Screwtop Wine Bar, Clarendon - Owner Wendy Buckley's Wine Bar and Retail Store

[Arcturus]

Put the sign back up, and chain it to the tree.

[Ericandblueboy]

Put the sign back up, and chain it to the tree.

That's a surefire way of getting fined next time the inspector comes around. Getting the sign back won't do much good if Arlington doesn't change its rules (where you gonna put it?).

[FunnyJohn]

That's a surefire way of getting fined next time the inspector comes around. Getting the sign back won't do much good if Arlington doesn't change its rules (where you gonna put it?).

During the Depression, folks were hired as human sandwich boards to walk the street in front of the establishment advertizing. Now the economy may not be that bad today, but at least they couldn't take a person and through him/her in a dumpster.

To return to the subject of this thread: BURRATA Go Now and get some!

[dcs]

Ended up going with the 3 cheese/meat plate: Drunken Goat, Seahive Cheddar and Rosette de Lyon dry sausage. All outstanding. Seahive Cheddar had a great salty tang to it. Bread was fresh and crusty and the crackers very flavorful, kinda everything bagelish. My lone gripe is that I felt the portion of Rosette was a little puny. A few more slices would have rounded out the plate -- the cheese portions were just right though.

Lovely late lunch today. Some foot traffic, but not too crowded. Let's get out there people to support our locally owned small businesses. I thought the 3 cheese/meat plate was quite generous. Like the menu says:

All of our Bountiful cheese Platters are served with baguette, fruity nut bread and crackers.

No wimpy cheese plates allowed here!

We got 4 or 5 (I blame my failing memory on the wine) ample wedges of the Fourme D Ambert and probably close to twenty wafer thin slices each of the Wild Boar Salami and the Rosé Salami, served with a sizable basket of breads. I guess I am too used to cheese plates at "fancier" restaurants that serve three thin slices of cheese, with some nuts and a type of jam, for close to the same price. Toss in the extremely friendly and attentive service and I think you have a winner.

[ktmoomau]

I got a seat on Friday night with my Mom. We wanted a relaxing dinner before going to see family and mission accomplished! We got there a little on the early side, but not really early. Parking available in the parking lot. We both had glasses of wine that I completely forget now, hers a Shiraz mine a Pinot Noir I believe. Both were good, not mind blowing oh my gosh good, but very nice Friday night ease off the work week good. Mom got a meat and cheese tray with Pate, drunken goat and belletoille cheese and cornichons. I really appreciate that you get nice sized portions of wine, cheese and accompaniments here. They gave us a really nice sized little ramekin of cornichons which is good because I love them and could eat almost all of them myself. I really liked all the cheeses, and they all went well with the pate (the server we had confirmed she thought they would). The pate was nicely flavored and again a nice size portion, meaty, but not too pungent in any way. I ordered the lasagna with mixed greens and that was good, as well. Really nice flavor, and had a down homey like my Mother in Law taste to it that I liked. Again very nice sized portion. The service was great, our server was lovely and really nice. Can't wait to bring the Hubby in soon.

[TSchaad]

I just wanted to congratulate Wendy Buckley on the first anniversary of her opening Screwtop Wine Bar. It's been fun watching this small independent business grow and evolve over that time. The process of checking things out has also given me the opportunity enjoy a number of delicious lunches and brunches - not to mention the great wines I've been introduced to by Wendy and her great staff.

Congratulations Wendy. Here's to many more years of success!

TSchaad

[wendydb22]

I just wanted to congratulate Wendy Buckley on the first anniversary of her opening Screwtop Wine Bar. It's been fun watching this small independent business grow and evolve over that time. The process of checking things out has also given me the opportunity enjoy a number of delicious lunches and brunches - not to mention the great wines I've been introduced to by Wendy and her great staff.

Congratulations Wendy. Here's to many more years of success!

TSchaad

Thanks Tom and thanks to the rest of Clarendon and surrounding communities for making our first year fantastic!

Cheers to many many more!

-Wendy

[RWBooneJr]

I'd like to give a well-deserved nod to Screwtop's excellent wine club. I've been a member for maybe 6 or 8 months and have never been disappointed. Every single wine has been good, and an excellent value. For $40/month you get two wines that usually retail for significantly more, plus a nice cheese or meat selection. And the wines they pick are esoteric in a good way (nothing obvious, but nothing weird either). Anyone looking to expand their knowledge and enjoyment of wine should start here. This is a wine club run by true wine lovers. And the monthly wine pick up party is a nice touch. I finally made it to my first today and they served a nice selection of meats and cheeses, along with a tasting of 8 wines.

[wendydb22]

I'd like to give a well-deserved nod to Screwtop's excellent wine club. I've been a member for maybe 6 or 8 months and have never been disappointed. Every single wine has been good, and an excellent value. For $40/month you get two wines that usually retail for significantly more, plus a nice cheese or meat selection. And the wines they pick are esoteric in a good way (nothing obvious, but nothing weird either). Anyone looking to expand their knowledge and enjoyment of wine should start here. This is a wine club run by true wine lovers. And the monthly wine pick up party is a nice touch. I finally made it to my first today and they served a nice selection of meats and cheeses, along with a tasting of 8 wines.

