Vie Restaurant Western Springs Restaurant Week Price Fixe Dinner w/ Wine Flight
Naturally this was most likely a coincidental sleight of convenient confusion between two labels of similar name. Of course the ultra-premium Bachus would not be featured by the glass, let alone at the price fixe pricepoint. Probably innocence rather than deception since only but a few would likely consider this to be an option. Never-the-less, we didn't consider the variation and jumped on the feature offering.
Vie's Restaurant Week Menu
FIRST
celery root and apple crostada, crispy chicken skin, smoked apple butter
or
kielbasa, sauerkraut, sweet and sour turnips, mustard
SECOND
sweet potato soup, pickled cherry bomb peppers, chicharrons, crème fraiche - this was incredible - tasty, nicely presented and amazing in the unique cherry bomb peppers that exploded on the palate with tiny bursts of spicy heat, almost to vanish as quickly so as not to be offending in any way.
or
roasted beets, gorgonzola, marmalade vinaigrette, grilled greens, sunflower seeds
THIRD
cdk beef combination: wood-grilled sirloin and shaved italian beef, fried giardiniera, smashed potatoes, kale, grilled onions, “juice” - interesting combination, novel, but not something I would choose for an elegant dinner entree
or
catfish piccata, brown butter basmati rice, roasted carrots, pickled asparagus, meyer lemon, capers
FOURTH
Michael Pozzan Winery Dante California Noir 2015
Michael Pozzan's Dante Pinot Noir, named after his eldest son, Michael Dante Pozzan, and inspired by wines discovered during travels through Italy, presents a selection one might find in the neighborhood trattoria. A unique but interesting and appropriate selection both options of the First Course.
The 2015 Dante Pinot Noir is medium light bodied, with light opaque burgundy and light purple tones in color. Aromas and flavors of fresh raspberries and rose petals, give way to tones of vanilla and lightly roasted coffee with hints of sweet spicy oak and vanilla bean throughout the finish.
RM 87 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2586300
For the second course soup ..
Château de Respide Graves Blanc Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2014
Light straw color with a greenish hue, light medium bodied, slightly green grass and soapy tones accented by wet stone, floral, mineral with sweet pink grapefruit citrus, peach and honey notes with bright but modest light acidity.
RM 85 points.
This is a lovely wine: made from 66% Sémillon and 34% Sauvignon.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2132105
the other middle course wine .....
Di Giovanna Nerello Mascalese Sicilian Rosato Gerbino
This is a unique Rosato from Sicily made from the Sicilian Nerello Mascalese
grape known for expressive aromatics and spice. Aurelio Di Giovanna sourced the fruit from a 100 year old
vineyard in Noto in Eastern Sicily where the vine has it’s origins.
The Di Giovanna family has been cultivating their 56 hectares of vineyards for five generations just outside the town of Sambuca di Sicilia in western Sicily. Their wines are made exclusively with their estate fruit with the grapes for this label coming from their Miccina & Paradiso vineyards.
This Rosato di Nerello Mascalese is light medium bodied, soft round textured, rhubarb colored, with bing cherry and red currant fruits with notes of floral violets and mineral on the moderate finish.
RM 87 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2110622
For the main entree course ...
Bacchus Cellars California Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Not
to be confused with that other ultra-premium Bachus label, this label
is from David Gordon, the wine director at the legendary trendy Tribeca Grill
New York City restaurant. Owned by restaurateur Drew
Nieporent and actor Robert DeNiro, Tribeca Grill features a highly
regarded wine
program with a list of over 1800 selections. It is one of only six Wine
Spectator Grand Award winner
wine lists in New York City.
David created this Bacchus label sourced from many producer contacts he has in Napa and Sonoma. While the wineries that are currently used wish to remain anonymous, producers such as Caymus, Lewis Cellars and Miner Family have provided grapes and helped with the winemaking for earlier cuvees. The result is an incredible high value QPR (quality price ratio) wine at a modest price point.
Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright and approachable, with balanced flavors of black plum and black currant fruits, tones of cassis, mocha and a touch of earth and cedar, finishing with moderate tannins and oak.
RM 87 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2574676
The Dessert Course accompaniment ..
