April is Michigan wine month and Vinotecca in Royal Oak is celebrating by featuring 8 wines made in the state. They are also debuting a brand new menu.
Bonafide Winery, M. Lawrence, Fenn Valley, Left Foot Charlie and B. Nektar Meadery of Ferndale are all represented on the wine list. The selections range in price from $6 to $9 a glass and they also offer a flight of 6 wines for $25.
Michigan wineries produce over 1 million gallons of wine a year and the wine industry adds $300 million to our states economy.
After a preview tasting, the crowd favorites were the Peninsula Red from Bonafide Winery, the very quaffable Cabernet Franc from Fenn Valley, and the always-popular Sex from M. Lawrence.
When asked which dish was the star of the new menu, Executive Chef Robert Young singled out the Ty-Ku Tuna, “I went on an Asian kick and that was the one dish that really resonated.” It’s a perfect light dish for spring and summer.
Ty-Ku Tuna from Vinotecca.
The dish is made with high-grade, sushi quality tuna with an herb crust, stir fried vegetables, linguini and an ty-ku dressing. Young, a Welshman, described the dressing more as a vinagrette with sweet and spicy flavors.
Other standouts on the new menu were the hazelnut seared scallops, wild mushroom risotto, and the chicken and artichoke pizza with herbed Boursin cheese. The scallops are served with a sauce that deceptively looks like a cocktail sauce. It’s actually a raspberry coulis that adds a delicate sweetness.
The Michigan wines will be featured all month and the new menu starts today. Young hopes to change the dinner menu up every 10 weeks or so. Keeping the favorites, of course.
Drink Michigan is having a happy hour event at Vinotecca on April 13th. Michigan wines by the glass are half off and they’re offering 25% on selected appetizers.