Wine Bars
A wine bar, which may also be referred to as an enoteca, can be found in many places. At its most basic, a wine bar is a bar that specializes in wine. That very broad definition can apply to any drinking establishment that features wine, a restaurant bar that features wine, or even a restaurant that features wine.
What, then, makes for a good wine bar. For some place to be truly considered a wine bar, several features should be in place, including:
- A very good selection of wine across a broad price range (from inexpensive to expensive)
- A good selection of wines by the glass as well as a good wine preservation system to keep open bottles of wine fresh
- A wait staff that is knowledgeable of the wines being served
Beyond that, the sky is the limit. Some establishments will regularly have wine tastings or food and wine dinners. Others may have wine available in innovative ways such as by the glass, 250ml, 500ml, as well as by the bottle. Others may provide wine samplers - 3 or 4 2oz pours of wine for sampling.
Whatever a particular establishment may offer, the key ingredient is a focus on wine, and for those establishments that serve food, a focus on pairing wine with food.
