Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/61309
SCENE By Amy Sherman budget travelers. Th e only street access is from an alley, and down a set of stairs, giving it a hideaway feel. Th e Victorian décor carries into the bar where cream and brown walls are accented by red and gold touches with comfortable seating, tasteful antiques and vintage wine prints and maps. Working with concierges has helped put the location on the map for visitors who mingle with locals and regulars. fashioned, but the three young owners might be described as modern wine geeks and evangelists. Nikki Goddard has an advanced Wine & Spirit Education Trust certifi cate, Carolyn Johnson has a certifi cate from the Sommelier Society of America and Sarah Trubnick has certifi cates from both. Each have worked at wineries, in retail and at the current location under previous ownership. Th e small scale of the bar allows them to have greater interaction with guests, and to showcase their passion for obscure varietals and unfamiliar regions. Every six weeks the bar features a A NEW TAKE Th e bar feels cozy, informal and old The Barrel Room's entrance is hiddden in an alley. Th e Barrel Room A new look at many older world wines. W 20 since opening in August of 2011 has quickly built a loyal following. Just beyond Union Square in San Francisco, Th e Barrel Room is located in the back of the 54-room Fitzgerald, a Victorian-style, boutique hotel that caters to | APRIL 2012 ine bars typically depend on street traffi c to bring in customers, often have a "see and be seen" vibe, contemporary décor and menus with plenty of familiar choices. Th e Barrel Room has none of those and yet the glass and 160 bottles, priced from $27 to a high of $107. Th e bottle list grows as bottles of wines that were off ered by the glass from the previous region go into the cellar. Wines are organized by profi le such as light and crisp, aromatic, bold, plush, spicy or earthy making the esoteric menu more approachable. Th e owners and a third member of their team tasted more than 4,000 wines in two months before opening in August 2011. So what makes it on their list? Says Trubnick, "It has to be quality and if it's older it has to be incredible. Uniqueness is one of the major requirements. It has to be representative of where it's from." www.cheersonline.com diff erent region with wines by the glass as well as comparisons and fl ights. Flights are three glasses while the comparisons are a blind tasting of two half glasses. Says Trubnick, "Our best selling wine from the French rotation was an obscure pick, Domaine Ilarria Irouléguy ($11). Th at's success for us." Th e wine menu has about 48 wines by PAIGE HERMRECK