Tucked between an unassuming condo building and the former Kim’s/Sooki & Mimi space near 31st and Hennepin is another hidden gem — The Tasting Room.
It’s a neighborhood wine bar. But as general manager Nicolas “Nico” Giraud (more on him later) told me during my visit, “We do wine properly.” And they do.
The Tasting Room offers more than 25 wines by the glass — white, pink, orange, sparkling, red — plus another four that are alcohol-free, a great option for those who’ve shifted away from alcohol in recent years. In addition, there are nonalcoholic cocktails, NA beer, vermouth and the increasingly popular THC beverages.
But that’s not all. If none of those options tickle your fancy, or you’re with your oenophile friend, consult the 21-page bottle list. You’ll find wines from all over the world, ranging from $25 to the equivalent of a Lake of the Isles Parkway mortgage payment.
I mean, you only live once, right? Why not splurge for the 3-liter Jeroboam of Barolo? Wines are served with a generous 6-ounce pour, in proper Riedel stemware, at the correct temperature.
There’s food, too, in the form of French-inspired small plates: charcuterie, olives, nuts, beans and chips. Larger options include salads, sandwiches, rillettes, a burger, “pinsas” (French style flatbread pizza) and, of course, escargot — the famous French delicacy featuring the shell backed critter best known for being almost as slow as Hennepin Avenue construction.
I had the jambon-beurre — an open-faced sandwich with piles of salty Paris ham and a thick layer of Beurre de Baratte, a wooden-churned and absolutely decadent French butter, on a crusty baguette with a side of tangy cornichons.
At the server’s suggestion, I paired it with a glass of Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Chablis.
Now, about Nico.
He’s without a doubt one of the Twin Cities’ top wine professionals. Raised in Champagne and Provence, he was basically destined for the world of wine.
Plus, his French accent makes anything he says about wine sound far more credible to me.
Nico started his Twin Cities journey running the wine program at Vincent, then Meritage, followed by Spoon and Stable and Bellecour, before taking over The Tasting Room in 2021.
He hand-picks every wine on the menu, including the always interesting $25 bottle happy hour options.
Pair one with a $15 happy hour pinsa for the perfect afternoon, first date or evening treat. You can even enjoy it out on the patio during one of the six or seven nice days we get each year.
If all of this sounds like music to your ears, wait until you hear this: You can also bring in your favorite vinyl album and Nico will play it on the vintage hi-fi system.
Think silver-faced McIntosh pre-amp, woven-grill speakers, reel-to-reel — the works.
So if you’re wondering, “Why go?” I ask you — wine not?
