Point and sip – Grape Crush

Wine bars have become common destinations in the Baton Rouge culinary landscape, but Enoteco Marcello, the brainchild of wine retailer Gene Todaro, is distinct for two reasons. First, there is no wine list. Todaro says he likes to move interesting bottles, not sit on them, so the idea of a static printout seemed flat and dull. Instead, the restaurant’s three funky, rustic rooms contain well-placed racks positioned to invite milling.

“People get up and look around while they’re waiting for a table or during dinner,” Todaro says. “They like that better than just looking at a piece of paper. We have a retail feel.”

It’s the retail part that feeds the second distinction. The wine prices at Enoteco Marcello are cheaper than most other restaurants because Todaro has made a conscious decision to change the rules on mark-ups. Normally, eateries hike wine prices up to 300%, but Todaro’s formula is to mark up around 30%, plus $9, which essentially means $9 more than the selections found at his Perkins Road retail shop Cork and Bottle.

The full restaurant menu includes Old World Italian dishes that derive from Todaro’s Sicilian grandmother, and a wines-by-the-glass list ensures solid pairing throughout the meal. The list at Marcello’s changes constantly. These are just some of the well-priced, food-friendly selections Todaro aims to feature:

Morgan Metallico 2007 Restaurant price: $28.99

Clean, versatile whites like Grüner Veltliner and Albarińo remain top choices, but they still get trumped by Chardonnay, which maintains its consumer edge. Todaro bridges the gap by offering patrons this Chardonnay from the Monterrey Peninsula, aged in stainless steel. The good fruit and lack of oak results in a wine with super matchmaking skills.

Castello del Poggio Barbera D’Asti 2006Restaurant price $28.99

Emminently food-friendly, this Italian red features the versatility of Pinot Noir, but with slightly more acidity, giving it the ability to slice through sauces and heavy entrées.

Fisticuffs Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Restaurant price $39.99

Todaro says good fruit defines this well-balanced Napa cab. “Well-knitted tannins” prevail.