Terroir Natural Wine Merchant & Bar is filling a unique niche: supporting small wineries (mostly French and Italian) that produce wines "naturally." The way Terroir defines natural, says co-owner Dagan Ministero, is wine that is organic or biodynamic, and fermented naturally with native yeasts that are found on the grapes or in the cellars. Ministero says that the biology of a place is just as relevant to the idea of terroir as rain or the soil.

It's an interesting point, and the bar's look fits right in with the theme. It's an easy place to be in, and feels good, like being in someone’s house more than being in any sort of bar. It's open, with wooden wine crates lining the walls, acting as shelves stuffed with wine (they also sell bottles), and a small balcony furnished with comfortable purple velvet furniture, old LPs on the walls (Bowie, Johnny Cash, Queen, The Specials) and Meatpaper magazine tossed on the tables.

The guys working at the bar really don't seem to care if you don't know anything about the wines on the list (guilty!), and talk/taste you through what they are pouring to find something you like. We got our glasses, wandered upstairs, and felt like we'd like to stay awhile.

Posted on Friday, July 2nd, 2010 by Lessley Anderson and Roxanne Webber in CHOW Tour: Innovation No Comments