Paper Trails

10 in state toasted for wine lists

UNCORKED: The August issue of Wine Spectator listed its 2015 Restaurant Awards for those around the world offering the best in wine selections. The 10 Arkansas ones chosen as the best for wine lovers?

Postmasters Grill Steakhouse in Camden; Local Flavor Cafe in Eureka Springs; River Grille Steakhouse in Bentonville; Bordinos and Vetro 1925 restaurants in Fayetteville; and Cajun's Wharf, Capers, Ciao Baci, Copper Grill and So in Little Rock.

Who's noticeably absent? One Eleven (formerly Ashley's) in the Capital Hotel in Little Rock. The restaurant features a 25-page (!) wine list including everything from bottles of a $26 Merlot (Starmont 2008, Napa Valley) to a $900 Pauillac (Latour, first growth, 1998).

The hotel and restaurant's owner, Warren Stephens, is a wine lover, too. In late 2007, a full-page ad in The New York Times' dining section announced an auction of his wine collection by Sotheby's with Aulden Cellars. The sale offered 4,765 standard bottles and 424 large-format bottles estimated to bring up to $3.6 million, the proceeds of which benefited Episcopal Collegiate School.

The sale included 63 imperial bottles (oversized 6-liter bottles containing the equivalent of eight standard bottles), including a 1989 Petrus with an estimated worth of $25,000 to $45,000, and a 1959 Lafite imperial estimated at $25,000 to $35,000.

PULLING ANCHOR: Remember Little Rock native Chris May, who was the evening news anchor for KATV, Channel 7, before becoming the evening anchor for the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia, KYW-TV, back in 2007? The Philly station recently let May go, along with the chief meteorologist and sports director, and gave no reason for the dismissals, reports the Philadelphia Business Journal. May worked his last shift June 29 and tweeted the next day about his departure, writing "I've anchored my last broadcast at CBS3. Hope to see you all again."

Still on the KYW anchor desk is fellow Little Rock native Jessica Dean, formerly of KATV and KARK-TV, Channel 4.

GAR CZAR: Two professors at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway will be featured on the local radio show Arts & Letters (KUAR, 89.1 FM) at 8:30 p.m. July 30. Fish writer and writing professor Mark Spitzer, author of the nonfiction book Return of the Gar, and biology professor Reid Adams, who specializes in gar research, will appear on the program hosted by J. Bradley Minnick. The 30-minute show concludes with Spitzer releasing his pet gar of 10 years into the wild.

MAKING IT LEGAL: Cliff Baker, 67, and his partner of 39 years, Hubert "Guy" Couch Jr., 66, both of Little Rock, were among those recently applying for a marriage license in Pulaski County. Baker is the founder of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Couch previously was with Wildwood Center for the Performing Arts and was public appearances director at UCA.

Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or lhaymes@arkansasonline.com

SundayMonday on 07/12/2015

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