Maxwell Park in Washington DC is Brent Kroll's Shaw 9th Street wine bar with a monthly-themed list that resets every month, 50 by the glass and an under-the-radar deep retail shop.
Food program: Snacks and charcuterie
Tip: Themed nights run on the first Tuesday of each month with a sommelier walk-through; arrive at 18:00 for a seat.
Address: 1336 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, Washington DC
Lupo Verde in Washington DC is the U Street Italian dining room and wine bar from Pasta Cucina, a deep Italian-only list with 30 bottles by the glass and a separate enoteca cellar room downstairs.
Signature pour: Etna Rosso by the glass
Wine focus: Italian regional wines
Food: Italian small plates and pastas
Tip: The downstairs enoteca takes walk-ins for wine flights only; the upstairs room is the proper-meal seat.
Dio Wine Bar in Washington DC is the H Street NE natural-wine room from Stacy Kelsey, the city's most explicitly natural-wine bar, with rotating glasses from low-intervention producers worldwide.
Signature pour: Whatever bottle the staff has open
Wine focus: Natural and low-intervention wines
Food: Cheese and charcuterie boards
Tip: The wine bar runs an open-bottle policy; ask what is already pulled and pay by the glass for the value.
The Dabney Cellar in Washington DC is the basement wine bar below The Dabney in Shaw, with a tight Mid-Atlantic-and-German list, snacks from upstairs and a quieter feel than the main room.
Signature pour: Mid-Atlantic riesling by the glass
Wine focus: Mid-Atlantic and German wines
Food: Snacks from the upstairs kitchen
Tip: Snag a seat at the wine bar for the upstairs kitchen menu without the dining-room reservation pressure.
Bistrot Lepic Wine Bar in Washington DC is the Georgetown wine bar above the French bistro Bistrot Lepic on Wisconsin Avenue, a small French-only room with weekly wine tastings on Wednesdays.
Signature pour: Burgundy by the glass
Wine focus: French regional wines
Food: French small plates
Tip: Wednesday wine tastings from 19:00 are $30 for five pours; reserve a week ahead via the website.
Iron Gate in Washington DC is the Dupont Circle Greek-Mediterranean dining room and wine bar on N Street, a former carriage-house with a Mediterranean wine focus and a wood-fire mezze kitchen.
Signature pour: Assyrtiko by the glass
Wine focus: Greek and Mediterranean wines
Food: Wood-fire mezze and small plates
Tip: The covered garden patio is the city's prettiest spring-and-summer wine bar seat; book the late slot for the lower light.
barmini by Jose Andres in Washington DC is the cocktail laboratory next to Minibar on E Street, a 100-cocktail menu with a deep sherry and Spanish wine program from the same kitchen.
Signature pour: Manzanilla sherry flight
Wine focus: Cocktail laboratory with sherry and wine focus
Food: Pintxos and tapas
Tip: Bartender's choice is the play; describe a flavour and let the staff build. Reservations are required.
