72 bottles of wine on the wall, 72 bottles of wine. Take one down and pass it around and they’ll just replace it with another one so there will still be 72 bottles of wine on the wall at Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro.
Tastings opened earlier this year in the Short North, overhauling the space formerly home to Camelot Cellars to create one of the largest selections of wine available by the glass in Central Ohio, with 72 wines available at pour-your-own tasting stations, additional selections sold by the bottle, plus a full bar of spirits and four local draught beers.
The tastings stations are simple: after purchasing a card, perusing the tasting notes printed above each bottle and selecting one to try, the digital display on the machine will tell you how much a two, four or six ounce pour will set you back. To dispense, just insert your card, press the button above the desired wine for the desired quantity, and hold your wine glass underneath. Presto. Vino.
The machines, which are temperature controlled, act both as a dispenser and a preserver for the wine.
“There’s food-grade nitrogen pumped from the basement through the floor and into the bottles, which makes every pour like the first pour,” said Tastings General Manager Lisa Jordan.
Jordan says bottles can remain on the station for up to 30 days and maintain their quality,
“It gives you the opportunity to taste wines that no bar around here sells by the glass,” said Jordan.
While wine tastings are set at restaurant prices, whole bottles are available at market price with no corkage fee. Tastings offers a full food menu and hosts wine pairings every other Wednesday and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Columbus is the second location for Tastings — the first is in Indianapolis.
Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro is located at 958 N High Street in the Short North.
