creating wine menu

[stevebody]

Gotta throw in a vote for the wonderful Italian grape Greco. It's complex and expansive on the palate but carries some nice limestone/flinty notes that work wonderfully with fish. Good examples are from Feudi di San Gregorio, their Greco di Tufo, which has made the Wine Spectator Top 100 a couple of times lately. A lovely budget alternative is "Gravina" by Botromagno, a blend of Greco and Malvasia Bianca that wholesales for around $6. It's dry and peppery and beautifully balanced. There is also a relatively obscure Albana di Romagna from a winery called Celli that is the very essence of dry/flinty/seafood wine. It's a killer complement to most fish, especially shellfish.

On the home front, several Oregon wineries make lovely, dry Pinot Gris that avoids the overblown profile that makes the American Pinot Grigios so frustrating. Good examples are Owen Roe, Slivan Ridge, and especially Sine Anne's glorious bottling, along with their second label, Elvenglade.

There is also a lovely, little-made French grape that's produced some in Washington that might be good for your menu. The grape is called Madelaine Angevine and prominent examples here are from Bainbridge Island Winery and Mt Baker Vineyards. It's fragrant, exotic, and fun, especially when fermented dry.

Finally, check out Chappelet's Dry Chenin Blanc. Just gorgeous wine that pairs well with a TON of different, lighter foods.