This is a list of my favorite wine bars in the Washington DC greater area.
Washington DC is the center of the Washington DC greater area. Most people live either on the Maryland side of the Potomac River or on the Virginia side. I live in McLean in Virginia. My selection of wine bars is naturally biased by my home base. But at the end I have added 3 wine bars in Frederick, where my daughter Dorothea lives, about an hour away from Washington DC.
America has a bar culture. Many restaurants therefore have a nice bar area with often an amazing selection of wines by the glass. Thus, I have divided my list into 2 groups: (1) wine bars and (2) restaurants with good wine bars, for Washington DC and Northern Virginia.
Wine Bars in Washington DC
Cork
1720 14th Street NW
This feels very much like a “my down the road wine bar’. Unfortunately I do not live in the neighborhood and need to travel to go there. But I do it, because I feel so comfortable there. Cork has a thoughtful wine list focused on old-world classics from France and Italy. In addition, the food is very good, prepared by an ambitious Chef.
Dickson
903 U Street NW (bet. 9th and 10th Sts. NW)
A three-level wine bar. Follow the stairs up into a modern, cozy space with communal tables, bar seats and flickering candles. Dickson focuses on wines made with an ecological mindset, such as natural, organic and biodynamic wines. Classic wine bar fare such as olives, charcuterie and cheese.
Eno (to be opened soon)
Four Seasons Hotel, Georgetown
Chicago-based wine bar Eno is making its very first move to the East Coast and is set to arrive in Georgetown in late summer 2013. Expect cheeses from Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well as Virginia wines.
Proof
775 G St NW
For a more substantial fare along with a premium wine, check out Proof, known for its numerous small plates but also for its eclectic selection of creative modern cuisine. Its wine list is outstanding, containing over 40 by-the-glass selections and 1,000 different bottlings, reaching up into the highest price and quality levels.
See:
Rock ‘n’ Roll and Wine: Rolling Stones Live and Wine at Proof in Washington DC, USA
Room 11
3234 11th Street NW
This Columbia Heights wine bar remains as iconic to the neighborhood as ever. The menu features a small selection of plates meant to be shared — rock shrimp risotto, slow-roasted pork belly and more — but Room 11 really shines in its wine list.
Slate
2404 Wisconsin Ave NW
This Glover Park wine bar and bistro showcases small-production wineries from around the world, paired with a menu of moderately priced small plates and mains; the urban-rustic space has exposed brick and ductwork.
Sonoma
223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
In the Capitol Hill district, and popular among House and Senat staffers, Sonoma offers a cozy, Italian-influenced atmosphere and plenty of vino to warm you up. The menu and communal tables are made for sharing, and the wine list leans heavily toward Italian and California varietals, which is a perfect pairing for all that cured meat you are about to eat.
See:
2012 DC Wine Week Launch with Boxwood Wines at Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, USA
Veritas
2031 Florida Ave. NW
Calling itself “DC’s first and only true wine bar,” Veritas opened in 2007 near Dupont Circle. This intimate bar offers more than 70 wines on tap. Each is available by the glass. Its lengthy wine menu includes flutes, flights, blends and bottles of red, white, and sparkling varietals from throughout the world. All the drinks can be paired with a wide selection of cheeses, charcuterie and chocolates, as well as dips and panini. It's always loud and bustling, but the prime location and broad assortment make up for any noise problems.
Vinoteca
1940 11th Street NW
A sunny room and sunnier outdoor patio are the perfect setting for Vinoteca's pleasant, affordable wines. Stop by for happy hour, when around 20 glasses go for $5 each. Vinoteca features 100 wines, many of them available in half-glass tasting pours, along with a full menu of New American fare with locally sourced and organic ingredients.
Washington DC Restaurants with a Good Wine Bar
The city also has a number of fine restaurants with outstanding wine lists, and the booming popularity of wine in the United States has prompted these eateries to move their collections out of their cellars and place them front and center in the dining room. In many of DC’s top eateries, wine chillers are a central part of the decor.
