I started consulting on the wine list for The Beauty Shop Restaurant in Memphis in April 2017. The past seven years, then, have seen many iterations, many variations and changes as befitted the taste and knowledge of the audience and the broadly eclectic nature of owner and executive chef Karen Carrier’s American Southwest/Creole/Southeast Asian cuisine.
The most obvious change in this current wine list from the lists in the past is that it’s shorter. Traditionally, the Beauty Shop wine list consisted of 22 wines, but in an effort to control pricing in the face of rising wholesale prices — all prices, to be honest —and to trim expenses, we cut the number of selections to 17. And eight of the wines are French, more than ever before. I never thought I’d say this, but France increasingly is a source for well-made, reasonably priced wines.
The point of the wines offered at Beauty Shop — actually located in a former beauty parlor in Memphis’ Cooper-Young neighborhood — is that they exist at the crux of quality, price and appropriateness. All the wines are available by the glass or bottle, except for the Champagne. Notice that by the glass prices range narrowly from $13 to $14.50, while prices by the bottle are $51 to $57. Carrier works diligently to balance the cost of the wine to the restaurant and the reasonable, if not downright attractive price to the diner.
I think this concise list delivers a remarkable — patting myself on the back — arena of diversity and versatility. In tasting a wide range of possible wines, we sadly had to omit many that seemed perfect except for the price to the restaurant, and hence the price to the patron. For example, I doted upon the Clos des Mourres Pompette Rouge 2021, a unique blend of aubun, counoise, cinsault and tempranillo grapes. The wholesale per bottle price to the restaurant, called the BTG — “by the glass” — was $18.36. The result would be a prohibitive cost to the consumer of close to $20 a glass. That might to fine for another type of restaurant, but not for The Beauty Shop.
And frankly, I think it’s unnecessary for wine lists to be so top-heavy, to have so much glamorous eye-appeal. I see these lists that display 20 chardonnays and 20 cabernet sauvignons from California and so on, and my reaction is always negative. Who needs all those Big-Name wines? Most patrons would be hopelessly befuddled at having to choose a wine from a list of 100s of selections.
Keep it simple. Keep it reasonable. Above all, keep it appropriate to the food the restaurant serves. Diners will thank you.
The new wine list follows here. First, the name of the wine, then the price, then my comments designed to give patrons some idea about the character of the wine. Two wines, one white and one red, are mentioned as “vegan-friendly.”
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Bubbles:
Scarpetta Prosecco 2022, Grave dei Friuli, Italy 13/51 Lemony, steely, with apples & pears, soft yet chiseled
Banshee Ten of Cups Brut, California 14.50/57 Mango, green apple, citrus; honeysuckle and toasted almond; exuberant bubbles
Ultraviolet Wines Sparkling Rosé, Mendocino Ridge, California 14.50/57 Abundant fine bubbles, white flowers, strawberries & lime; vibrant and minerally
Henri Dosnon Recolte Noire, Champagne, France 120 (bottle only) Classic elegance, balance & energy; floral, stone-fruit, limestone; mesmerizing effervescence
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White:
Chateau La Gabarre Bordeaux Blanc 2022, France 13/51 Fresh, bright, vivid; citrus & heather; an appealing, quaffable Bordeaux blend
La Coeur de la Reine Sauvignon 2022, Val de Loire, France 13.50/53 Peaches & pears, limestone minerality, pure, scintillating Loire Valley sauvignon blanc
Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner 2022, Kamptal, Austria 14/55 Lemon & peach, hay & white pepper, damp limestone, a gathering of floral elements
Cora Pinot Grigio 2022, Colline Pescaresi, Italy 13/51 (vegan-friendly) We’ll just say it — this beats any pinot grigio at twice the price
Stoller Family Estate Chardonnay 2022, Willamette Valley, Oregon 14/55 Lovely chardonnay — citrus & stone-fruit, baking spices, hint of tropical; ripe and lively
Sella & Mosca Vermentino di Sardegna 2022, Sardinia, Italy 14/55 (organic) Lemons & apricots, acacia flower & sea-breeze; fleet-footed and energetic
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Rose:
Alma de Cattleya Rosé of Pinot Noir 2022, Sonoma County, California 13.50/53 Ripe & fleshy raspberries & red currants, rose petals & violets — a real delight
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Red:
Albert Bichot Chateau de Varennes Beaujolais-Villages 2020, Burgundy, France 13/51 All gamay, with red currants and cherries, hints of blueberry & dark spice, lovely ripeness
Domaine le Clos des Lumières Côtes du Rhône 2021, Rhone Valley, France 14/55 The whole box of dried berries, flowers & spices; soft tannins & a trace of loam; vibrant & delicious
AA Aegerter Les Enfants Terribles Pinot Noir 2021, Vin de France 13.75/54 Call it simple, call it sexy — this is one ethereal, refreshing, beguiling pinot noir
Domaine de la Patience Vin Rouge 2022, Coteaux du Pont du Gard, France 13.50/53 (vegan-friendly) Rollicking black & red fruit, bright acidity, tasty & ridiculously drinkable
Il Palazzotto Sori Cristina Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba 2021, Piedmont, Italy 13/51 Dark ruby hue, scents of black cherries & licorice, tea & orange rind; svelte texture
Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite Legende 2020, Bordeaux, France 13/51 Blend of cabernet sauvignon & merlot; classic fruit-rich, cedary & velvety Bordeaux character
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Thanks! and the GV is a knockout...
Another awesome list! and thanks so much for the Gruner Veltliner.