Just the Right Blend at Twisted Cork
With the lights dimmed enough to put you at ease, Twisted Cork in downtown Bellevue is the perfect after-work wine bar. Once inside, you are greeted by some of the friendliest hosts in town. If a table is not open, you may relax at the cobblestone fountain bench and peruse a wine menu of more than 100 wines by bottle and glass.
Our original intent was to test our knowledge of port wines during the evening’s special Halloween edition of SAUCE, a wine and dark chocolate tasting. But our stomachs were too hungry at 6 p.m. for that expedition, so we chose to dine in the bar.
First decision – the wine. It was a hard choice because the selection is unbeatable for white or red by glass. When ordering wine by the glass, you have the option of a 2.2 ounce taste or a 5.5 ounce glass. This is a nice perk if you are unfamiliar with the wine selection or just can’t quite make up your mind.
Do we choose a Domaine du Beaurenard of France, a Sonoma Silver Label Cabernet, a black pepper and dark cherry Syrah or perhaps an Australian Sauvignon Blanc with hints of pineapple, lime and citrus? In the end, the Domaine de Lagrezette, "Hauts de Grezette," Merlot of Cahors, France won our delight. We are by no means wine experts, but the menu removes potential ignorance moments with detailed wine descriptions including year, flavors, scents, bottler and grape origin. For our choice, the menu described it as "powerful, licorice, anise, blackcurrants." Our friend chose the Excelsior Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa, which offered a smooth, black currant flavor. It is a classic wine with great body and flavor.
The food. We chose to indulge in a bowl of the brandied Dungeness crab bisque topped with chive crème fraiche, (a cream based topping with chives). It was comforting with the 50 degree weather outside and even more complimentary to the French merlot. Don’t be afraid to only order a bowl of soup when hungry, because it is filling and accompanied by bountiful fresh baked bread. If you do order an entrée, try a cup of the crab bisque as a starter.
The cost of our dinner (one glass of wine and a bowl of crab bisque) was $24, including tip. Prices go up significantly for full entrees.
Bar service is friendly, informative and top notch. The bar has a surprising number of events including the weekly SAUCE wine tasting, which offers 1:1 wine education from Twisted Cork’s wine steward. SAUCE costs between $25 and $35 and runs every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m.
Overall, it’s a great place to meet friends, distract yourself from looming work deadlines or hideaway if you are a Seattlelite finding yourself lost in Bellevue.
