Right at Home

My friend Phyllis has been raving about Stonehome Wine Bar in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, for a while now, and on Thursday night I finally had a chance to go. What a lively joint! The interior seemed slightly Scandinavian, and the light was perfect -- soft and glowing, but not so low you can't read the menu. I loved the cantilevered end of the bar, where people can sit facing each other. The staff could not have been friendlier, and it's good people-watching, too: an artsy crowd, and men in fedoras, not ballcaps. How refreshing.
If you're in the mood to dabble, you're in luck at Stonehome, which serves flights of wine, in case you don't want to commit to a whole glass or bottle. I chose a set of Italian reds (three 3 oz. pours, $18). The first was a 2008 Corte Rugolin Valpolicello Classico (Veneto), which had notes of dried fruit and chalk, and had an absolutely silky mouthfeel. The second was a 2007 Poderi dal Nespoli Sangiovese (Romangna), which was all fruit and brightness. There was something a little gawky about this one, kind of like your embarrassing teenage years. Lastly was a 2007 Argiolas "Perdera" (Monica) Isola Del Nurahgi (Sardinia), which had notes of moss and was appealingly dry.
So what did we eat? I had a couple of appetizers: seared scallops and a crisp salad with apple slices and toasted pumpkin seeds. Phyllis ordered a selection of six cheeses (of course I sampled a few... all delicious.). The food is carefully chosen and prepared here, not an afterthought as it is at some other wine bars.
It was just the perfect setting to catch up with a friend I hadn't seen in a while.
(Photo from Citysearch)