This cellar master aims to reflect the kitchen and menus and a commitment to his customers. I’d also add the idea of choosing a wine for the setting in which I’m drinking.

Wine Lists: Maidstone Arms

One of the many interesting things about the wine list at the Maidstone Arms is how well it reflects the several settings of the inn itself.  Looking over the varied and extensive list, I can readily identify wines that seem to belong in each of the public spaces.  Maybe it is projecting a bit, but I’d choose one of their fine Barolos for dinner in the warm and traditional main dining room of the seventeenth century building.  For lunch in the cafe setting of the Boat Bar and Bistro with its mahogany paneled bar and model boats, why not sip a racy Wolffer rosé?

Carina Cellars viognier would be perfect as a light aperitif in the garden, as would a glass of Pommery Brut Rose over a game of backgammon in the Water Room, an enclosed porch that looks out to Main Street and the pond to the east and its own garden with tables to the west.

The fact that there are so many good choices comes from the wisdom of the cellar master, Jarvis Wilcox, in assembling a balanced and plentiful wine list, including an impressive choice of wines by the glass.  While the specific house wines change from time to time, you can usually find about fifteen or sixteen reds and whites, plus smaller numbers of roses and sparkling and dessert wines.

Prices on the current menu range from $8 to $13 a glass, with the exception of some top-flight champagnes.  Current origins are Long Island, California and Europe.  This very engaging menu of wines by the glass is a good indicator that you can trust the cellar master’s discretion on full bottles.

The main list of red and white wine is organized by country, and where appropriate, by region within a country.  While this organization may not be as user friendly for a novice as a list organized by taste characteristics, it is eminently sensible for the consumer with some wine knowledge.  You can focus right in on a Bordeaux region, St. Julien, for example, and find that Chateau Leoville you were craving all day, or you can readily compare one Rhone to the next.

Many of us expect wine to be an everyday part of our meals, at home or in restaurants.  With an exception now and then, we need everyday prices and good value for our money.  While the Maidstone list includes some very expensive wines, it also offers a smart selection of bottles under $30.  Some tempting Spanish and Italian reds anchor the low end at $20 and $22.  I’d like to see some Long Island and California wines in that price range as well, and since Mr. Wilcox has managed to find the Old World bargains, perhaps he could accommodate us with New World ones as well.  The white wine list is well thought out, with some interesting and uncommon wines.  While I am pleased with what is there, I’d ideally add a few more inexpensive and simple ones—warm weather, food-friendly whites—especially for lunch.

When asked what guided his choices in the inn’s cellar of about 3,000 bottles, Mr. Wilcox quickly responded that knowing the kitchen and the menus was quite important to him, and finding quality in a variety of price ranges was a commitment to his customers.

It is easy for a critic to carp over a detail here and there, but overall I greatly admire the sensible, original and balanced wine list at the Maidstone.  To practice what I preach, I’ve put together a price-conscious selection of wines I might choose for a festive summer dinner for a group of people at the inn.

We’d begin with Bellenda prosecco, a lively sparkling wine that is listed at $25 for the bottle.  For the white wine course, I’d choose the rich, fruit-forward Babich sauvignon blanc for $23, or a refreshing Hillinger welchriesling, a solid value at $20.  Our red might be Cannonau La Bombarde at $22, a big taste in a simple wine, or perhaps I’d splurge a bit, choosing a more polished La Gerla Rosso di Montalcino at $50.

Dessert would include Paumanok Vineyards late harvest sauvignon blanc.  This nuanced sweet wine offers intensity and finesse, and at $50 for the 375 ml bottle it is surprisingly well priced for a restaurant menu.