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Wine Bars
By David LeClaire
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 the trend with sexy and fun new wine bars! But 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 most recently, “Grapes” in Ballard is closing it’s doors.
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. Also, the Sheraton
Seattle Hotel downtown has "The Gallery: A Northwest Wine Bar,”
offering 120 wines by the glass with a special emphasis on Northwest
wines.
Each has their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to
location, parking, environment, food, numbers of wines by the glass,
staff, selection, and price points. 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. Yet
stand alone wine bars are hard to come by, as most have failed.
Instead they usually are packaged as part of a restaurant or café,
as in Eva in Greenlake, and Kaspars on Queen Anne. 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 have also
closed their doors, who tried offering 100 wines by the glass to
lure in diners and imbibers.
Just to the south in Portland seems to be enjoying a much easier
go of it. Take the success of Crush, 750 ML, SouthPark, Navarre,
Noble Rot, and Vigne - wine bars that are thriving. Hopefully
Seattle can get behind our current players and turn the tide so that
we may all have enjoyable options downtown as well as in our
neighborhoods for a long time to come.
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