Art of the Table

Art of the Table —Tasting Schedule
Products for Entertaining
A specialty food, beverage & tabletop retail store.
606 Wealthy SE Grand Rapids, MI
askus@artofthetable.com

 Louis Benton Steakhouse

Want to be on our wine lovers e-mail list? Just askus@artofthetable.com

We’ll send you:
- weekly reminders of our events
- in store wine features that you only get by being on this list!
- more of mike's take on the big wine world

We have a beer list, too, so if beer is your thing
ask to be on this list as well!

What's Wine Wednesday?

Each week we aim to host the very best wine tasting in Grand Rapids, MI. Join us at 6:30 pm at Louis Benton Steakhouse (1 Monroe Center NW with free valet parking at Ionia street entrance).

Please sign-up. Simply call or e-mail us at:

Join us as Bradford Hammerschmidt guides us through an evening of wines with character!

We're expanding our Tasting Schedule!

We’re making some minor but great changes to our Art of the Table sponsored tastings We will be hosting Wine Wednesday on the 2nd Wednesday of the month and will be hosting some events (including beer & liquor tastings) at other venues as well.

This will fill up, please call the store to sign up early or you'll be sorry! Please watch our Calendar of Events for details!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The French Re-Connection
Restaurant Bloom* at 6:30pm, $25 + tax & gratuity

Art of the Table is excited to offer a wine tasting at Restaurant Bloom, one of the hottest new spots in downtown Grand Rapids. At“The French Re-Connection” we’ll explore regional examples of hotshot new wines from France, as well as a California Rhone Ranger‘Ringer’thrown in We’ll break down the various regions of France, explain traditions, how to read wine labels, as well as provide descriptors and flavors profiles for each of the wines The tasting will feature six wines,and some light appetizers Bloom’s Chef Chad is turning out some amazing plates from eclectic and unique recipes and if you’ve not tried his menu you must come to this tasting just to sample a bite Please sign up early as seating will be limited.

*Restaurant Bloom is located at40 Monroe Center NE at the corner of Division Ave.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Nero d’What? Wine Tasting Dinner
Fricano’s Pizza on Alpine at 6:30pm, $25 + tax & gratuity

Sicily's native grape is becoming more popular, Nero d'Avola is really a fun varietal to get to know. We're setting you in a Sicilian environment where our good friend Doug Fricano will make up some of his delightful sauce and foods and we will taste some really affordable but delicious Nero d'Avola (and we might throw in another Sicilian mystery grape - watch out!)

**$25 per person includes dinner& 6 wine pairings**

Fricanos Alpine is located north of I-96 on Alpine Avenue just before 6 Mile Road. Don't give up, when you think you've driven too far, you haven't!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wines for your Sweetheart
Louis Benton at 6:30pm, $25 + tax & gratuity

Tonight we will be tasting wines that exude romance and passion (Wow!)

We will do a sparkling wine, a dessert wine, a white wine and three red wines that redefine sexy.   What makes a wine sexy?  How much space do I have??  Sexy is an actual accurate wine term It means a wine that looks good, smells great, tastes totally awesome, isn't too big or overbearing and most of all makes you go "ummmm" Sexy wine is my favorite wine, it keeps tapping you on the shoulder, asking "what else do you notice about me?"  And you keep finding things Come find sexy, sign up now.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Those Tuscan Treasures
Louis Benton at 6:30pm, $30 + tax & gratuity

Tuscany is one of Italy's greatest wine regions and its wines are unique and fascinating We've been blessed with a succession of excellent vintages (2003-2006) and the abundance from this region is staggering We will look at examples of a Vernaccia, Tuscany's greatest white grape, as well as contrast examples of Sangiovese, Tuscany's greatest red varietal Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano will all be explored Not only a great tasting for Italian lovers, this is a great tasting because they're definitely on the‘probably never tasted’list.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Drawing Back the Veil: Pinot Noir
Louis Benton at 6:30pm, $30 + tax & gratuity

Mythical and elusive, Pinot Noir has garnered much interest in the last three years, and the wine continues to fascinate. The thinnest skinned grape varietal, it is the easiest wine to make poorly, but when done well, is very expensive to produce.

Burgundy in France is the world epicenter for Pinot Noir. But it has varied vintages, some years the weather cooperates, some it does not. 2005 was the best vintage for Burgundy in 15 years and it is the current release, so we will be tasting '05 Burgundies along with Pinots from Oregon, New Zealand and sunny California. We will draw back the veil, and discover the mysteries...of Pinot Noir!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Big Fat Reds: New World Style
Louis Benton at 6:30pm, $35 + tax & gratuity

When we throwdown Big Fat Reds we throwdown...So tonight we will taste some seriously serious wines The last time we did BFR there was some apparent grumbling over the big and the fat part of the tasting So tonight there will be a twist Mike is conceding. NEW WORLD BIG FAT REDS. Promise.

Wine Wednesday Reports

It's our tasting notes on what we tasted and what we thought when we tasted these wines. Whether or not you made it to the event... tune in here for great insight on what is still available from us for your next gathering!
  For more Local Wine Tasting Options try www.LocalWineEvents.com
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