Wine Escape

405 West 44 Street

(between Ninth and Tenth Avenues)

www.wineescapenyc.com

In search of a wine and cheese bar before or after going to the theater?

Wine Escape is the perfect destination spot! It’s a bit of a hideaway as it’s a long, narrow bar so it’s easy to miss if you’re not specifically looking for it.

Great if you’re looking for an intimate space to have catch-up conversations with a friend you haven’t seen in a long time, or if you want a lesson on cheeses and wine!

I was under the mistaken notion that one must choose their cheese before a wine is selected. However, the wine must be chosen FIRST and then the cheeses.

The bartender was extremely helpful and will give you a tasting pour before you make a final drink decision. I was so indecisive over selecting a red, but he kindly gave me four (4?!?) tasting pours! And this was for a GLASS of wine—not a bottle. Exceedingly generous and patient, I must say.

I finally found the one! I chose a glass of the Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

It was non-tannic, and it had a smooth and long finish. Cool bottle! And it definitely made a splash! Excellent!!

Things went much easier for my friend as she wanted a sparkling wine. She chose the Gran Sara Brut Cava from Spain. Sparkly and festive!

 

 

 

Once our wines were selected, we were now ready to have our bartender/server recommend cheeses to accompany them. We went for Istara (a sheep’s milk cheese with a smooth texture and sweet flavor with hints of olive, hazelnut, and fig), Bayley Hazen Blue (a cow’s cheese with uniquely balanced flavors from buttered toast to licorice, chocolate, and hazelnuts), Fresh Pecorino (a sheep’s cheese with smooth texture, clean tangy flavor), and Midnight Moon (a combination of nuttiness with goat’s milk flavoring, a slight salty creaminess).

 

 The cheese plate was accompanied with a bowl of warm pita bread.

 

Wanting something warm, my friend also had an order of the Pierogi Polish Dumplings. Melted-cheesy goodness!

 

 

The Istara cheese was by far my favorite of the above cheeses. I liked that it had a complexity of flavors and went really well with my wine. I liked it so much that I requested an extra order of it!

Final Thoughts

Must-go if you are a wine-and-cheese fan!

And do request assistance from the super-knowledgeable staff!