Tolani

Last night, I went to Tolani, which is located at 410 Amsterdam Ave on the Upper West Side. I had walked by it a few times on my way to other wine bars and didn’t think too much about it, aside from making a mental note to visit it at some point. Now I feel bad that I had overlooked it, because I was blown away by my experience there.

First of all, the atmosphere is just so cool. There are faux as well as original exposed brick walls, a pergola looming over some tables in the back, a massive chandelier hanging low to the ground in a decorative corner of the bar, and the bar top, as well as a big table in the front, were made of heavy raw wood. It felt very cozy, yet sophisticated and there was a lively energy to the place.

I requested a table when I walked in, but the hostess directed me to the bar because tables may have reservations or something like that. I didn't really pay attention and all I remember thinking was “Meh, I hate it when this happens”. However, during happy hour at Tolani, you get a complimentary snack if you sit at the bar, the tall leather chairs were super comfy, and the bartender Eddie was stellar, so it worked out.

Many of the wines are from South Africa and all were available both by the glass and the bottle. Glasses start at $9 and are no more than $16. Bottles are $36 to $72. As I was looking through the menu, Eddie told me that I could try any of the wines before I ordered a glass. He poured me a small amount of a Vinho Verde, which I liked, but a 2010 Boschendal Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend caught my eye. I asked if I could try that one and Eddie exclaimed that it was a fantastic wine, poured a bit for me and we chatted about wine for a while. He was very enthusiastic and really knew what he was talking about. You could tell he had a passion for wine and wanted to share it, which I love to see. The wine was fantastic indeed, so I ordered a glass of it. As he poured it, he told me that there were many other wines that he wanted me to try after that glass. Free wine? I’ll take it! The service was so top notch that I couldn’t help but wonder if they knew what I was there for. But apparently, Eddie is always this amazing, according to my bar neighbor, who is a regular at Tolani.

Back to the wine! It’s very rare to see a “white” Pinot Noir, so I knew I had to order the Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend, if not only for it being delicious. Although it’s a red grape, it is possible to use Pinot Noir in a white wine. Fermenting a red grape with its skins gives the wine its color, body, and tannins. So in this case, the grapes were not fermented with their skins, so it had the body and some flavors of a white wine and the slightest hint of a copper hue. It smelled like stone fruits, particularly apricot, and it was a little floral on the nose as well. It tasted so perfect, like a refreshing zing of guava and pineapple with a great acidity. I could have continued drinking this all night. So I did.

I was in good company with my friend Ashley, so as the night wore on, we ordered more glasses, a cheese plate, and the samples of wine kept coming. It was then that I realized this is my favorite wine bar in the city so far. Maybe it was just Eddie that made Tolani so memorable, but with such well selected wines and potential service like that, this place is amazing. From start to finish, it was what every wine bar experience should be like. All other wine bars, take note. If When you do go to Tolani, do yourself a favor and sit at the bar :) I give Tolani my first ever rating of 5 out of 5 glasses. Cheers!

Doesn't it look so heavenly?

My lovely glass of Chardonnay-Pinot Noir

The little decorative corner <3 Tolani

Uva

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 2^nd Ave  between 77^th and 78^th.

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