One of my complaints about Washington DC area is the lack of wine bars. I e-mailed Amanda at Metrocurean a couple of weeks ago on this topic, and between the two of us we could only name 7 in the DC Metro area (although, she told me that there is another one on the way -- check out her site for the announcement). Of course, as a wine blogger, I consider it my responsibility to visit all of them :).

Last night I went to Bardeo with a friend of mine. Of all the wine bars, this one seemed most like the ones I have visited in San Francisco and it was. I was nervous because some of the reviews were less than stellar, but they were also older. I was hoping things had improved.

First, the service was excellent. Our waiter/sommelier was attentive and knowledgeable about the food and the wine. We started off with a cheese flight and a bottle of 2003 Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly. It was a good match, the sweetness of the Gamay complemented the cheese well and the tannins were very light. It was also well-priced at $34 (versus $20 in a store).

For dinner we ordered the Calamari and the Tuna Tartare and a bottle of 2000 Chateau Saint-Anne. This Bordeaux from the Pauillac region was heavier with heavy tannins and a strong finish. It was also well-priced at $66.

Overall, a great time and I highly recommend Bardeo.