In Vino

One rainy evening this week, I sipped at In Vino located at 215 E 4^th St. It’s not well marked (perhaps it was the nasty weather), but the warm lighting inside looks very cozy and inviting. Even if you weren’t looking for it, you would be drawn in.

The first thing I noticed was how ornate the space was. It’s beautiful and designed to look like you’re inside a cave or a really old, underground wine cellar, right down to the last detail. Awesome. Jazz music was playing and overall it was a very relaxing and intimate environment. Off the beaten path, cozy, alluring décor, I’m definitely intrigued by In Vino.

I highly suggest you make a reservation when you come here though. I arrived around 7:00 and they were hesitant to give me a table since they had many reservations later that night. They serve a full authentic Italian menu, so many people go there for dinner as well. P.S Try the gnocchi. However, once my husband arrived we were seated and waited on right away. Just how authentic is this place? There was a group of people at a table speaking Italian. It has to be a winner.

Although In Vino features only Italian wines, the selections are spectacular. The menu is made of soft leather and if you page through it, you’ll find the wines available by the glass, followed by detailed information about each region of Italy and the wines available by the bottle from each region. So, you get the story behind the wine you’re about to order. Nice touch! Glasses are priced $7 to $14 and the bottles range from $28 to $620 with the average price being between $40 and $50.

I ordered the 2008 Pico Maccario Barbera d’Asti. It was very savory and well balanced with the acidity. It smelled of dark berries and tasted like dried strawberry. I don’t normally drink Italian wines without food because they are higher in acidity, so I find them less pleasant to drink by themselves than other wines. However, this wine was so good that I didn’t notice the absence of a meal as I was sipping on it. The hubby even liked it and we shared my second glass :)

The service was very friendly and outgoing and even though there I didn’t have a reservation, they were very accommodating and made sure we had a table to enjoy our time there.

Great value for both the food and wine, charming atmosphere, and it reminded me of Italy a bit! I really like In Vino. You will too. This is definitely the best Italian wine bar I’ve been to so far. I give this place a rating of 4.3 out of 5 glasses.

Cave....or wine bar?

Rustic decor

My *first* glass of Barbera