serious wine novice

[jopatricia]

I plan dinners for different meetings and I am having a hard time choosing wines. I am ask to choose a red and white. I am familiar with White zinfindale (my favorite). My dinner menus are usually "surf and turf" to cover everyone. I get mixed up with Merlot (red?) chardonnay (white?) Pinor Grino (?) I don't know which name corresponds to the color. HELP! I have a dinner on March 17 and a 4 page wine list to choose from.

[aetre]

Innkeeper should be here soon for recommendations =)

in the meantime merlot is red, chardonnay is white, and pino 'grigio' is white. They will tell you which is best for whatever you're having though =)

here's a link to help you out with kinds:

http://www.wines.com/intro.html

------------------
the best things in life take most of life to accomplish.

[Innkeeper]

Hi JoPat, and welcome to the Wine Board. You sound like you need just need a general purpose red and white. A nice merlot will do for the red, and a nice pinot grigio will make a find g.p. white. Have no idea what brands you have to choose from, but the person with the four page list should be able to help you. An introductory guide such as "Wine for Dummies" would be a big help. Am not being demeaning; recently brought "Italian Wines for Dummies" myself.

[jopatricia]

Thank you for your help, i will pick that book up this weekend, the restaurant did not offer any assistance just the list. I really order a lot of wine and would like to be a little more knowledgeable. Thanks, again

[aetre]

jopatricia- can you post some of the brands? I mean, if you come back that is =)

[winoweenie]

Sounds to me Jo-Pat that you need a better supplier. Can absolutely gurantee that Foodie can do a better job of supplying your wine needs long distance than the one you have locally....AND that's with one lip tied behind his chin. WW

[Tastevin]

Hello Jopatricia. Take care. I've just found out that in the States all Merlots are not red. Some are what's called Blush over there, and I guess come in various shades of pink (going by what I've seen of Zinfandel here anyway). T

[lipwig]

I would imagine that the person you talk to about events at the restaurant may not know much about the wines that they have available, especially if it is a larger operation. Ask to talk to someone that may know the list, like the Food and Beverage Manager, or heck, even one of the waitstaff!(If they are trained peoperly they should be a valuable resource.) If those people can't help you with a few suggestions, find another place to have dinner.

Lipwig