Psst. Did you hear about Wine Vault, the new wine and tapas lounge that just opened in The Shops at Midtown? Well, neither did I until I eavesdropped on a conversation yesterday afternoon.
Turns
out owner Michael Shapira wants it just that way. He opened Wine Vault,
a 1,300-square-foot lounge featuring wines by the glass and bottle,
tapas, and beer yesterday to little fanfare. "It gives me a chance to
open organically", he said as he took me on a tour of the two level bar
that features slate bricks, a revolving art gallery on the walls (with
the bar's commission of art sales donated to the artist's favorite
charity), and a tubular elevator that looks...familiar.
"That
looks a lot like the tubes that feed money to drive-through bank
tellers," I said.
It's the same concept," he replied, "only bigger."
If we're scoring points for coolness factor, Wine Vault racks them up with an upstairs lounge, complete with leather couches and an electric fireplace that looks real but doesn't radiate heat (we need the romance without the actual heat in Miami).
Almost two dozen wines by the glass are offered, ranging from $7 for a 2010 Domaine Jarras Rose from Provence, France to a $13 2009 Pinot Blanc/Gris, Au Bon Climat from Santa Barbara. Dozens of wines by the bottle are offered, starting at $24 for a Rose, and going up to $550 for a 2004 Perrier Jouet "Belle Epoque" Rose. Most bottles are in the $30-50 range and there's no additional corkage fee.
Tapas choices include pickled mushrooms and glazed goat cheese ($6), spec ($6), chorizo and new potatoes ($8), and an assortment of cured meats and cheeses ($6-8 each). Shapira plans to add additional tapas selections to the menu. He also plans to offer a wine club with tastings in the near future.
With a distinct Northeast-meets-speakeasy vibe, Wine Vault looks like a good place to meet friends or a date for a few glasses of wine and some good conversation after work or after dinner.
"Wine starts a conversation, which is perfect because I want this lounge to be a place to come and feel at home over some good wine," Shapira said.
I just want to ride that funky elevator.
Wine Vault Miami
3201 N. Miami Avenue, Suite 105, Miami
786-691-2000
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