, Xarl-lo, Macabeo, Parellada — Classic Penedes 2017 ($16 a glass)
WHY: I love bubbles, and they can be enjoyed to start a meal, to enjoy with food and at the end of the meal. It’s a wine that is not only limited to celebrating but they can be gastronomic, and the Balma is a good example of a gastronomic sparkling wine. Please note it is not a cava, but an area that is committed to higher quality fruits, sustainability, and smaller production. Classic Penedes.
Bryce Faucheaux, wine director, Justine in New Orleans.
WINE: Benoît Cantin Irancy 2019 ($16 a glass)
WHY: “Wine from Irancy is seen on wine lists all over Beaune and in Paris, but is virtually unheard of in the U.S., especially from a by-the-glass standpoint. Irancy is a village in the northwest corner of Burgundy in the same département that Chablis is located in (Yonne département); it is also the only appellation in the Yonne that can make red wine.
Benoît Cantin makes a wonderful representation of Irancy that is 100% pinot noir, although up to 10% combined pinot gris and césar are allowed to be blended into these reds. I’m hugely terroir-focused, so I love that this wine shares the same Kimmeridgian limestone with Champagne, Chablis, and Sancerre.
The intense minerality of this soil clearly translates into Cantin’s vibrant and energetic wines. Cantin also promotes sustainability: Grapes are hand harvested; the wines are fermented in cement tanks and aged in oak barrels (15% new; sourced from the family’s land and from a local forest).
This wine has that unmistakable red Burgundy charm, with a wonderful combination of dark cherry, cardamom, forest floor and violets. There’s a medium ruby color with glints of garnet; on the palate, there’s elegance, structure, a silky texture, great concentration, and a light to medium body. With how expensive Burgundy has become, this is a great bottle and region that has been widely undiscovered.”
Jason Hedges, beverage director, LT Hospitality in New York.
WINE: Bruno Giacosa, Roero Arneis, Piedmont 2022 ($22 a glass)
WHY: This wine has vibrant acidity giving it great structure to back up its fruity and aromatic profile, which is redolent with notes of citrus and orchard fruit and floral notes of white flowers and orange blossoms. It’s also a versatile wine that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with several summer dishes. Its acidity and freshness make it a great companion to seafood, light salads, grilled vegetables and white meat dishes.
Hannah Hopkins, proprietor, Yampa Valley Kitchen, Bésame and Mambo Italiano in Steamboat Springs, CO.
WINE: 2022 Lunaria “Ramora” biodynamic pinot grigio from Abruzzo, Italy ($12 a glass/$48 a bottle)
WHY: We are excited to be offering this organic and biodynamic wine by the glass at Yampa Valley Kitchen. It pairs so well with our entire concept.
It’s not only beautiful to look at because of coppery color, but it’s so delicious with aromas of melon, Asian pear, stone fruit with a good amount of minerality and a refreshing finish. This pairs well with lighter food, salads and seafood.
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