It’s all there to go with the traditional bistro fare, and the “house wines” are three tasty treats from Naramata’s Van Westen Vineards (which regularly turns up on my Best of the Year lists in this space): Vivacious (white), Vino Grigio, and Voluptuous (red). Plus, they’ve revitalized the wine list with plenty of French and Okanagan wines and some very good prices. ![]() Bruno and Mario of Ciao Bella have brought in chef Michael Riley, who cooked here some years back sous-chef Todd Neil and one of the city’s great maítre d’s, Ben Bencherif. Here’s a list of a few favourite eateries that have put more than desultory thought and effort into providing good wine choices by the glass or carafe.Ī long-time Vancouver favourite, the former Café de Paris, has been reopened and re-energized by a couple of guys from just down the block. Recently, more and more restaurants are taking a good, close look at the very idea of house wines, and it’s a trend well worth encouraging. Frequently, the white’s too cold and the red’s too warm. Here at home, house wine has for too long meant something generic from a big box that’s been sitting in the beer fridge for weeks if it’s white or on the counter by the dishwasher if it’s red. Ordering Chablis in Montpelier? Not on my watch. Me too, so it’s Pinot in Burgundy and Edelzicker in Alsace. Well, they started it, if not inventing the concept then certainly giving it a name, what with Nicolas Chauvin. ![]() The French buy into strong regional favouritism: they are the most chauvinistic wine drinkers in the world. There, that generally means decent value, by the glass or carafe or “bottomless” bottle, usually something from the vineyard out back or just down the road a ways, right in the ’hood. ![]() In France, I like to drink the house wine in restaurants.
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