I’m Back! That self-serving declaration has a double meaning for me since I’ve been absent from these Style pages for a couple of months due to that same word – Back- as in that fragile rear side of the human body. And while I was recuperating from surgery, I had a lot of free time to cogitate on that liquid we all love to consume- even though I was not allowed to let that elixir I pass into my body.
I was all set to regale you with my wine appreciation version of New year’s resolutions when I had to back off. Anyway, today, I’ll reveal my vinous promises and then tell you about a few of my favorite steakhouses around the state –that have particularly deep and excellent wine lists that pair exceptionally well with your favorite cut of beef. So, let’s start with my 2026 wine resolutions.
– Try unfamiliar appellations and wines like: pinot noir from Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand (great with grilled salmon); or the other white wine from Burgundy – Aligoté (especially good with scallops); or Aglianico, the spicy red from the Campania region of southern Italy that is a lovely match with rack of lamb.
– Explore the wines of our sister state. The wine regions around Charlottesville and up the spine of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia have emerged as the best appellations on the east coast. I especially enjoy the cabernet franc, viognier and chardonnay produced there. Local Virginia oysters, cheeses, country ham and smoked tomato grits pair nicely with Old Dominion wines.
One
of
my
wine
resolutions
for
the
New
Year
is
to
seek
out
the
Other
great
white
from
Burgundy-
Aligote’– Drink more sweet wines as aperitifs and with dessert. Some folks have the misconception that sweet wines are for beginning wine drinkers or the unsophisticated. I think that is a largely an American myth since a lot of us associate sweet wines with the unpleasant experiences we might have had in our youth with sugary, high alcohol products. You might try Sauternes or Barzac from France, late harvest riesling from Germany or California or Vin Santo and Moscato di Asti from Italy.
Now on to some of my favorite steakhouses. If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you know that I never mention a special wine without suggesting an appropriate food with which to pair it. For steak or meat lovers that is especially important and we are fortunate to have several eateries around West-By-Golly that are exceptional. Perhaps the most accomplished of these is the Wonder Bar Steaklhouse in Clarksburg. This Wine Spectator award winning restaurant features not only wonderful steak entrees, but also an extensive and well-priced wine list. One of the most notable wines on their list is Sassicaia- that Super Tuscan blend of predominately cabernet sauvignon. You’ll find this wine and many other superb selections at the WonderBar and also an exceptionally delicious assortment of Italian entrees.
If you’re a food and wine lover living in the Kanawha Valley, you simply must visit Laury’s. While the restaurant is known for truly exceptional continental cuisine, the wine list there may be the most extensive- outside of the Greenbrier’s Main Dining Room- and certainly the most reasonably priced one in the state.
If you happen to reside in the eastern panhandle of our state, You must visit and have a meal at The Final Cut Steakhouse. While the name says it all, this is another perennially Wine Spectator awarded restaurant. The restaurant is located at the Charles Town Race Track and Casino and you can bet on its tasty steaks and great selection of wines from around the world.
Wine
and
food
lovers
won’t
go
wrong
with
a
visit
to
Huntington’s
21
at
the
Frederick
either.
The
wine
list
is
extensive
and
fairly
price
and
the
steak
is
the
headliner
here.
There
are
also
a
number
of
other
excellent
steakhouses
featuring
good
wine
lists,
but
the
ones
mentioned
above
truly
stand
out.
Bon
Appetit!
John
Brown
is
also
a
novelist.
His
latest
book
–
Augie’s
Wine
–is
now
available
to
order
online
or
at
his
website
wordsbyjohnbrown.com.
His
first
two
books–
Augie’s
War
and
Augie’s
World
–
are
also
available
online
and
at
bookstores
around
the
state.
You
can
find
out
more
about
his
novels,
and
review
all
his
archived
Vines
&
Vittles
columns
at
wordsbyjohnbrown.com