Happily apple-y

"Taste this," Hamid urged, as I stood beside the bar at the May Street Market last week.

I didn't know what it was, and he wasn't telling, but that's never stopped me from trying something before. So I did what I always do with something new: I smelled it.

Hamid Benna, the somewhat-new general manager of that warm-but-yet-sleek restaurant on West Grand, had been offering me sips all evening of unusual wines, many atypical for their varietal but all inexpensive, delicious and served with a great story about their origins.

This, however, was like no wine I knew. It was clear to green, but without the sparkle of a Sauvignon Blanc. The nose made me think of honeydew melons. I took a guess: "Sake?"

"No," Hamid smiled, "Just taste."

I was stumped. On the palate, I tasted green fruit again, but with some sugar. I was stuck on the sake I had a few weeks back, a non-sparkling but chilled variety. It certainly wasn't any grape I knew.

I smelled again, clueless. "It's apple," Hamid revealed.

Yes! I get it--green apples and green melons...their scents sometimes confuse me in wine. (OK, many scents still confuse me in wine. I'm learning an entirely new vocabulary: My eyes see letters and know a word, but can my nose detect scents and know a word? Not yet.)

Hamid has brought in an apple wine from Michigan--unusual on an upscale, contemporary American restaurant's wine list--as a point of distinction and a way to support local growers.

And kudos to him for doing so. While it would not be my first choice to drink alone, I think it would be lovely paired with an heirloom apple salad in the summertime, using the same local apples. Or, as Hamid suggested, a blue cheese. It would complement apple butter on a croissant, or a thick cheddar on crackers.

May Street Market just released its new spring menu, with prices adjusted downward to reflect the dark economy but ingredients adjusted to reflect the light flavors of hope and a new season. I look forward to returning to try more of Hamid's adventurous selections with Chef Alex's new dishes ... and maybe a little apple wine under a warm sun.