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Bodega Wine Bar is all about making wine as unpretentious as possible. The owners opened the bar after searching high and low for "a casual place to grab a glass of wine...somewhere that didn't require us to be wine experts, spend a lot of money, or even talk about wine much (if at all)" but found nothing. Ah - a wine philosophy this wine novice can get behind entirely! So, of course, I had to check it out.
The bar is located in Pasadena's indoor/outdoor Paseo Colorado Mall and though I've walked by the general vicinity a few hundred times over the years, I had no idea Bodega Wine Bar, in all it's wine nonchalance, was tucked away just waiting for me to amble in and start sipping.
The mall location was off-putting at first: how uncool is it to taste wine in a mall? But then I remembered the Bodega philosophy of casual and unstuffy wine appreciation and it made perfect sense: the mall is exactly where such democratization of wine can occur.
As soon as you enter, you get a feeling of wine-bar-cool and you have no sense - none! really! - that you are in a mall wine bar. Instead, the darkly lit interior with its sleek bar tables and stools are a welcome respite from the stucco assault that is the rest of the mall. Past the tall tables and stools is a lounge area and yet more tables in a spare, industrial space.
In a truly democratic attempt to make wine tasting accessible to all, all wines are the same price. That's right. All wines are the same price. Glasses are $8, carafes are $20 and bottles are $30. No matter what. Of course, my wine snob friends countered that such a basic pricing scheme could only mean one thing: there's nothing good on the menu to taste (as in, no high-end wines that would be considered a "deal" to try at that price.) Ah - snobs, indeed! But were they right?
Let's get to the wines...
I tried four wines - two whites, two reds - that were paired for me by the low-key staff to go with the two appetizers I ordered. The cheese & pepperoni plate was paired with a Burgans Albariño and St. Clair Sauvignon Blanc. The Albariño was excellent with the cheese and crackers. It was medium bodied & dry with citrusy flavors that even worked with the heavier pepperoni. The Sav Blanc on the other hand...was grassy & herby (which Sav Blancs should be) and, well, it tasted like the smell of B.O. Really. It was too astringent with the buttery cheese and I didn't even finish the glass.
For the spicy bruschetta pizza, I ordered a glass of Mark West Pinot Noir and a glass of Basket Case Syrah. Both were excellent - the Pinot Noir was smooth and fruity, the Syrah was big and bold - and paired wonderfully with the spicy pizza (which was divine!)
The wine and food were served quickly, the wait staff was mellow but enthusiastic about wine and it was exactly the kind of place the Bodega Wine Bar owners set out to create - totally chill, not at all stuffy, but cool enough to linger for awhile...even in the mall.
Their wine list includes twelve whites and twelve reds and offers a few other wines that I'm eager to taste in the future, including the Montevento Pinot Grigio, the Vinum Cellars Petite Syrah, and the Graziano Zinfandel. Their food menu is short and sweet, offering excellent nibbles to accompany the main wine attractions.
And were my grumbling wine snob friends right in guessing that there'd be no higher priced wines available at Bodega's democratic prices? Yep! All the wines I tried are available at a number of wine outlets for $14.99 or less. Not exactly a deal...but toss in the atmosphere, the lovely little glasses the wine comes in and the chance to drink good wine at the mall and, well, it's definitely worth a visit.
Bodega Wine Bar
260 East Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91101
626.793.4300
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i've been there and i can verify that it's not anywhere near as sophisticated as the picture you are painting. which leads me to assume that this is a paid advertisement. it should be named green wine bar. the wine is so green that i cant make a prudential judgement towards its future potential. but thank you callie if your intention was an attempt to bring us culture.
I've been there, and I can testify that the Bodega win bar is exactly as Callie described.
I haven't been to the Pasadena Bodega, but their SaMo wine bar is definitely a cozy spot -- and NOT in a mall (on Broadway next to Swingers). The carafe prices are cut during happy hour.
I agree that it's tough to satisfy everyone with such a pricing structure... I've been similarly frustrated with the limited, yet varied wine list at The Other Room in Venice. Fortunately there is always at least one varietal that tastes just right on each visit. And, knowing that I'm covering their costs on the bottle with one glass pour, I never feel bad sending back a bad glass.
I've been there a few times as well, it wasn't as interesting as it is written up there - unless I coincidently have been going on nights that happen to be lame.
Vega -- Thanks! As for the haters, this is NOT a paid advertisement. I'm not saying it's HIGH END, I'm saying it's nice for a wine bar in a MALL. Which surprised me.
I went on a Saturday night - so that might have upped the "happening" factor. It may be less interesting at 5pm on a Tuesday.
The purpose of Wine Novice is not to bring culture to all, as malofx alluded to. Nor is Wine Novice about snotty wine sipped in the snottiest place in town. Rather, the goal is to find a way to appreciate wine in LA with reasonable prices and a low-key vibe - wherever that may be. No one wants to go taste wine and be made to feel like an idiot, unless they are a wine snob. In which case, this column is not for you.
if it wasnt an advertisement, then you would have mentioned D'VINE, the terrible place 30ft from bodega. so maybe i'm insulted by the small portion they serve at bodega in a spanish style glass that reminds me of a shot glass. you force me to give recommendations: HERITAGE on raymond, LE PETITE VENDOME is on granite, VERTICAL is on raymond, and you can venture to PHLIGHT in whittier...
I wouldn't really call it a "Mall wine bar"
the Paseo is a bit classier than that.
Hot Tip: Go to Boedga in the spring or during summer nights to find hot chicks looking for sophisticated guys.
thanks for the recs, malofx, though those aren't all wine bars per se. Keep in mind that while our reviews are experience-based and NOT sponsored-by-venue, referencing every area competitor isn't necessary for balance. In fact if we did say the place 30 feet away was terrible it would in fact seem MORE like a paid ad for Bodega.
Alas, your constructive comments are most welcome. After all, user comments are equally part of every post and often provide insight for future postings.
A sponsored post/paid for post will always look like the below example:
http://laist.com/2007/12/27/sponsored_post.php
Recommendations are always welcome, as we mentioned in our first Wine Novice post - "tell us what you want to know and where you want us to go."
We just went to Vertical last week and will be writing it up soon. And malofx, you'll be happy to know that we LOVED it.
great! i like wine bar / tapas environments, so review them at will and i'll love you more!!! may we all meet in wine heaven!!!
this place 100% MEH...