Go for the Grapes

The likelihood of snowstorms and white outs that keep us at home is slim. The 35th International Film Festival, which keeps any of us sitting in the dark for eleven days, is over. So it’s a good time to get out and I’ve heard about some great opportunities for wine enthusiasts this month.

Battery Park Wine Bar

Tonight, April 6th, winemaker Steffan Jorgen of Bergevin Lane Vineyards in Walla Walla Washington will be at Battery Park Wine Bar to guide guests through an eight pour tasting, with appetizers to compliment them. The two hour event begins at 6 PM. Cost is $15 per person. Battery Park’s owner and wine expert Mike Graley has also started doing regular Last Wednesday of the Month Wine Tastings. You get to try 16 of his wine picks plus some small plates for $20. You can buy a bottle of whatever you like at retail prices. Next one is April 27. For info to RSVP, call 216-631-9463

Moxie
Two standout dinners on the calendar. Call immediately to ask if there are seats left at Moxie for tomorrow night’s five-course Darioush wine dinner (April 7). The Napa Valley winery is known for its limited production Bordeauz style estate wines. Executive Chef- and culinary mastermind- Jonathan Bennett is doing a really inventive menu to pair with chardonnay, viognier, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon that includes seared tuna plated with a yuzu croquette, sesame brittle, and the intriguingly named “pliable wasabi;” and roasted squab plus grilled asparagus, poached egg, and white truffle. Service starts at 7 PM, the price is $99 per person (plus tax and gratuity), and reservations are required, 216.831.5599.

Chez Francois
Wed., April 13, Chez Francois in Vermilion offers a six course meal with paired wines from Oregon’s Maysara Winery where grapes are farmed bio-dynamically. Winemaker and owner Tahiene Momtazi will be on hand to talk about the family’s innovative growing philosophy and vineyard practices as guests sip their Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, a Rosé, a selection of three different Pinot Noirs, a dessert Riesling . John D’Amico, co-owner and top chef, has planned an impressive line-up of dishes: roasted heirloom carrot and curry soup; phyllo crusted shrimp with warm pineapple and apple compote; sea bass in a tomato tapenade crust; duck cassoulet; roast veal tenderloin; and apple crepes with quince cream. $ 85 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Call 440-967-0630 for reservations.

Lilly Handmade Chocolate
For those on a more modest budget there’s no better deal around than the weekly tastings at Lilly Handmade Chocolate in Tremont. Prices this month range from $3.50-$4.25 (plus tax). Your money buys four wine and beer samples paired with the prefect truffles. It’s a casual first come, first serve, while supplies last kind of thing, Fridays 12pm-6:30pm, Saturdays 11am-6:30pm; and Sundays 11am-2:30pm. Complete beverage list for each weekend here.

Salut!

(Photos: Battery Park Wine Bar, Maysara Winery)

Go for the YOLO

Five minutes into my first time at Battery Park Wine Bar, I was planning a next visit and thinking about who I’d like to bring along with me. I took an instant liking to the place-the look, the feel, and the energy- and everything about the next two hours spent there confirmed that initial impression.

Open only since the beginning of December, it’s located in the former Eveready factory that is part of a new residential development in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Exposed brick walls and other elements testifying to an industrial past define the big open space but large windows, a handsome wood bar and the glow of candles speak to the current use. Tables are not crowded together, a big plus in my book, and décor is spare and simple.

There are 128 bottles on the wine list (also sold for take home consumption), 40 available by the glass. The selections are a mix of obscure, boutique producers and more recognizable labels. Mike Graley, Battery Park Wine Bar’s founder and owner, chooses them and the guy knows his juice. He has spent the past 20 years as a wine buyer for Heinen’s a day job he plans to keep for the foreseeable future. He brings a retailers sensibility to pricing his bottles, so the mark ups here are incredibly reasonable. Our threesome had an outstanding 2005 Barolo priced at about half of what most restaurants would charge.

The menu concentrates on small plates and share platters. I’m a nig fan of eating this way and turns out Graley is too. He says heavy, full-size entrees make him sleepy, especially when paired with copious amounts of wine. The execution is the work of Dimitri Ragousis- the chef behind the long gone (and much missed) Opa! on W. 25th . Making a choice was hard because every item was appealing. We had charcuterie board with housemade bread; braised lamb and feta flatbread; pommes frites with house roasted tomato ketchup and lemon feta dip; and butternut squash lasagna with hazelnut cream sauce. Each dish was a delight, so good we ate up every last bit of crumb, drop of sauce and drip of cream.

The guiding mantra here is Y.O.L.O. The catchy acronym stands for You Only Live Once and its meant to capture the treat yourself well spirit Graley wants to cultivate among his clientele. And he makes that goal accessible by making it so affordable. As part of his program to get rid the cost and pretension that can characterize wine-centric establishments, Graley’s put in a pool table and playing is free as long as you’re eating or drinking. His Happy Hour will likely cause many to feel exceptionally cheerful, as it starts earlier than most and runs longer, 3:30-7:30 Monday-Thursday with discounted appetizers, and a featured $ 4 wine and $3 beer (there are eight on tap and 25 bottled artisan brews).

If you don’t yet have plans for New Year’s Eve consider joining the festivities Battery Park Wine Bar. It’s one of the best deals in town: $15 per person at the door gets you complimentary appetizers, live music, and a champagne toast at midnight.