WineBar

Earlier this week, I took advantage of my last “use ‘em or lose ‘em” vacation days and found myself with nothing to do on a sunny weekday afternoon. My first thought, of course, was to go to a wine bar. I decided on WineBar, which is located in the East Village at 65 2^nd Ave.

The bar is very lounge-like, but also very chill and laid back. At least on a Monday afternoon. The interior was dark, with dark wood floors, long high-top black wooden tables, and tall bar stools to match. Accents of red were featured throughout the bar and there was a wall of shelves stocked with bottles of wine. Current popular electronica and trance music playing, which led me to believe that their customer is a bit on the younger side. I don’t’ encounter a wine bar like this too often, so I was pleasantly surprised. I chose to sit at the outdoor seating because it was such a perfect day that it would be a shame to not be outside drinking wine. So, I unfortunately did not get many pictures of the interior of WineBar. Mostly because I felt too awkward to walk inside and start snapping pictures like a wierdo.

Anyhow, glasses of wine were between $8 and $19 and bottles were $32 to $590. There was a very large selection of wines from France, Italy, and Spain, with a small list of wines from other countries. The menu had a map of the country that the wines on the opposite page were from, which I thought was a fun and educational touch. My inner wine nerd I was pleased.

For my first choice of wine, I happened to select a Riesling from the Alsace region of France, which was the only wine that WineBar was sold out of due to their next shipment failing to arrive. So, my second choice was the 2010 Cermeno Malvasia from Spain. It was delivered to my table in a nice large Riedel glass. I always appreciate nice stemware at a wine bar, so this gave WineBar some extra points. The wine tasted like a cool climate wine and had notes of guava and apricot, with a zingy acidity. I was recovering from a cold, so my sniffer wasn’t in tip top shape, but from what I could tell, there were hints of corn kernels and traffic. It was a great wine to enjoy sipping on outside and definitely not a bad choice at $8 a glass.

The waitress was very sweet and checked up on me often. She also didn’t seem to mind returning to my table a few times as I was flipping through the extensive menu trying to decide which wine I wanted to order. She only added to the relaxed atmosphere here.

The atmosphere was actually so pleasant that I decided to order a second glass and this time went with a nonvintage Moscato d’Asti from the Piedmont region of Italy. It smelled like orange peels and the citrus notes were on the palate as well, with flavors of lemon and some honey. Although it wasn’t an amazing Moscato, it was sweet, bubbly, and enjoyable.

The name of the bar is generic and the place is a pretty standard wine bar in Manhattan, but something about it makes it feel a little more young and fun. It appears to be geared towards a younger crowd, and lately, with an interest in wine increasing among 20-somethings, this might just set them apart for that crowd. I give WineBar a rating of 3.8 out of 5 glasses.

Like I said, this was the only picture I could get of the inside without feeling awkward 

My glass of Malvasia

The list of Italian wines accompanied by a map of Italy

My glass of Moscato d'Asti

Grape and Grain

Earlier this week I ventured out into Alphabet City to visit Grape and Grain, which is located at 620 E 6^th St between Ave B & C. It’s hard to get to from pretty much everywhere in the city, but if it’s a nice day it is definitely worth the walk.

The space is very vintage looking, cute, and cozy. There are cushy benches around the brick walls of the bar and tall benches near the windows in the front. They were tall enough that while I was sitting down I was able to swing my legs like a dork kid again, which doesn’t happen often since I’m 5’10”. Weird, I know. But I liked it. The place has a quaint cottage-like quality to it; the tables are worn, the chairs are mismatched, and there are several small chandeliers hanging from the tin ceiling. It’s homey and relaxed.

The wine list looked very good. Glasses were between $9 and $16 and bottles of these same wines were $27 to $67. However, there were not any wines older than 2008. Most wines were 2010 and 2011. While many of the wines offered are actually best in their youth, I would have liked to see a couple of wines with a bit more age included in their selection.

When the bartender came to the table to see if I was ready to order, I asked him how the Gewürztraminer was. He told me it was very good, so I took his recommendation and ordered the 2011 Banyan Monterey County Gewürztraminer. I always hope that if I ask about a wine that the server will steer me in a different direction if it’s not the best, but he had no need to because this was a great one! It was served in a mini carafe and the wine was very aromatic and distinct. It smelled like lychee and peach and tasted very similar on the palate. It had a nice grapefruit flavor to it as well, a great acidity, and a long lingering finish of lychee. Some Gewürztraminer can be really nasty, which is why I asked the bartender about it, but this one was delicate and delicious. It would be perfect with Indian or Thai food because it would neutralize the spice a bit and add a touch of sweetness.

The bartender was really friendly and he allowed some customers to try a wine before ordering it. It also looked like he was tasting some of the wines himself to make sure they were up to par for the evening. Good quality control is always appreciated :) Sometimes at bars and restaurants bottles can be open for a few days if enough glasses of that particular wine are not ordered, so it was nice to see that he was checking to make sure they were still in good condition, if that was indeed the case.

I was the only one there for the majority of the time, so I can’t really say what kind of crowd this place draws, but judging from the indie music and setting, it has a vibe that would cater to a slightly younger crowd. It would be a good spot to go to for a casual date or before heading out for a late night in the East Village.

Grape and Grain is kind of hard to get to, but it’s worth the extra trip. It has a laid back atmosphere that made me want to hang out there for a while, a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a good selection of wines, some of which are not on your typical wine list. It’s a very cool place! I give Grape and Grain a rating of 4.2 out of 5 glasses. Also, check out Against the Grain, which is their craft beer bar next door!

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My delicious glass of Gewürztraminer nestled in the table decor