NO LONGER TRADING
Opened in 2008 by Sergi Ferrer-Salat —a renowned wine lover in Catalonia who also owns Ferrer-Bobet in Priorat— MonvÃnic has quickly risen to be one of the world's top wine destinations. This is admittedly hefty praise for what is at its core a wine bar, but it is emblematic of the fashionable arc that wine has made in recent years. The evolution from wine being a red, alcoholic liquid drank out of a water glass on a stool to being a treasured liquid is perfectly embodied by MonvÃnic.
The thousands of bottles from Catalonia, Spain, and literally around the world are cellared in a classy glass-enclosed space that forms the foundation of this modern, yet inviting location in the Eixample District. They always have a tremendous number of wines to taste by the glass in addition to the bottle list. This list is of such Biblical proportions that upon sitting down, one of the sommeliers on staff will present you with a digital tablet running the recently revamped in-house software they use to track and browse all the wines.
Naturally, wine and food are the most consummate of marriages and so one must take note of the restaurant within the bar (or is it a bar within a restaurant?) that offers creative plates in something of a tapas-esque fashion. They have a weekend menu that's very popular with the more upscale locals who want a fancier wine option than the young Riojas found in more basic restaurants in Barcelona. There's also the à la carte menu which has a wealth of choices that are constantly evolving with the seasons and tastes. M. H.
