It seems wine bars are popping up more frequently than celebrity pregnancies these days. But what happens when two grape-world heavyweights open bars on the same April weekend in up-and-coming neighborhoods?
In one corner stands
Bacaro L.A., from former
A.O.C. sommelier and wine buyer Santos Uy. Bowing to a burning desire to satisfy his inner entrepreneur, Uy left his post at A.O.C. to offer his own wine-soaked vision in USC's University Park area. In the other corner, Adam Fleischman, formerly of
BottleRock, has launched
Vinoteque. Leaving his former downtown Culver City stomping grounds behind, Fleischman’s new home on the fringe of Culver City incorporates distinctive twists on the wine bar you’re used to.
How do they stack up?
Bacaro L.A.
Wine lists: Much like Bacaro’s location, the list is off the beaten path. Uy taps into vintages from all around the world and favors small production runs. He describes the selection as “weird."
How many bottles are available by the glass? At launch there are 20 available, but the number will fluctuate between 15 and 25.
Standout wine selection of the moment: Uy’s personal favorite is Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, a red with a unique rose-petal characteristic that boasts a peppery kick.
Best bang for your buck: Erbaluce di Caluso, a white wine from Italy that's well worth $6 a glass.
Storage and service: They open the bottle and pour it in the glass—quick and simple. Says Uy, “We don’t use machines.”
Food: Easy, delicious finger foods such as Marcona almonds, cicheti with truffle butter, polenta squares, and bruschetta with Tuscan white beans or heirloom tomatoes.
Cheese plate: Only features three selections—right now it’s blue, goat and sheep—but changes as often as the wine menu.
Atmosphere: Definitely happening, with a university crowd. Bacaro mixes the simplicity of a local neighborhood hangout with the kind of finesse you’d expect from a wine bar. Seating and small tables line either side of the chalkboard walls, which display the best vintages and the food menu. (They also provide patrons an opportunity to write down their e-mail addresses to join the mailing list.) It can get a little crowded, but all the better for to snuggle up with your favorite glass of grapy goodness.
Vision: Though Uy would eventually like to launch a series of Bacaros, he’s focusing all his attention on this one to start. “I just want it to be a great, inexpensive place to get a bite to eat and a glass of wine,” he says. So far, so good.
Vinoteque
Wine lists: This is the place to find wine you won’t see anywhere else in the world. Some selections even come from people’s personal cellars, helping make Vinoteque a true oenophile’s destination.
How many bottles are available by the glass? Eight to 12 bottles are opened daily for glass pours, but every bottle is available by the glass upon request. The remainder is then announced via a digital ranking system and auctioned off by the quarter. The busier it is, the more opportunity you’ll have to try different wines by the glass.
Standout wine selection of the moment: Their biodynamic wines, featuring organic grapes from crops that have been cultivated in conjunction with the lunar calendar and allegedly "blessed."
Best bang for your buck: The average price is about $10 a glass, but the bargain comes in with a 2005 Huntington Petite Syrah at $7 a glass.
Storage and service: One entire wall is a dedicated wine rack, while daily specials are secured on the wall for patrons to get a good look. From there it’s strictly “uncork and pour into Riedel stemware and decanters.”
Food: Upscale bar noshing is the name of the game, with each plate created to fit a wine (as opposed to the other way around). For example, the pistachio beet tower with goat cheese and blood orange pairs with the 2006 Presidio Syrah Biodynamic, while the truffle grilled cheese on Breadbar pan di mie mates with a 2006 Cascina Adelaide Dolcetto (an Italian red).
Cheese plate: Patrons can make their own cheese plates by choosing three for $10 or five for $15. Sounds easy, but with 20 cheeses to choose from, you might have to talk everyone at your table into ordering one.
Atmosphere: Upscale hip, minus the snobbery. Designer Ana Henton has crafted a space that's both sleek and inviting, and live jazz is icing on the cake. The African cork ceiling in the shape of the logo—two bottles of wine and a glass in the negative space—is a nice touch, adding a little fun to the sophisticated elegance of the space. Wine lovers from all over congregate here; it’s not unusual to see curious 20-somethings sipping alongside 60-something lovebirds.
Vision: Vinoteque aims to a full sensory experience, from the moment you walk in to the moment you leave. From the sound of music to the taste of the wine to the feel of the metallic rubber walls in the bathroom, Vinoteque leaves no stone unturned when it comes to creating an immersive environment.
