The late, great Paris Commune, Rouge Wine Bar.
Wall mural by my friend Bill Rancitelli.
The Palace Bar serves wine, beer, cocktails, and liquors from around the world, as well as a wide selection of non-alcoholic beverages including coffees, teas, and our personal favorite N/A beverage: NYC tap water.
Suggestions and recommendations from our Many Tens of Loyal Readers™ are most welcome.
[Palace posts that reference the bar can be found here.]
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WINE.
WHITE
Italy
Kaltern pinot grigio (2014) Alto Adige. ***house favorite***
Also on hand: Vernaccia, Vermentino, Verdicchio, selections from Orvieto and Sardinia.
Spain
Señorio De P. Peciña Chobeo De Peciña (2009) Rioja.
Martínsancho Verdejo (2013) Rueda.
Pazo de Señoráns Albariño (2006) Rías Baixas.
France
Domaine Leflaive Montrachet, Grand Cru (2012) Burgundy.
Château Lagrézette Le Pigeonnier White Vision Viognier (2012) Côtes du Lot.
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ROSÉ
VieVité Extraordinaire (2012) Provence.
Muga (2014) Rioja.
Angels & Cowboys (2015) Sonoma.
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RED
Italy
- Chianti. An outstanding choice. If you can, choose a Riserva: it is aged longer, and is drier with a slightly higher alcohol content. You will not want to drink it cold, but you may want to chill the bottle a tiny bit. Remember: “room temperature” for reds is “the temperature of an underground vault near the Mediterranean,” and this is not the same thing as the cabinet in your nice, dry, well-heated kitchen.
- Barolo, and its younger cousin Barbaresco. Spicy and full-bodied, these go down exceptionally well with spicy, garlic drenched Italian dishes, or earthier fare like sauteed mushrooms. Note: these can be pricey. If you’re going to spring for a bottle — and if you’re into reds you should, at least once in your life — ask someone knowledgeable at your local wine shop for a recommendation.
- Antinori Santa Cristina Toscana (2010). The Antinori winery is more than 600 years old: the Santa Cristina started off as a Chianti in the 1940s, and now it’s 60 percent Sangiovese, blended with Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. Inexpensive (around $11 US), smooth and well-balanced, this is a very drinkable red.
Spain
- Tempranillo. Ruby red, with aromas and flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb. Deeeelicious.
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CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING
Charles Heidsieck Brut Rosé Reserve (1985), Champagne.
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BEER.
NOTE: THERE IS NO FUCKING COORS OR BUDWEISER SERVED HERE.
Coors bankrolls the Forced Birth Brigades; Budweiser tastes terrible. No, really, it does. I have a horrible headache just thinking about it.
On Tap
- Stella Artois
- Fat Tire
- Guinness Stout
Bottled
- Corona (Mexico)
- Singha (Thailand)
- Heineken (Netherlands)
- Sapporo (Japan)
- San Miguel Pale Pilsen (Phillipines)
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SIGNATURE COCKTAILS.
PHOTO: Blue Martini with Twist, David Thompson.
- The Carl Sagan Pale Blue Martini. vodka, Blue Curacao, fresh lemon.
- The Tonga Room Hurricane. refreshing rum punch with fresh fruit juices.
- The Fortenberry Sazerac. rye, absinthe, muddled Peychaud bitters.
- Sangria. red, white or Rosé wine, brandy, soda splash, seasonal fresh fruit.
- Caipirinha. Cachaça, sugar, fresh lime.
- The Blackout. vodka, caper brine, squid ink, caperberry.
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LIQUORS.
The Macallan, 64 Year Old Single Malt in Lalique.
Vodka
Broken Shed (New Zealand)
Belvedere (Poland)
Grey Goose (France)
Ketel One (Netherlands)
Tequila
Casa Noble Single Barrel Añejo
Cazadores Blanco
Scotch
The Glenlivet, 25 Yr. Single Malt (Speyside)
The Macallan, 64 Year Old Single Malt in Lalique. (I know you’ve been wondering who picked up that bottle for $460,000 at auction at Sotheby’s SPOILER ALERT! It was The Palace!)
Gin
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TONY’S STUFF
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COFFEE & TEA.
- Peruvian Organic Fair Trade Coffee: American style, Cappuccino, Caffè macchiato, Espresso.
- Teas: a fine selection of traditional and herbal teas, served hot or iced.
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Wall mural by Bill Rancitelli.
Restrooms are for Palace patrons ONLY.
The Palace bar is fantastic, fully in keeping with the high standards of the Palace.
Just a few comments from this humble admirer:
Conspicuous by their absence are wines from the U.S., Chile, and Australia, not to mention France.
Regarding beer, my alcoholic beverage of choice, I agree with your choice of Stella Artois and your rejection of Coors, for the reasons given. As for Budweiser – meh.
You may find this entry at Wikepedia to be of interest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anheuser-Busch_InBev.
On the topic of wines, especially affordable wines, this “Fresh Air with Terry Gross” interview delighted me four years ago and is doing it again right now: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97946959.
I’m taking notes. Here are a few from the first 15 minutes: 1) Avoid animal/critter labels. 2) Vintage is important: almost every wine on shelves is meant to be drunk young and fresh. 3) Avoid high-alcohol content wines, which are not balanced; go for around 13 percent. 4) Sulfites are essential preservatives and are not responsible for wine headaches. 5) “When you order wine by the glass, you’re taking your life in your hands. . . . You could be drinking a wine that was opened during the Clinton administration.”
I’m not coming close to doing justice to this wonderful interview.
Cheers!
We’ve been open less than half a day and the patrons are already complaining. ;)
San Miguel Pale Pilsen (Phillipines) was all I drank while stationed in Korea 1986-87. No headaches! I can’t drink domestically bottled beer without getting a hangover. San Miguel was the standard at unit and private parties. Made getting through that year a lot easier. No bad words about it, me. ;-)
Added to the Palace beer menu. Thanks for the recc—I’ll definitely try it when I come across it.
I like cool aid
Palace Bar needs to add the new Not Your Father’s Root Beer!
How the heck can I be your personal bartender if you don’t stock the stuff I like?
No, no, no, you misunderstand: the Palace Bar is well-staffed. You’re my guest! And I added your faves.