SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 // 11
“Since this is a beach town you get an inlux of tourists in
the summer and early fall,” Lee explains. “Permanent resi-
dents support me too, though. We serve all age groups, from
21 to 90.” She takes pride in what she calls, “my quaint little
wine bar” and rightfully so. It’s a delight. Vino Manzanita is
open from 5 to 10 p.m. six nights a week and closed Sunday.
After Labor Day, it’ll be closed Sunday and Monday. For
more information, visit Vino’s Facebook page.
The Wine Bar at Sweet Basil’s Café
Marcie Russo has been with Sweet Basil’s Café and its
wine bar for the last two years, bringing with her a strong
background in wine. “When I popped in here looking for
work, John (Sowa) saw my resume and exclaimed ‘Oh, this
is a good it for here!’” The restaurant’s previous wine buyer
left just a couple of weeks after Russo arrived, and the job
was hers.
Her love of wine is positively infectious. “The thing
people don’t know about wine bars is that when you come
in for a bottle, you get a wine bar price,” Russo explains.
“People often don’t know that and they should. It’s usually
about three times the glass price instead of four times —
there’s a bit of a discount. It’s not a wine shop price; it’s not
a restaurant price; it’s somewhere in between.”
Owner John Sowa had the wine bar built in 2009. There,
patrons can purchase wine lights to compare and contrast
Northwest wines with other varietals from around the world.
For $12 they get ive 2-ounce pours; for $15 they get eight
2-ounce pours. Flights are on offer from 4 to 6 p.m. and as
time permits throughout the day.
Small plates, including tapas, provide the perfect accom-
paniment. But if they don’t ill the bill, items on the full
restaurant menu may be ordered as well. There’s also live
music ive nights a week — Wednesday through Sunday.
Explains Sowa, “I came from New Orleans where music
and food were always a combination.”
Despite all the activity — the restaurant, the wine bar and
live music — 10 p.m. is closing time, even on the weekends.
“The crowd here is older, between 45 and 75,” Sowa says
by way of explanation. “It’s not a late night place. To a de-
gree this changes in the off season. Locals will come in for
the music and a glass of wine. They don’t come downtown
during the summer.”
As you’d expect, a lot of thought goes into the wines
served — many of them Northwest wines — with what’s
left comprising only about 10 percent of the entire stock.
There’s also as many reds as whites.
Instead of doing pairings, staff offer suggestions. “Paired
wine takes away from the variety, which I don’t like,” says
Sowa. “I’d rather see an on-the-spot suggestion.” This meth-
od works rather well given that “What wine do you think we
should drink with this?” is a frequently asked question. So,
while spicy foods like jambalaya may go best with a sweeter
wine — like a sweet riesling — a server here wouldn’t
suggest such a pairing outright. He or she would ask diners
what they liked and then try and ind something in between.
Obviously, there’s a lot to know about wine, but think
of the fun you’ll have along the way! Says Russo, “On the
West Coast, we’re just more casual about wine. The scene
here isn’t like New York’s and they, in turn, are looking to
Paris. Still, the fact remains that Oregon, Washington and
California are on the cutting edge in the wine world. We
shouldn’t take it for granted that we are in the most superior
triangle for certain kinds of wine: Oregon pinot noirs, best
in the world; Washington syrahs, best in the world; Califor-
nia cabernets and chardonnays, best in the world.”
WineKraft in Astoria, co-owned by Rebecca Kraft, right, and April Thorgramson, ofers a spectacular view of the Astoria River-
walk and Columbia River.
Left: At The Wine
Bar at Sweet
Basil’s Cafe in
Cannon Beach,
patrons can try
wine lights of
ive or eight
pours.
Below:
Sweet
Basil’s Cafe’s wine
bar was added
to the Cannon
Beach restaurant
in 2009.
A red wine at The Wine Bar at Sweet Basil’s
Cafe in Cannon Beach.