Wine Bar News

Innovative wine bar in Fort Worth lets customers pour self-serve sips

Wine and chocolate are one of life's great pairings.

Photo by Nancy Mowins Farrar

UPDATE: The new wine bar will open at 11 am Saturday, December 21, the owners said in a Facebook post on December 19.

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There's an exciting new concept coming to Fort Worth: Called 38 & Vine, it's a wine bar and tasting room set to open in December in the Foundry District, between downtown and the Cultural District.

The bar is opening at 212 Carroll St. #130, in a 1,440-square-foot tasting room that a release says is inspired by the look and feel of an intimate European cocktail lounge.

38 & Vine is from realtor Jennifer Demel and her husband, Sam Demel, a former Diamondback pitcher. The couple met at Texas Christian University. After graduation, Sam was drafted by the MLB's Oakland Athletics and spent five years as a major league player.

They envisioned a place for exploring wine in a comfortable, enjoyable environment.

The space features a 25-foot wall lined with 42 speciality wines. An innovative dispenser system will allow customers to serve themselves by sliding their card to select three pour sizes: a 1-ounce sip, a 2-ounce taste, and a 5-ounce glass. This approach lets customers try rare wines or sample a variety before deciding on a selection for the night.

The menu will also include champagne and craft beer from DFW breweries.

For food, 38 & Vine has partnered with two local purveyors to provide bites and desserts:

Meyer & Sage, a fellow Foundry District business, will supply ready-made charcuterie boards, hummus plates, and small salads.
Gold Ribbon Confections, the acclaimed Arlington bakery, will provide an assortment of cakes, pies, and chocolates, rotating based on seasonal ingredients and flavors.

The space also features a 10-seat private tasting room for small group tastings, educational classes, and private reservations. In addition, 38 & Vine will offer a wine club membership with discounts, first options to purchase new selections, and event invitations.

"Sam and I love Fort Worth and always knew that it would be our forever home," says Jennifer in a statement. "We wanted to bring a piece of our favorite things from traveling back to the city to share with the community we care so much about."

wine

Restaurant News Roundup Time

Buzzy new sushi sparks this roundup of Fort Worth restaurant news

City of Saginaw

Ishikawa

This roundup of dining news around Fort Worth is like a buffet with many flavors: There's a buzzy opening, a new Christmas menu, and a seasonal menu from a high-profile chef. There are winter beverages and a new opportunity to BYOB.

Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:

Ishikawa Sushi And Grill is a buzzy new sushi spot in Saginaw, located at 1209 N. Saginaw Blvd. #F, in the former Taste of Asia space next to Albertsons, which opened in late November and is already earning huge raves for its great food and generous, hospitable staff. The restaurant doesn't have much of an online presence — only a TikTok account so far — but their menu features sashimi platters and nearly two dozen sushi rolls such as California, spicy tuna, and shrimp tempura. They also have a trio of fried rice options (beef, chicken, and shrimp), plus hibachi, beef or chicken teriyaki, and udon noodles with tempura. Their lunch special featuring three sushi rolls for $16 is winning over fans in the neighborhood, as is the doting service.

Café Modern, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth's signature restaurant, has debuted a seasonal menu under the guidance of Wolfgang Puck Catering and executive chef Jett Mora featuring comfort food with global influences. Highlights include autumn kale salad, whipped chèvre & figs, short rib eggs Benedict, Wolfgang Puck Catering's signature chicken pot pie, and skillet cornbread.

Avoca Coffee Roasters has a new winter menu at all four DFW locations: Gingersnap Latte with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses; peppermint mocha with peppermint syrup and chocolate ganache; peppermint hot chocolate with peppermint syrup and chocolate ganache. The drinks will be available through February 20.

Bella Genta, the pizzeria and sandwich shop that opened in downtown FW in August 2024, is now BYOB: You can now bring your own wine or beer to pair with their focaccia, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and desserts — with no corkage fee, and no limits. The shop does authentic Italian with a fast-casual style, featuring their signature Pinsa Romana, which AI says is a modern Roman-style flatbread similar to pizza but with a dough made from wheat, rice, and soy flour. Their ultra-creative sandwiches on superior house-made bread have earned praise such as the veggie love with hummus, dried tomato, grilled vegetables, & chopped almonds; and the Early Autumn with gorgonzola, pears, walnuts, & honey. Focaccia pizzas include Eggplant Parmigiana with confit tomato and caponato; and Trentina with mozzarella, speck of Trentino, & Gorgonzola mousse. Intriguing desserts include a cake with layers of pistachio & ricotta; and sfogliatella — puff pastry with ricotta cheese & candied orange.

