Since we opened Blu Pointe in 2015, our main objective has always been to provide a unique dining experience unlike anywhere else in the Hudson Valley. Our cuisine is strongly influenced by Mediterranean cooking styles and is built around daily hand-selected market-fresh seafood, prime beef and local produce. Our beverage menus are carefully curated and feature local craft beers, artisanal cocktails, and premium wine selections. Although most of our guest may come to enjoy our cuisine, our wine list has matured into the second largest pillar of our restaurant. We have established a diverse clientele in search of small producers and vintages from the world’s most renowned growing regions.
The foundation of our cuisine is built around sourcing the freshest seafood and quality prime and America Wagyu beef. Our owner, Joseph Bonura Sr., personally travels to the fish and meat markets in New York City daily ensuring our guests receive only the best. We have developed long term relationships with local farms allowing our menus to emphasize the bounty the Hudson Valley has to offer throughout the seasons. Popular items such as charcoal grilled whole fish, Maine lobsters, raw bar and several charbroiled prime beef selections allow us to curate an eclectic wine list.
Every year our team meets to evaluate and discuss the wine program’s direction and potential growth. In 2019 we decided to make some significant additions to both the wines by the glass and bottle selections. Choosing the grape varietals and regional wines that were missing at the correct program level was first on the agenda. For example, Pinot Noir is now appropriately represented with options from Oregon, the Russian River Valley and Burgundy, in order to offer our guests the true expression of each terroir. Numerous vertical additions from renown producers such as Fantesca, Cardinale, Harlan Estate and Bond have added depth to our collection from California. Other regions from Italy and France have significantly improved, showcasing household producer names such as Sassicaia and La Tâche. Also, the addition of the Coravin program has allowed us to enhance our diverse food menu selections. This expanded the capabilities of our Sommelier team to pair various course food selections with premium wines poured tableside.
After evaluating the decreasing market for after dinner drinks and dessert wines we decided to implement a tableside dessert gueridon. By adding premium selections from Royal Tokaji, such as their 6 Puttonyos Aszú and the 2008 Essencia served in crystal spoons, we have rejuvenated the traditional dining experience.
The most impactful enhancement to our list was derived by both the evolution of our employees and clientele. When we originally opened, we designed our list to be extremely easy to navigate by listing the grape varietal or region first. As we have increased the selections from around the world, we determined that the aesthetics and integrity of the wine list would benefit from starting each listing with the producers. This is most noticeable when navigating our Private Collection. Ultimately, the growth of our selections by the bottle has allowed us to separate larger sections, such as French Reds, into more specific regions. We now identify this section as Bordeaux, Rhône/Languedoc and Burgundy. These minor changes have truly improved the navigation for our guests and for merchandising specific styles.
Our 7,000 bottles inventory is carefully stored in specific temperature-controlled locations. Our walk-in main wine cellar sets the backdrop for our bar-lounge and dining rooms. This cellar holds the 500 selections on our wine list, in addition to the fortified and dessert wines. Our Champagne, sparkling and white wines are stored in a special cooler maintaining a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. We have two additional temperature-controlled storage rooms separating overflow bins for the main cellar and larger case purchases stored for longer durations. Proper care and storage of our wines allows us to maintain the quality wine experience our guests have come to expect our service and hospitality.
This year is on track for significant growth in all areas of our restaurant. We have a new restaurant on property set to open in the spring of 2020. We plan to continue to take our featured allocations to improve our vertical depth while expanding our white and red Burgundy selections. In addition to menu expansion, we also have several winemaker dinners planned to improve the guest wine and food experience.
We truly believe our wine list is one of the premier programs providing phenomenal selections at great value. Our passion for food, wine and hospitality is only surpassed by our desire to consistently reinvest our abilities to improve the overall value of our guest experience.
