Dan's Papers - October 12, 2007 - "The List": Vine Street Café

My first observation about the Vine Street Café, located on Route 114 on Shelter Island, was the lovely bar that my wife and I sat at while waiting for Susan and David. It was very comfortable and on a Friday with a full dining room, surprisingly empty. It's a great place to enjoy an appetizer and fine glass of wine from the list. By the glass I'd opt for the Jolivet Sancerre for $13, the El Coto Rioja ($9) or Paul Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage for $12.

The list is small, with a nice selection of white wines. There is clear focus on French wines, with a smattering of other regions mixed in. I would like to see the list of red wines as organized as the whites, and also see a few more regions represented. For instance, there are eighteen whites from France offered (the pricing is very reasonable), two from Long Island, four from California, and four from other places (Italy, New Zealand, Austria).

The red section, on the other hand, needs a little definition. The wines from Bordeaux are a bit jumbled, with a Pomerol here and another Pomerol several wines down the list, and that is the case all the way through. So while the wines are interesting and well priced, it is a little difficult to find a particular wine. For example, there is a Beaujolais listed in the middle of village Burgundies.

I also am not certain that the wines are listed entirely correctly. The Domaine Tollot-Beaut is listed as Cote de Beaune Pinot Noir. I am familiar with this producer (one of my favorites, actually) and am not sure what this wine is. Is it a Bourgogne Rouge, a Beaune Villages, or one of the producers finest values, a Chorey-Cote de Beaune? Either way the wine is priced quite well at $38 for the wonderful 2005 vintage. Should you decide to order it, have manager Chris Calloway decant it for you so it shows its real charm. Wine glasses are another matter that are quite important to wine drinkers. Vine Street uses above average red wine glasses, but the white wine glasses are a bit pedestrian and small for a wine list that includes such wines as Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet. The restaurant shows great interest in a fine wine program and Chris is always happy to talk about wine and go to tastings when possible. There is still room to grow, and hopefully that is the track they are pursuing.

Reds I'd drink from Vine Street's List:
Domaine Tollot-Beaut Chorey-Cote de Beaune 2005 at $38 - a very good price for this wine if I am right about the appellation, but either way a lovely Pinot Noir. David Bruce Russian River Pinot Noir 2005 at $63 - consistently a fine Pinot Noir, more fruity than above.) Seems obvious that Chris (and me) holds Pinot Noir close to his heart. Chateau de Beaucastle Chateauneuf-du Pape...... Vintage? at $150 - one of the great wines of the Rhone at a very attractive price, depending on the vintage.

Whites I'd drink from the list: Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 2004 at $79 - a classic from a great white Burgundy vintage for a very reasonable price. The 2005 from this vintage retails for closer to $60!! Lieb Cellars Pinot Blanc 2005 at $43 - this is Lieb's, a good local producer, signature wine.