In a world full of beer pubs and cocktail dens, let’s not forget about the simplicity a glass (or bottle) of wine can bring. There’s no time-consuming mixology or fussy kegs to mess with—just the pop of a cork or twist of a cap and a splash. Wine’s complexity also has a way of slowing things down and priming you to enjoy good food and company (or maybe it’s just those pricing markups). And while just about every sit-down restaurant in this city stocks wine, some are more deliberate about it than others, placing a focus on everything from storage to serving to food pairings. Here are our picks for the best wine bars in the District.
A plate of Cork bar snacks. (Photo by Moshe Zusman Photography)
CORK:Unlike some other restaurants along 14th Street, the wine selection at the cozy, dimly-lit Cork (you might have heard of them because they are suing Donald Trump) is unabashedly old school, honoring grapes from the classic European winemaking regions like France, Spain, and Italy. So, apologies to places like California, Argentina, and South Africa. It offers more than 50 wines by the glass (many around $10-$12) and 250 bottles. Peckish guests can fill up on rustic and seasonal small plates with pairing suggestions. Or go for something simple, like fries, charcuterie, or cheese. The date-ready restaurant is small and fills up fast, so reservations are a good call during peak hours.—Travis Mitchell
Cork is located at 1720 14th St. NW
LE BAR A VINS AT CHEZ BILLY SUD:Georgetown is about as charming a place in D.C. as you can find to sip a fine wine, and this wine bar adjacent to Chez Billy Sud (now the only Chez Billy in town) looks the part. The Bar a Vins (literally French for “wine bar”) has both space inside as well as a nice patio for soaking in the warm weather. It’s possible to drop a lot on a nice wine here, whether you want something from France, California, or somewhere else entirely. The food here trends toward the small grazing bites of meats, cheeses, and snacks that you’d expect at a wine bar. Head next door to the Obama-approved restaurant if you’re craving a full French meal.—Travis Mitchell
Le Bar a Vins is located at 1039 31st St. NW
The interior of Flight Wine Bar in Chinatown. (Photo by Flight Wine Bar)
FLIGHT WINE BAR: Duck into the wood-accented Flight for a glass of wine and some refuge from the crowds and tourist groups of Chinatown. Naturally, the menu here centers around themed flights of wine—25 in all. It’s an excuse to go with friends and taste even more. Each runs $18 for three geographically diverse selections. Pick options like “Around The World Rosé,” or “Not Your Grandmother’s Chardonnay.” There’s enough on the menu to keep regular wine drinkers and newbies interested. Should you happen to fall for a particular glass, many can be had for “mini” pours or a full glass. Discerning tastes can venture on to the “higher altitude” list of reserve selections. —Travis Mitchell
Flight Wine Bar is located at 777 6th St. NW
JUG AND TABLE: A visit to Jug and Table is a good excuse to essentially drown yourself in wine for a reasonable price. Select pours are available by the jug (worth two-and-a-half bottles or a hearty 12 glasses) for $30 to $50 during happy hour, Tuesday through Friday until 7 p.m., and all evening Wednesday. Dozens of other reds, whites, and rosés are also available by the glass ($5 at happy hour, including Saturdays). A mix of cheese and meat boards, marinated olives, steamed mussels, deviled eggs, and other light fare cleanse the snacking palette.—Kate Stoltzfus
Jug & Table is located at 2446 18th St NW
La Jambe is a lively bar with a European sensibility (Photo by David Bloom)
LA JAMBE: This French wine bar got a nod last year as one of our best new bars of 2016 thanks to its lively Parisian sensibility that avoids pretension. The space feels open, with lots of natural light. While other wine bars are focusing on local producers or scouring the globe for underrepresented grapes, the selection is entirely French. There are still more than enough interesting choices, and it’s a nice reminder that, when it comes to wine (and cheese), France knows its stuff. So why think too hard about it? Glasses are around $9 and up, and there are many bottles in the $40 range. La Jambe also stocks French beers and liquors along with regional cocktails like a French negroni and an armagnac sour. The kitchen turns out plates of cheese, charcuterie, and baguette sandwiches to complete the experience. It’s a quick way to get a hit of European travel without leaving the city.—Travis Mitchell
La Jambe is located at 1550 7th St. NW
