dinenw.com

Northwest wineries are enjoying a surge of interest and enthusiasm in their wines. The number of quality, premium wine producers has expanded dramatically, and many consumers in the Northwest recognize this and are clamoring for more! It would seem this excitement would translate into perfect timing for Seattle to embrace this trend with sexy and fun new wine bars! The past is littered with failed attempts, including Enoteca from years past, followed by Lead on First Avenue, Vina in Belltown, Seattle Cafe & Wine Bar on the Harbor Steps, Bungalow in the University District, and now this month another one bites the dust, “Grapes” in Ballard is closing it’s doors. But as nature would have it, just as one closes, someone else wants to try their hand at it. So everyone, welcome the new Portalis in Ballard, The Purple Café & Wine Bar in Kirkland (and Woodinville), The Met Coffee and Wine Bar in Renton, Spill the Wine Cafe on Roosevelt, Impromtu in Madison Park, and the Tasting Room at Pike Place Market, Bricco on Queen Anne, Cellar 46 on Mercer Island, Poco on Capital Hill. Many more are slated to open…now the question isn’t can a wine bar survive, it’s more whether we will have too many! For a full list of the wine bars in the area, go to www.seattleuncorked.com/SeattleWineBars.html Each has their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to location, parking, environment, food, numbers of wines by the glass, staff, selection, and pricepoints. Personally I believe that 12 wines by the glass doesn’t constitute a “wine bar,” as many normal restaurants and bars have that many selections. And too many options usually translates into wines being open way too long, even with the high-tech gas systems that are available. Wine bars should have a comfortable, playful environment that encourages discovery, where staff is knowledgeable but fun, rather than arrogant, and small tastes or flights should be offered at affordable prices. To me a wine bar should be a wine bar, not a restaurant that has a big wine list and a normal range of by the glass options. Many are packaged as part of a restaurant or café, as in Eva in Greenlake. Many restaurants try to stand out in a crowded field by offering a great wine by the glass list. But it’s often not enough. Take Flemings, who long ago closed their doors, who tried offering 100 wines by the glass to lure in diners and imbibers. Email us and let us know your favorite wine bars and why! We’ll review some of them in individually in the near future. Stay tuned!