Food & Wine
Eating in Iowa: No wine-ing here: Local shops, restaurants offer variety in tastings
Mar 1, 2010
By Laura Dillavou
Curt Turner, owner of Vintage Wine & Spirit Co. in West Des Moines, said the hand-sell approach of Vintage ensures each customer finds exactly what they’re looking for. Photo by Laura Dillavou.By Laura Dillavou
If you’ve ever opened a bottle of wine only to realize that, upon first sip, it just wasn’t what you expected or wanted, then pay attention. Local wine shops and wine bars are offering a variety of free or low-cost ways to try before you buy – and even learn something in the process.
“You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to like wine and want to learn more about it,” said Mark Murphy, bar manager at Sbrocco restaurant. “Anyone, even the first-time wine drinker, can start small and decide what basic qualities they do or don’t like, and go from there. Wine tastings are the perfect way to try a variety of selections, without the commitment to the whole bottle of wine.”
Sbrocco, located in Des Moines’ Court Ave district, features a full-service restaurant on the main level, and an intimate wine bar downstairs. Murphy, who brings 25 years of bar and restaurant experience to Sbrocco, said the shop carries around 750 wine selections available for retail.
Murphy offers free wine tastings on the first and third Thursday of each month. During the tastings, wine enthusiasts can sample seven to eight wines, all priced at low or moderate selling points. This week, Murphy and his crew will host a small awards reception on behalf of Iowa Food magazine. Appropriately, the event will feature wines and food all grown in Iowa.
“Wine is a very important part of our business,” Murphy said. “If a customer really likes something they had with dinner, it’s easy to come downstairs and pick out a bottle – same goes with our tastings. At the same time, it continues to expand my knowledge and love for wine.
Sbrocco will change their tastings to better fit with the Des Moines Farmers Market, which starts May 1. New wine tasting hours will be on Saturdays during the market.
Another shop in Des Moines is also aiming to expand the scope and understanding of customers’ wine knowledge, but to a higher degree. Vintage Wine & Spirit Co., located in the Jordan Creek shopping district (near the Aveda Institute), offers two kinds of wine “lessons.” Free tastings are held every Saturday, but for a small fee, customers can attend wine classes or cellar tastings on Wednesday night. Owner Curt Turner said the variety keeps customers coming back week after week.
“I used do themes, but realized that what customers really craved was a chance to try something they didn’t normally see in the grocery store or from a label they had never heard of,” Turner said. “I love being able to expose people to the unique and interesting wines - sometimes it ends up becoming their new favorite thing to drink.”
Turner, who’s offered the tastings since the shop opened in July 2008, said the store focuses on a “hand-sell” approach, where Turner, a 10-year veteran of the wine and liquor business, helps customers find the perfect wine based on their needs and habits.
“Some people are looking for a specific wine to compliment their dinner menu,” Turner said. “But others make wine a part of their evenings, enjoying a glass each night to relax. Some just want to try a new label, or a bottle that’s on special – every person is different in what they’re looking for and I really enjoy being able to help them find the perfect glass of wine.”
As summer months approach, Turner said they’ll be using the expansive parking area in front of the store to host outdoor events, complete with food, and of course, the perfect beverage.
“We’ve really seen people enjoy the option of come in here with a group of friends before dinner, pick out a bottle of wine or a few beers, and enjoy it on the patio,” Turner said. “We also sell cigars and are ‘cigar-friendly.’”
To find your next perfect glass of wine, visit the Sbrocco (www.sbroccowine.com) and Vintage Wine & Spirit Co. (www.vintagewinespiritsofia.com) web sites to see their tasting times and dates.
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Laura Dillavou is a communications professional for Iowa State University with a passion for tasty food and fine wine. Her favorite places to dish on the latest dishes include Sbrocco, The Café, Trostel’s Dish, The Waterfront, and Ohana Steak House – but she’s pretty happy with a pizza and cold beer, too. While not writing about food and wine or consuming them, you’ll find Laura baking up a storm of cookies, cakes, and other desserts in the kitchen.
