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Wine bars

Fine places to sample vintages far and wide

By Josh Shreve and Katie Maurer

Special to Metromix
July 7, 2009

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Lauren Ernst brings wine to a table at 20 Brix. (Credit: David Sorcher | File)

Do you think wine is meant to be sipped on the balcony of a Tuscan villa or paired meticulously with the right cheese? That's not necessarily so - good wine need not be reserved for finishing school graduates. Local wine bars preserve the refinement that accompanies fine wine while making it over-the-counter accessible. You can sample vintages created nearby and worldwide by glass and bottle without having to charter a plane to the Napa Valley at these local spots.

The Avenue Lounge

411 Madison Ave. - Covington

859-261-6120

Covington's Avenue Lounge has a nice selection of reasonably priced, quality wines. It also has the inside track on unheralded vintages from Kentucky, notably those of Horseshoe Bend Vineyards of Willisburg. Wine enthusiasts may scoff, but Kentucky wineries are on the rise, wringing bold taste from the limestone-rich soil of the Bluegrass State. The lounge's wines are all available by glass and bottle: $5 per glass during happy hour and ranging from $6-$8 afterwards.

Argentine Bean Bistro and Wine Bar

2875 Town Center Blvd. - Crestview Hills

859-426-1042

Crestview Hills' Argentine Bean prides itself on coffee and good wine. More than 35 wines are on hand, with some especially enticing selections from South America including the PKNT (Chile), priced moderately at $6.50 per glass. Quality Cabernet, Shiraz, Pinot and Merlot can also be had for $6 a glass. The 1919 Malbec is in constant demand, though not an impulse buy at $38 per bottle.

The Wine Cellar

1101 St. Gregory St. - Cincinnati

513-241-9009

The Wine Cellar has a breadth and depth in wine selection that is difficult to match. Forty to 60 wines are available by the glass, depending on what's in stock. The obscure and exotic are in evidence, as are tasty whites and rosés for summertime. You should be able to get a cheap, good wine for $6-$7. The Wine Cellar is also the home of the "heavy pour," which fills wine glasses to the tune of 8 oz.

20 Brix

101 Main St. - Cincinnati

513-831-2749

20 Brix is a wine bar, restaurant and retail store that prides itself on the quality and selection of its wine list. The bar hosts regular wine and beer tastings that come with a food pairing from one of 20 Brix's experienced chefs. Bring home a bottle of your favorite taste from the on-site retail store. The restaurant also has occasional wine/beer tastings for $35 on Tuesdays. If you want something to snack on while having your wine, try one of the thin-crust, bistro-style pizzas.

Awakenings Coffee

2734 Erie Ave. - Cincinnati

513-321-2525

Some Hyde Park denizens still remember when Awakenings was just a coffee house. Since diversifying its business, the Hyde Park Square outfit has established itself as a place to drink good wines in a laid-back atmosphere. Highly-rated wines hold sway and are often reasonable in price. Patrons can walk in, purchase a bottle and drink it right at the bar with no corking fee. Every Thursday through Sunday features $10-$20 tastings, with space reserved on the wine bar for walk-ups to sample an array of vintages often united by a common geography. The tasting consists of 3 oz pours of four wines from a menu of eight (four reds, four whites) and a cheese plate. The Campos Reales is a good value at $10.99 a bottle, while the Luca Sirah (2006) - at $27.99 - is a satisfying, high-quality wine that would likely go for $60 or more at fancy restaurants.