The Grape winebar?

[NickV]

So, I learned today that The Grape, a chain wine bar and retail store will be opening soon in my area (Sarasota). I'm unfamiliar with the place, aside from what I've seen on their website. I was wondering if anyone had anything to say about them. Thanks.

Edited January 18, 2006 by NickV (log)

[Adam Balic]

If it is the same chain as here is Edinburgh then the wine will be mediocre quality, un-interesting and over priced. However, I once saw a couple having sex on the floor of the exit doorway at the same place and that was certainly interesting.

It is possible that Edinburgh is different to Sarasota though.

[gwilson]

It's probably a franchise of this, which started here in Atlanta. It's a great concept. They have small plates of food (tapa type things mostly) that you can have while you drink. No other alcohol than wine. Their wines are divided into 10 categories - 3 for white and 3 for red in increasing body. Category 7 is dessert wines & 8 is sparkling (or vice versa). 9 and 10 are by the bottle only - their 'reserve' list. Everything is by the half-glass, glass, and bottle. Plus they have a retail license - so you can go next door and buy something if you really like it. (They don't sell anything that's not on the list though.)

For people who want to learn more about wine or who are intimidated by it, it's a great place. If you see something on their list that you like, you try something different from the same category. They've been around less than two years (if I remember correctly and have really taken off. There are a ton of them now.

A couple of things I don't like though - one is their staff can be bad. I've been to a few of them here in Atlanta. And one was horrible (though has since improved). The bartender really didn't know much about the wines and was very unattentive. The only reason I went back was because I was starving and in the neighborhood one night. But, of course, the staff will vary a lot from location to location.

The other may only be true for Atlanta locations; I'm not sure. But the ones here only deal with one of the major distributors (and maybe one little one). So their wine selection is a bit limited. Also, they use central buyers for all of the shops. So the management of each location has no control over what they carry. I don't like that at all - mainly because I can't imagine managing there and having so little control like that.

Overall, they've become very popular here in Atlanta. It really depends on the neighborhood as to what type of place it becomes. It can be a singles/meat market type place - or it can be a laid back place to get a bite to eat with friends. Hopefully, you'll like the new one.

-Greg