Small plates, 42 choices of wines by the glass, a free and easy approach to mixing and matching: setting the pace at this newly remodeled and reconceived Main Street establishment.
Wine Lists: CoQueze
Maybe it’s the Hamptons urge to remake and remodel. Maybe that particular real estate bug that requires everything in its path to be reconstructed has proliferated and has now spread to some of our longstanding institutions. Whatever the cause, the restaurant at the Maidstone Arms, on Main Street, has been transformed, and in the process has been reinvigorated and revitalized.
There is a new name: CoQueze. Though it sounds a bit like coquille or cockle, it has nothing to do with shellfish. CoQueze was the very poetic name of the grandmother of Coke Ann Wilcox, who along with her husband, Jarvis, owns and runs the inn and restaurant. There is a new ambience in the several rooms of the restaurant, with murals by Mr. Wilcox in the enlarged barroom. (He is an accomplished artist as well as the cellarmaster.) And there is a new menu in addition to the regular menu, composed simply of small and large plates.
But it is the new wine selection that most interests me. Or, more exactly, it is the new concept. An extensive assortment of wines by the glass affords a flexibility—perhaps adaptability is a better word—parallel to that of the new menu. It’s an attractive dining idea—food grazing and wine grazing, not being restricted by courses. While not unprecedented, it is innovative and an interesting change of pace in the Hamptons.
You can of course order in a conventional way, but for me the fun is approaching the food and wine at CoQueze as if you are in a tapas bar (as I was two weeks ago in Barcelona, so I am up to date). Get some of this, some of that, and find the best matching glass of wine with each choice or two.
In the past I admired the wine list at the Maidstone Arms because it always had a good and original selection of value priced wines. Those bottles are still there on a large list that changes periodically. Naturally, ordering by the glass will total up to more money at the end of the evening, but in putting together some logical menus I concluded that the price difference does not have to be excessive, while the gratification and even the entertainment of ordering this way is considerable.
The list of wines by the glass currently has 42 choices, certainly enough to pair with any dish on the menu and with anyone’s preferences. Instead of chardonnay being the default white wine, as it is on too many lists, sauvignon blanc takes the lead here with choices from Long Island, New Zealand, France, and South America. Some well chosen riesling, pinot grigio and chenin blanc expand the list of 17 white wines. The chardonnay choices are discriminating: one from Jamesport Vineyards, two very refined Chablis, and a Meursault. I think this reflects what I have observed is a welcome move away from neutral and bland (or overoaked) whites to wines with more character.
The 2002 Tegernseerhof, an Austrian riesling ($15 a glass) is totally satisfying, demonstrating that a well made riesling can match any grape for subtleness and complexity. The Bouzerea Meursault is expensive ($47 a glass) but if you are a big spender you could hardly ask for a more heavenly wine. On a more earthly level, Sileni, a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, offers that rich grassy Marlborough quality for only $9.
The red wines, wherever the producers are located, lean toward the Old World style of elegance and artfulness. Classic Bordeaux are naturally there, along with several serious Italian reds. If you want a syrah (or shiraz), there are some smart choices from California, Australia, Chile and France. McWilliams, an Australian shiraz, is the lowest priced red at $7 a glass, and if that big Aussie taste matches your food selection, don’t even think about more expensive alternates. For something lighter, the Davis Bynum pinot noir or the Parent Burgundy (each $11) are good choices. I sampled two expensive California reds, Quin de Pedras cabernet sauvignon ($37 per glass) and Michaud syrah ($25). Both were good, but I was just as happy with the more moderately priced reds.
I usually recommend sticking to low priced rosé, but the 2004 Sinsky from California (made from the pinot noir grape) at $14 per glass is worth spending a bit more. For Champagne drinkers (and who isn’t?) there are four choices from the Champagne appellation and a spirited Italian prosecco (Bellenda at $9 a glass).
CoQueze also offers several flights of wine with three tasting sized portions in each. The number and diversity of wines by the glass seems just right: enough to tease and tempt, but not so many that it becomes a hodgepodge. There’s a definite point of view also. The list is not trying to be everything for everybody. My only disappointment can be remedied easily: several varietal and regional names are misspelled.
The reinvention of the Maidstone Arms restaurant as CoQueze is unquestionably good news for wine drinkers.
