When one thinks of Chicago nightlife, “sweet little wine bar” isn’t what first springs to mind. Sports bar, yes. Wine bar, not so much. But this beer and bourbon city has a lively wine culture spearheaded by the owners of Bin 36 and Bin Wine Café.  We discovered Bin 36, abutting the Chicago River, a few years ago on a business trip. Last month we met its little brother, Bin Wine Café, in the up-and-coming Bucktown neighborhood.  Smaller, quieter, and cozier than Bin 36, the new café had exactly what we were looking for on a Saturday afternoon—lunch and a flight of interesting wines.

Our timing for lunch was a bit off. Brunch runs from 10 am to 2 pm, with mostly breakfast-y items like eggs and pancakes. But the chef was accommodating and put together a chicken Caesar for Lisa and a fresh roasted turkey panini for Gary that filled our protein craving.

The Wine
Ordering a wine flight was less challenging.  Bin Wine Café has nine flights to choose from. The Sauvignon Blanc vs Chardonnay Smackdown was tempting, but Lisa selected the “Show Stoppin’ Whites,” which, to quote the menu “offers a broad spectrum of vivid and vibrant flavors from some of the most exciting wine growing regions around the globe.” Gary opted for the “Down to Earth Reds,” which promised to take drinkers to “the next level” with nuances of minerals, earth, forest floor, leather, smoke, and mushrooms.”  Gee, who could turn down a luscious red dripping with mushrooms and lichen? ☺

Flight #1  Show Stoppin’ Whites  ($12)

• 2005 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Caldora, Abruzzi
• 2005 Viognier, Casa Silva, Colchagua Valley, Chile
• 2005 (Sauvignon Blanc/Riesling/Pinot Gris Pinot Blanc), Brander, "Cuvee Natalie," Santa Ynez Valley, California
• 2005 (Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Gris,) Vision Cellars, California
  

Two of the offerings rated a “buy” from Lisa.  The Cuvee Natalie ($18/bottle) boasts four varietals but the Sauvignon Blanc clearly rules the roost. It balances good citrus with marvelous peach and apple notes. Vision Cellars’ SB/Pinot Gris blend was also a winner. While the winery is noted for its Pinot Noir, it makes a hell of a summer white—light, fruity, with the 21% Pinot Gris tempering the Sauvignon Blanc’s minerality. On his web site, winemaker Mac McDonald says he drinks it “beer cold.”

The Trebbiano was unremarkable; in fact, it didn’t even rate a notation on the wine-flight note sheet. And the Viognier didn’t hold a candle to the 2005 Cline Viognier we’ve been enjoying all summer.


Flight #2  Down to Earth Reds   $13.55

• 2005 (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre) Cotes-du-Rhone, Domaine Montirius, Rhone Valley, France
• 2005 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Quattro Mani, Abruzzi, Italy 
• 2005 (Cabernet/Carmenere/Cabernet Franc), Vina Maquis Calcu, Col chagua, Chile 
• 2005 (Cabernet Sauvignon/Grenache/Syrah, Mourvedre/Carignan), Mas de Gourgonnier, Les Baux de Provence, Provence, France
  

The 2005 GSM from the Rhone Valley was a pleasant surprise as Gary thought that the only good GSM’s came from Australia’s Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.  This is an elegant GSM that needed some time to open… After about 15-20 minutes the audition commenced.  Packed with suppleness and dark fruit color, it was a surprisingly good accompaniment to the turkey panini’s sun-dried tomatoes.  On the finish, some faint minerality was present. At just $14 a bottle Gary would recommend this GSM, although he remains partial to the ones from down under.

The Montepulciano was not as advertised by Bin Café, other than being restrained…very restrained.  In general, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is Gary’s perfect pizza wine, with just enough fruit and tannin to carry off spicy/earthy flavors of the food pairing.  This wine seemed young and lacked much of the character typically found in this classic Italian pleaser.  Perhaps some more time in the bottle or, perhaps move on to the next wine in the tasting….

The Chilean blend of Cabernet, Carmenere, and Cab Franc was the showstopper here. With excellent balance, nice dark fruit, leather, and bittersweet chocolate character and flavor, this wine was meant to be consumed with your favorite cut of beef or even my tasty Turkey Panini.  With time in the glass, the wine became even more sophisticated, supple, and silky.  This is a value buy that’ll make it to our Good and Cheap list.  You can’t go wrong when the wine only costs $12!

The same can’t be said for the Cab/GSM/Carignan blend from Provence, which did not live up to its billing no matter how long Gary waited.  With over 20 minutes in the glass, this wine’s edge should have smoothed out, but it didn’t budge… Left about 25% of the pour behind. Let it be known that Gary feels many French wines have a ‘bite’ to them and the price of quality French wines is bite enough.  $19.