River’s Cocktail & Wine Bar, the cocktail and wine bar in the River District at 4850 White Settlement Rd. from the owners of The Local, is going all out for the holidays with decor and Christmas-themed cocktails including a peppermint martini, the Lil Debbie with vanilla vodka & rum chata, the North Pole Old Fashioned with marshmallow syrup, the White Xmas martini with Smirnoff vanilla, amaretto, & Bailey's, the Mrs. Claus' Holiday Spritz with Deep Eddy cranberry, prosecco, & Lille Rose, and a spiked hot chocolate, priced from $14 to $17. They also serve pizza from the acclaimed Son Of A Baker Pizzeria.

Nothing Bundt Cakes has two holiday flavors for December: Coconut Cream Snowflake, a coconut cake filled with vanilla pudding, topped with coconut, available in personal-sized Bundtlets from December 1-14; and Peppermint Chocolate Chip chocolate cake with chocolate chips and peppermint pieces, available in all sizes December 8-January 4.

Dave’s Hot Chicken, the chain from California, has launched a new core menu offering: Saucy Bites, featuring Dave's Chicken Bites tossed in one of three sauces: Spicy Buffalo, Spicy BBQ, or Mike’s Hot Honey. They're also debuting a Ranch dip and a spicy version called the Reaper Ranch.

Snooze, the buzzy brunch chain, has unveil a new lineup of holiday specials as follows: Sticky toffee buttermilk pancakes topped with pecan sticky toffee sauce, espresso-date mascarpone and candied orange zest; spiked peppermint hot chocolate with blanco tequila, coffee liqueur, and peppermint syrup; gingerbread latte with espresso, milk, gingerbread syrup, and a ginger snap cookie; caramel haze hot chocolate with hazelnut and caramel syrup; peppermint hot chocolate, and peppermint mocha hot with crushed peppermint.

Chili’s is bringing back a top-selling Margarita of the Month for December: the Merry Maker Marg for $6, with Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Monin Blackberry, strawberry puree, and house-made sour, served with a reusable Santa ‘stache straw.

Fish City Grill and Half Shells have rolled out a wave of new menu items upgraded oyster nachos with housemade chips, chargrilled oysters, moked troup dip, the omega bowl with salmon, Havarti-cheddar mac & cheese, Mediterranean sea bass, and Texas redfish.

White Rhino Coffee, the DFW coffeehouse chain, has three new seasonal beverages: Chumpkin, a blend of spiced chai and pumpkin with steamed milk which can be made "dirty" by adding espresso or matcha; Gingerbread Latte with espresso, milk, and gingerbread spice; and Banana Bread Latte with oat milk, banana purée, cinnamon, and choice of espresso or matcha.

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, the Italian Ice concept, is teaming up with Andes mint with holiday specials spotlighting Andes' chocolate-mint flavor in two new frozen treats: Mint Fudge Sundae features Rita’s Vanilla and Chocolate Twist Frozen Custard topped with Andes Mints, hot fudge, and whipped cream; Mint Cookie Crunch Concrete features Vanilla Frozen Custard blended with Andes Mints and Oreo cookie pieces. Available through January 11.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is ringing in the holiday season with a festive limited-time cocktail: the Jingle Berry ‘Rita, available through December 31. It blends Fuzzy’s Frozen House Margarita with blackberry syrup, Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine, and a Black Cherry White Claw dunk, bringing a burst of berry-forward cheer to every sip.

Crystal Springs Hideaway, the bar and beer garden in Fort Worth’s River District, is serving seven Christmasy cocktails during the holidays including the Sugar Plum Cowgirl Martini with vanilla Vodka, Bailey’s, and White Chocolate Liqueur; Patridge in a Pear Tree Old-Fashioned with bourbon, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, and bitters; Dirty Elf’s Gluhwein” featuring warm mulled wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and orange; and Bad Santa’s Spiked Cider.

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