Thank you so very much!

If there is ever anything I can do to make it an even better experience, please let me know.

-Wendy

[TSchaad]

I had the day off from work and decided to treat myself to lunch at Screwtop. I decided on the Buffaloaf half sandwich/soup combo - the sandwich was just the right size for a hearty lunch, and the tomato bisque was an excellent complement to round out the meal.

Normally that would have been enough for me, but I saw that Wendy still had some of her mother's Key Lime Pie available and ordered a slice. What a great decision! The pie was the perfect finish to a meal on a warm day - a combination of tart and sweet, with a delicate meringue top and a terrific graham cracker crust. I finished off by buying to take home some of her mother's (bless her) English Toffee - a treat I haven't been able to indulge in since shortly after Screwtop opened in 09'.

Now I just have to make it last...

TSchaad

[ktmoomau]

I am a little late in this post, but last Friday night Hubby and I had a really fantastic night at Screwtop. We had just metro'd back from the American Eats talk. I was at first thinking Liberty or the bar at Eventide. Then I remembered Hubby hadn't been to screwtop and it just seemed to fit our mood.

We waited a few minutes and seats at the bar opened, wasn't too busy not to get a seat, but also was very busy, even post 8:30. Hubby had one of the Yards beers and I had a flight of Spanish Sippers. I have to say the flights are a very good value. And I absolutely loved the first one on that tasting. It was really fruity with no oak, but also not a metallic taste or too much acid to it, really nice to drink. The second eh, the third was solid thought too. I ordered the duck mousse to start which was really creamy and rich, very smooth, but still had the nice gamey flavor of the duck. We also got some truffle popcorn, which they do really well here. Hubby and I both caved for sandwiches. I had the we dig the pig, he had Sophia's. Both were incredible and so good. I love the combinations and the bread is really good (worth the splurge). I also really like their condiments and spreads on their sandwiches, they really add to the sandwich and they have just the right amount of filing. As a note their balsamic dijon dressing is addictive, I absolutely love it. I made them put a little cup for me in my to-go box of sandwich. It is a little spicy, but balsamic tangy and just perfect on greens. Not too sweet, just made you want to eat your veggies.

And service was great we had a phenomenal bartender.

[dcs]

ARLnow.com with the breaking news of a new retail outpost a few blocks away by the Screwtop folks -- Grateful Red, just down the street from Mexicali Blues. That is a gutsy move being as it is directly across the street from the Whole Foods. The Best Cellars one block over and up did not have much luck in that area.

[ktmoomau]

Had a really nice dinner last night, Hubby and I are both gearing up for some travel so it was kind of a last hurrah in terms of getting to spend quality time together for about a week and a half. I had a very interesting glass of chenin blanc that was new to the menu. We split the tacos, buffaloaf sliders and cuban sandwich with salad. I really liked the tacos, despite the amount of cilantro, which is just a personal thing (I picked some out). But the pork had really good flavor and I thought the salsa was good, especially for a non mexican restaurant. But the buffaloaf sliders were really good. That buffaloaf is like sloppy joe flavor crossed with meatloaf. It tastes really good. I didn't eat my half of my cuban yet, the small plates were bigger than I expected, a nice surprise, so I will eat that tonight. I did like their greens with dijon balsamic as usual. And I am happy to have dinner lined up for me tonight.

[SeanMike]

That is a gutsy move being as it is directly across the street from the Whole Foods. The Best Cellars one block over and up did not have much luck in that area.

When Best Cellars departed, it was reportedly due to a failure of the chain as a whole, not of the individual store. Every time I was in there it was doing well (anecdotal evidence, I know).

I don't live in the immediate neighborhood anymore, but I loved stopping in Best Cellars to get a couple bottles of well-priced wine to go with my steak and accompaniments from Whole Foods. I hope they do well, and it's not THAT far of a walk from where I am now - so I'll have to check it out (particularly if it focuses on the lower end of the price range).

[ktmoomau]

Had a nice evening the other night with some friends sipping wine and having the baked goat. Our server was so nice she brought us additional popcorn, and extra bread and crackers for our goat cheese. The plum jam really made the whole thing pop, very good.

[DonRocks]

You know what's pretty amazing? This thread is 2 1/2 years old, with 65 posts, and there has not been one single negative review. Personally, I've been to Screwtop maybe three times, and have nothing but good things to say - I think it's a wonderful little place.

[wendydb22]

Thanks Don & ALL. It's really you who make us great! Thanks so much for all the support over the past couple of years. We work hard to give everyone the best experience possible. I always appreciate honest feedback. If you ever have an issue with a dish or service at screwtop, you can always email me for a quick response. Or if you have a compliment, those are always nice too! :-) Wendy@screwtopwinebar.com

[JuneBacon]

I LOVE this place.

HOW DO YOU COOK THAT PORK? The nachos are ridiculous. That was some of the most amazing pork I have ever tasted. Truely. It was like butter, duck fat and pork fat mated and birthed such an amazingly fatty juicy delicious little guy and then it was poured over roasted pulled pork. I don't understand how it could be that good.