Warre's Heritage Ruby NV Port
A nice easy casual sipping accompaniment to the dessert
For
the annual Restaurant Week Chicago, participating restaurants offer
special price fixe dinners to introduce patrons to their venue and
cuisine. Typically, these offer great value dining opportunities and
sell out very quickly. Once again, we dined at Vie Restaurant in nearby Western Springs and invited Dr Dan and Linda to experience one of our west suburban dining gems.
We also took advantage of their wine accompanying tasting menu. 
This
was a bit of a fluke since while reviewing the menu and pairings, Dan
notice Bacchus as the wine selection for the entree course. Having a
collection and being a big fan of Phelps Bachus, he jumped on the choice
and we all followed.
Naturally this was most likely a coincidental sleight of convenient confusion between two labels of similar name. Of course the ultra-premium Bachus would not be featured by the glass, let alone at the price fixe pricepoint. Probably innocence rather than deception since only but a few would likely consider this to be an option. Never-the-less, we didn't consider the variation and jumped on the feature offering.
Vie's Restaurant Week Menu
FIRST
celery root and apple crostada, crispy chicken skin, smoked apple butter
or
kielbasa, sauerkraut, sweet and sour turnips, mustard
SECOND
sweet potato soup, pickled cherry bomb peppers, chicharrons, crème fraiche - this was incredible - tasty, nicely presented and amazing in the unique cherry bomb peppers that exploded on the palate with tiny bursts of spicy heat, almost to vanish as quickly so as not to be offending in any way.
or
roasted beets, gorgonzola, marmalade vinaigrette, grilled greens, sunflower seeds
THIRD
cdk beef combination: wood-grilled sirloin and shaved italian beef, fried giardiniera, smashed potatoes, kale, grilled onions, “juice” - interesting combination, novel, but not something I would choose for an elegant dinner entree
or
catfish piccata, brown butter basmati rice, roasted carrots, pickled asparagus, meyer lemon, capers
FOURTH
dark chocolate mousse cake, sour cherry compote, whipped white chocolate
or
pear caramel hand pie, blonde chocolate ice cream
The
wine flight was carefully selected to complement each course. Each was a
lesser wine that we would not normally order or hold in our cellar, yet each held up to the occasion, thereby offering substantial QPR - quality
price ratio value, with each selection.
Michael Pozzan's Dante Pinot Noir, named after his eldest son, Michael Dante Pozzan, and inspired by wines discovered during travels through Italy, presents a selection one might find in the neighborhood trattoria. A unique but interesting and appropriate selection both options of the First Course.
The 2015 Dante Pinot Noir is medium light bodied, with light opaque burgundy and light purple tones in color. Aromas and flavors of fresh raspberries and rose petals, give way to tones of vanilla and lightly roasted coffee with hints of sweet spicy oak and vanilla bean throughout the finish.
RM 87 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2586300
For the second course soup ..
Château de Respide Graves Blanc Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2014 Light straw color with a greenish hue, light medium bodied, slightly green grass and soapy tones accented by wet stone, floral, mineral with sweet pink grapefruit citrus, peach and honey notes with bright but modest light acidity.
RM 85 points.
This is a lovely wine: made from 66% Sémillon and 34% Sauvignon.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2132105
the other middle course wine .....
Di Giovanna Nerello Mascalese Sicilian Rosato Gerbino
The Di Giovanna family has been cultivating their 56 hectares of vineyards for five generations just outside the town of Sambuca di Sicilia in western Sicily. Their wines are made exclusively with their estate fruit with the grapes for this label coming from their Miccina & Paradiso vineyards.
This Rosato di Nerello Mascalese is light medium bodied, soft round textured, rhubarb colored, with bing cherry and red currant fruits with notes of floral violets and mineral on the moderate finish.
RM 87 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2110622
For the main entree course ...
Bacchus Cellars California Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
David created this Bacchus label sourced from many producer contacts he has in Napa and Sonoma. While the wineries that are currently used wish to remain anonymous, producers such as Caymus, Lewis Cellars and Miner Family have provided grapes and helped with the winemaking for earlier cuvees. The result is an incredible high value QPR (quality price ratio) wine at a modest price point.
Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright and approachable, with balanced flavors of black plum and black currant fruits, tones of cassis, mocha and a touch of earth and cedar, finishing with moderate tannins and oak.
RM 87 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2574676
The Dessert Course accompaniment ..
Warre's Heritage Ruby NV Port
A nice easy casual sipping accompaniment to the dessert 
