By George Mahe
Photograph by Katherine Bish
Adjectives are powerful creatures. They’re the backbone of the English language ... and the bane and boon of the wine business. It’s those adjectives that make the sale, so like a novelist or poet, the wine marketer must choose his words carefully. Enter Certified Sommelier/wine instructor Stanley Browne, who’s bet the vineyard on Robust, a total “wine experience” based on a user-friendly list of eight body-style profiles he calls “robust factors.” Wines are categorized as “crisp” or “luscious” or “generous”—simple descriptors that, for newbies, can open the door to unfamiliar wines from unfamiliar countries. To paraphrase Yogi Berra: Robust is half wine bar, half wine store and half café. Marketing wine by flavor and taste is not new, but Browne has really pulled an Emeril Lagasse here by applying those same robust factors to his beer and coffee selections, persuading former Neiman Marcus chef and popover king Greg Maggi to mastermind the wine-matched “tasting plates” and selling well-chosen, love-it-all wine paraphernalia. And that robust adjective sums it up: You’ll love it all.
227 W. Lockwood, 314-963-0033, robustwinebar.com. Café hours: 11 a.m.–12 a.m. Mon–Thu, 11 a.m.–
1 a.m. Fri–Sat, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Sun.
