When a Wine List Works for the Food: A Review

I've seen lots of impressive wine lists in my time. It seems as if proprietors or beverage directors get a buy on some high-end, well-known red wines and they fill up their lists with those wines. This is not to demean those wines, but the finest of the big, bold, tannic reds simply do not go with light and highly spiced, capsacin-filled foods. It's a waste of a great wine and perhaps a waste of great food.

The other night, we went to The Consulate in Atlanta. https://www.theconsulateatlanta.com/

If you live in the Atlanta area and like creative cuisine, this is a must-go. It's not a pre-set, prix fixe menu like most other top-end restaurants these days, and honestly, it's not priced like one either. 

Let me explain the concept. Once per quarter, a guest spins the globe. And, whatever country the highlight lands on, that is the menu for the 3-month period beginning roughly one month later. In their 10 years, The Consulate has presented original menus from 38 regions (almost all of them countries, but as we know, Hawaii, for example, is not a country). 

The current menu is based on the cuisine of Singapore. That means it is laden with seasonings and spices that one can find in that part of the world. You'll also find tropical fruits like papaya and lychee in copious quantities. As we learned, there is a bit of heat and a bit of tang.

Consider the Chili Crab with lightly fried Bao Buns (pictured above). The heat (not bad) and acidity of the dish suggest needed a wine that might be a calming influence. 

Or a menu staple, the Chinese green beans. You can see the chili peppers on the plate.

After some thought in looking at the newly reconstructed wine list organized by countries, I settled toward the white wines of Australia. There were three in particular that I thought could work:

• A Riesling from Clare Valley, a relatively small region in South Australia known for its crisp, clean, and tropical Riesling
• A Chardonnay from Margaret River (Western Australia not horribly far from Perth) where the Chardonnay is known for its bright acidity
• A Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) from McLaren Vale (about 2 hours nearly due south of Clare Valley) that is known for its fabulous Shiraz. Zibibbo often expresses itself with a bit of fruity sweetness without residual sugar and this seemed a great pairing, so that is where we landed.

The pairing was excellent. But that's not why I write here.

What was unusual in this area is that the wine list was constructed for the food. And for a menu that only lasts 3 months, that is a mean feat.

While we're here talking about the Consulate though, let's not forget other elements of the restaurant. The service was excellent. It was attentive, but nowhere near smothering. We were offered recommendations done with passion, but considering what we said. The decor is charming, warm, comfortable, and unique. (see below).

And when the owner/chef/creative vision for the establishment comes and sits with you for 45 minutes to understand you and why you love her vision while explaining that vision and its origins, well, the meal becomes an experience.

So, I close with Chef Lin and our bottle of wine.