I can haz winebar!

[sarahbyrdd]

Didn't even know we had one in my hood.  I checked out Vinacciolo http://www.vinacciolonyc.com last night with a few friends and can recommend it as a nice spot to drop in for a few drinks.  They have a nice selection of appetizers and a few mains if you're inclined to stay for dinner. The wine list is interesting and not outrageous (by NYC standards) and gives you the option of getting a half-glass (3 oz) or a full glass of many wines as well as their by the bottle selections.  I chose the Vin De Pique Nique, a French organic white to start; it had the honeyed apples pears and peaches as advertised and was bright and fresh with a hint of fizz.  A very nice start.  My second wine was also enjoyable and organic, the Fabula Rossa Montereggio "Maremma" from Italy;  I definately got the dark fruits and leather, but didn't taste the chocolate or violets.  Not a problem.  

The three of us shared the saffron rice balls, the pate de campagne, and a selection of 5 cheeses (I recognized a standard chevre, morbier, and assagio, and there was also a nice blue and camembert, but I couldn't tell you which ones).  The rice balls could have been more highly spiced but the cheese and pate were just as one would want.  To finish we split a chocolate ganache ... which was just that, a slab of chilled ganache on a plate with some creme Anglais and a few berries.  Good for when you need that intense chocolate fix.  It went quite nicely with my vin santo.