Ambience:
Melanie recently re-located her wine shop from the Breezeway to Minnesota Ave. At first we were a little wary since we liked the other location so much. But after attending the grand re-opening our minds were pleasantly changed. Located right near "28" and "Staccato at the Firehall", the addition of The Wine Shop and Tasting Bar is fast making Minnesota Ave. a gourmands paradise.There are tables and seats throughout the shop with high ceilings and of course Melanie's wonderful taste in music wafts through the shop.
The Scene:
The Wine Shop and Tasting Bar is a great place to relax and have a glass (or bottle) of wine. They have a tasting bar as you enter the shop where you can order wine by the glass or by a 2 oz. sampler with prices usually in the $2 to $6 range for 2 oz. pours and $3 and up for a glass of wine. For beer lovers they also offer a variety of micro brew choices. Artisan meat and cheese platters are available to accompany your wine enjoyment.
They host weekly tastings as well as special events. Their Friday and Saturday night events feature special wines, wine makers, and at times hor d'oeuvres, live music and even dance lessons.One of our visits we were delighted to a classical jazz and flamenco guitarist that was wonderful.
The Wine:
The Wine Shop and Tasting Bar offers a world selction of wines. Every wine palate is represented from the novice to the sophisticated. Selections from Italy, Spain, South America, Australia, South Africa and other international locations; they also have California and a very large selection of Washington and Oregon wines. The wines are grouped by region to help make your selection easier. We were impressed with their Northwest selctions (over 85) including the likes of Owen Roe, Sineann, Torii Mor, Beaux Freres, Raptor Ridge and more.
A selection of wine accessories as well as Riedel Stemware are available...and don't forget to ask about their wine club.
Overall Impression:
Great downtown location, good wine choices and always lots of fun. |
