Cru Opens with Colour Coded Menus

I haven't eaten at Cru; for the moment what attracts me is the wine list. They don't come any simpler than the list you will find at Cru. It's short, well chosen, and believe it or not, constructed with the menu in mind.

Don't get me wrong. I like the big showy lists that dot this city's best restaurants, often matching the grandeur and the style of the establishment. But a small, intelligent wine list is something to behold and there aren't enough of them in Vancouver.

To illustrate my point I have been dining on patios during this past month of warm weather, and what I've been craving, as I wait for my food, is a crisp, clean, fresh, white wine.

You'd be surprised by the number of lists that couldn't provide me with that experience.

For fun, the next time you are on the patio at your favourite eatery ask for the wine list and look for a bottle of Hugel Gentil, or Pierre Sparr Alsace One from France, or any German Mosel riesling, or a screwcap Marlborough sauvignon blanc or an un-oaked B.C. pinot gris.

The point, if anybody is listening, is it's summer, it's warm, we are outside and we want something fresh and aromatic to sip on -- before, after and during our meal.

With so many restaurants it appears as if the wine list is a throwaway, as in, the owner throws it away to one or two distributors to create so they can get a better deal on the bar vodka or get their menus printed for free.

The result is not unlike putting the rooster in charge of the hen house, but I digress. Let's get back to Cru where co-owners -- sommelier Mark Taylor, Christine Funnell and chef Dana Reinhardt -- have put together a wine list that hits all the right buttons.

With more than two decades of experience at the likes of the William Tell, Mandarin Hotel, The Prow and Raincity Grill in Vancouver, Val d'Isere and Opossum Café in Whistler, the Cellar Door Bistro and Vineyard Café in the Okanagan, Taylor has assembled a smart, nifty, user-friendly wine list that will no doubt further evolve in the weeks and months to come.

So, what has one of Canada's most experienced sommeliers come up with that is so innovative? Well, it's a short list with no more than 75 wines in total, but what's remarkable is how the one page, double-sided list is laid out.

Taylor has come up with a series of single-word headings to describe the wines in each section. In large type you can quickly scan the list to read headings such as: crisp, mellow, luscious, juicy, smooth and big.

Following the single word headings is a short list of descriptors to further enhance your knowledge of each wine under the heading. For example, the description that accompanies the "crisp" heading is: lighter-bodied whites, fresh and thirst-quenching. Now that sounds like a wine for the patio on a hot summer's day.

The smooth category refers to: "medium bodied reds" that are "soft, round and velvety" (in texture), and so it goes for the other categories: juicy, luscious, big, sticky and bubbles. Each transports you to a different style of wine and each is skilfully described, but there is more.

All of the headings are colour coded and this is where the list really excels. By matching the colour of the wine list headings to the colours on the main menu you now have a painlessly, easy-to-use, food and wine pairing chart.

Simply pick the food or wine you would like to order and then use the colour coded menus to match them to each other appropriately.

Both Taylor and his wife, Dana Reinhardt, have spent countless hours pairing food and wine, so it's good advice. Should you prefer to do your own matching, there's no harm in ignoring the colours and simply choosing what you like.

Each category or heading boasts eight wines and Taylor expects those to change frequently, too.

Under "juicy" you'll find a clever mix of old standbys such as Cline Zinfandel and Louis Jadot Pinot Noir alongside hip new efforts like Primitivo Donna Marzia and Bonny Doon Zin.

As always there is a fine line between giving the customer the variety and depth they demand and totally confusing him or her when it comes to having to choose a wine to go with his or her meal. In this case Cru appears to have it right.

Better, but not necessarily bigger, now that's a concept, and it's what's going on at Cru. Expect it to have a ripple effect in this wine-savvy town as soon as next week. For now, drop by Cru (1459 West Broadway) and see for yourself. For reservations call 604-677-4111 and don't miss the "smooth" Cambria Estate Pinot Noir.