Michael Perlis Presents: Rick Fraga (Part 1 of 2)

I’ve written before about Marche Bacchus [www.marchebacchus.com], one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas, and about that great kid-in-a-candy-store feeling I get when browsing their shelves to select wine for dinner. [For the record, we had a Curran Grenache Blanc and a Foley Petite Sirah to go with our magnificent meal.] This time, while marveling at the wine selection, we had the great fortune to bump into Rick Fraga of www.gatewaytowine.com.  He has written a marvelous review of his experience at the restaurant and has given me permission to share it with our Eve’s Wine 101 readers. Enjoy…

MARCHE BACCHUS…………..A Divine Place to Dine!!!

http://www.gatewaytowine.com/marche-bacchus-a-divine-place-to-dine

October 21, 2011
I had a trip to Las Vegas last week and was able to experience a great meal without the casino glitz, the crowds or all the glow that comes with the Vegas experience.  Yes, its true that you can be in Las Vegas, but with a short trip off the strip you can experience fine dining cuisine in a great cafe environment.

Out in the the community of Summerlin, ten miles northwest of the Strip, you too can enjoy an exquisite dinner at Marche Bacchus.  The cafe is located on the shores of Lake Jaqueline and provides a beautiful setting for this quaint French Bistro Cafe and wine shop.  Thanks to the recommendation and referral from a customer I made an connection with while providing a wine tour, education and tasting at Martinelli Winery.  I took my great friend Louis, whom I was in Las Vegas with, out for what we hoped would be an ultimate dining experience.  What ensued was a memorable experience!!!

Marche Bacchus – Wine Shop

Louis and I arrived at Marche Bacchus and proceeded to explore the front section of the building, most of which was dedicated to a retail wine shop.  The shop itself was laid out nicely, to provide the wine buying customer quick access to view all the available wines , either lying down in wooden bins on stands or marked clearly and made available in well lit coolers.  The selection was substantial, as the proprietors, Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt, take great pride in having over 900 different labels available.  The selection really covered the bases from all over the world, including reds, whites, dessert, and sparkling wines.  Whether selecting wine for dinner at Marche Bacchus or to take home for your own pleasure, the options Jeff and Rhonda make available are excellent.  Additionally, the price points for these wines really covered the spectrum, making it easy for a shopper with a price range in mind to feel comfortable.  Although, there are some very high end, high priced wines available for when you have that gleam in your eye and a special occasion that calls for something……….more!

A great point to remember here is that if you select a wine from the shop for your on premise dining pleasure, it is never more than $10 over the list price when having it with your meal.  This is a treat considering the markup you will find in most any restaurant, whether in Las Vegas or elsewhere.  While working our way through the shop, we met a couple and began talking wine only to discover that gentleman of the couple was Michael Perlis, a contributing editor to Eve’s Wine 101, an online wine education and information site.  We chatted, discussed the variety included in the wine shop, then exchanged cards and continued wine browsing.  We completed our stroll through the Marche Bacchus wine shop, grabbing a 2008 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay to take with us as we went to be seated and start our dining experience.

Marche Bacchus – French Bistro Cafe (Look for Part 2 – the restaurant review and conclusion on 11/19/11)