The List

Wine lists in Memphis are getting better but as a whole they can be a bit dismal. I can take one glance at a restaurant's list & can immediately tell if it was an afterthought or not. However, there are some shining examples of good, well thought out unique lists. Restaurant Iris, Majestic Grille, Bari, Beauty Shop & of course Napa Cafe. Napa's list is so interesting to me not only because they don't stick to their namesake but they truly go out on a limb. Glenda & Rusty really love wine & food & it's evident by the choices they make. They are not satisfied with just what is available to them. They routinely make trips to different wine regions & larger cities & source wines from those trips. It's obvious that they have good relationships with their distributors because said distributors go the extra mile to bring in what they want. Of course my being a certified Pacific Northwest addict I'm in love with the fact that they have some good ones to offer. I love the different stuff & the smaller producers (not only from Oregon & Washington but even California...sometimes). Case in point, Novy Winery Grenache from Judge Family Vineyards in Bennet Valley. I'm a sucker for the Rhone varietys. Seriously addicted. This lovely bottle was smooth & round with a supple body & nice spiciness. The fruit was evident but more of a background note which I appreciated. I haven't seen this bottle anywhere else & I can't order it at Joe's so I'm assuming that Napa Cafe has it all. Go & get it now.