Having once more survived two grueling weeks of Restaurant Week in New York City I am amazed to see such a change in the sales and change in the variety of wine! Restaurant week, now two weeks in fact, is a celebration in New York that offers diners the opportunity to sample food from many of the top restaurants. With lunch at $20.05 for 3 courses and dinner at 35.05 it really is a temptation!

Ten years ago one would serve a sea of iced tea and water across the dining room. These past few years I have seen a dramatic rise in wine sales, especially concerning esoteric and interesting wines. The number of people in their twenties that now take advantage of restaurant week has risen dramatically. I delight in this because these youngsters are more sophisticated than one would imagine and have no qualms about asking questions or being open to the idea that someone is there, without charge, to assist them in selecting a glass or bottle of wine. Many diners carry a great deal of baggage when it comes to trusting a Sommelier in a restaurant. On occasion I empathize!

There is always a page on my wine list that features wines that are good value. This year there were crisp Italian whites, Greek wine from Mantinia, Pinot Gris from Oregon, an excellent Beaune that I purchased at sharply reduced prices (what is it about Beaune, both white or red that are so under appreciated and therefore quite good value?) a Mendocino Petite Sirah and the biggest seller of all, a Barbera d’Alba. All of these wines were priced in the $29 to $48 range. Not only were they great values, the wines are terrific food pairings.

Naturally this list would not be complete without a rose section! I featured three, one from Italy, from Carneros and a classic Provencale. I’m not sure if it was the way the page was presented or that I had written a description for each one, but I almost sold out completely! Fantastic it is, to scan the room and see tables with rose, salmon, pale copper and fuchsia colored wine in their glasses. A perfect summer wine! The three roses are part in my wine selections this month.