The combination of live jazz, tasty plates, and wine bar atmosphere makes Cafe Montmartre a hip place to hang out in downtown Madison. It's advertised as a wine bar/jazz cafe, but, unfortunately, it only really succeeds in the jazz part.
In my opinion, a wine bar should have much more selection than six reds, six whites, and a handful of sparkling and port wines. To its credit, it does offer a decent bottle of each of the most popular varietals, so there's something for everyone. And the half-price bottles on Monday night almost make up for its small selection. On my Monday visit, we had three bottles of red between five people and munched on the complimentary bread and olive oil. The 14 hands Cabernet was my favorite of the bunch. My hope is that they change their wine line-up frequently.
As for the jazz, the group that played on the night I was there was fantastic. Unfortunately, the music makes it impossible to hear anyone, so go early if you want to enjoy your wine with conversation.