This post is a tale of two restaurants, Fireworks and Al Forno. Both restaurants recently opened close to where I live, both serve similar food and have similar prices. And, both restaurants have, given their price points, an extensive wine list.

Fireworks has 16 bottles of wine (out of 22) that sell for $30 or less, or 72%, and they have 2 bottles that are $20 or less (one red and one white). They have a wide selection and several regions are well-represented. In addition, they have 19 wines available by the glass. Given the average price of an entree, this is a really good match -- price-wise -- and the wines look like they are an excellent complement to the menu choices. The bottle of Longview Red Bucket (review below), recommended by our waiter, was served with little fanfare and went well with the pizza.

Al Fiorna has 18 bottles out of 27 that sell for $30, or 66%. They have no bottles under $20. They also have 8 wines that sell by the glass. The focus is almost entirely on California and Italy, which is not necessarily a bad thing since they are selling Italian food, but 6 different Chiantis? That seems a little excessive, considering the size of their wine list.

Our waitress was not very sure-footed when it came to the wine order and could not make any recommendations. I ordered a glass of the house Chianti and my dining companion ordered a glass of the house Cabernet Sauvignon. After checking with the bartender the waitress returned to tell us that they were out of the Cabernet Sauvignon, but they had a house Pinot Noir (not on the wine list) that was close to the same thing, a statement that clearly was not true.



Wine: 2004 Longview Red Bucket



Review: Red Bucket is a winery started by Duncan McGilevey in Adelaid Hills. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Shiraz was a spicy wine with hints of licorice and mint. It has aged nicely and was a smooth wine with little tannins and a subtle oak. Overall, a good wine and a good value.

Price: $26 (wine shop price ~$13)

Grade: 85