FLAVOR BY THE OUNCE So how do you know what a “ good ” wine is ?
Miliotes says of guests who are trying wines for the first time , “ They do know enough about wine to figure out what they like and what they don ’ t like . If it tastes good , it ’ s a winner ; if it doesn ’ t taste good , you ’ re gonna tell me why , and we ’ ll find something else for you .”
That seems simple , but hearing it from a Master Sommelier helps . A powerful tool in the Wine Bar George mission is to offer wine by the ounce , not the bottle . Those smaller portions allow for freedom to taste , instead of being “ stuck ” with a full glass of something that isn ’ t quite right .
Miliotes emphasized the mission of Wine Bar George to serve both seasoned and new wine fans : “[ We ] covered accessibility for all amounts of knowledge for guests . [ We wanted to ] appeal to everyone , because it ’ s everyone ’ s journey , and we want to be available to help them with that journey . By the ounce instead of bottle or glass . It ’ s not just about a flight , or George ’ s idea of what a good flight is . That ’ s why by-the-ounce and being able to taste is most important .”
ABOVE : Unsure of what to order ? The staff are knowledgeable and eager to assist . Talk to them a bit and you ' re sure to find a wine to your liking . BELOW : There are several different seating sections throughout the restaurant . This is the barrel room . PHOTOS COURTESY OF WINE BAR GEORGE
He emphasized the importance of tasting for all experience levels . And the assistance of the sommeliers at Wine Bar George is tailored to help guests find what they like .
Miliotes offered an example of the probing questions that guests can expect at their table . “ Wine can be broken down into two categories . There are dry wines and wines with some level of sweetness . So besides ‘ do you like red wine or white wine ?’ we ask do you like dry wine or sweet wine or somewhere in between ? I can drive a lot of places just by answering those two questions .”
But can they answer the question I ’ m always afraid to ask as an adult in public : What food do I pair with what wine ? Not to worry : The menu was built with wine in mind .