Increase your wine knowledge by 132%: ethnic restaurants

January 6, 5:59 PMBoston Wine ExaminerJulia Timakhovich

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Part II in the wine knowledge series:

Go to an ethnic restaurant and try wines from that country (if it grows it)

Tip: they are usually cheaper than the more “traditional” bottles on the list.

Wines from Lebanon, Israel, Hungary, or Uruguay may not have earned international reputation—yet—and you may not like them if you aren’t used to them—but they are worth a taste. Once in a while, you come across some incredible stuff--and then you'll wield knowledge of where to find unique wines only a few have discovered.

Here are some suggestions:

Taberna de Haro, a Spanish restaurant in Brookline (next to St. Mary’s T stop on the C line) has an all-Spanish wine list—and it’s not just Rioja. The wine list is organized by the emotional value of the region. Creative. As you turn pages and pages of Spanish wines, you notice the headings such as "Gracefully Aging Rioja", "Bravo, Toro", "New Mobility", or "Hot Mediterranean."
Deborah Hansen, the owner/wine director with a passion for all things Spanish, summarizes the concept well. "A Spanish wine is supposed to taste like a Spanish wine, not another Merlot or Cabernet that is trying to live up to a world standard. A Spanish wine is supposed to represent the region, the grapes, and the techniques used and improved upon by generations."

Atasca, a Portuguese restaurant in Cambridge with an authentic cuisine. Portuguese are some of the best values in European wines. The country is most famous for the production of Port, and rightly so, but it has been exporting its unfortified wines with increasing regularity. Portugal, like Spain, has a plethora of indigenous grapes that are ready for the American palate.

Phoenitia, a fine Lebanese cuisine in Cambridge Street in Beacon Hill (across from MGH hospital). Not only do they have a few wines from Lebanon, but they are so reasonably priced it's easy to try more than one glass of each kind.

Jasmine Bistro ( Market St, Brighton, MA) - Hungarian cuisine and wines. Here I've had of the best goulashes in town. This tiny place should not be overlooked - the food is great.

I'm thinking of all of those still undiscovered places in Boston with perhaps more unique cuisine and wines to come. Ethnic neighborhoods are the best places to look.

Any suggestions of yours?