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Fifth Floor elevates wine in the Valley
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Wines served at Fifth Floor in Youngstown along with tapas items.
If You Go
What: Vino In The City
Where: The Fifth Floor, Commerce Building, 201 E. Commerce St.
When: 7 p.m. May 28
Tickets: Wine taste with 5 tapas dinner course for $50. Log on to www.myvalleyvino.com or call 330-744-9556
YOUNGSTOWN
111The opening of the Fifth Floor was documented in a news feature March 29. The purpose of this column is to convey the importance that wine and beer play in the great new concept that Guarnieri envisioned and brought to life.
The importance of the role wine plays at The Fifth Floor jumps out at you as soon as you enter the main dining room and approach the hostess stand. A large rectangular wine bar with seats for 18 dominates the center of the dining room floor.
“We wanted the wine bar to be central to the dining experience. People can sit here and enjoy a glass of wine with tapas or appetizers before moving to their table or have their entire dining experience right there. It makes a statement that this is a place for wine,” Guarnieri said with a smile.
The wine bar is not only pleasing to the eye, it also serves as the functional home of all wine service for the spacious restaurant. All of the wines are displayed and stored within view of the guests, so wine is always in the forefront of the dining and drinking experience.
The wine list at The Fifth Floor is still evolving, and like most places that are serious about wine, it will never really be “done.” One thing that stands out immediately are the house wines Guarnieri chose.
“We wanted to do something completely different from what anyone in our area has. The goal was for our guests to get a unique, quality glass of wine that we could be proud to serve and they would enjoy without it being the same old thing they drink on a regular basis.
This bold mission was accomplished by choosing the French winery La Croix Du Pin Cuvee Prestige as the entry-level wine served to guests who order the house wine. The lineup is a mix of traditional varietals such as Chardonnay and Cabernet, along with some distinctly French grapes such as Cinsault and Gamay.
Here’s a look at a few highlights from The Fifth Floor’s wine list:
2013 Skeleton Gruner Veltliner — $6 a glass or $18 a bottle
You just don’t see this cool Austrian varietal on many wine lists around here, let alone being offered by the glass.
2013 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec — $5 a glass or $17 a bottle
A great example of the quality and value coming out of Argentina these days.
2011 Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano — $8 a glass or $36 a bottle
An earthy Italian wine with baked fruits, dried roses and a long finish.