Sa PUPS Te ISSR eye De ad aol TS a $4.95 | JUNE 2082 lll 96> 74820187 S80 Peo) 2) EVERY NIGHT'S A DINNER PARTY AT Lyi toa) ose ues PME I AN DM USEDeo con reg Pe Cee Drag see acc: t would be easy to label wine a:thesethesded stepehibd ofr drinking scene. Artisan cocktails and craft beers monopolize smo haar these days. Isto that we jet vine loge. ‘We st sip it with es enthusiasm than in other parts af the country Georgia wine consumption grows around 2 percent anruall the average ntlonal market eine is closer oa pret (They cal American now consumes 26 gallons of wine a year) And wine lovers certainly fet the los when fine-dining restaurants like Joe; the Diniag Room atthe Ritz-Carkon, Buckhead, and Craft closed in the last ew yenrs. Bach had eccentric, encyclopedic beverage pro sgramsthat appealed toa wie swath of tastes an, ys, budgets, devoted group of restaurant and retail pros keeps our wine calture quietly advancing, In place of exhaustive tomes, most of the citys {nt\guing restaurant ls are now smaller and more personal, curated by wonderful Iy opinionated wine direcorslike Steven Grubbs of Empire State South and Athens Five and Ten, Hell happily sell youn bombast California Chardonnay or Cab, but bbe rather introduce you toa lemony Falanghina from Campania, Kal oran earthy, ‘cherry scented Pinot Nor from Burgundy: Grubbs, i turn, praises cmallr distribu tors ke Atlanta's Quality Wine &eSpirts and Duluth’s Avant Partr, who import less~ sr-knowa,often-Old World boutique wines and offer more personalize service than raammath wholesalers like Southern Wine & Spirit, which has offices nationwide One major frustration voiced by Grubbs and other sommeliers: Georgia lw doestit allow resiaurantstobuy from private colletors, from whom they coud purchase, say, properly tered 198afirt growth Bordeaux that would thrill moneyed aiconsdos. In 2008 Georgia legislators did gratify oznophiles by passing a direet-ship rule, ‘which alos state residents to ocder online from wineries and have up year delivered te their doorsteps. And inorder to void the flagrant masleaps and im- ited selections at some restaurants, many wine lovers stay home for their most serous Despite ts diminished profil rwelve cases imbibing. The changein restaurant climate has given rise to specialist shops (my favor ites relisted in the following pages) that caer to the preci tastes ofthe cieneles ‘The nectar ofthe vines might find more of an audience iit had a messianic voice cr pulpit proselytizing its virtues, Cocktails have Holeman and Finch’s Greg Best, beer hae the national huzzahe bestowed on Bek Store Pub wine need 2 similarly charismatic booster in Atlanta fo achieve the wider recognition and enjoyment it so eserves. BA, ‘The priate tabi Ari's wine rocm ee ARIA Dashing wie decor Antes oat compiles he ost egaltaie selecton intown ¥ie2s0. roughly Dalarces Old Wot ard New Wer fama anéesoerte, a prices al Hiesstoplease every possible The wine rogram more the cs sive pilosoahy of dene Getry lish’ New Amertan ene, tien ult favarestkecrab kes, fired salmon, and short rib with DRINETAES Gert pc, becber foswace 2008 Maysana Este cane ino! Nb fon Oregon's Wilamete Vale 73.490 ost aces Ferny Poe, BARCELONA WINE BAR Were otkiddingaurses We kaow the runaway sucess of his naan Far ‘uost ofa sal, Connect based operation ie duo mere te thozexy usted Geer ard men of funtap93 ‘hantothe amazing ececc wine list wah more than 250 selections. Hee uly the tnooledgadl savor are oonngcnes te dscover the ope Dt powertorse varietals tom Span, Pertual ard South Americ. Gn Sun Aoyebetie elforball pic, making forays nt elder Rios or enty Ure gusynrs eavcatonat an area DRINKS 2009 Vale aaares. a ‘iy Portsqase wits that express nates freon andemen ait warms $48 200 rt Highton avenue, bre lonowineborcem —S BORE'S Buckhea’sthiry-treeyearald Stoathouse ae, noceneet, the most Tiling restosrant eli in owe IRs not jst the rotating 1.350-0cle selection, othe Pads en which you Em poco the ratings fhe et Bomb abe yore conedering. MLIA‘othe desp octets e sclertee ‘iow win steward te buy ard mate tainan inventry of 20,000 tater, rather selng then fora premium. Forteately rt every epion costs les thrae digit: Lookto Freee’ Fhéne bles othe Mert section far standout, net erly choice within yur bade Power but olga 3087 Scovey Vineyard Napa Yay Cabeme: Saurgon, $58, o gen py 2005 Pete Dipl lms, 2 Merotabblend fro Bab’ At Adi rin, 68.220 edn foes, boveesteunrtcom ‘CANOE Nat Brad ne of hand ef at ‘nie eects wo fave passed the Srenuous advanced erteationesam With te Court ef Mater Somme, mmotages alist ef nore than 500 wines {hat cverserery alo grape going tegion nthe word its skill proper- tion Canoe'safuen cegulcshave ‘aoned,adventreus alts an Fink leny of expersiveFrench ord Tair stumnersabngsidecoramet- ccusted woutor grilled duck best but Bradlerdaterledee a tatolten ozo sol overt that cost $3010 $35. Impress actert with? 2005 Chiteas Sant ie, 8160, 3 Srdteré decom tbefoe dine 4199 Paces Ferry Road, cnoeat.con EMPIRE STATE SOUTH “aig ine, hy zones. “iit lene a salen sewed ol his coeateatteean' an ieseien Gita htnebratpet oot woe Steve. The descend stds fects seer it stenpie Ste Sot crore in Ant eter tno Oe vos tating has fection wt Erin et ating botn he foe cary bat msc oor enna gh Aeron tay Secor cook gbronty Dalia Sor evr ory Nort Boge ene inert reese, 59 breyten ise a 99 Pechrer et chao VE AND TEN teres Cubs manages the wine pro Bansatbeth Empire siaie south anc Five ad Te, are shows the vine a belatr—Athone' fect ecturat— Ibthetastes fe soprisiateacallege ‘bor ew more American Cardo soysandCe Islan arlehst sev Rete scten rte LOM Nat ner tnpealiomelitavded ptesor ent yous wile enatorabie, ar vecl- nie Ea ver bottedemysifedby Grtss—tedbeween uigagy ature anes iy summaries anctorngyacesble Bit arent in a 2008 Ceraielodivi- vet temdtlossays wine peg Pape Sau fora CO%eSeiien caw ns ane getyersone pening nick | indie Bauer Ba afetoete canbe. nd nue, Trey oobattes pretest ‘endemic $55r1683Sou limp Sret Aes cin sno te doenontonsat elle a Fonatienoer Boorles faesncraae, iets 00) wos roe ren Soro sve hc oenoree, § ——nerderigthae FLOATAWAY CAFE Caters Sourenon anc et) eens Ane QuatrancandCiford Harivor's tat fates he stent pte ard “See femoral poner migheatseen putas 3-113 ove fod ster ‘Sub af ‘obvi placetodtseaveinexpen- ——provsionscon Wee yaaa tg UNLIKE THE AMERICAN HAPPY HOUR the ain purpose f which, seems to me, \stowaitout rac and perhaps Allup on tasty foad-thePheirede Ppirifea sot of geile rmasing accompanied by «gas: ef something modesty akonoic such ese vermoath (or fed wine Navorea wars ane spices) er 2 pests an ane iavored liqueur dite with Water Astibly ob ejoyed at homeas itis in Sale o abr threshing interle belween tne cays routes ang te evering supper doeset al for foador teside The pi ita take the cgecf your hunger and make you lnk forward toanushuried meal iy vorteapertls are aCarpartar soda (estan the soda)» cid Boral (an ance Tortied insed wine verte of et lane only sgh mre bite that as ony ‘aeanly cee avaliable atlita ane 3 (elcateanontilade sherry poured inte a proper {hin gas, Because | assole Pernod ane leat (@athariseiquewsthatturncleuty when mies with wate wth vacations inthe south ofr Thee bright sunchin to enjoy them Two gest ocal destination forthe apeifhosr ave Nictows Promenade Apes Diem (apresdiem, fom) and Inman Fars Barcelona Wine Ba Eslenawinebarcon) where spanking Spanih Gasabomske en exelent kone belore fneatine, “CHRISTIANE LAUTEAGACH