The Color Purple

My vision of heaven might literally be Purple. In a gorgeous, cavernous space on 4th Ave. across from the Fairmont, lies the premier Seattle wine bar. While I am all for cute, smallish wine bars with a limited, hand-picked selection, Purple is the opposite: grand, elegant; like a wine cellar on steroids with three-story picture windows to the most stylish block in town. A giant cylinder of wine spirals floor to ceiling with hundreds, if not thousands, of bottles only accessible from the staircase that winds inside it. Brushed metal and rich wood combine to extend the feeling of being in a cellar, though there’s a warmth to the space, likely contributed to by the candle-shaped chandeliers.

I first enjoyed Purple as a much-loved after work spot for a flight of reds with some pulled duck tapas. In the same over-the-top fashion of its design, Purple offers more varieties of tasting flights than you can shake a stick at. “Lush & Juicy” is one flight, another is “Off the Radar” for the more adventurous. Needless to say, it makes discovery fun and rather tasty!

My first foray into their tasting menu was with my foodie friend who encouraged me to order fun things like the white gaspacho made from mostly garlic and I think some grapes. On other visits, I stuck to the cheese menu, laid out just like the wine list with categories of cheeses like “Rich and Creamy” or “Aged and Musty.” This is where I discovered the most amazing cheese of all: Fromage d’Affinois Pepper. Basically, my favorite chesse rolled in green and black peppercorn, probably the most delectable thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.

On my most recent visit to Seattle, I insisted we head to Purple to savor the deliciousness of the d’Affinois, and tried some gorgonzola-stuffed dates as well, drizzled in balsamic reduction. Highly, highly recommended for dinner, tasting, and flights of wine!