Art of the Table -- Notes from Mike
Products for Entertaining
A specialty food, beverage & tabletop retail store.
606 Wealthy SE Grand Rapids, MI
askus@artofthetable.com

New in the Store March 6, 2006

With hints of sunshine and weather slightly warming, we're thinking Spring at the store and I'm on the lookout for new and exciting wines for the season. Here are a few of the twenty or so wines we've brought in over the last two weeks:

Trevor Jones '04 "Virgin" Chardonnay South Australia $19.50
Year in and year out this is one of the best drinking Chardonnays out there bar-none. Rich, creamy and totally yummy, this un-oaked Chard is fresh and ripe with seductive aromas of nectarine, mandarin orange, melon and spicy pear. On the palate it sports tangy grapefruit, pineapple and peach notes, with silky textured hints of yellow melon. Pair this seductive wine with grilled swordfish with charmoula (but we're not limiting you to that choice).

Marquis Phillips '04 "Holly's Blend" South Australia $11.00
Well-made Aussie Verdelho with a smattering of Semillon, this is super round and expressive with generous aromas of green melon, nectarine, passion fruit and spice. Rich and juicy on the palate, its flavors echo the aromas with additional notes of peach and sassafras. Try with Moroccan chicken with apricot couscous and green olive sauce.

Citizen '02 Zinfandel Alexander Valley $15.50
A new winery making awesome wine at attractive prices, this vibrant red sports racy aromatics of red cherry, wild berry, sage and spicy cedar. On the palate it's silky smooth with notes of juicy black plum, blackberry and zesty brambleberry. Pair with crispy stuffed poblano chilis smothered with bandera sauce. (Editor Amy's note: I paired it with our new Maya Kaimal Vindaloo sauce with jasmine rice and it was all that!)

Patricia Green '04 "Shea" Pinot Noir Yamhill Valley $34.00
This limited production Oregon Pinot boasts sweet and smoky aromatics of
blackberry, raspberry, tar, tobacco and exotic spice. On the palate it has firm, fine-grained tannins underneath of plush flavors of black cherry, black plum and smoky spice. Pair with grilled Wagyu flank steak over wild porcini ragout.