Colonial Wine Bar Impresses on Melrose
This WeHo wine spot stands out with 21 very rare vintages.
September 19, 2012
At Colonial Wine Bar, a cozy spot that opened on Melrose in July, the tagline is “the best of old and new worlds,” and the owners have taken that philosophy to heart. Mixing a rare wine selection with posh Mediterranean cuisine, vintage wing-backed lounge chairs with modern leather banquettes, and a sleek marble bar with aged wooden floors, the bar is a wonderful combination of classic and current.
Colonial distinguishes itself from your run-of-the-mill drink spot with their 21 Reserve List, a selection of 21 hard-to-find older vintages ranging from a 1966 Chateau La Gaffeliere from St. Emillion, France, to a 1974 Stone Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Beyond that, the carefully curated selection of sparkling, white, rose, red, sweet, and port wines are for the most part available by the taste, glass, or bottle so you don’t have to overly commit to the unknown. But that’s unlikely to even be an issue with sommelier David Haskell (Bin 8945, Guy Savoy, Le Cirque) on hand to give expert pairing suggestions for every palate.
If beer or sake is more your style, Colonial has a comprehensive selection of each. The beer offerings range from a Belgian cherry ale to a Japanese white, and even include a bottle of California’s own Acme pale ale. Colonial also serves an extensive food menu, with each dish tailored to complement your wine, not the other way around. Items run the gastronomical gamut from cheese and charcuterie plates to a farro rigatoni with sweet sausage, caramelized red onion, blue cheese, and wild arugula.
To sample as much as possible, stop by their tasting hour, Monday through Friday from 4-7 PM, where guests choose three small plates like deviled eggs or lamb meatballs, to be paired with a wine, beer, or sake selected by the sommelier. 7166 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323-657-1827
