Uncorked

Let me make a brief aside from the regular reviews I post to describe a neat little place tucked under a bridge at 322 E 59th St., between 1st and 2nd Ave. The name of this new favorite hideaway is Uncorked. It's a gem of a wine bar with interesting, engaging staff, a selective wine list crafted with extraordinary attention to providing a delicious experience at value, and a quaint, relaxed atmosphere that made me fall in love immediately. "Cozy" is the word they use to describe themselves, and they cultivate it with subtle wood tones accented by candlelight. All the while Uncorked maintains a sense of sophistication; I compare going to Uncorked to visiting a well-traveled friends' house. When paired with its affordable menu, these attributes rank it among some of the finest wine destinations in the city.

A few highlights stand out as value choices on their wine list. First among these is their rose, the 2007 Mulderbosch from Stellenbosch in South Africa. This is a highly unusual rose, with a crisp presentation of cherries and hung game on the nose followed by a nicely acidic, bright mouth of dried berries, pomegranate, and good mineral notes. Next up is their 2004 d'Arenberg "The Footbolt" Shiraz, possessed of tremendous plum and cherry aromas on the nose, with toasted oak and floral hints also immediately apparent. The mouthfeel is exceedingly well-balanced, with firm tannins and layers of cranberry, plum and cherry laced with minerality and more smoky oak. The finish is long and intense.

Also worth checking out is the food menu. With an excellent cheese selection featuring such personal favorites as a delicious Chaumes, solid Parmigiano-Reggiano, and one of the best examples of Manchego Iberico I've yet tasted in a wine bar, Uncorked presents itself to the prospective diner with considerable aplomb. Other appetizers and some chocolate desserts (the Petit Chocolate Gateau stood out) round out the food side of their menu.

Go. Drink. Eat.