Rob & Erica Shapiro at their Sweet n Savory Cafe in Wilmington, NC

While visiting family in Wilmington, North Carolina, we were invited to attend a special wine tasting  at the Sweet n Savory Cafe, close to Wrightsville Beach. The cafe/winebar/restaurant features an array of foods and a very large portfolio of wines. We attended a wine tasting on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. While there, we had time to visit with the enthusiastic owners of Sweet n Savory, Rob and Erica Shapiro. We quickly discovered they are passionate about wine from around the world. In fact, they have approximately 600 wines available!

Each Wednesday the Sweet n Savory Cafe offers wine tastings. Six wines are open and available for tasting. Along with the wine tasting, Erica and Rob enhance the wine tasting with detailed written information about each wine.

On the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, the theme for the evening was White Wines for White Meat. Along with the wines our hosts ordered appetizers. We enjoyed everything including the crab dip and the  fried green tomatoes that had a crispy coating.

2015 Bailly-Lapierre Sauvignon Blanc, Saint-Bris, Burgundy

Our wine tasting began with the 2015 Bailly-Lapierre Sauvignon Blanc, Saint-Bris, Burgundy, France. This light yellow colored wine offered an aroma of tropical fruits and lemongrass notes. The taste had citrus notes including lemon, grapefruit, pineapple plus melon and lemongrass. The mouthfeel was very smooth. The finish was crisp with fruit and mineral. At Sweet n Savory, the wine is $6.50 per glass and $19 for a bottle.

The second wine seemed to be a favorite for several members of our group. This was the 2016 Shaya Verdejo Old Vines, Rueda, Spain. The light yellow colored wine offered an aroma of apple, pear and citrus. The taste had notes of pear, apple, mineral with some chalk notes. The finish of mineral and fruit played well together. The wine was $7 per glass or $21 per bottle.

The 2015 Torbeck Woodcutters Semillon, Barossa Valley, Australia was a light yellow color with notes of apple and pear with a pinch of tropical fruit. The price at the cafe is $7.50 per glass and $23 per bottle.

The 2016 Stolpman Vineyards Roussanne, Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley, California was a yellow color. The wine offered tropical fruit notes. The mouthfeel was very smooth and the wine was fruit forward with some mineral. The price at Sweet n Savory is $9.50 per glass or $33 per bottle.

Leonard Kreusch Sapphire Selection Riesling, Mosel, Germany

The 2016 Leonard Kreusch Sapphire Selection Riesling, Mosel, Germany  had a yellow color and offered soft floral notes with peach and mineral. The fruitiness yields to mineral. The wine was slightly sweet. The price was $5.50 per glass or $17 per bottle.

Our final wine of the evening was the 2014 Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Chardonnay, Burgundy, France. The light yellow wine was crisp with mineral notes and chalk with some apple. The Sweet n Savory price was $8 per lass and $25 per bottle.

About Sweet n Savory Cafe

Sweet n Savory Cafe offers a warm and friendly atmosphere. Guests are quickly greeted and escorted to a table. We were seated close to the bar. A second area in the center of the cafe appeared to be for those guests who wanted a full fledged dinner. To the far side of the cafe was an open kitchen where the staff was busy creating the numerous items listed on the menu.

Sweet n Savory offers a unique menu for those visiting. They also offer catering with a variety of options. These options include: hors d’oeuvres, several breakfast options, a variety of luncheons. Baked goods are also a feature of the cafe, including breads, cheesecakes, and quiches.

Sweet n Savory also offers several different pies for the holidays. These are popular so order your pies in advance. Choose between pumpkin, fudge, Dutch apple, key lime and pecan.

When you plan your next trip to Wilmington or Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina be sure to include a meal or two or perhaps a wine tasting at Sweet n Savory!

Cheers!
Kathy