Bistrot Lepic
1736 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Bistro Lepic is the most French Wine Bistro in Washington DC. It consists of a restaurant downstairs and a lounge plus wine bar area upstairs. Regulars know that the real action happens on the second floor. Low, cushioned chairs and parlor tables create the ambience of a wine-centric clubhouse. The 20-deep bar list is available by half or full glasses (more are available by the bottle), but engaging bartenders often pour samples to encourage new drinking experiences.
I usually go there on Tuesdays, when they have a little wine tasting between 6pm and 8 pm.
See:
Thomas Schlumberger, Domaines Schlumberger in Alsace, presented his Wines at Bistro Lepic in Washington DC, USA, France
Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th Street NW
The Blue Duck Tavern has an encyclopedic wine list, with more than 30 by the glass, mainly American and including top Virginia wines.
See:
Fête du Bordeaux of Calvert and Woodley in Washington DC, 2012, USA
Charlie Palmer Steak House
101 Constitution Avenue NW
For a night out of big food and substantial wines, there is Charlie Palmer Steak House, which only offers 10 wines by the glass. The restaurant’s 3,500-bottle selection is exclusively American, and Charlie Palmer will waive the corkage fee for anyone who brings in a special bottle to drink with their meal, as long as it’s American.
Johnny’s Half Shell
400 N. Capitol St. NW
Le Diplomate
1601 14th St NW
Le Diplomate pays homage to French café culture serving breakfast, lunch, brunch, mid-day and dinner. The extensive menu features a variety of classic favorites including Onion Soup Gratinée, Steak Frites and Escargots as well as daily plats such as Lavender Roast Duck and Rabbit en Gibelotte. Large wine list with half French wines and half “International Interpretations”.
Marcel’s
2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Elegant, classic French food with a nice bar and lounge area.
Old Ebitt Grill
675 15th St. NW
You won't find this place listed among the city's best culinary establishments, but it's an institution. The Old Ebbitt also has Washington's most popular raw bar, which serves farm-raised oysters. It reminds me a bit of La Coupole in Paris. Several bars. Decent wine list.
Taberna del Alabardera
1776 I Street NW (18th St.)
“Madrid in Washington DC” with a nice bar. One of the favorites of the international staff of the World Bank and IMF, which are close by.
See:
Dinner with Spanish Winemaker Antonio Jose Bleda Jimenez, Bodegas Bleda, at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA
In the Kitchen: Chef Javier Romero at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA
Alejandro Luna Beberide from Bodegas y Vinedos Luna Beberide in Spain at the Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC
Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta Winemaker Dinner at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA/Spain
DC Food Bloggers Happy Hour at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, US
Welcoming Winemaker Ruben Saenz Lopez and his Bodegas San Prudencio Wines from Rioja in Spain to Washington DC
The Source by Wolfgang Puck
575 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Very large and pleasant bar area.
See:
Crab Cakes: Jeff Black from Black Salt and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA
CityZen
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW
CityZen is one of the best restaurants in town. It also has a very nice bar area and a highly regarded sommelier: Andrew Myers. His sommelier career began at The Inn at Little Washington in 1997. He later returned to Washington to manage the wait staff and the wine department of Restaurant Nora. Five years later, he joined the team at CityZen. At 40 plus now, Andrew Myers remains obsessed with metal. He plays the drums in a Heavy Metal Group and is covered in tattoos that would make most head bangers proud. But that obsession is rivaled by his passion for wine.
See:
Tête-à-tête Dinner with Henri Lurton, Owner of Château Brane-Cantenac, a Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe en 1855 in Margaux, at CityZen in Washington DC, USA
Range
5335 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest
Range is a new, much talked about restaurant by Bryan Voltaggio, with a large bar area. The wine program is overseen by former Citronelle Wine Director and Sommelier Kathy Morgan. She is a Master Sommelier. There are only a bit more than 100 sommeliers in the world who have achieved the title of Master Sommelier.
