Bars of the Week 2003

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Rhone
63 Gansevoort St. (between Greenwich and Washington St.)
New York, NY
(212) 367-8440

This week’s Bar of the Week selection might not be popular with the hordes of anti-French zealots roaming the streets these days but in the interest of
improving world relations and providing objective bar reviews, we’re going to see what we can do to bring people together and get them really drunk on
red wine. After all, Rhone’s wines are from France but proprietor Jeff Goldstein and his Meat Packing District winery is all New York in charm and style.

As soon as customers approach the solid 14-foot tall doors of this smooth and stylish wine bar, the slick and easy vibe pulls them in from the Meat
Packing districts cobble stone covered, stink infested streets and leads them to a comfortable meeting place that offers either a seat at the bar or
a table in the lounge space; they’re equally private and appealing.

The large rectangular bar that sits in the center of this spectacular room is a combination of zinc and dark walnut and the stools that surround the
bar are a combination of steel and walnut that compliments the bar perfectly. Aesthetically, this centerpiece sets the two-parts modern, two-parts old-country tone that the rest of this former warehouse follows.

Monday night is a big one at Rhone but this space is most welcoming on weekends when the meatheads are out scouting local sports bars for girls. (Psssttt…. hey guys—the women you want aren’t eating wings at Mc Sporty’s, they’re in here drinking wine!) On Monday’s, (and occasional weekends),
subtle DJs spin Sade paced lounge tunes for the mellow crowd of sophisticates and grown-ups who mostly come here in groups. Do you want to
impress your old neighbors from Ohio with your new cosmopolitan lifestyle? Take them here, you nouveau Knickerbocker.

The wait staff at Rhone is both sexy and knowledgeable so you won’t have to worry about not knowing a Chardonnay from Champagne. In fact, all you’ll
have to worry about is knowing your limit because this place’s wine selection is HUGE. Rhone’s wine cellar is said to hold 3,000 bottles of wine in its 168- square foot confines. At a given time, Rhone offers a minimum of 300-wines by the bottle and 30-wines by the glass.

If you’re uneasy about drinking from the vines of France, think of these offering as Constitutional Cote du Rhone or ‘merican Merlot but don’t hold
politics against this wonderful venue. Rhone’s prices are a little high but these Ameri-Francos are quick to surrender to an American Express card so
let the expense account finance this venture.

The next time you’re looking for a truly international experience-- sans the long flight-- find your way to Rhone and I’ll see you there.

P.S. Rhone is closed on Sunday so those craving wine at the end of the weekend may have to go to church to satisfy that jones.

[ This is the last Bar of the Week column by Brian Niemietz.  We wish him well in his new endeavors and thank him for his columns. ]

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