We put a call out for wine lovers, and boy did you respond. More than 200 grape nuts applied to be part of our wine bar Reader Review crew. After reading all of the applications and conducting dozens of interviews, we selected six savvy (and not-so-savvy) wine drinkers. Each Wednesday, they’ll give you their take on the town’s vino-sipping hot spots, covering everything from the wine list to the eye candy.
Now, meet the crew that’s going to pop your corks …
Dorothy Lam
Age: 29
‘hood: Old Town
Occupation: physician
Favorite sipping spot: Bin 36 (339 N. Dearborn St.312-755-9463) is my favorite place to sip wine–or as I like to call it, “happy grape juice.”
What’s more important at a wine bar: atmosphere or selection? The best part of wine is the warm and fuzzy feeling and the judgment impairment. You need the candlelit room and soft background music to increase the attractiveness of everyone around you.
Favorite wine: I love shiraz. It sparks memories of sitting on Sydney Harbor at night looking at the illuminated Opera House.
If I were a wine, I’d be . . . bursting with complex flavors; spicy, but smooth.
Eldon Boyd
Age: 36
‘hood: South Shore
Occupation: railway worker
Favorite sipping spots: Tasting Room (1415 W. Randolph St. 312-942-1313). The atmosphere is perfect for wine tasting. Webster’s Wine Bar (1480 W. Webster Ave. 773-868-0608) is another favorite. In the summer, there’s no better place; the selection’s exquisite.
Atmosphere or selection: Selection. Even if the atmosphere is crap, a great bottle of wine will let you put that aside.
Favorite wine: Pinot noir. It’s red, but not too heavy. In a good bottle, the fruits come alive in your mouth. One favorite is the 2003 Au Bon Climat.
If I were a wine, I’d be … fruity with hints of chocolate and oak, but not too dry.
Kelly Lavery
Age: 26
‘hood: Bucktown
Occupation: fundraiser
Favorite sipping spot: Meritage (2118 N. Damen Ave. 773-235-6434). It’s got an extensive wine list, great atmosphere (both for dates and with gal pals) and the waiters don’t make you feel like an idiot for asking questions–and the cheese plate is killer.
Atmosphere or selection: Wine shmine–even water tastes better when you’re in a cool environment with the right people!
Favorite wine: Pinot noir, a red that hits you in all the right spots. The pinot grigio box from Target isn’t that bad either.
If I were a wine, I’d be . . . sweet, quite bubbly, mellow and able to flirt the pants off a priest.
Bill Brooks
Age: 26
‘hood: Ukrainian Village
Occupation: construction
Favorite sipping spot: Enoteca Roma (2144 W. Division St. 773-342-1011), which has a very friendly environment with plenty of knowledge coming from the owner.
Atmosphere or selection: Both. I want a place that has a good selection, but also an inviting atmosphere.
Favorite wine: Three come to mind: 1983 Ducru-Beaucaillou that I had on my last birthday; the 1980 Heitz I opened for my anniversary with my fiance; and the 1995 Chateau Montrose I had with friends last Christmas
If I were a wine, I’d be …dry, with that musky barnyard smell that hits you full-on with the first whiff–but then I’d tend to open over time.
Lori Lehnhardt
Age: 33
‘hood: Uptown
Occupation: purchasing administrator
Favorite sipping spot: 404 Wine Bar (2852 N. Southport Ave. 773-404-5886) has the perfect balance of ambiance and wine selection. There is nothing better than sharing a bottle of riesling with a friend over a game of Scrabble.
Atmosphere or selection: Definitely wine selection. You can have a pretty face, but looks only can get you so far.
Favorite wine: Clean Slate, a riesling that costs only 10 bucks a bottle! For a red wine, I enjoy Mano y Mano, a cabernet from Spain.
If I were a wine, I’d . . . start off dry, with hints of berries, and end in a smooth, sweet finish.
Joe Fischel
Age: 24
‘hood: Boystown
Occupation: grad student
Favorite sipping spot: Joie De Vine (1744 W. Balmoral Ave. 773-989-6846) because I have never been disappointed by their selection. One can feel fabulous, anonymous, unpretentious and important all at the same time.
Atmosphere or selection: Atmosphere. A wine bar will always have something interesting. Boringness, ugliness and awkwardness–whether in the wine or the clientele–can ruin an evening.
Favorite wine: Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc. It’s smooth and goes perfectly with a spicy tuna roll.
If I were a wine, I’d be … I am an irreverent homo, and so describing myself as anything other than fruity seems disingenuous.
What should we call this Reader Review crew?
– The Sipsters
– The Vin Crowd
– The Label Mates
– The Grape Society
Vote now on metromix.com; find out the winning name next Wednesday.
