Wine with surf and turf

[Kirk Arnott]

We're going to one of the best restaurants in town for a July 3 surf and turf celebration. The place has an extraordinary wine selection, on the Wine Spectator's top list for decades now. I'm wondering about what wine to have with surf and turf. The Food Advisor wine match says to pick either the cabernet for the filet mignon or the chardonnay for the lobster, but if anyone has any great suggestions, i'm listening.

[Howie Hart]

I would recommend Vouvray for the lobster, CS with the filet. However, if you decide on one wine to pair with both, I'd go with either a red Burgundy or Champagne.

[Jenise]

Kirk,

Given the time of year when most places are pretty hot, I'd choose a rich, cold chardonnay for a one-wine solution. Chardonnay is my personal favorite for the lobster-butter combination, and a good rich chardonnay won't offend the steak. The same is not true for cabernet and lobster.

[Stuart Yaniger]

One warning: A Wine Spectator award wine list will always mean Big Names and High Markups. Don't be afraid of being adventurous and trying to find the little oddballs which sometimes end up on the list. There is a big world beyond chardonnay/cabernet. If there's a good sommelier, put yourself in his/her hands.

I was just at a business dinner in Chicago at one of the old-line surf'n'turf places with a WS Award wine list (Shaw's Crab House). Once I got past the 3-4x retail markups of already overpriced wines, I noticed that there were a few interesting bottles hidden amongst the usual big name garbage. The guys at our table ended up raving about these wines they never heard of- Savennieres? Sancerre? Pernand-Vergelesses? Gruener Veltliner? Gamay?

[Randy Buckner]

Once I got past the 3-4x retail markups of already overpriced wines, I noticed that there were a few interesting bottles hidden amongst the usual big name garbage. The guys at our table ended up raving about these wines they never heard of- Savennieres? Sancerre? Pernand-Vergelesses? Gruener Veltliner? Gamay?

Kirk, Stuart gave you great advice here.

[Kirk Arnott]

In case anyone gets back in here, my thanks for your suggestions. We wound up having a Gregory Graham 2000 Carneros pinot noir, and it was mighty fine. The waiter also suggested cotes du rhone.

[Jenise]

Kirk, thanks for reporting back. It's always nice to know how things worked out.

[TimMc]

In case anyone gets back in here, my thanks for your suggestions. We wound up having a Gregory Graham 2000 Carneros pinot noir, and it was mighty fine. The waiter also suggested cotes du rhone.

I was going to suggest an Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir...but I guess you found a good pinot anyway.