The Great Escape: Quick Escape To The Savory Grape

Nothing says “escape” to me like a good glass of wine. One of my favorite places to get wine in the area is at The Savory Grape.  I met owner Jessica Granatiero at a women’s networking event a while back and when she moved to her new location at 1000 Division Street in East Greenwich, I stopped in to say hello and instantly became a fan.

What I like about this store – not being a wine connoisseur myself, though I’m learnin – is that they organize the store by the “body style,” not by the color or the country alone. They use words like “full & bold,” “medium & rounded,” or “light and juicy,” which gives me a good sense of what the wine will taste like and pair well with.

I had no idea why a merlot from California is different than a merlot from Australia. Or, why one wine goes better with a steak and another goes better with seafood. But, I do know that this store is a breeze to browse, and someone is always ready to help answer my questions. I learn a lot just from their email newsletter alone!

Last time I was there on a Friday, they were having a wine tasting. I met a vineyard owner from South Africa who had stopped here on his US tour. He actually signed the bottles I bought after successfully tasting three different varieties. As it turns out, The Savory Grape does this every Friday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. I highly recommend going, and without the kids, (as if that needed to be said).

This week they are tasting some organic wines from California.  Having just returned from Sonoma Valley earlier this month, I have been counting down the days. Here are the three wines we can expect to taste:

• Hi-Rollr Red is “a blend of mostly Zinfandel, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.” I'd take a gamble on this one being in interesting!

• Semillon is a dry white wine, with “a rich, honeyed texture with pear and apricot flavors.” Sign me up!

• Cabernet Franc (or as Jessica calls it, "the other Cabernet”) is actually a much older grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is "typically aromatic, with violets and rose petals on the nose." Sounds like a good springtime wine!

This is the one I can taste already!  his lady knows her wine and becoming a wine connoisseur is on my 2011 wish list (second only to more date nights with Rich), so we’ll be regulars. Why not head over to The Savory Grape to meet Jessica, her husband Nino, and their friendly and helpful staff this weekend?

Or, if you like to plan ahead, The Savory Grape and Siena East Greenwich will be hosting a wine dinner on March 17th, at 6:30 pm.  They will pair the beautiful wines of Umberto Cesari winery with a four-course dinner. Ricardo Cesari himself will share information on the family, its vineyards and beautiful wines. Tickets are sold in advance in person at Siena EG or via phone at 401.885.8850.

The last time we tried to go to Siena for dinner without a reservation, we were told they were booked solid all night, and it wasn’t even a wine tasting night, so I have a feeling this one will sell out and I highly recommend calling ahead.

By the way, for those of you who are not wine tasting or wine dinner fans, stay tuned. I will be on the lookout for the beer tasting dinner that does every spring.  We’ve never been, but our neighbors raved about it. No matter what you’re drinking, let’s raise a toast to The Great Escape!