Bombay Bistro

You don't walk into an Indian restaurant in a suburban Albany strip mall expecting Achaval Ferrer Malbec and Loire Sauvignon Blanc on the same list, but here we are. The wine program is compact — maybe a dozen bottles — but whoever put it together was at least paying attention. It's a list with a point of view, which is more than you can say for most places in this zip code.

The list swings across four continents without feeling scattered: Austria's Windspiel Grüner Veltliner, a Nord Sud Viognier from Languedoc, Saget's Loire Sauvignon Blanc, and Achaval Ferrer's Mendoza Malbec all show up alongside more predictable Pinot Grigio and Napa Merlot. There's a logic here — aromatic whites and structured reds that can actually hold their own against serious spice. The Bordeaux entry (Chateau Trocard Bordeaux Supérieur) feels a little out of place, and the red side could use more depth, but the white selections are genuinely interesting for an Indian restaurant. Gaps include zero domestic Riesling or Gewürztraminer — classic spice-food grapes that are conspicuously absent.

Pricing runs $14–$18 a glass, which is on the higher end for Albany but not outrageous given the bottle range tops out at $68. We don't have a confirmed glass pour list, but with bottles in the $46–$68 band and a lean list, assume most bottles are available by the glass. The Chandon Brut Classic is a smart opener — bubbles and Indian food is a criminally underrated combination.