Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Vino 100 Wine Bar A Hot Spot

On Friday the tasting team from Toledo Wine and Vines paid a visit to the newly opened Vino 100 Wine Bar, located at 3355 Briarfield Blvd. Suite C, in Maumee. This is right next door to where the Vino 100 Wine Shop was formerly located.

Owners Diana Whitman and George Burk made a short move that has paid off handsomely. The attractive wine shop now serves as 2009_1107winegala0004 the foyer for the wine bar, which is located in back.

We weren’t sure what to expect. The wine bar was open for only two days prior to our visit. We walked in and found the place abuzz with activity.

The wine bar is tastefully decorated in muted colors and low lighting. There was a hip, sophisticated vibe with plenty of energy, but not too noisy to have a good conversation with friends. George and Diana were hustling back and forth to keep up with the hungry and thirsty visitors. According to Diana, the turnout on opening night was almost too much to handle. You could tell by her smile that dealing with success is a pleasant problem indeed.

My wife and I had eaten, but Glorious T and Spiderman had not, so they were ready to test the culinary “chops” of the interns from Owens Community College. The food menu is tapas style – an assortment of small dishes – just right to accompany your wine. We ordered a pesto and red pepper cheese dip plate while our companions ordered the Greek Salad and the scallop plate (which came with a small salad of greens).

For my first glass I chose the Wild Rush Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Chenin Blanc is the main grape in Vouvray wines from France, which Green Dragon and I really enjoy. While wines from Argentina and Chile have received much play, South African wines are hard to find in the Toledo area. This wine is a winner with a straw yellow color and crisp citrus palate.

Green Dragon selected the Tenuta Rapitala Piano Maltese Bianco, a white blend of Catarratto and Grillo grapes from Sicily. It had a elegant somewhat spicy taste.

The Stacato Malbec Cabernet blend was the selection for Glorious T and Spiderman. They liked it, but didn’t love it and perhaps would have enjoyed a richer Malbec. The good news is that with 30 wines by the glass on the menu, if you find one you don’t like, there’s always more to try.

Vina Borgia Grenache from Spain was the next glass for Green Dragon. She likes fruit forward wines and this suited her perfectly. Grenache is a grape that produces soft yet full bodied wines with deep notes of red berries. The wines aren’t particularly complex, but certainly are pleasing.

I wrapped up with the most expensive glass on the menu ($14), the Duckhorn Merlot. This Napa Valley Merlot has small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon added. It has a wonderful bouquet of plum and raspberry. The finish  is long lingering and wonderful with a taste of graham cracker.

The Vino 100 Wine Bar is open until 10:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and until midnight Thursday through Saturday. This is a great destination for wine lovers and also those looking for a light bite in a different venue. The Vino 100 Wine Shop is also open in the same location to serve your wine needs.
del.icio.us Tags: wine,merlot,Maumee

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Highly recommend the scallops - probably the best anywhere - texture, quality, flavor were all perfect! GT

Unknown said...

The Salmon & Dill Flatbread is absolutely mouth watering! I was overjoyed by the unique flavor and perfection of the smoked salmon!

Dave Nershi, CSW said...

Sounds excellent. We'll try it next time we are in. Should go well with a nice Sauvignon Blanc!

Tk said...

The Flatbread with spinach and pinenuts was excellent!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous was right, the scallops are the best I've ever eaten.

Anonymous said...

An absolutely wonderful environment. The food is excellent and a perfect fit for a quick bite or sampling all evening. The friendliness and knowledge of the staff is second to none if you have questions about wine or spirits. Great promotions throughout the week and always offering new items.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful atmosphere, excellent people, and good food and wine...what more could you ask for? Toledo has been needing something like this for years!

MK said said...

Great atmosphere!! This is the place to go. Wonderful spot to stop in grab some great apps and a bottle of wine.
If you haven't been it is definately worth the trip!