Are we getting old, or is wine just getting younger? The latter doesn’t make sense, otherwise that would mean we would still be sucking on Boones. Perhaps our infatuation with fermentation comes with accessibility. Colorado is finally hopping on the vino bandwagon and wine bars are our steward to truly enjoying a fine glass of varietal bliss. A scene that used to be limited to stiffs in suits who would swirl, sniff and “hmm” their way into to the retirement community is starting to reach out. You don’t have to be a wine snob to get to the bottom of a bottle at these grape havens. In fact, almost all of them have a staff on hand to help guide you through selecting a vintage, so don’t feel pressured when on a date. Or better yet, take a date you don’t like as much for the first round, learn a bit of vineyard know-how, then take someone you really like to the next dinner and you’ll seem like a pro.
Drink it through the grapevine
Cheers to five fine wine bars
March 1, 2009
Solera Restaurant & Wine Bar
5410 E. Colfax Ave. -
Denver
This elegant, upscale restaurant is among the finest dining locations in east Denver, and a showpiece of the Historic Park Hill neighborhood. Solera's wine list, as befits something calling itself a “wine bar,” is vigorous and detailed, and the resident sommeliers are like professors of the vine, sharing information and their love for wine in a manner that suggests an excited teenager waxing poetry over a new PS3. The atmosphere is calm and romantic, perfect for a dinner for two. You won’t get away cheap, but then again, this ain’t Burger King
Paris Wine Bar
1549 Platte St. - DenverIf your headache is still minimal and the stress of your day is really getting your panties in a wad, then up your class and drink some wine already! If you're not a wine-o yet, it is never too late to start. The Paris Wine Bar will help you out in the department. With gobs of alcoholic grape juice to choose from, you are bound to leave as one happy gus and wake up with that charming wine headache the next day. This classy joint located on Platte St., makes all your wine dreams come true--with dessert wines, white wines and even some sparkling wine to end your day with a boom. If you're feeling a little sleepy after your bottle, go ahead and order that delicious cup of coffee. They have small meals, but don't plan on their food to soak up your wine by the end of the night.
The b.side Lounge
2017 13th St. - BoulderWine-os: this place was made for you. With over 100 wines to tickle your fancy, this restaurant is like 2-in-1 shampoo. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s an excellent music venue as well. Holding over 150 people in the backroom, many bands have jammed out in this venue. Namedropping time: The Thrills and Adam Green are two groups that have visited this fabulous venue. And it is a place to check out up-and-comers. We’ve covered their wine list but you need to know they have a bottomless wine happy hour! Yup, whip out your Tylenol because this place is wine-terific!
Vines Wine Bar
19501 E. Main St. - ParkerWhen you've been to one-too-many bars with quarter PBR specials and seen one-too-many drunken sorority girls throwing up in Larimer Square, it's time to move on to something a little more classy. Wine and tapas sounds so much more sophisticated than nachos and beer, doesn't it? With more than 100 wines by the glass (and nearly double that by the bottle), there's something for everyone - even your keg-stand-king roommate. If you're looking for a slightly older version of that drunk sorority girl, try Vines on Wednesdays for "Wine, Wild Women & Song," when house wines are just $3 a glass.
Bistro Al Vino
15352 E. Ida Dr., #E - CentennialWhen you dedicate your life to good wine and food and then nearly have that life ripped from you from throat cancer, only to win your battle, what do you do? If you're Al ‘Vino’ you open a bistro that of course encompasses the things you’ve devoted your life to, but at the same time you add in a new found belief in living every second to its fullest. At Al Vino’s, everything is tailored to packing in as much fun as you can. Now we don’t mean in a Chuck E. Cheese, tokens for novelties kind of way, we mean in a Rock ‘n’ Roll, good times kind of way. Al knows how to show you a good time all you have to do is show up.
