Wine receives a token spot on most Chinese restaurant menus. The Uncle Yu's restaurants in San Ramon, Lafayette and most recently, Livermore, are exceptions.

For more than 15 years, Uncle Yu's has offered its customers a wide choice of serious wines. Nick Liang, an ardent advocate of enjoying wine with Chinese cuisine, has overseen the wine lists since the San Ramon location's 1990 opening, but is now responsible only for the Livermore location. Executive chef Peter Tang creates Northern-style Chinese food plus dishes from Southern China for the Livermore menu. Liang says Tang modified his dishes for U.S. palates, making them more health-conscious. His subtle hand with sweet, sour and chile heat eases the way for Liang's wine pairings.

By the numbers: 82 by the glass ($6-$70); 51 sparklers ($35-$1,400); 188 whites ($26-$1,500); 399 reds ($26-$2,400); 20 dessert wines ($36-$1,100 for 500 ml); 42 half bottles ($18-$135); 8 large format ($140-$20,000).

Markup: Approximately 2.75 times retail for California and somewhat less for imports. The markup is slightly high to midrange for restaurants with similar lists, but with such a large by-the-glass selection, it may be more interesting and fun to pair a different glass with each dish.

Corkage: $15, waived with bottle purchase from wine list; $5 additional for decanting.

Hidden gem: The 2006 Villa Wolf Pfalz Rosé de Pinot Noir ($4.50/half glass, $8/glass, $27/750 ml bottle). This German rosé from Loosen Bros. handles with aplomb many of Tang's subtly flavored dishes including the Peking duck spring rolls and yu shang eggplant, which have slightly sweet sauces and subtle chile heat. Another plus: This wine - one of the least expensive by the bottle - is a bargain.

Flights of fancy: There are 12 interesting and often thought-provoking tasting flights. Liang offers three to five wines (2-ounce pours) per flight ($14-$68) and not only identifies them with the bin number and full name, but also provides a small, rectangular tasting mat that includes the wine descriptions and often information about the producer and winery.

Sweet ending: A Port flight ($35, 1-ounce pours) features four Taylor tawny Ports of 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-year age designations, an unusual opportunity to taste and compare some wonderful tawnies. For the designated driver, nonalcoholic varietal grape juice - Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir - is available by the glass or bottle ($5/$23).

Vitals: 39 S. Livermore (between Railroad and First Street), Livermore; (925) 449-7000 or uncleyuatthevineyard.com. Lunch and dinner 11 a.m-9:30 p.m. daily, until 10 p.m. Fri-Sat. Full bar. Reservations and credit cards accepted.