Merchant's Wine Sale is back!

From April 13-17 enjoy 20% OFF 12 bottles or more, mix or match.  Some exceptions may apply.

  Dearborn store only. 

Merchant's Wines for April

St. Patrick's Day is over and March Madness is just a memory. They say that April showers bring May flowers and that's just downright depressing. Here are some wines that we think may cheer you up on a rainy day...

2004 Crios de Susana Balbo Cafayate Torrontes - $16.99

Did you know that Torrontes is the most widely planted white grape in Argentina? Have you ever seen one in the United States? Probably not. This delightful white has a very aromatic/perfumed nose with notes of white flowers and citrus. It smells like it could be sweet, but it's dry, crisp and refreshing on the palate with good acidity. This unique white would be an ideal compliment to ceviche, broiled tilapia, or roasted chicken with a mango relish.

www.vineconnections.com

2004 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere - $9.99

Carmenere is another interesting grape that's virtually unique to South America. This medium-bodied Chilean red has notes of black currant, dark plums, chocolate, and subtle coffee on the nose with velvety blackberry and raspberry on the palate. This rich wine is very smooth and has a mouth-filling texture. Great with a simple grilled Delmonico steak, hearty stew, or as a TV quaffer.

www.casillerodeldiablo.com

2002 Falesco Vitiano - $10.99

This wonderful Italian blend from Umbria is one of the most reliable wines on the market from vintage to vintage. It's a blend of equal parts sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot. It's dry and fairly full bodied with notes of dark cherry, dried herbs, and dark chocolate on the nose. Dark cherry, raspberry, earth, and subtle leather are noticeable on the palate. This wine is a steal for the price. Try it with pizza, pasta, or grilled pork chops with oregano.

www.winebow.com

2003 Casa Silva Carmenere Reserva - $11.99

This is another stellar Chilean carmenere. This one, however, is fuller- bodied and has a little more spice and firmer tannins than the other. Notes of dark cherries, cassis, and subtle leather and loam are noticeable on the palate. Rich notes of blackberry and dark cherry on the palate are accompanied by notes of earth and subtle spice. Great with a beef roast, pork loin, or a rich beef stew.

2001 Rutherford Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $15.99

This Napa cab is really a great wine for the price. Rich notes of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, and subtle vanillin are found on both the nose and the palate. It's hard to find a Napa cab in this price range, let alone one that is this good. Great with roasted beef tenderloin, venison, or leg of lamb studded with garlic.

www.roundhillwines.com

2003 Henry's Drive Padthaway Shiraz - $37.99

This stunner from Down Under is a bombastically beastly, concentrated pleasure-bomb! This amazing shiraz is made by the famous wine-making duo of Sarah and Sparky Marquis. It's full-throttle, extracted, and insanely rich. Notes of blackberry, raspberry, cassis, melted licorice, pepper, cedar, vanillin, and subtle tar are evident on the nose as notes of blackberry jam, licorice, raspberry, dark cherry, and vanillin are noticeable on the long, long finish. This wine is amazingly rich and concentrated! Try with grilled lamb chops, leg of lamb, a thick grilled spice-rubbed Porterhouse or T-bone, or garlicky prime rib. WOW!!!

www.gratefulpalate.com

2003 Dante Rivetti Riveto Moscato d'Asti - $9.99 375ml

This is an exceptional Moscato d'Asti. It's typically very floral and aromatic on the nose, but the rich creaminess on the palate is a force to be reckoned with. It has the typical citrus and tropical fruit characters that are usually found, but it takes on a most pleasant "peaches n' cream" character as well. Fantastic with fresh fruit, fruit trifles, merangues, or just by itself. Delicious!!!

Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine - $36.99

This very unique dessert wine made from a blend of 6 different Quebec apples is really sensational stuff. It's rich and smooth with notes of clean, sweet apple. It's definitely sweet, but it's not cloying. This would be great with any apple desserts, blue cheeses, goat cheeses, game, and pates. It also makes a fantastic mixer in martinis and is great for cooking. If you like apples you'll love this stuff!

www.domainepinnacle.com

Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine Recipes

Apple Master (Martini)

Ingredients

3/4 oz Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine
1 oz Vodka
1/4 oz Applecorn (apple liqueur)
1/2 oz apple juice
1 slice lime squeezed in glass
1/2 table spoon maple syrup
1/8 apple, squished

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients. Serve in martini glass.

Credits

Created by Xavier Simonet, chief barman at L'Assommoir in Montreal, Quebec.

Apple Stuffed Fowl Supreme with Pinnacle Sauce

Ingredients

Fowl
2 breasts, any poultry, scalloped, marinated in Domaine Pinnacle Ice
Apple Wine for 8 to 12 hours Stuffing
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 oz (30 g) butter
1.5 oz (45 ml) maple syrup
2 oz (60 ml) Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine

Sauce
1/2 cup (125 ml) demi-glace
2 tbsp (30 ml) roux (1/2 flour, 1/2 butter)
1 oz (30 ml) cognac
2 oz (60 ml) Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine
2 apple slices, thick
1 oz (30 ml) maple syrup

Preparation

To make the stuffing, fry apples in butter and add maple syrup. Mix with cognac and add Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine. Stuff the supremes insuring they do not "leak". Wrap them, like candy, in resinite plastic. Drop in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes depending on size of supreme. To make the sauce, fry the apple slices in butter, add syrup and Domaine Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine and the cognac. Set aside. Thicken demi-glace with roux. Strain and add Pinnacle caramel and apples. Saute' the supremes until golden and cut diagonally, width wise. (If partridge is used, cook in oven for 1 hour at 300°F, 150°C.) Serve the supremes with the sauce and fried potatoes, carrots, asparagus or fiddle heads. Decorate with a bouquet of fresh tarragon and apple slice.

Credits

Mathieu Gruire, Chef owner, Le Goupil Renart 1268 Van Horne, Outremont, Quebec Tel: 514-274-1110

Caramelized Organic Granny Smith Apple & Camembert Cheese Crème Brûlée

Ingredients (for serving 8)

1 cup - whole milk
2 cups - cream
3 cups - cored and diced apple with skin
1/3 cups plus 3 tablespoons - granulated sugar
125 grams - diced French Camembert cheese or your favorite local equivalent cheese
30 grams - unsalted butter
6 units - free range egg yolks
1 teaspoon - Vanilla extract (optional)
1 oz. - Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine

Preparation

Heat the butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat and add diced apple and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Saute the apple until lightly caramelized for about 15 minutes and set aside and cool. In a food processor, combine milk and 3/4 of caramelized apple and blend them for a couple minutes. In a sauce pan, simmer the cream cheese and apple mixture and dissolve the cheese. Do not boil. In a bowl, combine egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla or Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine then mix together. Gradually pour the cream mixture into the egg mixture while stirring constantly. Strain it through a fine mesh strainer.

Divide the custard and remaining caramelized apple into ramekins. Bake at 350F in bain-marie for about 30 to 35 minutes until the custards are set. Remove the ramekins from bain-marie and let them cool and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle just enough sugar to cover on top of custards and caramelize the top with a blow torch or under a broiler.

Credits

Hiroshi Shintaku, Chef/Sommelier, Part Owner, Umami Tapas & Wine Bar. Umami is the winner of the Silver Medal in the "Best New Informal (Restaurant)" category at the 2004 Vancouver Restaurant Awards and a Silver Medal in the "2004 Wine List Competition" at The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Umami Tapas & Wine Bar 572 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Tel: (604) 696-9563, Fax: (604) 696-9564