FOOD: VIN DOLCE

Strains of live music now drift down the streets of downtown Edmond every weekend, filtering from its newest tenant — Vin Dolce the Wine Bar. This laid-back, upscale urban wine bar at 16 S. Broadway, fills a new niche in the Edmond entertainment industry, bringing together trendy music, local artists and musicians, delectable small-plate options, designer beers and one of the largest selection of quality wines in town all into one modern location.

Owner Melanie Chesser has seen her dream come to fruition. An established real estate agent in the Edmond area for nearly 20 years, Chesser was dealing with burnout. Her husband encouraged her to turn her “pie-in-the-sky” of owning a hospitality-type business into reality, so Vin Dolce was born.

“I’ve always been crazy about wine,” said Chesser. “I used to be an avid collector. I’d come home from a long day, open a bottle of wine and start cooking. It was so relaxing. That’s how it started.”

Vin Dolce conceptually started out as a wine and dessert bar — hence the name: “Vin” which means wine and “Dolce” which means sweet. But eventually Chesser chose to add a list of small gourmet plates to the menu as well.

Their newest menu now includes not only the staple Artisan Board, which is a plate filled with cheeses, seasonal fruits, olives and nuts, but also small bites such as truffle parmesan popcorn, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and Swiss cheese-stuffed pastry with balsamic strawberries. Other offerings include crab cakes, steamed mussels, smoked salmon and seasonal soups.

“We also just added a list of flat breads, which are like gourmet pizzas without the sauce, and are delicious and a huge hit,” said Chesser. Her favorite is the Black and Bleu — blackened beef tenderloin, blue cheese fromage and sliced red onions. The dessert list is also impressive, with enticing sweets such as crème brulee cake, Kentucky bourbon pecan pie and chocolate covered brie.

But the star of Vin Dolce’s menu is their impressive list of national and international wines, 65 of which are available by the glass and all of which are stored in a climate controlled cellar. “We have a great variety of wines that you don’t usually see,” said Chesser, “especially in our Interesting Whites and Interesting Reds categories.”

Wine flights are now available to allow guests to sample several different varieties. And wine stations are set up along the back bar with a wine preservation system that pumps nitrogen in to keep the wines fresh for up to 90 days. This allows Vin Dolce to sell high-end wines which retail for an average of $400 per bottle by the ounce, half glass and glass, an option rarely available for this caliber of wine.

The contemporary wine bar’s staff is well educated on the different wines, and wine classes, monthly wine dinners and wine tastings by vintners are all offered as well. “It’s a complete package for wine lovers,” said Chesser.

Vin Dolce the Wine Bar’s hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4 to 11 p.m. Thursdays, and 4 p.m. to last call Fridays and Saturdays. Local musicians perform every Thursday through Saturday night with no cover charge. For more information, go to www.vindolcewinebar.com.