Find a Natural Wine Paradise at Tap Bar à Vin
As a trained natural wine addict hailing from New York City, the first thing I found myself searching for on Dianping after returning to Beijing was “natural wine bar.”
The first and only (at the time) name that popped up was TAP 踏葡. I let out a sigh of relief – at least my alcohol situation was solved.
Luckily for me, a friend knows the owners of Tap well and I was able to visit the bar – soon to become my second home – within the first few days of my arrival. Writing this feels like everything happened just yesterday but time flies and Tap already has a brand-new look. Their wine list, of course, remains just as spectacular.
Now, let me try my best to bring you on a somewhat immersive experience:
You open maps and type in the bar’s name. You cab there and get off right before the entrance of a community – the bar couldn’t possibly be located inside here, right? You see that the SHANG building is right by the side (with Bottega waving its pizza at you), but your maps is telling you to walk into the local neighborhood where families, grandparents, and students are coming entering and exiting. You have no choice but to doubtfully follow.
After making a few twists and turns (moreso if you accidentally walked the wrong way, like I did), your little blue arrow is finally at the red dot. You look up but all you see is “都市丽人,” a local hair salon, but wait! Don’t walk away just yet!
If you look a little more to the right, you’ll notice a shift in exterior style, and find that in the corner there's a little area of wooden flooring. On the white wall hangs the sign “Tap Bar à Vin!”
You slide open the glass door, et voila! Welcome to the world of TAP.
One long bar table runs from the entrance to the back with around 12 bar stools. It’s a small space but with plenty of room for standing, just in case it gets packed later in the evening (which it often does). While the original Tap offered a warm and cozy vibe with its wooden interior, the newly renovated bar redefines itself as chic and modern with a metallic finish.
White wines are situated closer to the entrance and the reds are on the opposite end. Each bottle has its price labeled on it (a trend that you’ll find in many natural wine bars) so the only menu you’ll need to check out is its food menu. I would recommend the comté cheese – drizzled in olive oil with sprinkles of pepper on top – if you’re looking for something savory but light.
If you’re craving something a bit more filling, the chicken liver mousse with baguette is definitely a go-to. Its layer of honey on top adds a brilliant dash of sweetness that balances perfectly well with the savory and creaminess of the mousse. However, if you’re tired of all these Western small plates, fret not, for there is also a selection of Chinese snacks. My favorite would be the WenZhou fishcake – cut into slices with yuzu poured over and dried garlic as garnish – it’s a must try.
I digress. The foodie within me has taken us on a tangent but let me bring us back to the namesake of the bar – natural wine. As we cannot casually travel like we use to, one thing we can take comfort in is traveling by taste buds. Tap offers wines from France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Poland, and more. Nothing beats the experience of physically being in these countries but sipping on their wine is a close alternative. After all, one of the best ways to experience a different culture is through what they imbibe.
You decide to sit at an open spot in the middle as there are already a few customers seated in the inner-end. Water is immediately poured for you into a little pink cup by the bartender. Observing that you look a bit overwhelmed by the massive collection, the bartender comes to the rescue and asks if they could be of any assistance.
You: “Ummm….”
(Silence)
Bartender: “Red or white?”
You: “Maybe a red.”
Bartender: “Any flavor you like or don’t like in particular?”
You: “Hmmm… something not too big, easy to drink, and extra funky!”
And so, the bartender picks out two to three bottles, explaining in detail each one's region, grape, aroma and taste (it’s almost as if you’re taking a mini crash course on wine). I know, it would be amazing if you could just drink them all. Alas! A decision must be made so you choose a bottle of your liking. Whether it’s based on the unique design of the label or your inclination for a specific taste the bartender described, know that it’s the right choice because it’s your choice! We throw away the wine snobbishness here! Everyone has their own preference so none of that, “if it’s not a GRAPE from this COUNTRY made in the year XXXX then I’m not going to…” Goodbye!
But say, today you’re not in your biggest wine mood, or your friend/date/family that came along with you isn’t a huge fan of wine, don’t you worry ‘cause Tap’s got you covered with an alcoholic alternative – sour beer. Maybe your +1 is giving you another eye roll – I get it! Sour beer is also an acquired taste but there’s a range to its sourness. Besides, you get to try some of the best sour beers that the US and Europe have to offer – namely: Apothecary, Cantillon, UP, Wright, BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes), and various staples of the beer industry.
Before even realizing, you’re already a few glasses in and having a blast. The bar is filling up with people. Some on dates, some having a friends’ gathering, and some comfortably alone just here for a good time with delicious tipples. Perhaps you even start hitting off a conversation with your neighbor. That’s the thing about Tap – as much as this place is about its wine, it’s also about the people who come here. Everyone is always friendly, giving off positive vibes, sharing wild thoughts and getting really lit (sometimes a bit too lit I have to say).
Tap is a unique bar, offering some quiet (on the weekdays), some liveliness (on the weekends), some new friends and always a fine selection of natural wine (or beer). It’s perhaps not the bar for everyone but it’s definitely a bar worth at least an experience!
Tap Bar à Vin TAP 踏葡
Bldg 1, Xinyuan Xili, Xindong Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路新源里西1号楼
READ: Gorge Yourself on Contemporary Japanese Like a Drunken Tiger at Suikoden
Images: Songnia Guo, Dianping (xychloe, MZJ90)
