GRAPE EXPiCTA

555 rForest Ave.
Plyrriouth
(734) 455-9463
gewinebar.com

Small plates $5-$9
Panini, salads, individuatpizzas $6-$9
Wine taste $2.50 +
Wine glass $6 +
Wine bottle $11 +

Chill with a great vintage at G ape Exp

BY DAVID MOSS I PHOTOGRAPH

A

name like Grape Expectations
Wine Bar & Merchant sets a
high bar for a wine snob like me.
Tucked away in a downtown Plymouth
storefront, this is a place to choose wine
first, think food second.
Visitors are welcomed by a narrow,
softly lit space lined with comfy booths,
grape-themed decor and the warmth of
rustic wine-country hues. A few more
steps in is a long stainless-steel wine bar
plus seating for a dozen. A retail display of
wine stands opposite, arranged by whites
and reds, light to full-bodied, mid-range
to premium.
Menus list food on one side, and wine
on the other — whites, reds, bubbly and
dessert wines available by the 2-ounce
"taste," 6-ounce glass and full bottle.
Wines also may be chosen in a three-glass
"taste" flight. Suggested flights include
ABC (Anything But Chardonnay),
Whites Down Under (Australian) and
two versions of Big Powerful Red. Tasting
notes accompany each flight, which is a
great way to record your own thoughts
about the wine, making it easy to find the
wine later at your favorite store.

1 0 • JULY 2007 •

platinum

GIE BAAN

My companions and I enjoyed the
ABC and Down Under flights with our
first round of appetizers. The Girlan
Pinot Bianco had a great nose and crisp
apple flavors, while the Zeal Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc tasted of grasses and
tropical fruit. We accompanied them with
the warm artichoke spread with spinach
and Parmesan, along with the chicken
and sun-dried tomato empanadas, served
piping hot with a tangy red-pepper dip-
ping sauce. Or try the make-your-own
bruschetta.
For our next flights, we chose Big
and Powerful Reds #2 and the Soft and
Luscious Reds. Standout wines were
Chateau Perron Bordeaux (oaky nose and
deep fruit) and the Clos de Los Siete
(full-bodied with big fruit
and tannins) from Argentina.
Unable to resist trying just
one more taste, we chose a
Mariah Zinfandel emanating
blackberry goodness, which
begged to be served with a
grilled steak. And here lies
the problem with the menu
— there's no grilled steak
to be had, nor any red meat

Closed Monday
Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight
Sunday noon-midnight

whatsoever. Yes, the menu offers some
bold tasting cheeses, but for a big Zin or
the Clos de Los Siete, many people pre-
fer some good red meat to complement
the rich fruit and tannins.
Looking for more food to accompany
all this wine, we chose a salad of arugu-
la, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, can-
died walnuts and grilled chicken, which
was a delicious prelude to our next two
choices — a warm panini sandwich
with serrano, manchego cheese and
sun-dried tomato pesto. We also shared
a thin-crusted pizza with buffalo moz-
zarella, tomato and fresh basil. Other
choices include a pizza topped with
pear, Gorgonzola and walnuts; a salad of
seared five-spice tuna on a bed of mixed
greens; baked Brie topped with brown
sugar and walnuts; and an assortment of
artisan cheeses.
Grape Expectations is a sharp place
for a casual evening of wine explora-
tion, particularly during the summer,
when there's additional seating outside.
For people just starting to discover the
world of wine, Grape Expectations
offers the opportunity to try several at a
price that won't break the bank. ❑