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| - Technically I'm giving a score of 4.5/5.
My husband and I went here the other night and were delighted by this place. From the ambiance to the wine offerings, it's definitely a place to visit if you enjoy tasting an array of wines in a very relaxed atmosphere. In this review I'll give some highlights along with a suggestion or two for the owners:
THE GOOD
1.) Ambience and decor
The place is on the small side but you would never know with the beachy, nautical theme which softens the place and adds a sense of calm. I'm from the East coast so I personally enjoyed the Oceanside feel despite it being in the 30's outside. Antique white shiplap, nautical blues, soft wood colors, and random pineapple decorations are just really pleasant (and surprising) in the Midwest. Also, shoutout to the owners for no cheesy 'Beach' decor. The subtly is a huge appeal.
2.) The Wine!
16 wines on 'tap' (8 reds, 7 whites, 1 rosé). You can choose from 3 different sizes. My husband and I chose to do the 2oz tasting size so we could try as many wines as we could stomach. I think we both managed to taste 6 different wines before calling it quits. The owners provide written descriptions of each wine, and while they are not full descriptions, they certainly point out the most potent fruit/nut flavors you can instantly pick-up. The machines are very easy to use and the bartender (who happened to be the husband of one of the owners) was very willing to show everyone how to use it. Regarding the breakdown of the wine selection, I was super excited to see a Tempranillo and a Barbera in the red selection! However I think the white selection was a little more thought-out in terms of flavor gradients.
3. The bartender
It's a one-person show at this place. The bartender takes care of everything from preparing the snacks, to explaining the wine self-service, to checking bathrooms, and washing glassware. But it never seemed overwhelming for the steadfast bartender. The bartender was incredibly friendly which I think is vitale for a place like this. Some people may assume that 'wine bar' is synonymous with 'pretentiousness' but here they are stark opposites! The bartender was casual yet professional. He would chat with us while smoothly transitioning to assist new customers only to casually round back and keep chatting. It was almost like hanging out at a friends house, if said friend had a 16-wine dispenser.
4.) Cheese plate
The hubs and I are suckers for cheese plates, but also realize the practicality of eating something while tasting all these different wines. We ordered the creama kasa and manchego(both of which were super yum). We were delighted to see healthy portions of both cheese along with an ample amount of crackers and some dried apricots. The serving size was surprisingly large for the price (in comparison to other cheese boards offered in Madison). They offered the wine pairing suggestions which we tried and appreciated.
SUGGESTIONS
1.) Charcuterie
Adding some cured meats to the board options could be nice some people who might need something a little more substantial.
2.) Wine cards!
While my husband and I were tasting and discussing the wines, we found ourselves wanting to write down some notes. I'm not sure how enthusiastic other people are at the prospect of wine tasting however, it could be a cool option to have some pieces of paper to fill out with personal thoughts on the wine. It would be nice to be able to remember which wines we tasted so the next day (after the wine-over is gone), we can look back and remember which wines we were fond of. (You could also use it as a 'review the wine' system to get feedback on what the customers liked about each wine and what aromas/tastes/etc they picked up)
3.) wine descriptions
I think the wine descriptions are headed in the right direction but were lacking information. I'm not sure if this was done intentionally to make the wines more approachable, but more detailed descriptions for people who are more into wine tasting could be nice.
OVERALL
My husband and I were absolutely delighted by the place. Fairly priced, relaxing atmosphere, and good wines. We are planning another visit in a few weeks to try a new batch of wines! Great idea from the business ladies!!
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