After a very busy week, I actually have time to write my latest review! Last week, I went to Sorella, located at 95 Allen St in the Lower East Side. The front of the building is covered in a permanent heavy wooden grating, which looks like a metal gate that is pulled in front of a closed store. At first glance you wouldn’t know that it’s open, let alone a chic wine bar if it wasn’t for the subtle logo above. Semi-secretive. I like it.
Once inside, it’s cozy and minimalistic. The floors creak with each step of the bartenders, the brick wall behind the bar is painted white, the wooden ceiling is barreled and accented with little Edison lights and some larger unique light fixtures, and the bar top is made of a smooth wood. It feels like you’re in a chic cellar. There is also a charming room in the back of the bar that looks like a great place for a private party.
After reviewing the menu, I realized that Sorella is an Italian wine bar and offered some not so typical wines. Glasses were $8 to $18 and although bottles were not on the menu, my friend and I were able to later order a bottle of one of the by the glass wines, so there must be a separate menu that lists the bottles.
I ordered the 2011 Lo Triolet Gamay. Normally I’m not a big fan of this varietal, but I’ve been to so many Italian wine bars lately that I wanted to try something different. The Gamay that I usually encounter is often too tannic and jammy. This one, however, was quite the opposite. It smelled like summer, which is the first word that popped into my head. It had notes of berries, plum, and nutmeg and tasted like raspberry and date with a zingy acidity. It was tasty enough that I couldn’t possibly refuse a second glass of it. I should also mention that it pairs nicely with their cheese plate.
The bartenders at Sorella were really friendly and seemed to know everyone that walked into the bar. I think some of them were former employees, which says a lot about the place. Surprisingly, it didn’t fill up very quickly even on a Thursday evening. The “Sorry, we’re closed” façade might have something to do with that. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and they have a unique selection of Italian wines at decent prices. It’s a great wine bar to duck into, especially after walking several blocks in the frigid wind of a New York City winter. I give Sorella a rating of 3.9 out of 5 glasses.
There's a wine bar behind there, I promise!
My glass of Gamay and some tasty breadsticks