The bison sliders are fantastic as well.

Beer and wine is great. The Sour Apple Saison is such a refreshing summer drink.

Holy cow. Try the nahcos.

[wendydb22]

Thanks June! It's a 5 hour process involving OJ & Beer and that's pretty much it. Salt, Pepper & Patience. The pork goes into our tacos as well.

[DonRocks]

Thanks June! It's a 5 hour process involving OJ & Beer and that's pretty much it. Salt, Pepper & Patience. The pork goes into our tacos as well.

A delayed response for sure, Wendy (please check in more often! ), but I always love it when you chime in here. I really like your wine bar, and so does everyone else I talk with. Thanks for answering.

Cheers,

Rocks

[ktmoomau]

Had a lovely evening at Screwtop with my Mama! We had a selection of cheeses- goat gouda, irish cheddar and a Saint Ag*****, she had a chardonnay she really enjoyed, I had a flight. I like doing the flights because it is nice to learn what I like and what I don't prefer, there were two reds on the flight I liked, the first was just ok, but I like testing out new things. Our server forgot to put in our dinner order, as we asked for them to wait a bit so we could savor our cheese, but another server then figured it out and put our order in, no biggie. We had the pulled pork lettuce wraps which were good. The bison sliders were ok, but kind of rich after all that. But would be good with a side salad on their own. We just had a nice evening sitting, conversing, sipping good wine and having some good food. I just love the ambiance in here, and I like that the food isn't a second thought. I didn't get a salad with the balsamic dijon, which I sort of regret, I am addicted to that dressing, I don't know what they do, that I don't do at home, but I am trying to figure it out.

[lizzie]

I had a very nice Sunday brunch a few weeks ago, with a savory bread pudding and side salad, and a blackberry sangria, and lingered with no ill will from the staff while listening to my Coursera physics course videos. I also like the French press coffee they serve but don't know what brand it is. I had started at Northside but left since no tables were available inside or out, and ended up quite happy with the change.

[ktmoomau]

Went to Screwtop for a happy hour this past weekend.  Had their Italian red wine flight, and then a glass of cab sauv.  I do like many of their wine selections.  I loved when they had the Virginia wine flights.  My companion ordered a cheese and meat plate, which has a nice selection.  We then had dinner.  I had the Sophie's Serenade sandwich sans some cheese, I really like this sandwich, I get it a lot. I kind of want to go back and get some nachos.  Then at the end of the night my sister in law wouldn't even put her number on the receipt for the server who was really cute, so I thoroughly embarrassed her on the way out by telling him she was single, just in case.  

[FunnyJohn]

Given the modest kitchen facilities at Screwtop, they really do a great job of turning out creative salads, good, hearty soups and sandwiches, as well as a decent assortment of apps.  And they keep the menu seasonal as well.  No need to drink on an empty stomach.

[DonRocks]

Given the modest kitchen facilities at Screwtop, they really do a great job of turning out creative salads, good, hearty soups and sandwiches, as well as a decent assortment of apps.  And they keep the menu seasonal as well.  No need to drink on an empty stomach.

I agree - I've been here perhaps a half-dozen times, and have always enjoyed what I've ordered.

[TSchaad]

Just a quick update to let you know that we are opening tomorrow at 11am. Woo hoo!

Here are our hours this month.

Tuesday-Thursday: 11am - 10pm

Friday-Saturday: 11am - 11pm

Sunday: 11am - 6pm

Monday: closed

* December 24th - closing early at 6pm

* December 25th - closed for the day

* January 1 - closing early at 6pm

5 years....  It's hard to imagine it was five years ago that Wendy Buckley took the plunge and opened Screwtop in the then new Zoso Flats building. Can anyone imagine that part of Clarendon without this convivial island of good food and great wines? This is still my go-to location for a great BLT and a glass of the house sangria at Brunch on the weekend. Congratulations Wendy! Here's to the next five/ten/fifteen years of continued success.

TSchaad

[ALargeFarva]

Went here this afternoon for the first time. My wife and I both enjoyed the food (turkey BLT on ciabatta and a salad, respectively).

I also got the tomato bisque, which was quite unusual. It tasted like thanksgiving stuffing (I'm thinking sage, celery and onion but not sure). It was actually ok but didn't taste at all like tomato to me or my wife. As I write that, I suppose it's possible they brought us something other than tomato bisque...

[dcs]

I have not been for a couple of years, but managed to visit a couple of times over the past month or so.  I think the sandwiches still are mostly quite tasty and on balance better than most of what is available in the Rosslyn to Ballston corridor in Arlington, with the notable exception of Earl's.  Sunday was their wine club pickup day and I saw a number of folks getting their monthly allotments.  The place was mostly full the entire time I was there.  It's nice to see that this place seems to be successful.

[Davo99]

Congratulations to Wendy Buckley and her capable team for screwtop's 10th anniversary this Sunday!  Screwtop's ability to thrive, and not merely survive, speaks volumes about the passion that Wendy brings to the bar and has instilled in her staff.  Screwtop remains an outpost of smart and fun wine enjoyment in the Clarendon dining scene.  Here's to 10 more years 😊