eclectic EATS and sumptuous SIPS: Wine Spot

The hushed buzz of good conversation over great wine and the constant hum of popular music fill Wine Spot’s intimate lower level. A warm fireplace, little lanterns on each table and dim lighting set a far away atmosphere, complete with comfortable chairs and ornamented mirrors. The upper level has a similar feeling, distant from the realities of the bustling city and closer to elsewhere.

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Wine Spot (see more here) is not only an ambiance that transports and dislodges the forces of time; it is also a place to indulge in a deliciously curated wine selection. Owner and sommelier Gabriela Arzola has crafted a precise assortment of international wines. A rich and full Atteca Granacha Old Vines from Spain would coat the tongue of any wine drinker supplying distinct satisfaction. Or a juicy and sweet Clean Slate Riesling would tingle the taste buds of connoisseurs and newbies alike. Fresh and fruity house favorite red sangria could provide refreshing relief. Wine Spot also offers tours of Italy, Spain and the USA through its wine flights; travel with just a sip.

 A hand-selected wine menu is definitely a highlight of the wine bar, but the list of global tapas-style dishes and cheese and meat plates only add excellence.

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A classic bowl of macaroni and cheese would warm any soul, but the truffle mac & cheese at Wine Spot gives the comfort food an update. Creamy and aromatic, the pasta dish is laced with just enough truffle to heighten the adult flavors of the Italian Fontana cheese. The delicate flourish of dried rosemary bringing something distinct and different in taste and texture.

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Tucked in a tiny casserole dish the choripan dish offers a complete and round flavor profile, featuring Spanish chorizo nestled in a light potato roll. Biting into the elevated hotdog, welcomes the pop of the sausage’s outer skin and the rush of the fatty meat. A ribbon of an herbed aioli adds further elegance, while tomato slices and buttery lettuce capture familiarity. The mix brings to mind utter comfort and gastronomical delight.

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The two arepas come with a tiny squeeze bottle of chipotle mayo for optional enhancement. The arepa de queso is soft from the liquid of the fresh mozzarella cheese wedged between the two light Venezuelan corn cakes. The corn is not overwhelming, but is just enough to add texture and a feeling of somewhere else. Even though the tender shredded beef of the arepa de carne mecha is a little wet and greasy, the cake is unaffected but rather soaks up the delicious flavors of spices and time.

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Wine Spot’s tres leches is sinful, sumptuous and seductive. It is dense with layers of cake and sweet luxury topped with a necessary indulgent swirl of whipped cream. The healthy portion feels like a cross between soaked cake and an indolent pudding, laden with caramelized notes of sweetened condensed milk. Each spoonful is a getaway and happiness.

The rich combination of plush wines, eclectic eats and an inviting atmosphere makes Wine Spot the consummate hangout and leisurely escape.

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raise your GLASS: Wine Spot expands

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There is something almost magical about the newly expanded Wine Spot. Once you cross the threshold you are transported to somewhere else. You leave behind the feeling of a fast paced city, time slows down, and you even lose track of where you are.
  

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The first floor of the 200-year-old Greenwich Village row house, that used to be Tea Spot, is newly renovated and the new addition to Wine Spot. Upstairs is rustic—heavy and wooden, and modern—metallic and delicate at the same time. Intimate details and ornate flourishes on the lower level also bring you out of the now, allowing you to comfortably drink deeply your wine, taste fully your tapas and occasionally be enchanted by the sounds of rhythmic flamenco.

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The harmonious and eclectic aesthetic is translated to the beverage program and tasty food menu and created by owner and sommelier Gabriela Arzola. The cozy wine bar hosts a wide sampling of wines by the glass or the bottle at affordable prices. Arzola compares the study of wine to “traveling the world.” Her curated wine list allows patrons to visit France, Chile and Germany, amongst others, via wine glass. Arzola has crafted “Wine Flights,” which are tastings of different wines, creating veritable tours of Italy, Spain and California.

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Wine Spot holds onto its past as well, paying homage to the Tea Spot that once occupied the first floor. It mixes up cocktails, which can be prepared without alcohol, most featuring global teas that were available at the Tea Spot. 
 

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Arzola emphasizes that the food offered at Wine Spot “is as varied as the wine selection.” The menu tickles many different corners of the world with tapas-like dishes, like chicken satay, Spanish chorizo, Venezuelan beef arepas, and Gorgonzola filled meatballs, all produced with high quality ingredients. Large and small meat and cheese platters with optional wine pairings are also on the menu, creating a dynamic experience. 
 

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Wine Spot is a place where you can forget, but will not be forgotten. The carefully orchestrated food and wine menus ensure there is something for everyone. For those who are not wine experts, the staff is extremely helpful in decoding wine, but there is also plenty for the connoisseurs to relish. Arzola explains that Wine Spot already has regulars and the “clientele likes to come and sit with a glass of wine and do work.” It has become a neighborhood spot, where old friends can chat over cheese and wine after work, or new friends can get to know each other sharing sliders. Wine Spot offers wine, but also a vacation across time and space, an escape.

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Wine Spot

127 Macdougal St

New York, NY 10012

Ph. (212) 505-1248

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