Image Courtesy of Ryan Gobuty
For its stunning weather, proximity to vineyards and bottle variety, it’s hard to top Los Angeles when it comes to enjoying wine. Where else can you drink wine outdoors year-round while never being more than 90 minutes from some of America’s top vineyards? (Assuming L.A. traffic is on your side, of course.)
While there are plenty of impressive wine lists at globally renowned restaurants across the city, there’s something special about a great wine bar. If you look across the vast urban sprawl, there are more than enough destinations worth a visit.
For Sarah Clarke, wine director at three L.A.-based restaurants—République, Manzke and Bicyclette, each known for their impressive wine lists—a successful wine bar is more than a great selection. Bottles should be “curated well based on who you see drinking your wine, not just what your vision is,” Clarke says. She also believes wine lists need to cater to more than one type of customer, especially in a city like L.A., where there are “the kind of the wine bars that serve, not just the general wine public, but somms and restaurant people getting out of work.”