See:
Caroline Parent-Gros Presented the Wines of Domaine A-F Gros in the Bourgogne at Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Range in Washington DC
Wine Bars in Northern Virginia
Boxwood Tasting Room
1618 Library St. at Democracy Dr., Reston, VA
A great wine bar owned and run by Boxwood, one of the leading wine producers in Virginia. It serves Boxwood, but also other wines, all by the glass.
See:
2012 DC Wine Week Launch with Boxwood Wines at Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, USA
Bordeaux Meets Virginia: Tasting Through Recent Vintages at Boxwood Winery in Virginia: With Anne Cuvelier from Chateau Leoville - Poyferre, Annette Schiller from Wine Tours by Ombiasy and Boxwood Winery General Manager Rachel Martin, USA
Cheesetique Cheese and Wine Bar
2411 Mt Vernon Ave, Del Ray
Best cheeses in town.
Grand Cru Wine Bar and Euro Cafe
Ballston 4401 Wilson Boulevard
Nice to sit outside in the summer with the dog.
North Side Social
Ballston 3211 Wilson Blvd
A coffee shop with a first floor that turns into a wine bar with an amazing selection of wines in the evening.
See:
Tasting the Sonoma Wines of Flowers Vineyard & Winery with Estate Director Christopher Barefoot at Northside Social in Washington DC, USA
Screw Top Wine Bar
Clarendon - 1025 N Filmore St.
Charming neighborhood wine bar with interesting wines.
See:
As Close as You Can Get to Champagne – Claude Thibaut and his Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparklers at screwtop Wine Bar, USA
Richard Branson Presenting Wines from Cass Vineyards and Winery at Screwtop Wine Bar in Virginia?
Meeting a Rhone Ranger and Tasting His Wines - Sherman Thacher from Paso Robles in California
Twisted Vines Wine Bar and Bottle Shop
2803 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
Charming neighborhood wine bar with interesting wines.
See:
Meeting Winemaker Yolanda Viadero from Valduero Vineyards in Ribera del Duero and in Toro, Spain, and Tasting Her Excellent Wines
The Wine House
3950 University Dr, Fairfax, VA
Charming neighborhood bistro and wine bar.
See:
New Zealand Pinot Flight– Maude of Central Otago, New Zealand with Winemaker and Owner Dan Dineen
The Roots of Oregon Winemaker Chris Berg, the Art of Paul Klee, the Wine House of Michael Pearce and the Nice Legs of Al McCosh
The Wine House Presented Winemaker Shane Finley from Russian River Valley in California at a Shane Wine Cellars Winemaker Dinner
Vinifera Wine Bar and Bistro
Reston/Herndon, International 11750 Sunrise Valley Dr
Northern Virginia Restaurants with a Good Wine Bar
Bistro Vivant
1394 Chain Bridge Rd. McLean VA, 22101
Typical French brasserie with a wine bar, serving exclusively French wine. The wine list is very appealing and the food very French and good.
See:
Dinner with Owner/Winemaker Eric Bonnet of Domaine La Bastide Saint Dominique, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France/USA
Evo Bistro
1313 Old Chain Bridge Rd., McLean
Trendy wine bar. Enjoy excellent wines over shared tapas in a chic and friendly setting. The bar area can become very crowded and lively.
See:
Dennis Cakebread and his Wines, Napa Valley, at EVO Bistro, Virginia
The Curious Grape
2900 South Quincy Street
This Shirlington oenophile outpost has a neighborhood vibe and recently moved a few blocks so it could be expanded to include a restaurant and café.
