Around The World Wine Dinner. We will kick off our first wine dinner of 2007 with Trattoria del Corso on Monday, February 5th at 7 pm. During the "Around the World" Wine Dinner, you will experience wines, and paired cuisine, from France, Italy, New Zealand and the U.S. Please visit the News and Events page of our website for the full menu and wine selections. Cost for the four-course dinner, held at Trattoria at 223 Main Street in EG, is $75 per person, which includes tax and tip. Space is limited so please make your reservation early with The Savory Grape (886-9463 or jessica@thesavorygrape.com). We look forward to seeing you.

How Sweet It Is Wine Class. Our next wine class with Grape Ideas Wine Education will be held on Thursday, February 8 at 7:30 pm, and we will focus on dessert wines, including port, and how facets of these wines give clues to their preferred dessert partners. During the class, Grape Ideas Wine Education's Jennifer Pereira, AIWS, also an instructor at Johnson & Wales University's College of Culinary Arts, will guide you to explore and taste an array of desserts, and analyze them to understand how they work well with particular wines. Cost is $45 per person, which includes instruction, tasting of 5 wines and dessert samples and instruction handouts. Space is limited, so please make your reservations and prepayment by contacting The Savory Grape at 886-9463 or jessica@thesavorygrape.com. (Refunds will not be given, but you may apply a cancelled reservation toward a future class.) This private class will be held at Trattoria del Corso Restaurant at 223 Main Street in East Greenwich. Stop in early for dinner or an appetizer and fuel up for the excitement.

Artist Reception. Artist Claire Marshak is now showing her local Rhode Island work in the tasting room at The Savory Grape. Stay tuned for an open house and reception for Claire in February.

We often are asked many questions about wine so we wanted to share them with you as well as continue our article from last week.

Q:There are crystals that look like glass on the cork when I pull it out of the bottle. Are these harmful? A: No, these crystal-like particles are tartrates and will not harm you. Tartrate crystals are a natural by-product of fermentation. They are often removed by chilling (cold stabilization) or filtering the wine. Many winemakers today think that filtering wine can reduce a wine's character, so they leave the wine unfiltered. The presence of these crystals does not mean your wine is bad.

Q: I see particles floating in my glass. What does this mean? A: It is normal to see sediment (aka particles) floating in your wine. Sediment is basically naturally occurring solids. This can occur often with older wines that have been aged; the particles will gather in the bottle as the wine ages. These are harmless; simply decanting can help with this issue. Sediment also may present itself in wine because winemakers choose not to fine or filter wine. Again, decanting will help here.

Q: What are sulfites and can I get a wine without sulfites? A: Sulfites are compounds found naturally in all wines; winemakers can also add them to wines to prevent oxidation. The main role of sulfites is to preserve wine's freshness; however they are also a concern to the select few who are allergic or sensitive to them. Wines without added sulfites can be labeled as "sulfite-free" if the levels are under 10 parts per million, but they still contain some sulfites.

Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz/Grenache. Glaetzer Wines was established in 1995 to create limited quantities of benchmark reds, which reflect the quality and diversity of the Barossa Valley. Having been in the Barossa since 1888, the Glaetzers provide wines with elegance and finesse, and Glaetzer Wallace is a perfect representation of this. Ripe, peppery old vine Shiraz dominates and adds weight, texture and a fleshy richness, and the Grenache contributes sweet cherry, toffee, and solid, savory tannins. This robust red was matured in seasoned French and American oak for 14 months, thus giving it those toast characteristics. Perfect for drinking now, it will also cellar for a decade. (R. Parker has an affinity to Wallace.) $21.99

The Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier. The Black Chook once again represents a selection by renowned winemaker Ben Riggs. (And we are quite glad we revisited this wine to bring into the shop.) Sourced from two great growing regions in South Australia - McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek, this cuvee is a blend of 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier. McLaren Vale has an unrivalled reputation in Australia, and indeed the world, for growing Shiraz, and Langhorne Creek is one of the older wine growing regions in Australia with first vines planted in the 1850s. The resulting wine here is a rich, lush selection with ripe blackberry and currant flavors that are backed by spicy notes, which are typical for Shiraz. The finish is smooth and decadent! (For those who prefer scores, R. Parker gave it 91 points.) $17.99

