Fruits of the Vine

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Sachs wants to avoid overwhelming his patrons with possibilities. They’ll choose from a carefully edited list of 50 wines–20 reds, 20 whites, 5 sparkling wines, and 5 dessert wines–and have a chance to sample them by the glass. The retail shop will feature graphic displays showing, for instance, a wineglass filled with the different components that suggest the flavor of a chardonnay. Staff will explain the fine points of uncorking a bottle or properly decanting a wine. In the more casual of the two restaurants, the Tavern, menus will list wines available by the glass and suggest wines to complement bistro dishes such as soup, steamed mussels, or pates. In the formal dining room, the Cellar, Sachs will offer a boutique wine list for connoisseurs while providing options and information for novices. Brian Duncan, the veteran wine steward at Spruce, will choose most of the wines offered at Bin 36, and Sachs has hired Bernard Laskowski, former sous chef at the Four Seasons, to develop a menu that will include items like pork loin and rotisserie chicken.

Ink Under the Bridge

Oh, the Humanities!