MAXWELL PARK: Is it possible to be a purist who doesn’t take things too seriously? Award-winning sommelier Brent Kroll might argue yes. The by-the-glass wines at Maxwell Park are kept at one of four different temperature zones, the better to appreciate the aromas of particular varietals. Alongside that exactitude, though, you find the quirky and the laid-back. There’s July’s featured menu of uncommon Italian whites, entitled Anything But Pinot Grigio (ABPG), with a logo that’s a play on rock band AC/DC. Then there’s the bar’s slate surface, designed so sommeliers can ID samples for customers. In practice, it’s a blank canvas where patrons leave behind offbeat doodles or memorable wine quotes. This is the kind of place where it’s OK to admit that you like Riesling because it’s sweet. Rising-star sommelier Niki Lang, one of Kroll’s partners in the venture, can guide you to something new. So relax and enjoy, perhaps with a small plate by guest chef Tony Conte, who last worked with Kroll at The Oval Room. If you’re lucky, you may even catch Kroll teaching the skill he’s been known for since his stint at the St. Regis—opening a bottle of champagne with a saber.—Carmen Drahl
Maxwell Park is located at 1336 9th St. NW
PROOF: On busy nights, guests have to push their way through the crowd to reach the bar at Proof. Regulars, wine aficionados all, arrive early to grab a seat and a select bottle of Bordeaux or California cabernet sauvignon. But Proof is much more than a wine bar; it’s a wine restaurant replete with a solid dinner menu as well as charcuterie and cheeses. The wine bar experience extends to the dining tables where guests can order from 32 wines by the glass, poured from the stainless steel Enomatic machine located behind the bar. Not sure what wine to order? Ask a sommelier to help you find the perfect bottle to go with dinner.—Nathan Wilkinson
Proof is located at 775 G Street NW
A look at The Pursuit wine bar. (Photo by Rachel Sadon)
THE PURSUIT: I recently saw a Fringe show on the second floor of this small H Street spot, and found myself wildly distracted by the delicious smells wafting from below. The Pursuit is a neighborhood wine bar that definitely doesn’t neglect food, with options that go several steps beyond your standard cheese and/or charcuterie board, though they have both of those, too. Dining options also include spreads, small plates, bruschettas, and larger plates (for what it’s worth, Yelpers have mixed reviews about the brunch). Naturally, the wines are even more varied, with a diverse list printed on a delightfully unpretentious sheet of white paper. And let me tell you, the delightful sparkling rose (who knew they even made those?) went a long way toward making it through that Fringe show. Flights of five tastes, or three half pours, are available for a very reasonable $15— Rachel Sadon
The Pursuit Wine Bar is located at 1421 H St NE
RUTA DEL VINO: The wine bar stereotype (which generally keeps me pretty far away from wine bars) is dark and snooty with a tiny menu of unfulfilling snacks. This relative newcomer to the Upshur Street corridor food scene subverts all that, with an open and airy dining room and plenty of excellent options, both of drink and food. There’s a wide array of wines, largely from Chile and Argentina (the name translates to the wine route, or way of the wine). But you don’t need to be an expert to decipher the menu, with very helpful descriptors for the non-oenophile. Heck you (or a companion) don’t even need to like wine! Their cocktails are just as good as what you’d find at a cocktail-focused bar (including a caipirinha that doesn’t bastardize the classic Brazilian drink for a nice change). Meanwhile, the South American food isn’t an afterthought, with empanadas that are hearty and flaky at the same time and a generous grilled octopus that you may or may not fight your partner over (Now if only they’ll put the queijo coalho back on the menu…)— Rachel Sadon
Ruta del Vino is located at 800 Upshur St NW.
The patio at Tyber Creek in Bloomingdale. (Photo by Jeremy Robbin)
TYBER CREEK: Red, white, rose, and amber. The new kid on the Bloomingdale block brings not only the classic colors, but also the classical wine: amber, also known as orange wine, sourced from Georgia. It’s thought to be the first kind of wine crafted several millennia ago, well before your pinot hung out in temp-controlled steel barrels. Tyber Creek is just as much neighborhood hangout as wine bar, with its wraparound patio and family-friendly atmosphere, but the wine list is impressively approachable and wallet-friendly. And to make sure the millennials are happy, there are two wines on tap—and bottomless rosé at brunch.—Evan Caplan
Tyber Creek is located at 84 T St. NW
VINOTECA: Since opening in 2007, the neighborhood vibe at Vinoteca has made it easy to savor fine wine. Good thing the menu has plenty of pick from, no matter the region or style. Most wines are available in half or full pours as well as bottles. You’ll find some fortified wines here too, as well as tasty cocktails (try one with vermouth) and beer. People watch with a glass on the front patio, or retire to the sprawling outdoor plaza in the back to sip among friends—perhaps even over a game of bocce ball. Don’t ingore the eats either. A meal here is a destination all on its own. The menu bounces between light snacks, shareable appetizers, and heartier entrees. Standouts include chicken wings with chili miso butter and ribs with root beer glaze and jalapeno salsa.—Travis Mitchell
Vinoteca is located at 1940 11th St. NW