Victor Hugo Hunchback Cuvee. Victor Hugo Winery is one of Paso Robles’ most exciting and innovative wineries. It is a small, family-owned winery specializing in small, hand-crafted lots of wine with intense flavors and excellent longevity. We came across Hugo’s wines last fall, and because of the array of wonderful selections, we took our time choosing. The result was Hugo’s Hunchback, a full bodied blend of Malbec, Syrah and Petit Verdot. With a small yield of only 615 total cases, this selection brings to you concentrated, yet nicely balanced, flavors of black cherry, blackberry and sweet vanilla on the nose which is also paralleled on the palate. The finish is dry, velvety and lingering. This is a great choice for a cold winter night, and it would pair wonderfully with a dinner of chili or vegetable stew.This is also a tasting wine for this weekend. ($15.49)

Bedell Cellars Main Road Red. Bedell Cellars is a small vineyard and winery on New York's Long Island that is producing some pretty interesting wines, and labels, and at the same time garnering some nice national recognition. We chose this particular selection, which is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, for its value and light, easy drinking, almost Beaujolais-like style. For those needing a light wine this is a great choice. It displays notes of cranberry and strawberry on the palate with definite hints of oak and spice (maybe from the small amount of Petit Verdot that is added). We also were quite surprised, yet pleased, at the structure of this wine - at day three the wine was still drinking beautifully. $9.99

D'arenberg Viognier "The Last Ditch". Isn't it interesting how wines today have funny names. Years ago, the decision makers would not have thought to put such unsophisticated labels on these prized possessions. Well, welcome to the competitive world of wine, and particularly Viognier, which is becoming a hot varietal that's gaining increased appeal and recognition. An Aussie charmer, this white immediately exudes aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, apricots and vanilla spice, and wow, the finish is amazing. This is a great partner to seafood risotto, cajun-spiced chicken or grilled calamari. ($25.99)

Friday, January 26 (5 pm to 8 pm) Big, Bold Blends

• Victor Hugo Hunchback: Our overview above says it all! ($15.49)

• 2005 Poesia Pasodoble: From Argentina and Chateau Clos L'Eglise Proprietress Hélène Garcin-Lévêque, comes a rich, decadent, full bodied blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Although relatively new in Argentina, Garcin, her family and her team have been in the wine producing arena for years and the quality of this wine comes as no surprise. Its smooth mouthfeel is backed by round flavors of tasty dark berries and cinnamon; the nose exudes aromas of sweet vanilla and light touches of chocolate. This is a nicely balanced fruit forward selection that can last for 3-4 days after opening. ($12.99)

• 2005 Steltzner Claret, Napa Valley: Steltzner Vineyards is a relatively small parcel of land in the heart of the Stag's Leap district within Napa Valley, and it has been producing quality wines for more than 39 years. This blend is a traditional Bordeaux style - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Full bodied and flavored, it offers a nice array of black fruit, cassis, and cherry cola flavors, smooth tannins and light toasty oak notes. Full but not over-the-top rich this is a wonderful selection to pair with food - steak, lamb or pork in a blackberry syrup! ($16.49)

Saturday, January 27 (3 pm to 7 pm) Savory Spanish Selections

• Alaia: A simple name yes, but quite a complex wine. Comprised of three varietals – Prieto Picudo, Tempranillo and Merlot, this deep red has a fragrant bouquet of oak, black cherry, cocoa and vanilla. This wine, which is meant to be drunk young, has a rich, long lingering finish on the palate. Open it, let it breathe for about 15 minutes and then enjoy or come enjoy with us! Also, try it with chocolate for a luscious dessert. ($8.49)

• 2002 Vina Rufina Crianza: From the Cigales area of Spain, comes the Vina Rufina Crianza, which is 100% Tempranillo. The wine is not only elegant and pleasing but the presentation of the bottle is classy. Its bouquet is full of vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate which are masterfully matched to the ripe blackberry and black plum characteristic of the grape variety. With only a small amount of filtering, the mouthfeel is mellow, flavorful and silky. Quite appealing! ($15.49)

• 2000 Marques de Arienzo Reserva Rioja: This Spanish red is from Rioja and is made also from Tempranillo, but this wine is a Reserva, which means it is aged longer than the previously mentioned one. The bouquet is spicy cherry and plum aromas blending with notes of wood. The body is full and powerful with an excellent balance between the subtle fruit and toasty notes from oak aging! ($16.99)

email: jessica@thesavorygrape.com

phone: 401.886.9463

web: http://www.thesavorygrape.com