Specialization can be an indicator of a wine importer’s commitment to presenting a thoughtful selection. In Patrick Allen’s case, that specialty is southern France. After moving there in 2002, he developed a rich portfolio of French wines from producers that span the underappreciated to the truly legendary.
Allen will join us for a dinner that will take guests all across southern France. From crisp coastal whites to bold, old vine reds to the classic dessert wines from Rivesaltes, he’ll teach us about these venerable French producers, from the underappreciated old-vine reds of Clos del Rey to the now legendary Provencal wine from Domaine de Trevallon.
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2019 Time: 6:30pm Cost: $95/person, which includes tax and gratuity What: 5 course dinner with 5 wines
(Please be sure to select the red “Wine Dinner” button rather than a dining room seat when making your reservation. Tickets are non-refundable and are only available online.)
Psst…
We’re also hosting a sherry dinner with esteemed producer Valdespino on Wednesday, October 30th. Read more and buy tickets here.
“If I had a thousand sons, the first humane principle I would teach them should be, to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack!”
When Shakespeare penned Falstaff’s words in Henry IV, sack was a synonym for one of Spain’s great wine traditions: sherry. While many of us grew up thinking of sherry merely as sweet wine collecting dust in the back of the pantry, most sherry is dry and uniquely suited to food.
So we’re delighted to host a sherry dinner featuring the sherries of renowned, centuries-old producer Valdespino.
Jamie Gil, export director for Valdespino, will be on hand to walk us through the wines and the unique terroir of the region. Having recently been to the heart of sherry country, Chef Andy will no doubt draw on some classic Andalusian flavors, but he’ll look to present some other cuisines as well. It promises to be an exceptionally fun and educational evening.
Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Time: 6:30pm Cost: $95/person, which includes tax and gratuity What: 5 course dinner with 6 sherries
(Please be sure to select the red “Sherry Dinner” button rather than a dining room seat when making your reservation. Tickets are non-refundable and are only available online.)
We were fortunate, not to mention honored, to get some mentions in the national media alongside a number of our friends over the past week.
The Wall Street Journal’s Off Duty section came to town for a whirlwind weekend through Detroit and mentioned us as part of their ideal itinerary. Always a treat to be recognized, but it’s both fun and gratifying to be mentioned alongside other great restaurants and some of our favorite things to do. The “long weekend” format made it a tight list despite the diverse set of things the author recommended, and it’s nice to still find ourselves on some of these now that we’re almost five years old. You’ll need a subscription to give it a read.
A few days later, Forbes published a similar roundup that’s a more traditional rundown of a lot of restaurants in the greater downtown area. Again, it’s hard to argue with many of their recommendations, and the list is accessible to the public.
Anyhow, definitely some nice attention for a number of restaurants and attractions in town.
More evocative of an evil genius’ hidden lair than agriturismo, Edi Kante’s winery is almost as notable for its own construction as for the stunning wines produced therein. We’ve always enjoyed the fruits of his labor, having poured his Vitovska by the glass previously. But earlier this year, we had the opportunity to visit Kante — and to witness firsthand the thought and energy that this mad genius has put into his facility is breathtaking.
Open fire, his own colorful artwork, and hundreds of visitors’
messages scrawled across the walls brighten the tasting room he has constructed
in his single-story ranch in the woods. It isn’t the house that’s so remarkable
though. It’s what lies underneath.
Walk down the stairs toward what is ostensibly a basement cellar, and a wave of cool, damp air presents itself like a wall. No ordinary winery, Kante’s is sculpted from the bedrock, forming three circular bunkers stacked atop one another, each with its own purpose. First, his steel tanks where he ferments his Vitovska, Malvasia, Sauvignon Blanc, et al. Then, after another descent, his barrel room, laid out in perfect symmetry like some sort of Wight Walker shrine from Game of Thrones, where he ages each of his wines. Finally, the third level down serves as a bottle cellar where wines are stored until release — though it might be more accurate to call it a stasis chamber. We had the pleasure to taste a sparkling rose from 2010 that was impossibly fresh.
Only a kilometer from the Slovenian border, Kante’s limestone chambers are indicative of the ubiquitous grey limestone of the Carso district of Friuli. Near Trieste, it’s bordered by Adriatic Sea to the south, the Alps to the north, the hills of Collio to the west, and the Balkan peninsula to the east. Another winemaker described Carso to us as “another planet.” It’s quite cool at night, let alone 50 feet beneath the ground in his man made caverns. The wines are likewise taught, fresh, and minerally.
Being able to taste them all side-by-side for the first time
was eye-opening, even for a producer we’ve known and admired. More of his wines
will be coming to Selden Standard over the coming year, but for now, we’re
delighted to be serving his Sauvignon Blanc.
Edi Kante Sauvignon Blanc – 2015
French grapes might seem like an odd choice for northeastern Italy, but Sauvignon Blanc has been grown here for well over a century. Some legends claiming it was smuggled over in bouquets of flowers destined for a lord’s lover. Regardless, it turns out to be a natural fit for not only Carso but elsewhere in Friuli.
As with his other wines, this spends a year in old barrels and 6 months in a stainless tank before bottling. Whether it’s the limestone and clay in which it grows or the cool temperatures in which it ages, this is an uncommonly elegant, lithe Sauvignon Blanc with a crisp, restrained saline profile. With a little time, it seems to gain texture and soft, pretty citrus flower aromatics. There’s none of the aggressive grapefruit or vegetal notes of many Sauvignon Blancs – but it certainly retains the freshness. Grab a glass and a half dozen sweet-salty oysters and life may feel complete.
Last winter, we hosted local importer and distributor Chip Delsener, owner of AHD Vintners, for a delicious, informative Vega Sicilia dinner. But as anyone who works with Chip’s company can tell you, he is known widely both in Michigan and in Bordeaux for being this state’s premier importer of Bordeaux wines. So we’re excited to have him back to present a selection of Bordeaux alongside Andy’s food.
The event takes place on Wednesday, November 28, at 6:30pm. This five-course dinner is a ticketed event at $150 per person, including tax and gratuity.
Bordeaux needs little introduction to many wine lovers. It’s widely consumed and written about. While the popular press does tend to focus on a handful of big names and luxury brands, the sheer scope of the region is even more staggering than many realize: From corporate-owned behemoths to small biodynamic farmers, big cabs to lush merlot, dry whites to sticky dessert wines, it’s a treasure trove of great producers, great stories, and great wines. Naturally, we’ll be showcasing a range of those regions, styles, and grapes.
Tickets are non-refundable, offered on a first come-first served basis, and are only available via our online reservations site. Price includes tax and gratuity. While we are happy to accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions, we kindly request that you let us know upon booking so we can plan accordingly.
