Introducing: Midfield Wine Bar, Dundas West’s laid-back spot for oenophiles

| April 9, 2012

Midfield Wine Bar, which opened without much fanfare at the end of January, is the vision of two front-of-house vets: sommelier Christopher Sealy (Terroni, Mercatto) and Giuseppe Anile (Bar Italia and former owner of Marquee Video). Their shared passion for wine, food and hospitality brought the pair together to create a space that evokes old-world warmth on the rapidly gentrifying section of Dundas West around Dufferin.

Although Midfield Wine Bar has yet to fully and officially open (they’re still two to four weeks out), the wine-first tavern has been swiftly embraced by locals and restaurant industry types who have, it seems, longed for just such a wine-first watering hole (there are liquors and a small beer selection, in case you’re wondering). The space, designed by Matthew Beckerle (interior designer and owner of Unit Bar on Queen West), is minimalist and high-contrast, with white walls set against blackboards inscribed with the wine list, and bare wooden shelving behind the bar. The bar top is made from the floor of a bowling alley and, in the back, old prison and warehouse lockers (from Smash) are repurposed as wine shelves.

The wine list aims to be approachable and adventurous at the same time, with around 15 whites and 12 to 15 reds, each offered by the glass and by the bottle (three-ounce, half-glass pours are available for those interesting in tasting). Now being poured: Charles Baker’s 2010 Picone Vineyards Riesling from Vinemount, ON; wines by Italian maker Castello di Verduno; Greek wines like Antonopoulos Vineyards’ Moschofilero 2010; Hungarian Kekfrankos by J&J Eger Wines (master sommelier John Szabo’s winery); and many more, including several natural and biodynamic bottles. Currently, the dining options are confined to small bites, like a charcuterie and cheese plate (three choices for $16 or five for $24), and oysters, but a more expansive menu is on the way.