Try “Last August” this month, and all of the wines at Postino WineCafe.
You don’t call your business a “WineCafe” (be it one smooshed together word or two) without intending to put a lot of focus on wine. Postino WineCafe believes that “drinking wine at lunch is not a crime,” so much so that it’s their actual tagline. Not content to make people wait until early evening happy hours, they offer glasses of wine for $5 all day, every day until 5pm – that’s any glass of wine from their wine-by-the-glass list (as opposed to by-the-bottle-only). Then on Monday and Tuesday nights, from 8pm to close, the deal is “Board & Bruschetta,” your choice of any four fresh bruschettas (pre-cut for easy sharing) along with any bottle of wine from the “by-the-glass” section for $20! It’s a heck of a deal.
Just in time for warmer weather, Postino has released a new wine menu reflecting the lighter tastes of the season. Postino likes to take an “every-man/woman” approach to their wine list, making it as approachable and friendly as possible. There is no need to ever feel intimidated at Postino because the staff is now only willing but they are ready to talk you through the best wine choice for you. Before every shift, they do a tasting of a wine on the list, talking about its characteristics and what it will pair with the best.
I witnessed this first hand recently when I talked to Restaurant Manager Garrett Rippe. Garrett is passionate about wine and just knows a ton. He let me sample a few of Postino’s exclusive collaborations, wines made specifically for Postino (they have other locations in Arizona). There are four such wines on the current list, designated by a drawing of a wine glass next to the name. In the whites, I enjoyed Last August, a 2014 Sauvignon Blanc and Holly’s Way, a 2015 Chardonnay, both from California. Last August especially, was citrusy with a nice lemongrass finish and a slight effervescence to it. I could see sitting on a patio (perhaps Postino’s!) enjoying this one.
In reds, I liked Stagedrive, a California Pinot Noir. My favorite, which happened to not be one of the exclusives, was the Le BoisGamay 2014 from France. You would have to love mushrooms to appreciate this one. It was earthy, with a mushroom hint to it. I could totally imagine drinking it with something buttery like Postino’s Proscuitto with Figs & Mascarpone Bruschetta or maybe the Genoa Salami & Pesto one. Another favorite was Cantele Negroamaro, 2013 from Italy. You taste black tea, something herbaceous and a little floral.
Bruschettas, left to right, Warm Artichoke, Tomato Jam and Fresh Sheepsmilk Cheese, Prosciutto and Fig with marscarpone, Smoked Salmon with Pesto.
With a wide variety of wines from a variety of countries, Postino offers the perfect opportunity to get to know different kinds of wine, and without fear of being judged! The fact that you can pair wine with Postino’s delicious food, is just the cherry on top. Having gotten to know the wine menu, I have another reason to continue recommending Postino as one of my favorite restaurants in Denver. Really good food at really reasonable prices, in an interesting atmosphere can be had, up on the hill (2715 17th Street) at Postino WineCafe. The Butcher’s Block, a great way to try a bunch of yummy things including artisan meats, cheeses, tuscan bean puree, olives, nuts and crostini. Loved the asparagus addition too.
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