Matter of Taste

A glAss of wine pAired with
a cheese or cold-cut platter is the
perfect way to relax after a city
sightseeing tour, overseas business
meeting or upon an evening arrival
in a new destination. to help you
prepare for your next trip, Matter of
Taste’s selection of the world’s 12
savviest wine spots takes a journey
through Asia, europe, north and south
America, with stops in Australia, south
Africa and dubai. Bon voyage!
HIT hit THE the
SPOTS spots
Wherever W e find ourselves, the call
of the grape enhances almost all
travel experiences. Gary Bowerman
searches out a “dazzling dozen” of the
W orld’s premier city W ine bars
Barcelona
Monvínic
impressively once described as a
“temple to connoisseurship,” Monvínic
opened in 2008 near the landmark
plaza Catalunya at the north end of las
ramblas. the daily changing menu
features up to 50 global wines by the
glass or half-glass from the impressive
cellar, and a team of sommeliers
assists guests on the best pairings
with award-winning chef sergi de
Meià’s modern Catalan dishes that
include wild duck fricassee with stuffed
pumpkin and veal tail served with
Jerusalem artichokes. Monvínic also
offers a wine reference library, a venue
for wine tastings, and a shop featuring
thousands of bottles from across the
globe. www.monvinic.com
San Francisco
The hidden vine
originally opened in a small hotel near
Union station in 2005, the hidden Vine
relocated to the city’s financial district
in 2011 and has been a favored haunt
for san franciscan oenophiles ever
since. located in a subtly-lit red-brick
space with a homely farmhouse feel,
the hidden Vine boasts a wine list that
features around 180 wines, with 40
available by the glass, and is particularly
strong on Cabernets from the local
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