There are three reasons why the Alamo Drafthouse gets about 80 cents of every dollar I spend on going to the movies. First, they have the most comfortable seating in town; long guys like me can stretch their legs out. Second, they have the best between-film entertainment, full of dizzyingly bizarre video and film clips dredged from heaven only knows where. Third, I love the idea of having great food and imaginative wine choices silently delivered to my seat. Really, what could be better than having someone wait on you, bringing you interesting food prepared by the guys who used to run the kitchens at the Texas Culinary Academy and Mars.
But the nicest surprise of all is the wine list. As John Bullington, ex of Mars and now chef at the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse told me, “I wanted it to be so that when real wine drinkers came in, they’d be like, ‘Oh wow! I can’t believe you have that.’ To do that, we’ve gone more eclectic with wines from everywhere so people have fascinating options.”
That’s a good description, but there are other benefits here. Two-thirds of the wines are available by the glass, giving you the chance to try individual wines without concern. The markup on the wines is pretty low by restaurant standards, but the wine list focuses on value wines, anyway, so nothing is ridiculously priced. In addition, they pour one-fourth of the bottle for just over one-fourth of the price, so there’s no huge penalty for buying by the glass.
A nice surprise: The house wines are French, cheap, and show some true character. The Reserve St. Martin Rouge ($4/glass; $14/bottle) is made from a blend of grapes from the South of France, making a pretty successful attempt at tasting like a Rhone wine. The house white is a Les Charmes Chardonnay from Macon-Lugny ($4.50/glass; $16/bottle), a bargain wine with subtle aromas and great acidity.
There are lots of other great bargains on the list. The Renwood Zinfandel ($6/glass; $22/bottle) is the perfect accompaniment for any of their burgers or pizzas. Pinot Grigio fans will enjoy the Gabbiano ($4.50/glass; $16/bottle). And if you’re in the mood for a celebration, they have Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label for $55 or a split for $35, both much cheaper than usual for a restaurant.
The other fun thing happening at the Alamo Drafthouse is their wine-and-movie matching. For Sideways, they offered a flight of different Pinot Noirs (no Merlot!). For the premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, they poured Deco, a chocolate-infused wine. The point is they are trying to be creative by offering amusing counterpoints to the films.
So, if you haven’t yet tried the Alamo Drafthouse, give it a shot. Stretch your legs out, enjoy some great entertainment, and split a bottle of wine with someone you love. If the person sitting next to you seems to be following that advice, it just might be me.
This article appears in August 5 • 2005.
