Grapevine: Celebrating the Upcoming Holidays at My Favorite Wine Bars
Celebrating the Upcoming Holidays at My Favorite Wine Bars
The holiday season is upon us. Celebrations with family, friends and business associates are beginning to ramp up. What better way to relax with friends or family than at the modern-day American version of the English pub, the wine bar.
In northern Westchester, we have two outstanding examples. In Mt. Kisco, Pour Café and Wine Bar, at 241 East Main Street, has been a mainstay for revelers the last eight years. In Pleasantville, Batonnage Wine Bar, at 10 Marble Avenue, will soon be celebrating its fifth anniversary.
Each wine bar offers unique slants on the traditional wine bar theme.
Pour Café and Wine Bar (pourmtkisco.com)
At Pour, you feel like you’re visiting a rich relative’s home. It is a refurbished 19th century Victorian, with intimate candle-lit rooms resplendent with comfortable sofas and lounge chairs. But you are attracted to the bar, where bottles of rare spirits are on display – and open for your consumption.
Your host, Anthony Colasacco, wants to replicate this experience. So pull up a seat, engage him in conversation and take advantage of his largesse, all at reasonable prices.
“Pour is the place to come and discover boutique spirits, small production wines and small plates folks won’t find elsewhere in Westchester,” says Anthony. “We are the place to discover new and unique flavors in an intimate setting.”
Here is the breakdown of the vastness of Pour’s offerings. Space doesn’t permit a discussion of its breadth and depth.
By the glass:
16 wines (8 each of white and red)
10 cocktails
100 bourbons and ryes (also offered in five select sets of flights)
By the bottle:
12 beers
62 wines (28 whites; 39 reds)
Small plates:
A well-conceived menu of cheeses and charcuteries plus six flatbreads with alluring gastronomic toppings. A must nightcap for chocoholics: Vosges Mo’s Dark Chocolate Bacon Bar.
Batonnage (batonnagewinebar.com)
David Paljevic, the manager, is working hard to re-invent the wine bar. His lists tend to be more expansive than others and he offers a unique flight concept. All by-the-glass selections of wine, whiskeys and scotches are available as choose-your-own small pours of one to three ounces in multiples of three choices (flights). For example, pick any three of the 48 bourbons and ryes to sample in one ounce portions, then enjoy a more generous portion of your favorite.
David and his father, Paul (the owner of Batonnage and its next-door neighbor, Eurospa), have created a New York City vibe in the wine bar. The high-top tables in the front room and the lounge seating in the rear room invite patrons to relax in a sophisticated atmosphere. From the teak flooring to the corkwood composition vaulted ceiling, from the hand-crafted fixtures to the onyx bar top, Batonnage is cosmopolitan and urbane.
David will soon be introducing Flight Passport, his promotional app, which will capture your on-premise flight purchases for your future visits. For every five flights purchased, you receive a sixth flight gratis.
“It’s about the experience,” says David. “My goal is to stock the familiar and the unfamiliar, so try something different when you visit.”
Jordan Vazquez, Batonnage’s mixologist, has crafted an eclectic cocktail list (try his version of the Old Fashioned). “Tell me the style and ingredients you prefer in a cocktail and I’ll create a personalized mixed drink on the spot,” Jordan offers adventurous bar patrons.
The current beverage lists:
By the glass:
20 wines (10 each of white and red, plus flights)
8 sparkling wines
17 cocktails
68 Bourbons, ryes and scotches (plus flights)
2 Sangrias
4 Margaritas
8 Ports
3 Aperitifs
By the bottle:
26 beers
129 wines; half and full bottles (32 whites; 94 reds; 3 Roses)
Small plates:
An extensive menu of cheeses and charcuteries. Try the truffle burrata bruschetta or one of the five personal-size gourmet pizzas.
Note: Batonnage will change its name in January to Flight Wine and Whiskey Bar. Stay tuned for announcements.
Wine bars have evolved into much more than the monolithic outposts of the last century. Whether you are a novice, a casual drinker or a highly particular tippler, today’s wine bars are committed to satiating your appetite – and curiosity.
Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 20 years he has conducted numerous wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine
