I know that they've been around for a while now, but more and more wine bars seem to be sprouting up around the city. And, who am I to complain?
Not that I don't enjoy a lovely draft selection at bars like DBA, Blind Tiger Ale House or even Virgil's for that matter. But, for me, there is an experience much more transcendent to be found in a Spiegelau wine glass rather than a frosty glass mug.
One of my favorites, since it opened in 2002, is Bar Veloce on Cleveland Place (pictured above), a narrow slip of a place that is sleek and understated. The decor is simply the ultra modern wine rack that runs along the entire side wall of the restaurant, showing off the various vintages available. No bartenders are to be found here - but sommeliers dressed in stylish suits, ready to help you find the right wine to compliment a bruschetta or paninni selection.
The bar also has an older sibling in the East Village, infamous for a hostage situation a few years ago. And, now, helping the wine bar movement, it seems that the owners are opening a third Bar Veloce in Chelsea.
Of course the new Bar Veloce won't be alone, as there are many other new wine bars on the scene. So, in the name of foodie journalism, I felt it my VittlesVamp obligation to do some swirling, sniffing and sipping around the last couple of days.
My first stop - Stonehome Wine Bar in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. Home to King's County hot spots like A Table and Moe's, Stonehome is a civilized, decidedly adult oasis of oenophile delights. Warm, where Veloce is sleek, but still crisp and modern in design, the staff is knowledgeable and unstuffy. And, according to a recent piece in the New York Post:
Stonehome Wine Bar owner Bill Stenehjem is a 20-year Fort Greene resident with a surprising background: He spent 15 years in the public high-school system as an intervention counselor. "It's an interesting segue," he says with a laugh. "I like to mix it up a bit."
The wine list mixes it up a bit too, offering over 140 wines from around the world - many by the glass. And, particularly appreciated were the flight choices that allow you to sample three at a time to educate your palate - and expand your wine file for future liquor store purchases.
Continuing the grueling research last night, I stopped by the wine cave-inspired In Vino in the East Village with friends. The place is completely devoted to wines from the Southern regions of Italy, so I didn't recognize most of the grape varieties and vineyards on the list. Not one, but three adorable Italian fellows behind the bar promised that my inexperience wasn't going to be a problem. They would happily guide me through the hundreds of options - providing as many samples as I liked. Mamma mia! Italian accents and exotic vino? How is a girl to resist?
Still waiting for my friends at the bar, one of them let me taste a few of the whites until I settled on a glass of dry, light Grillo, Arancio. Then, once seated at one of the room's rough-hewn, rustic wood tables, we were entranced by a dizzying range of reds - some very dry, others rich with the haunting flavors of licorice and dried plums. Unfortunately, after a few sips, I completely forgot about taking notes. Guess, I'll just have to go again...
And, lest that I forget their food, I have to say that I'm in strong agreement with food writer Andrea Strong who recently said:
The food in simple, honest, tasty, and fun to eat, and like most wine bar eats, it is portioned to share with a big group, or just to feast among two. The menu is unique, going well beyond the standard cheese and cold cut plates, offering Crostini in Bagnacauda ($5)
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