Wine & Spirits - August 2017 - 26

THE ROYCE

VERTICAL DETROIT

Angela Rutherford and Ping Ho opened The Royce last fall, a wine
bar and retail store in Grand Circus Park. It's an elegant space,
housed in the historic Kales Building, designed by Albert Kahn,
with art deco lighting and library ladders to access the walnut
shelves. Those shelves hold a wealth of choices, from Willamette
chardonnay to Sherry, Carpano Antica Vermouth and Michiganmade mead. Take one of the 12 seats at the wine bar to taste
before you buy, or settle into a couch on the mezzanine and
crack open any bottle for a $10 corkage fee. The food is simple
but solid, with tinned fish, cheese, charcuterie, and breads from
nearby Avalon Bakery. Service is included, but if you insist on
leaving something, Rutherford and Ho will donate it to their
charity of the month.
76 W. Adams Ave.; 313-481-2160, theroycedetroit.com

As the name suggests, the focus is on wine-1,000 wines
by the bottle and 70 by the glass, including many verticals.
While they've stocked the cellars with heavy hitters like Lafite,
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Opus One, owner Remy
Lutfy and sommeliers Joey Lopaka and Devin Muylle have
filled out the collection with savvy choices from all over the
world. Check out the northern Rhône selection-Lopaka's
obsession-as well as bottles from Sicily (Occhipinti) and Portugal (Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho). In the
kitchen, Detroit native Alex Knezevic turns out an eclectic
array of wine-friendly food, from scallop crudo to lamb heart
tartare, as well as his signature burger with tomato jam, crispy
beets and taleggio.
1538 Centre St.; 313-732-9463, verticaldetroit.com

MABEL GRAY

MOTOR CITY WINE

It's not much to look at, but if you're into wine and music, Motor City Wine
is a must-stop. Owners David and Melissa Armin-Parcells book live jazz and
deep vinyl DJ sets every night in their wine bar/retail store, the selections as
eclectic as the music. The wines by the glass are priced to sell and go down
easily; for more esoteric finds, pull a bottle from the retail shelves; corkage is
only $8. Recent finds include Damien Coquelet Chiroubles and Foradori Teroldego. In lieu of a full-service kitchen, they host regular pop-ups, including
a vegan pop-up every Monday. Pro tip: The patio is one of the best in town,
and with Ameztoi Rubentis Txakolina Rosé by the glass, you can't go wrong.
1949 Michigan Ave.; 313-483-7283, motorcitywine.com

WINE & SPIRITS

AUGUST 2017

photo of Mabel Gray by Joe Vaughn; The Royce by Shauna Reiman

Although it's a 20-minute drive from downtown, Mabel Gray is worth the
trip. In a tiny space in Hazel Park, a suburb just north of Detroit, chef James
Rigato has carved out a reputation for smart, inventive takes on the foods
and flavors of his native Michigan. Fish sauce, spice and fermented flavors
play major roles, creating wine-pairing challenges that sommelier Rachel
Van Til (a W&S Best New Sommelier 2016) handily takes on. Her weapons:
full-bodied, high-acid whites and umami-rich reds, like Slovenian sauvignon blanc, Michigan bubbles and Arnot-Roberts North Coast Trousseau.
23825 John R Rd., Hazel Park; 248-398-4300, mabelgraykitchen.com

http://www.theroycedetroit.com http://www.verticaldetroit.com http://www.mabelgraykitchen.com http://www.motorcitywine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - August 2017