New York and San Francisco are often cited as leading wine culture in this country, but back in the early aughts, too many wine bars were as pretentious as they were inaccessible.
In New York, wine bars were either too slick to be convivial, or too faux-rustic to take seriously. With the exception of a few spots — such as Webster’s Wine Bar — Chicago, with its general affinity for bigger names and brands of wine, wasn’t faring much better. In both cities, it seemed that wine was a status symbol, not a beverage for enjoyment. The bartender often knew little about the wine, sometimes serving pinot noir and merlot interchangeably (true story). Malbec that tasted of rubber and chardonnay as thick as a stick of butter made up the wine list, which touted not well-loved vineyards, but places as generic as California or Australia in their entirety — though “terroir” has always been part of the wine conversation, you wouldn’t have known it from those lists.
And whereas one could go to any bar and order a drink without fuss, there was always too much attention paid to the ceremony of wine — lots of tasting notes and sniffing and swirling — that wouldn’t happen if one ordered, say, Helles or saison beers.
With uninteresting wine lists, uneducated staff and weird vibes, wine bars of the early 2000s were decidedly not fun. People can drink wine anywhere — why go to a wine bar?
Thankfully, a new generation of wine bar is upon us, moving away from the pretension of the past and downplaying wine’s association with luxury. Instead, these bars — drop the “wine,” thank you — are cribbing notes from their craft beer and cocktail counterparts, pushing for hospitality first, wine geekery second.
Witness three Chicago bars, set to open in the next few weeks — Income Tax in Edgewater, Red & White in Bucktown and The Lunatic, The Lover & The Poet in the West Loop are channeling a passion for people-focused wine service to redefine the drinking experience.
“Parts of the wine industry have become more exclusive than inclusive,” says Thomas Powers, the managing partner of Lunatic, Lover & Poet (736 W. Randolph St.). “We want a place where it’s not so serious — we just want to dial it down, have some fun.” LLP is seeking to tap into Chicago’s burgeoning wine scene by offering something different, according to Powers, with value offered upfront — of the 24 wines on tap, 10 will cost less than $10 a glass. But these aren’t just run-of-the-mill wines. Powers, also LLP’s sommelier, handpicked all the selections, a 50-50 spread of American and European wines.
“I’m sensitive to finding the best producers at the best price points, with an understanding about what’s happening in Europe and here,” says Powers. “Do I choose the lower-priced sauvignon blancs from Quincy and Touraine, or that $45 bottle of California sauvignon blanc? When I see Cal-Ital stuff (lingo for California wines made from Italian varieties), how does it compare to Chianti and Chianti Classico, which offer great value? I think about how my customer feels when they get the check.”
Powers uses his vast industry experience to suss out bottles from small producers but also respected winemakers — offering a mix of approachable and geeky wines. “If guests just want to drink, they can do that. If they want an education, we’re here for them. Guests should get what they want out of the experience — we don’t want to dictate our interactions with them.”
The same goes for Income Tax (5959 N. Broadway), an Edgewater wine project owned by Nelson Fitch, and helmed by general manager Collin Moody and chef Ryan Henderson. They’ll open their project this month, with a focus on classic wines from lesser known regions, particularly from Germany, France and Italy.
Fitch, who used to work at renowned wine and spirits shop Independent Spirits — just two doors down from Income Tax — saw an opportunity to create a no-frills neighborhood spot that tapped into Edgewater’s burgeoning interest in beverages. “It’s a really diverse neighborhood in many ways, and we saw a range of customers at Independent Spirits,” says Fitch. “People are starting to look at bringing food and wine together on the table — we sold more ‘everyday’ bottles than expensive ones. I saw lots of people getting excited about sherry, even Burgundy, people gravitating towards these amazing regions.”
Fitch and Moody are working in tandem to source the bar’s wine selections, often with an eye toward smaller producers dedicated to sustainable, organic, biodynamic or natural viticulture and production.
“We’re not checking off boxes, like pinot noir from Sonoma, or a malbec from Argentina,” says Moody.
Fitch agrees: “We’re advocating for bottles and wines that we’re connected to, and what they bring to a table of food and friends.”
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“Our program is personality-driven,” says Moody. “We seek out things we love, and where (Fitch) and I meet translates to what ends up on the menu. We like classical wines in the sense that they represent the region really well. For example, Burgundy, but a more aromatic style beyond the telltale earthiness. We’ll have white Burgundy, too, but alongside chardonnay from the Jura — even reds, like poulsard, will be alongside Beaujolais. We are instilling balance to the list in a very particular way.”
Similarly, Red & White in Bucktown is expanding its retail presence with a next-door wine bar (1861 N. Milwaukee Ave.), as reported in October. Described at the time by owner Nathan Adams as inspired by Parisian wine bars, the operation will offer bottles not stocked in the natural wine-focused store, and will feel more like a cafe than a bar.
These new casual wine dens do have some precedent in Chicago. They’re picking up the torch from such spots as Webster’s Wine Bar (now at 2601 N. Milwaukee Ave.), originally opened in 1994. It has perfected the model of this neighborhood spot, as has Rootstock (954 N. California Ave.), opened in Ukrainian Village by former employees of Webster’s. “When it comes to any kind of bar, whether it’s beer or wine, show that you know what you’re doing,” says Tom MacDonald, co-owner of Webster’s. “Having a strong focus, offering something new, geeking out a little bit — it excites people.”
For MacDonald, the cornerstone of his success has been his staff. “It’s just fermented grape juice. They’ll learn what they need to learn in time. It’s more important for staff to be comfortable, for them to learn the stories behind the wines we source. Bigger names like Kendall-Jackson and Bud Light — they’re fine, but there are other stories to be told, and people are curious.”
Back at Income Tax, Moody echoes this sentiment. “So much of the concept of the bar comes from our conversations with wine on the table and in the glass. Wine can so often be about rules and ‘what’s right,’ which comes off as exclusionary and dogmatic — at the end of the day, it is meant to be enjoyed, and that part of the conversation seems to be forgotten.”
Twitter @joeybear85
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