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possums101 t1_jai3qi3 wrote

Reply to comment by fandagan in New Restaurant and Wine Bar The Alps Coming To Jersey City Heights by mooseLimbsCatLicks

I meant what qualities make a proper wine bar.

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fandagan t1_jaifj6l wrote

That's a fair question. I am not OP so I can't say for them but for me it means a few things. Wine should be the main focus of the bar... Meaning it comes first on the menu. There should be a wide selection/variety of wine by the glass and bottle that changes over time (not the same 4-8 reds and whites available everywhere else). The staff should be somewhat knowledgeable about wine or at least the owner/manager should have a cheat sheet prepared so that you feel like you're talking to someone who is passionate about wine. And of course a more laidback, loungy atmosphere.

Other nice to haves include serving food specifically meant to accompany wine, tasting flights, the owner having special relationships with specific vineyards, celebrating Beaujolais Day, and so on.

Ideally, I'd want the wine equivalent of what Cork City is to beer in Hoboken. I always leave with another morsel of knowledge about beer or a brewery and I appreciate it. Third and Vine, for all its faults, was very much like how I described.

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jgweiss t1_jak2e0q wrote

I mean, ideally this place will not be lazy and deliver on a few of those fronts, specifically a rotating menu and wine-focused foods. they are moving in basically across from Lo Fi who are not shy about rotating their cocktails, so hopefully they rise to the occasion.

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bodhipooh t1_jaik4x8 wrote

THANK YOU. You nailed it. It is SO OBVIOUS there is nothing like that. Where I disagree is that I never felt Third and Vine was a real wine bar. It tried, and it did get some aspects right, but the ambiance was never quite right. Terroir in NYC was pretty close to a good version of a wine bar, very much wine focused, with food options tailored to pair well with the extensive wine options.

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