Josh Naud
Wine-Oh’s
Good lists good prices and good service — what’s not to love?
Since I first put together a list of top wine restaurants for Fast Forward Weekly almost 15 years ago things have drastically changed in Calgary. Back then I could pretty much name every restaurant that gave a damn about wine and still have room left over. But today there are so many wine-friendly joints I can only give you the highlights — in this case my Top 5. My apologies to the many fine lists I have to leave out… next year.
What makes a great restaurant for wine? For starters a good well-rounded list that speaks to the kind of food on the menu. So if you’re an Italian restaurant no points for Shiraz. It’s not necessary to have a tome but it does need to cover a few bases. Another nice feature is a decent half-bottle and by-the-glass list so if I pop in for lunch I don’t have to commit to a whole bottle just to sip on something decent. Service is another important element — if your waiters or sommeliers don’t know the list or can’t interact and have fun with their guests I’m out. And lastly you can’t stick it to me too hard on the price so a fair markup is definitely a plus.
This year I’m focusing on some newer spots people may not have discovered yet.
Wine-Ohs — This is one of the most creative lists I have ever come across in Calgary. They have it all at Wine-Ohs (811 1 St. S.W.) — small Champagne growers killer little Rieslings some eccentric Jura and Greek wines dynamite Burgundys unexpected new world wines — and all of them are priced amazingly well. So many great buys to explore and a nice selection of organic and family estates too. The toughest thing here is settling on just one bottle (better save room for another). A perfectly sized list that hits all the spots you can’t miss here.
Bistro Rouge — This new southwest bistro version of Rouge (1919 Sirocco Dr. S.W.) the popular high-end French restaurant in Inglewood has assembled a vast and well-thought-out wine list with a lot to like. If you’re having the chef’s menu you can have your wines specially selected for each course for $60 or $100 (premium parings) or you can tackle the sizable list yourself and peruse their international offerings. The focus here as one might expect is on French wines but there are some hard-to-find gems sprinkled throughout from both B.C. and Italy. You’ll find great value Loire and Rhone wines as well as more sophisticated offerings from Burgundy and Bordeaux. Either way you won’t have trouble finding something you want to drink.
Vin Room West — I can’t count the number of times I’ve ordered a glass of wine in a restaurant only to find it has been open way too long or served way too warm — two pet peeves of every wine lover. At Vin Room West (8561 8A Ave. S.W.) you’ll never run into either issue. Their preservation system allows them to have dozens of bottles open while keeping them all perfectly preserved and always served at the right temperature.
Part of a great list means great selection and not just a selection of wines. What about your options of how much wine you get? Two ounces six ounces 13 ounces or a whole bottle? At Vin Room West they have dozens of selections available in all four serving sizes. So if you want to try two ounces of 12 different wines instead of sharing a bottle knock yourself out. Outside of the obvious dizzying selection here I love the cute little flights they organize like Things That Make You Go “Mm” — overall a great place to be if you love wine.
Model Milk — I did a double take when I saw the pricing at Model Milk (308 17 Ave. S.W.). These guys are doing everything right (including delicious and wine-friendly food). The markups here are more than fair making it nearly impossible not to go for something really good — and there is plenty to choose from. The list is just the right size; you can read through it easily without boring your date to death. The options jump around from old to new world but all with a sense to pairing with the richly flavoured offerings.
Ox and Angela — I love it when restaurants tailor their wine lists to their food and local sommelier Jayme MacFayden has done just that at Ox and Angela (528 17 Ave. S.W.). It shows that they really “get” the whole food and wine thing. But it takes some confidence and I admire restaurants that stick to their convictions. This list is focused on Iberian wines Spanish Portuguese and those inspired by their native grapes. Even when you wander to the less traditional selections you find food-friendly examples waiting to be slurped up. While you’re picking your way through their killer tapas it’s so much more fun to have an authentic taste of the homeland in your glass.
The cellar at Wine-Ohs. Photo by Josh Naud
