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Wine For Breakfast: James Tidwell’s Wine List at Café on the Green

Thanks to Esquire for this photo.

Recently I dined at Café on the Green and perused Master Sommelier James Tidwell’s wine list. Sure the restaurant is in the tony Four Seasons at Las Colinas and there are a lot of business types looking for a good steak and a California Cabernet, but I found a lot of unique and reasonably priced wines. Obviously Tidwell has a knack for taking wine seriously but not to the point of making it unapproachable.

I asked Tidwell to show us his favorite picks. Guess what? He did.

“I like to recommend interesting finds, but do not want to
intimidate, alienate, or otherwise put people off wine by using esoteric or
obscure specialty items,” said Tidwell. “On the other hand, why recommend what people
already know, love, and drink daily? Tough decisions!”

Jump for the joy of wine.

So, here is a mixed bag of goodies from the list. Bottle prices are in
parentheses.

Our by the glass wines are tasty and have some options that are a half-step
away from what people immediately recognize:
- Leth Gruner Veltliner 2007 ($57) – Spot-on example of gruner veltliner.
Aromatic, yet savory; lively, yet substantive; restrained, yet delicious.
And, many people have heard of gruner and Austrian wine, so I don’t
consider this recommendation as revolutionary as in years past.
- Sanguineti Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005 ($89) – A little pricier
than some Chianti’s, but well worth the money. A wonderful example of the
Sangiovese grape with all the character and depth of great Tuscan wine.
YUM!
- Gilles Robin Crozes-Hermtiage Papillon 2005 ($85) – No oak makes this the
unadultered Syrah wunderkind. Peppery blue and red fruits with a rich,
meaty quality make it worth twice as much money. Really.
And, three other choices:
- 75 Wine Company Amber Knolls Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($67) – Has
the green olive note and ripe fruit of well-made Cab. A favorite of the
servers, and a real value. Plus, it is from Lake County, so a little off
the map for most wine drinkers.
-Villa Wolf Pinot Gris 2007 ($37) – Yes, from Germany! And, an excellent
example of the wine. Crisp, clean, and light. Has a little more weight than
some Italian offerings, but just shy of some Oregon offerings. A great
aperitif or food wine.
- Meibo Yowano Tsuki Midnight Moon Junmai Ginjo Sake ($45) – Ahhh. Fruity,
with grain and mineral notes; restrained, with hidden layers; refreshing,
with a tangy finish. This is an amazing beverage for food, especially
during the summer. Why don’t more people drink sake? (That’s a rhetorical
question, but feel free to misinterpret it.)

Hope this is what you wanted. Please let me know if you need more
information, or other recommendations.