Friday evening we went out for dinner at Hotel Madeline in Tivoli. One thing I like about eating out is trying different wines.

We arrived early and had a glass before our friends arrived. I tried a 2005 Sauvignon Blanc called Indaba from South Africa. This was very good, but not as crisp as the New Zealands I like. It had soft citrus flavors with a slight taste of lemon on the side of your tongue. My husband had a glass of 2006 Altos Malbec from Mendoza. This was earthy with smoke on the finish.

The wine list at the restaurant reflected wines from all parts of the world. When you are out at a restaurant, it’s always fun to taste wines you normally don’t see. People tend to stick to what they know, XYZ winery from Napa etc.. but when you are out, it’s a great opportunity to experiment and taste different wines from different regions of the world.

Next time you are out at a restaurant and they have a nice wine list, try something different from a region of the world you haven’t tried.