Edi & the Wolf

 A few weeks ago (sorry for the delay) the hubby and I found ourselves in the East Village and decided to go to a wine bar. We went to Edi & the Wolf, located at 102 Avenue C. I have to say, this place probably has the coolest and most mysteriously welcoming entrance that I’ve seen in the city. The ramp leading up to the front door was shrouded in shrubbery and hanging plants. When we walked up, the garage doors in the front of the building were open, letting some Latin music pour into the streets and showing off the very unique interior. The best way I can describe this place is that it feels like you’re walking into vacation. Later when the chilly spring breeze picked up, the garage doors were closed, but the carefree vibe still stayed.

As I mentioned, the interior is unique and covered in detail. A long metal light fixture hung above the tables in the center of the room, plants and huge ropes were hanging from the ceiling, the benches were made of a plush, tufted, luxe fabric, and each of the tables had a big floral arrangement on it. It is a really beautiful space.

Now, on to the wine! Given the exotic vacation vibe of Edi & the Wolf, I was expecting to see a wine list filled with selections from Spain, Argentina, or the Mediterranean. However, the menu was heavy on Austrian wines. Although there weren’t many wines available by the glass, they were well priced at $9 to $13 and bottles started at $42 and were no more than $130. Although I’m familiar with the grape, I’ve never actually tried Zweigelt, so I ordered the 2010 Tinhof Zweigelt. It smelled like dried red fruits and had some mineral notes. It didn’t really taste anything like it smelled though! It had a very citrus-y palate and almost a lemon flavor, which I can’t say I’ve ever encountered in a red wine. It wasn’t very well balanced and was honestly, super weird. Maybe something was wrong with this particular wine, although I don’t know what it could be. While this style of wine can be tart, in general, Zweigelt grapes produce a wine that tastes of red fruits, like cherry, with a zesty acidity and a peppery finish. This wine, however, expressed none of these characteristics. So, this was not a good first experience with Zweigelt.

I wasn’t impressed with the selection of wine at Edi & the Wolf. I wish there were more wines to choose from by the glass, and wines that fit with the atmosphere a little better. Overall, this place is very cool and I definitely want to come back here for dinner. But strictly as a wine bar, I have to give it a rating of 3 out of 5 glasses.

This just screams for a mojito, not an Austrian wine :(

The super weird glass of Zweigelt

Vanguard Wine Bar

Earlier this week I went to a new wine bar, called Vanguard. It opened in December and it’s located in Kips Bay at 530 2^nd Ave. It’s set just below the sidewalk, and as you walk down the short steps into the bar, it feels like you’re walking into a different era.

The white subway tiles that are on the outside of the building make a prominent appearance inside as well and give the place a Euro feel. It’s decorated with eclectic antique pieces and posters and they happened to be playing one of my favorite movies on the tv behind the bar – Midnight in Paris. Seriously. It’s like they knew I was going to show up that day.

The wine list was arranged by the style of wine and each selection had brief tasting notes. For example, some style categories of white wines were “Crisp & Refreshing” and “Luscious & Fragrant” and “Elegant & Sublte” and “Zesty & Savory” for the reds. Many of the wines were from France and the US and I understand that their menu changes often to keep things fresh. Glasses were $10 to $14 and bottles were $30 to $90. I had the 2011 Mercer Estates Riesling from Washington. It had a very complex aroma of tropical fruits and a touch of honey. One of the notes for this wine was “beeswax”, which I can’t say I entirely detected, even after repeatedly sniffing my Burt’s Bees lip balm and comparing, but I guess it’s creative! It tasted similar on the palate and was surprisingly full bodied, which was offset by its dryness. It was a very tasty wine.

Much of the seating was around the sleek granite bar, but there were also marble high top tables and little alcoves of seating near the windows. With the last of the day’s sun streaming through the wooden blinds, music from the 1920s playing, and a nice glass of wine in my hand, I was transported. Everything about Vanguard is downright charming.

The service was wonderful and the bartender was happily chatting up everyone at the bar. This is a rare kind of place where I wouldn’t feel bad about spending too much money drinking glass after bottle glass of wine. It’s very laid back, extremely friendly, and they offer some great wines. I fell a little bit in love with Vanguard and they’re off to a good start in becoming one of the top notch wine bars in the city. I give this place a rating of 4.8 out of 5 glasses. I will certainly be back!

The Parisian bar area, and not just because of the movie :)

My wine in one of the bar's custom glasses