I don’t need much inspiration to make a beeline for a wine bar, but this past weekend National Rosé Day prompted me to go on a hunt for Rosé across the downtown Sacramento grid. Summer has definitely descended on Sacramento’s lush tree-lined streets and its sidewalk cafes are filled with locals soaking up the sunshine.
And what’s a better match with summer than a bright, refreshing glass of Rosé. So, with a fellow wine-loving friend in tow, we headed out in blind faith to see what interesting blush wines we might encounter on our Sacramento wine bar Rosé Crawl.
Fizz Champagne & Bubbles Bar
First up was Fizz with its focus on sparkling wine. I had never been to the DoCo-based champagne & bubbles bar but was pretty sure they would have at least one sparkling Rosé on their menu. My mind was blown with four sparkling Rose options.
The knowledgeable bartender pointed us in the right direction. My friend went with the tasty Graham Beck from South Africa. I was enormously happy with my choice of the Blaufrankisch graped Penina Rosé Kobal from Solvenia.
Hole-in-the-wall Fizz has some interesting sparkling wine options that run the gamut in price and region. We enjoyed sitting at the bar. But I look forward to going back on an evening when there’s a cool Delta breeze to lounge on the patio beside the Golden 1 Center’s looming modern architecture.
Bailarin Cellars
COFFEE + WINE
I know Bailarin for quiet Sunday morning coffee. So, it was time to explore the full range of options this tasting room, situated on up-and-coming K Street, had to offer. I love Bailarin’s vintage, exposed brick interior and low-key hospitality. We rolled one of the modular wheelie tables up to a comfy spot on the sophisticated banquette and sank into our second glass of Rosé.
Bailarin has a few snacky food options and these Marcona almonds were just the right mid-afternoon nibble. It was tough to pull ourselves away from the luxurious banquette. But we were on a Rosé mission.
Café á Côté
BRASSERIE CAPITALE
Located in the lobby of an office building, next to its big sister Brasserie Capitale, Café á Côté is a hidden Sacramento wine bar oasis that made me feel as though I had been transported to Paris. We sidled up to the zinc bar only to be disappointed that we had simply one Rosé option. But one sip of that quintessential tart Provencal Rosé and we knew there would have been no other choice. That may have been my favorite Rosé of the day – and we had some terrific Rosés! Moving on to harder snacks, Café á Côté’s Pommes Frites pushed this cool wine joint over the edge with a perfectly fried crescendo.
Granted, K & 12 Street is typically quiet on a weekend… but compelling Café á Côté was inappropriately dead at that early hour as it opened its doors. I loved this spot and intend on making it a regular Sacramento wine bar destination.
The Rind
CHEESE. WINE. BEER.
To keep moving on our crawl, we needed more serious sustenance. So, Sacramento Cheese + Wine classic The Rind was the natural next stop. We were nearly apoplectic, though, when we heard they were out of Rosé. We couldn’t break our Rosé streak now. Running out of Rosé in summer? Clearly everyone else was on a Rosé pilgrimage this day as well.
I think we breathed an audible sigh of relief when it was clarified that they did have a sparkling Rosé on-hand. Okay, twist my arm. It was delicious – and, oh, that gorgeous pinky-orange color.
Part of The Rind experience is to agonize over narrowing their vast cheeseboard options down to a 3-cheese plate. We went Blue + Cow + Goat – a little French, a little American.
The Grand Wine Bar
At the end of the day, The Grand is always the perfect Sacramento wine bar finale. Its artsy hole-in-the wall vibe with eclectic wine list – and half-glass options – is my ideal wine bar. Its less-than-perfect no food option is countered by The Grand’s sincere support for guests to bring in their own nosh – adding to the wine adventure.
As the hot, windy day subsided into a gentle Delta breeze, we opted to sit on The Grand’s intimate sidewalk patio in the shadow of Shephard Fairey’s newish Johnny Cash Mural and watch the sun set. Sure The Grand is set at a busy intersection, but all the better for people-watching.
It was fun to embark blindly on a Sacramento wine bar crawl with a theme, but no expectations. We just let the mellow afternoon unfold and wash over us. Five glasses of delicious Rosé later – and five cool establishments explored – reminded me what the Sacramento wine bar scene has to offer. If this is a preview of summer – I’m ready!
Sacramento Wine Bars
One can only drink so much wine, so we didn’t hit all of the worthwhile Sacramento wine bar options. See the map below, for where to find our Rosé wine bar destinations as well as some other great wine options on the grid and beyond. Some are dedicated wine bars and some are restaurants with great wine options to grab a glass – and maybe dinner – at the bar.
