Brook Vin, new wine bar

[slopeguy]

Anyeone tried it yet on 7th ave between 11th and 12th street? Do they serve food? I know that they are affiliated with Big Nose Full Body across the street; so how are the wines? Curious minds want to know

[slopeguy]

I also stopped by to check this place out andI do agree with Tbird that it is not an authentic wine bar but it is a bar, that fills a niche on the avenue. The fact that they serve more wine than regular bars probably makes them an enoteca if this were Italy.

[TBird]

i wouldn't suggest anyone NOT try this place. please don't make your mind up because of my post. i collect wine and have ALOT of wine so my grading may be harsher than yours.

[TBird]

i recently had a more positive experience. some friends picked it to meet there, and i found 2 interesting by the glass choices (2006 Fado Terres de Alter Vinho Regional Alentejano from Portugal and 2006 Weninger Zweigelt from Austria). it was enough to keep the inner wine geek in me happy as long as i didn't look towards the jack daniels bottles or order food!
so yes, it "fills a niche". easily. and i agree with slopeguy, let's just call it an enoteca and call it a day. ;-)

:-)

[oolah]

Do they have a wine list online anywhere? The Merry Edwards mentioned by TBird is at about 100% markup, which is a lot, but not uncommon. I'd be curious to see what else they offer.

[TBird]

i don't know of an online list, i don't think they even have a site yet. but the merry edwards is $27 from the winery(750 size), or the 05 vintage was, which was the last vintage i bought.

[catula]

They actually have the '07 vintage, which from what I can tell is a bit more expensive than the '05. Somewhere in the $40s at most places.

[TBird]

i thought i had stated it was the 07 that they have. but i also meant MY pricing was for the 05 that I have. and go to ME site. the 07 is now up to $29 per...that's a whole $2 difference...

[TBird]

and that 07 merry edwards just got a WS 96 rating which is one if not the only highest scoring sauv blanc to grace those pages. still does not deserve the markup when you can order directly from M.E. website at $29, but i suppose if you are not a collector and really like S.B., it could make some kind of sense...

[slarkpope]

just got back. thumbs-up. yep, there's definitely food and there wasn't a bad bite. the pickles, yes, the lardo, the home-made bratwurst, the tartines (we tried the chicken liver pate and the brandade), the apple quince tart -- all fabulous.

was packed as we were paying up and heading out. definitely worth a 2nd visit. exactly the kind of grown-up quasi-restaurant, quasi-bar that the s slope needed.

[maggiepc]

I also tried it on opening night (@5:00!). I loved the food. We had the almonds, Taleggio tartine, lollo rosso salad and a cheese plate. It was a very satisfying light supper. We also tried a few of the red wines by the glass; the house red was our hands-down favorite. It is a very nice, comfortable atmosphere--a great addition to the area. The place was really filling up by the time we headed out. I think it will prove to be pretty popular.

[TBird]

another "wine bar" that doesn't understand what "WINE" bar means. feel free to go and order a coney island beer or a jack and coke tho, and pay $4 for olives or almonds. but who would pay $50 for a 1/2 bottle of merry edwards sauv blanc?

[maggiepc]

I imagine that they are in business to make money. If you think the mark-up is too high, do not patronize them. In addition, if you are offended by how they identify themselves, do not patronize them. I enjoyed myself there (twice now). I found the $4.00 almonds and $4.00 olives, among various other food offerings, delicious and satisfying. I enjoyed a number of their wines and one non-wine loving companion enjoyed a couple of bourbons. It is a lovely atmosphere with nice service close to my home. It definitely fills a niche for me.

[guide boy]

thanks TBird for your opinions, based on which i'll stay the hell away.

[Bob Martinez]

"another "wine bar" that doesn't understand what "WINE" bar means. "

Serious question - how would you define "wine bar?"

For myself I'd define it as a place with a sizeable selection of wines by the glass and serving the obligatory small plates. Now the selection could be poor and overpriced, likewise the food, but that doesn't make it any less a wine bar. It's just a *bad* wine bar. But I could be missing something.

[TBird]

Thesaurus:
Noun - wine bar - a bar that serves only wine.

watching people order jack and cokes or ommegang defeats the purpose of going to a WINE bar. it's simply a BAR at that point. sorta like the guy who was complaining about not being able to order wine at beertable.lol
they also DID NOT have a sizeable selection by the glass. the ones that were available were mediocre at best. even maggie preferred the "house wine, hands down".

again, i grade harder when it comes to WINE so please do not let my definitions stop anyone from going there. hopefully others will have a good old time with a dirty martini(made with ughhhh, vodka of course<rolling eyes>) at a WINE bar. and don't forget to order your $4 "plate" of almonds!

:-)

[jen kalb]

Id say a wine bar is a place that specializes on offering wine by the glass. As long as offering wine is the specialty of the house I dont know why other drinks could not be offered too. the question here is whether the place offers good food or good wines at a price that makes it worth visiting.

[bebevonbernstein]

There will, I believe, be small plates. If memory services, Dave, the chef, has been making his own lardo, etc. Can't speak to the wine selection (though I expect it will be great), but yes, there will definitely be food.

[Bob Martinez]

There will always be small plates at a wine bar. It has the same inevitability as death and taxes.

[maggiepc]

They will not be open until 1/22. I am also wondering about food. Does anyone know? It looks beautiful.