OMC: Are a lot of restaurants in Milwaukee doing a good job, then, when it comes to wine lists? I feel like, with some exceptions, I rarely see lists that stray from the expected.

NN: It's an uphill battle, if you're a restaurateur; you want to appeal to a broad range of people. Unfortunately, many of them believe that that means having a very basic wine list. The places where it works work at it. If we take the old, "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link" analogy and apply it to dining you see that if the server doesn't know anything about the wine and doesn't try to promote it, it probably won't sell.

They are the gatekeepers and management should be informing them about the wine, if not having them try it! Imagine if the server didn't know the specials.

I don't want to get in trouble with anybody for saying this but off the top of my head there are some mid-priced places that really stand out when it comes to wine: Nessun Dorma, La Merenda, Libiamo, Laissez Faire, Cafe Lulu ... please forgive me whomever I've forgotten.

OMC: How can the consumer help get those small wine lists at the local pizzeria, for example, to become more adventurous?

NN: Don't be afraid tell the owner or bar manager that you would be buying wine there if they were a little more adventurous, make suggestions. Don't be afraid to be vocal.

Another thing is that consumers have to stop complaining about wine prices at restaurants. Admittedly, there is a lot of overpriced wine in restaurants, but think of it this way: If you're going to pay $3.50 for a bottle of Miller Lite at some restaurant in a mall, you shouldn't bat an eye at forking over $7 dollars for a glass of wine at a local pizza joint.

People forget that every wine is finite and comes from a certain area and a certain time. I don't mean to get all mystical here, but each wine is like a history lesson, it's like drinking culture. Well, at least when it's good.

I'm biased here. Restaurateurs need to reassess their margins when it comes to wine. If you think that you should be making the same kind of margin off of wine as you do on tap beer, well kudos to you, but, ouch, you're taxing people and savvy consumers know it. A restaurateur makes a higher margin on rice than they would on beef; why can't they do they same with items at the bar.

Places like Pizza Man and Dream Dance are incredibly successful with their wine programs because they sell wine at great prices. So, inevitably they become destinations for wine drinkers, and in turn sell a greater volume of wine.

OMC: How can budding wine enthusiasts learn more and taste more wine on a tight budget?

NN: The best thing I can recommend is to buy wine somewhere that not only has a great selection, but also has staff that you can talk to. Form a relationship with someone there. I'm talking about the kind of relationship you have with a barber, stylist, mechanic or doctor. This is someone you should trust ... maybe find a couple of people. If you don't have that relationship, you aren't buying wine at the right place.

I love reading about wine. I recommend any books by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson, Tom Stevenson and for those just getting into wine male or female, check out Leslie Sbracco's "Women and Wine." She breaks it down in a light-hearted and easily to digest manner.

Form an informal tasting group with friends. It can have a theme such as wines made from a certain type of grape or wines only from a certain area, meet with some frequency and always change the theme.

As cheesy as this sounds this is good Web site for anyone looking for wine events: www.localwineevents.com.

OMC: What's your favorite wine right now?

NN: Tough question. I'm an equal opportunist, but I will say that Hupfeld 2006 Rheingau Riesling Kabinett has been on pretty heavy rotation at the homestead. This is an example of the kind of dry Riesling I wish I could find when I go out to eat. I swear I can almost hear angels singing when this wine is paired with gingery foods.

I'd surely drink Patz and Hall 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir every waking moment if it were possible. Sandrone 2004 Nebbiolo Valmaggiore, is an Italian treat from a great vintage and has amazing floral and earthy characteristics that really tickles my fancy the way only the Nebbiolo grape can.