If not, then you should! Crush Wine Bar is right on Palmer Ave next to the Larchmont Playhouse and it is certainly worth a visit. I had the pleasure of attending last week with two of the most respected, and all around good guys in the Westchester food and wine industry, Peter Kelly of Xaviars/X2O and Marc Newman of Trinchero Family Estates. If these guys give it the thumbs up then you know its gotta be good! We sat with owner Jennifer Deutsch for awhile but she was pretty busy making sure her guests were all well taken care of and enjoying themselves, a great quality in a restauranteur.

This “wine bar” title gets thrown around a little too often lately, with every restaurant offering more than three wines by the glass classifying themselves as such. But that is not the case with Crush. With over 30 wines available by the glass, and another 30 by the bottle, the wine selection is quite impressive. The list is definitely California driven with some solid selections from France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand appropriately mixed in. The menu also includes wine pairing recommendations for each dish, a very helpful addition if you are in need of a little guidance.

First we had the 2010 Menage a Trois Napa white blend, part of Marc’s Trinchero portfolio. While most people are familiar with their Zinfandel based red blend this Chardonnay, Muscat and Chenin Blanc combo is crisp and refreshing with zesty tropical fruits. It’s like a baby Conundrum (Caymus’s white wine blend) at about half the price. We paired it up with a watermelon chip and tzatziki dish which worked out very well.

Next we ordered up a meat and cheese platter including some incredibly fresh prosciutto, sopressata, brie, manchego and parmesan. Crush has a cool option of creating your own platter from a handful of different meats and cheeses. Alongside that we also had the bacon wrapped dates with almonds which screamed for a red. Marc opted for his Dona Paula 2010 Malbec from Mendoza which was a perfect fit with the meaty goodness of the bacon and dates. It’s a smooth and supple value wine that comes out of the bottle ready to drink. In fact it was so good that one bottle just wasn’t enough 😉

With a vast and approachable wine selection along with the culinary experience of celebrity chef Alex Garcia, it would appear that Crush will be “crushing” it for years to come. It offers a perfect atmosphere for those looking to stop in for a glass of wine while strolling around Larchmont, or even for a full night out as their tapas style menu allows you to sip and pick all night. Check it out next time you’re in that neck of the woods.
Cheers!