The Best Wine Bars In the Slope

There's something about the post-July heat that wears on me. Suddenly the smell of fresh-cut grass is overwhemingly overpowered with that special scent of boiling garbage. After too many weekend barbecues, my skin is perpetually sunburnt. Drinking a beer to stay cool is too soggy and filling a remedy. Downing a cocktail seems the instant path to a mid-day hangover.

That's when I turn to my mid-summer salvation: the wine bar.

Wine bars around here may not be as boistrous as other watering holes in the Slope, but they've all got a breezy, spacious aura about them that fits my deep summer lethargy. Accordingy, I've compiled a list of my favorite places to unwind on summer nights. Bring a book or some good friends and embrace your inner-lounger.

This South Slope establishment is to wine what is to coffee: unapologetically sophisticated with its Euro decor, yet incredibly relaxed all the same. Their long wooden bar is a perfect place to pull up with a good book and a key-lime minto prosseco spritzer before sundown. If you're looking for something slightly less light and fruity, however, Provini has a healthy selection of Italian wines, ranging from a Liguria Pigato Riviera ($12) to an excellent Sicillian Rosé straight from the "tenuta delle terre nere" (roughly transated to the "tension of the black soil.") A sister restaurant to and Bar Tano, you can also expect that any of the Italian fare you pair with your drink order will be delicious.

Aside from taking the trophy for best wine selection in the neighborhood, Brookvin also expertly explains how its wine tastes—a difficult task that often leaves quite a bit of room for imprecision (and pretention).

The wine menu, printed on brown paper and presented afixed to a clipboard, spans six pages and includes niche picks from Washington to New Zealand. I'd recommend the Castel Shalleggg Schiava ($8), an Italian red so light and soft it approaches a rosé. It's an effortless glass to drink, and welcomes a plate of cheese or cured meat. As does the squeaky clean Vevi Verdejo ($9). My only compaint with this upscale Seventh Avenue hangout is the worn-out jammy soundtrack (read: Santana, Hendrix).

It's well-established that Miriam is the Slope destination for savory mid-day Shakshuka and/or halvah mousse. But it's also a great place for a glass of North African wine in the early afternoon. The restaurant's colorful Mediterranean vibe lends well to its exotic and extensive selection, which includes gems from North and South Africa, Western Europe, and Chile. I'd recommend the Poisson Gris ($8), a refreshing Tunisian rosé that's sure to get your juices flowing.

Although it is a bit puzzling that this cozy Italian joint isn't gung-ho about serving Italian wines, that doesn't take away from the deliciousness that is Al Di La's selection. A separate affair from the , the bar serves everything from Hungarian to French glasses.

Head here to split a bottle with someone (the by-the-glass selection is sparser than most would like) and ask your bartender to make a recommendation. The wait is long and drinks are somewhat pricey, but that's only because theses guys know what they're doing.

Cocoa Bar, though not famous for its vast wine collection, is that place you go to when you've missed your subway then stepped in dog poop. In other words, it's a place for guiltless indulgence. I'd recommend stopping by the chic little cafe during happy hour (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.), when the house chardonnay is $4 and you can cry alone in the corner without getting too many stares. Pair your house wine with something fruity for summer (like the passionfruit-filled milk chocolate) and you might just cheer up a bit. But if you're really a snob about what wine you drink during self-pity sessions, there's a nice selection of (mostly Calfornian and South American) wines available, too.