Dry/Fruity

[Innkeeper]

Hi Keith, and welcome to the Wine Board. For a new New World wine you can hardly do better than to try an American Syrah. Those from California's Central Coast and Washington State in particular. For a ton of specific suggestions just type "syrah" on the search function. Expect to pay upwards from $15 - 18 for staters. Well worth it.

It is a somewhat less expensive to go the Old World route. Beaujolais and Cru Beaujolais are the dry fruity standbys there. Do not get the Nouveaux after December of their year of release. You can get plain ole Beaujolais for a year or two after release, and the Beaujolais Villages and Crus will last several years. The Crus do not have the word Beaujolais on them, but have names like Morgon, Moulin A Vent, Brouilly, and Julienas. Current releases of all these are excellent. Expect to pay $9 - 13.

The wine you had was obviously a proprietary one, i.e. one bottled just for the restaurant. Don't know exactly what was in it, but do know that you probably can't get it outside one of Emeril's stores. The Blackstone is a breath of fresh air in the world of American Merlot. It is dry and gives you a shot of fruit, but nothing like the wines described above.