New York Wine Bar Guide:
Wine Spectator editors review some of the city's top options
Posted: Monday, October 22, 2007

WINED UP WINE BAR

Wine: 30 by the glass ($7-$14),
over 200 by the bottle ($16-$460)
Food: A broad selection of tapas-style plates, pizzas, fondues and cheeses ($3-$15)
Ambience: A civilized respite from the surrounding retail bustle

It's easy to wind down at Wined Up.

Tucked in to a large loftlike space midway between the greenery of Madison Square Park and the nonstop action of Union Square is Wined Up. Just a year old this month, Wined Up has quickly become a favorite with both the after-work crowd of the Flatiron district and shoppers needing an oasis amid the many design and home furnishing emporiums of the neighborhood. Wined Up takes its name from its location above the well-priced Punch restaurant. Stephanie Guest and Will Tracy, co-owners of both venues, have designed a modern and airy setting, which features a long marble-topped bar, a 100-foot wall filled with 3,000 wine bottles in various angles of repose, and large picture windows. The mood here is more cool jazz than frenetic Manhattan, and noise factor is kept to a minimum by a high ceiling that's covered with acoustic tiles.

Sommelier Mina Belhaj-Rouas has put together an extensive and well-priced list of more than 250 selections, with about 30 wines by the glass. Wines are grouped by color and character. Under the "Complex & Full-Bodied" red listing, you can find the Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône 2003 (87 points, $61) while "Light, Crisp and and Refreshing" whites include Greco di Tufo Feudi San Gregorio 2005 (90, $40). The educational theme extends to a monthly tip sheet by Belhaj-Rouas on her favorite wines of the moment.

There's more on Wined Up's food menu than you'll find at most wine bars, including three varieties of fondue ($15 each, served with bread, potatoes and fruit), a handful of small pizza ($8-$10) tapas-style dishes with varying Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian and Southern accents ($3-$12), and a well-chosen selection of cheeses, complete with provenance and tasting notes ($15 for a selection of five). Despite its name's implication, Wined Up is definitely a place to wind down after a hard day's work, sightseeing or shopping.

--Kim Marcus

Issue 598: March 15–21, 2007 Wine vs. Beer / Out pouring Smart selections and top brews-—our favorite wine and beer bars serve the unexpected. Photographs by Evan Sung Wined Up “We don’t want any snobbery here,” says Kimberly Regan, manager of this newish wine bar just above Punch Restaurant. It’s a feeling that’s echoed in the joint’s relaxed yet refined ambience, although the wine selection is serious business. You’ll find a rotating list of about 300 bottles ($13–$460) and 35 wines by the glass ($6–$15) available at any time. The purview is global; wines from almost all producing regions are on hand, with special emphasis on smaller, independent wineries, and very few big-name makers on the shelves. Sit at the marble bar or one of 18 tables and enjoy your wine in a stemless glass, paired with a cheese or cured meat that’s as delicious as it is inexpensive—almost everything on the menu, which includes fondue and duck confit, is under $15. —James Williams