See:
The American Art of Joanne Roberts Wittauer and the Austrian Wines of Klaus Wittauer – A Taste of Art and Wines at the Curious Grape in Shirlington in the Washington DC Area, USA
Welcome to America: Franz and Christine Netzl Estate, Carnuntum, Austria
Restaurant Eve
110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria
One of the best, if not the best restaurant in Northern Virginia, with a very nice bar and lounge area.
Tallula
2761 Washington Blvd., Arlington
Trummer’s on Main
7134 Main Street, Clifton
Other Sources
List of 10 DC Wine Bars
America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants: The Northeast - Wine Enthusiast 2012
2013 List of 100 VERY BEST RESTAURANTS Washingtonian
2013 List of Best Restaurants Washington Post
The 38 Essential Washington Restaurants, January 2013
Schiller’s Favorites
This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series. Here is a full list of all Schiller’s favorites postings so far.
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorites at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorites from the VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru – Presentation at Kloster Eberbach, 2012, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California
schiller-wine: Related Posting
2012 DC Wine Week Launch with Boxwood Wines at Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, USA
Thomas Schlumberger, Domaines Schlumberger in Alsace, presented his Wines at Bistro Lepic in Washington DC, USA, France
Fête du Bordeaux of Calvert and Woodley in Washington DC, 2012, USA
Dinner with Spanish Winemaker Antonio Jose Bleda Jimenez, Bodegas Bleda, at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA
In the Kitchen: Chef Javier Romero at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA
Alejandro Luna Beberide from Bodegas y Vinedos Luna Beberide in Spain at the Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC
Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta Winemaker Dinner at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA/Spain
DC Food Bloggers Happy Hour at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, US
Welcoming Winemaker Ruben Saenz Lopez and his Bodegas San Prudencio Wines from Rioja in Spain to Washington DC
Tasting the Sonoma Wines of Flowers Vineyard & Winery with Estate Director Christopher Barefoot at Northside Social in Washington DC, USA
As Close as You Can Get to Champagne – Claude Thibaut and his Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparklers at screwtop Wine Bar, USA
Richard Branson Presenting Wines from Cass Vineyards and Winery at Screwtop Wine Bar in Virginia?
Meeting a Rhone Ranger and Tasting His Wines - Sherman Thacher from Paso Robles in California
Meeting Winemaker Yolanda Viadero from Valduero Vineyards in Ribera del Duero and in Toro, Spain, and Tasting Her Excellent Wines
New Zealand Pinot Flight– Maude of Central Otago, New Zealand with Winemaker and Owner Dan Dineen
The Roots of Oregon Winemaker Chris Berg, the Art of Paul Klee, the Wine House of Michael Pearce and the Nice Legs of Al McCosh
The Wine House Presented Winemaker Shane Finley from Russian River Valley in California at a Shane Wine Cellars Winemaker Dinner
Dinner with Owner/Winemaker Eric Bonnet of Domaine La Bastide Saint Dominique, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France/USA
Dennis Cakebread and his Wines, Napa Valley, at EVO Bistro, Virginia
The American Art of Joanne Roberts Wittauer and the Austrian Wines of Klaus Wittauer – A Taste of Art and Wines at the Curious Grape in Shirlington in the Washington DC Area, USA
Welcome to America: Franz and Christine Netzl Estate, Carnuntum, Austria
Rock ‘n’ Roll and Wine: Rolling Stones Live and Wine at Proof in Washington DC, USA
Crab Cakes: Jeff Black from Black Salt and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA
Bordeaux Meets Virginia: Tasting Through Recent Vintages at Boxwood Winery in Virginia: With Anne Cuvelier from Chateau Leoville - Poyferre, Annette Schiller from Wine Tours by Ombiasy and Boxwood Winery General Manager Rachel Martin, USA
Tête-à-tête Dinner with Henri Lurton, Owner of Château Brane-Cantenac, a Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe en 1855 in Margaux, at CityZen in Washington DC, USA
Caroline Parent-Gros Presented the Wines of Domaine A-F Gros in the Bourgogne at Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Range in Washington DC