I had been meaning to visit Uva for a long time, but it’s difficult to get to from my office so I kept putting it off. After over a year of seeing it on my database of wine bars, I decided it was about time I crossed it off the list. It’s located at 1486 2nd Ave between 77th and 78th.
I went to Uva on a warm summer day, ducked under the purple awning, walked through the outdoor seating, and into the bar. Holy rustic cuteness. The place is spacious and filled with old looking tables of all sizes. All but a small portion of the walls are brick, there are kitchen and garden themed decorations everywhere, it’s dimly lit, and there are little tealight candles placed in small insets in the brick walls. There's even a fireplace! It has a very romantic and charming ambience. It would be super cozy on a winter evening. I will definitely be returning when it’s colder to fully appreciate the warm atmosphere here.
Glasses of wine were between $8.50 and $21.50, with most being $9 to $11. I was surprised to see that the prices weren’t sky high considering the upscale look of the place. Bottles were $27 to $195 with selections limited to wines from Italy the US. They have six options for flights of wine, which is more than I have seen at any wine bar so far. Usually it’s 2 to 4 selections. The flights at Uva range from $12 to $18. They also have something really, really cool on the menu - Wine in a Bowl! It was a tradition in taverns of Northern Italy to drink local red wines out of a small white porcelain bowl, which would show a wine's quality by the dark rings left inside the bowl. How cool is that? I wish I had seen this before I ordered! Next time, I suppose. I hadn’t seen a flight offered in a long time, so of course I decided to order one. I went with the Dry Red Flight, which consisted of a 2010 Lusardi Sangiovese, a 2009 Regale Chianti Classico, and a 2007 Pentinace Barbaresco.
The Sangiovese smelled like dark raspberry with a hint of cocoa powder and herb. It tasted like strawberry and was a little juicy tasting with a well balanced acidity. It had a pretty simple finish, but it was good. Next was the Chianti, which smelled like sweet cherries and tasted earthy with a subtle raspberry flavor. This one was quite dry and lacked enough acid to back it up. Not my favorite Chianti, but it was enjoyable enough. Lastly, I tried the Barbaresco. It smelled tart and a little bit like coffee. You know that sweet smell of coffee, steamed milk, and syrup hanging in the air at Starbucks? It smelled kind of like that, but not as strong and more grapelike, if that makes any sense at all. This wine tasted like cherry and had a great mouthwatering acidity. It was lively and had a nice fruity finish. It was my favorite wine of the three.
The service at Uva is excellent. I never felt like I was waiting for a waitress to come to my table or that she was popping by too often. Everyone I dealt with was nice and very professional.
The crowd was not quite what I was expecting. Most of them were WASPy and a little on the older side or at least dressing like they were. Everyone was conservatively dressed and it felt a little stuffy. It kind of contrasted with the atmosphere of Uva, which was surprising. I actually felt underdressed in a lightweight summer dress with leggings. I should have known better; it is the Upper East Side after all! So, if you come here, it’s probably best to dress like you’re going to a country club classy.
Overall, Uva is a fantastic wine bar with a wine selection for any taste and budget. The bar is downright charming and cozy and I can’t wait to go back on a blustery winter day to curl up with some wine and try some of the hearty and delicious looking food that they serve. I give Uva a rating of 4.8 out of 5 glasses.
How cute is this?
Can this be my kitchen?
My flight of dry red wines