The Upholstery Store

I visited The Upholstery Store yesterday, which is located in the West Village at 713 Washington St. You’re right if you’re thinking that this doesn’t sound remotely like a wine bar, but it is, I promise.

When I walked in, I was definitely the first customer to walk in for some time; the place was empty and the soft sound of jazz music was the only thing breaking the silence. The bartender was sitting in the back of the bar, shrouded in darkness, watching…waiting. Ok, so it wasn’t the set of a horror film, but he did seem pretty bored. I sat down at one of the benches around the low profile wooden tables and the bartender gathered up a menu and a small bowl of nuts and brought them to me. The first thing I noticed about the menu was that it featured primarily Austrian wine, which is cool because I don’t often see this many wine selections from this country at wine bars. Glasses were priced between $11 and $14 and bottles were affordable, starting at $35 and as much as $98.

Time for an Austrian adventure! The wine growing regions of Austria typically have warm days and cool evenings, so it is ideal for growing white grapes and Pinot Noir. That allows the growing season to be extended a bit longer than usual, resulting in very aromatic wines that have a good backbone of acidity.

I ordered the 2008 Peter Schandl Furmint and it was delicious! It smelled wonderful, first of all. It had aromas of stone fruit (peach, apricot, etc.) and lemongrass and it tasted like grapefruit with a good, crisp acidity, so it was very refreshing. I wish I had had a whole bottle of this to enjoy! This would be a perfect summer picnic wine to pair with some goat cheese. 

The hubby met me there shortly after I arrived and he ordered a 2008 Pinot Noir, also from Austria. Our wines were served in different shaped glasses, so they select the right glass for your wine, which I really appreciate. My eyes may deceive me, but I think my hubby’s pour was larger than mine…hmm. Anyway, this particular Pinot Noir smelled like cassis and tasted floral, almost like lavender.

The Upholstery Store was kind of industrial chic, if you will, on the inside. The walls were old exposed brick with small bolts of fabric hanging as decoration (the name is starting to make sense!). There were cute little wooden alcoves that displayed bottles of wine and ledges near the ceiling were stocked with wine bottles as well. Different rattan chairs had cushions that were reupholstered with the same color red fabric, and some of the tables looked like they were made with antique serving trays. The bar was dark, lit mostly with candlelight and some dim light bulbs on the wall. The music varied in style; a couple Adele songs played, along with some Lauryn Hill, 80s light rock, and some funky new age stuff. It was different, but very chill.

The Upholstery Store has an eccentric atmosphere and a great value for their wines. It’s very unique in their wide selection of Austrian wines, which I really enjoyed - it’s nice to see a specialty wine bar like this. I don't know why it was so empty while I was there. Perhaps because it was a Tuesday or maybe because the bar is kind of far from a subway. This place is great though and certainly worth the trip. I give The Upholstery Store a rating of 4.2 out of 5 glasses.

The quaint exterior of The Upholstery Store

No weapons, please

The alcove cabinet and little mismatched decorations

My glass of Furmint

The hubby's big glass of Pinot Noir

The bar and the only other customer besides us

Cello

I went to Cello tonight at 229 E 53^rd St. Oh my gosh this place was cute! It ended up being everything I look for in a wine bar.

The space is narrow with brick walls on one side and a dark red wall on the other. It had cozy seating with nice plush leather benches and stools, rustic looking wooden tables, and Tuscan touches in the décor. There were iron chandeliers with Edison light bulbs hanging over a few areas and exposed beams on the ceiling. Several tables were gathered in little alcove seating areas both in the front and back of the bar for a little privacy. Totally rustic and charming!

I really can’t get over how adorable the atmosphere at Cello was. Wonderfully decorated, great background music playing, and not crowded. It was everything I want a wine bar to be in terms of aesthetics and vibe.

Now, on to the wine list! All wines are available by the glass or bottle, keeping things simple. Glasses were in the $10 to $14 range and bottles of these wines were no more than $56. I tried to order the Tempranillo first, but they were out of it. So, I decided on the 2007 Dog Ridge Shiraz from Australia (if not only for the name). The Shiraz smelled like fresh berries, perhaps with a hint of blueberry and it had a peppery finish. It was high in alcohol as well, but had a good balance. The bartender was waiting on everyone in the bar, even at the tables, and he was super friendly. He stopped by at the perfect times to make sure I wasn’t waiting on a drink or the check and poured a small amount of the wine into the glass for me to try before serving the full pour. The service was great!

The wine list was not as extensive as I would have liked, but they had a precise selection, which is continually changing, or so they say on their website. The menu at the bar was completely different from the one that was available online, so I’m inclined to believe that.

The crowd mostly consisted of couples and small groups of friends. It’s a fantastic place to catch up with someone because you’ll actually be able to hear each other over the music, which was a nice background level instead of overpowering. I actually overheard a girl say “a quiet wine bar? There’s no such thing!” I imagine that this was a statement of shock after spending some time at Cello. I really hope Friday nights don’t taint the relaxing atmosphere that Cello has created.

Cello is a wine bar that I would go out of the way to visit again. Usually wine bars that are this pretty have prices to match, but this place keeps it reasonable. I was very impressed with the bar, but I’d like to see more choices on the wine list. Although, if you become a regular here I’m sure there will be many new wines to choose from each time you visit. I give Cello Wine Bar a rating of 4.5 out of 5 glasses.

Look up or you'll miss the entrance to Cello!

The cozy Tuscan interior of Cello

My glass of Shiraz

The pretty alcove seating area in the back of the bar