Toledo Area Wine Bars Provide Options For Vino Lovers

Photo by Dennis Jarvis

Occasionally I get a phone call on my cell from a person who thinks I operate a wine bar or conduct wine tastings. Hey, I’m just a wine lover who publishes this blog as a public service and creative outlet. Since I’m a conscientious guy, this is what I tell them.

Your best source of information for wine tastings is right here, at Toledo Wines and Vines. Each week on Wednesday we publish a wine tasting and wine event calendar for the Toledo area. It saves you the hassle of searching for the information from the various sources.

You can click on the dark purple “Wine Tastings & Events” button on the right side of the blog and it will take you to the latest tasting information. This is a free service to help the wine shops and stores that are cool enough to offer wine tastings and also a boost for charitable organizations trying to raise some money through swanky wine events.

We are fortunate to have three great wine bars, and a slew of restaurants with great wine lists. The three wine bars are:

• The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
• Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
• Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.

If you click on the link, it will take you to our story about the wine bar, which will tell you everything you need to know. My quick take on these three wine bars is as follows.

Zinful has a Waterville address and is very close to the Fallen Timbers mall. If offers the best selection of wines by the glass and an outstanding assortment of wines by the bottle. There is regular entertainment (usually jazz) and a wide selection of craft beer on tap – plenty of screens too for the big game. The food is excellent and ranges from full meals to appetizers or pub food. There is also an outside patio.

Tres Belle has a great location at Levis Commons. You’ll find a nice assortment of wine by the bottle or glass, but also a variety of martinis and cocktails. This is a high-energy night club with a cigar shop next door. It’s a great place to stop in before or after dinner at the many restaurants in Levis.

The Bistro at Maumee Wines is the newest wine bar on the scene and offers a casual bar setting or a nice sit-down restaurant for some very fine cuisine. There is a list of wine by the glass or bottle, but the best deal is to buy a nice bottle from the wine shop, pay a small corkage fee, and then enjoy it with the stellar dinner menu. If you go there for dinner, the cost is comparable to that of a fine dining restaurant. You do have the option of enjoying the bar or sticking to appetizers.

In short, wine lovers have it pretty good here in the Toledo area. We encourage you to support your local wine shops and wine bars.

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• Hip Tips: Have Wine Tasting Party with Friends (skimbacolifestyle.com)
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• Mistakes Wine Drinkers Make (fox2now.com)
• Another Great Wine Party Idea: Bottle Swap (winepeeps.com)