Adventures at Marche Bacchus

What does a beautiful spring Vegas night have to do with a nice chilled Riesling? EVERYTHING.

Most who live in Las Vegas know of Marche Bacchus. If not you should. For those of you new to Vegas (like myself), or just visiting, this place is a must for all food & Wine people alike.

I met a few friends here at Marche Bacchus, a wonderful French Bistro with an interesting twist. They have a walk-a-bout wine list. This cool spot is split into two parts, one the restaurant and bistro, the other a wine retail shop. You walk around rows of wooded wine crates and search out the fun for the evening.

Marche Bacchus Walking-a-bout Wine List

I always say get there a few minutes prior to your reservation and hunt out your first liquid adventure for the evening. Another exciting positive note about this wine list is that they are priced for retail sale. If you want to enjoy them for lunch or dinner, all you do is add $10,- to the price. This way, one can find some wonderful wines, at a non-restaurant price.

Marche offers a great selection of white from Germany, France, California and around the world. German wines from Pfeffingen, Künstler, Frity Haag, Schloß Schönborn, Mönchhof and many more.

I strategically found myself at Marche Bacchus 15 minutes prior to my reservation. I took this opportunity to choose myself a nice riesling kabinett to start the evening off right. Now normally when searching for a kabinett you are given only the sweeter options.

Marche currently has a 2006 Weingut Künstler Hocheimer Hölle Kabinett trocken (dry). With a darker gold color this wine come out with an amazing nose. With aromas honey dipped fig, quince and a beautiful hint of petrol, one would almost think their about to have a sweet wine. The palate is dry, but full of life green apple and dried peaches and apricots. The finish holds strong with a well balanced acidity. This wine is amazing.

2006 Künstler Hocheimer Hölle Kabinett dry

Wine maker of Weingut Künstler is currently Gunter Künstler. Their family tradition of wine making started in 1648 near Wien (Vienna). After being deported to Germany after the second world war, they settled in the Rheingau. Their winery was founded in Hochheim am Main in 1965, by Gunters father, Franz.
 Künstler makes refined and elegant wines made both in fruitier and dryer styles. The dryer styles are where these wines show their pedigree. With amazing "Erste Lagern" (Grand Cru Vineyards) such as Hochheimer Hölle, Kirchenstück, Kostheimer Weiß Erd and Domdechaney. The Erstes Gewächs (Dry Wine of highest Quality from Grand Cru Vineyards) wines are breath taking.


There is a slight complication when it comes to Erste Lage (made from Grand Cru Vineyard), Erstes Gewächs (Rheingau Grand Cru dry wine) and Großes Gewächs (All of Germany other than Rheingau Grand Cru dry wine). To see wine of this quality one must look for the Erste Lage symbol.

Symbol for a Großes Gewächs (GG) or Erstes Gewächs (EG) wine.
Symbol also used on label to mark a wine from a Erste Lage (EL)

Hochheim am Main is a beautiful town located in the middle of vineyards directly on the river Main. (German lesson: anytime a city or town name has "am Main", it means "on the Main").




Weingut Künstler Tasting in Hochheim am Main

Twice a year Gunter holds tastings of his current wine available in his Grand Tasting room. He invites a wine maker, most notably Hans Wirsching, to taste their wines out as well. This is open to the public and free of charge. An event one must go to if you are in town for these days.

Between Hochheim am Main and Eltville am Rhein is a small village, with a large wine reputation, named Kiedrich. Kiedrich boasts my favorite Restaurant in this portion of the Rheingau, Weinschänke Schloss Groensteyn, but we will speak of that another day.





Armin Huth of Weingut Hans Wirsching at Künstler Tasting in Hochheim



The Wines of Hans Wirsching, from the Franken region, will be gone into detail when we look into a day of wine tasting in Franken. Again, at a later date.

 

I seem to have side tracked (this time not due to A.D.H.D.) from our dinner at Marche Bacchus.

These evening was amazing. About 80 degrees after the sun had gone down. Bottle of kabinett now empty, we wandered inside to search for some other nice treats. Keeping things low key we bought a tasty Gigondas from E. Guigal. And since we were already on the path of big fruit reds, our third wine was The Prisoner, from Orin Swift Cellars.

With wine gone and food equally enjoyed, our night came to an end. Marche Bacchus is the place for off strip patio seating. Overlooking a beautiful man made lake surrounded by beautiful home, with nightly Guitar music. This is a must see for all who want to wine and dine Las Vegas the right way, without having to be a "High Roller".

Marche Bacchus
www.MarcheBacchus.com
Reservations: 702-804-8008

The German German-Wine Guy wishes you happy eating and drinking.

Until next time...

Lobster Ravioli in Wanton Jacket, soon to be removed from the menu, but damn tasty.