The wine desert that has long been Clintonville recently found an oasis.
The Wine Bistro is not just the area’s newest wine bar, it is the only wine bar, and residents are flocking like safari animals to the first watering hole after a drought. Couples on dates, groups of women out for a bite, singles grabbing a glass — all have ventured out in high numbers since the opening last month.
I eagerly anticipated a visit the newest Wine Bistro location near the northeast corner of High Street and Henderson Road (others are in Upper Arlington, Dublin and Worthington) ever since the “coming soon” sign was posted. Finally there would be a walking-distance watering hole for my neighbors and I to gather to swirl, sip and socialize.
So excited was I for the opportunity that I actually convinced my mom to swing by on a Wednesday night, one day before I was due to write up the new stop for DuC.
For those who have not been to a Wine Bistro, it combines the warmth of a wine shop with the convenience of a tasting and culinary menu. Wine bottles from a variety of regions and varietals line the walls, and a by-the-glass menu of whites and another of reds, each listed from lighter to more complex. At the bottom of the glass menu are four flights, two red and two white.
Bottles are comparably priced to many wine stores, and the $8 corkage fee (waved Monday and Tuesday) is certainly reasonable.
By the glass, however, things get a bit hefty—and I don’t mean the grape quality.
Although the first two glasses listed were $7 (and went down to $5 during the 4-6 p.m., happy hour), the other offerings were almost all in double digits, and cabernet or zinfandel drinkers better be prepared to shell out $12, $14 or $16 for a 6-ounce glass.
The flights were similarly pricey, as a trio of 2 ounce red pours cost either $14 or $16, and the first night one of my classes came with a generous sampling of cork floating in the purple sea.
But that has not stopped Clintonville from flowing through the doors like an overturned magnum.
Without a reservation it was impossible to get a table at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night, though we ended up in a comfy lounge area. At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, our call ahead netted us one of the only available tables.
We wasted no time ordering glasses of the Tortoise Creek 2011 Carignan, a $5 happy hour special, with hints of blackberries and wild berries, and paired it with a hummus trio with pita for $9.50 and artisan cheese plate fruit and marmalade, which presented a slice of five different cheeses with bread and strawberries for a chunky $15.
While we waited dinner, I ventured into the cabernet flight, including a Raymond, a Hahn meritage and the Castello Di Bolgheri Varvara. The wine was complex and fulfilling, but interestingly came with just numbered tags, no names or descriptions. I had to request a return of the menu to recall what we were drinking.
For dinner we enjoyed a delicious grilled chicken pesto flat bread with caramelized opinion, and though the winery salad we ordered was delivered as a vineyard chicken salad, it was split without us asking and was tasty and filling.
The Wine Bistro is no doubt working out some bugs, but the fact remains that Clintonville has to be among the city’s most thirsty regions when it comes to wining and dining.
If the Wine Bistro experience can prove worthy of its price tag, it should continue to be one of the hottest tickets in this part of town.
