Beer, Wine & Spirits in Conroe

"Don't worry if you don't know much about wine," Manager Mike Kurth told the Houston Press just after the restaurant's grand opening in 2010. "I'll find you something you like." Drawing from a palette of more than 170 wines, Cork Soakers' bottle-handlers exude a casual confidence in dispatching potions to pair with a menu of artisanal meats and cheeses. As they consider the flavor notes of herbed Da Vinci gouda, chévre goat cheese, and smoked duck breast, the wait staff never cross over from savviness into snobbery: as Kurth notes, "Anyone who says they know everything about wine is lying. You can always learn more."

While continuing to build their knowledge base, the Cork Soakers team marinates in an atmosphere of full-on wine culture: cork-covered tabletops and menus, wine-barrel light fixtures, and a giant grapevine slowly entrapping the kitchen staff. At the center of the rustic space, a big table carved from a single mighty tree trunk holds a scrumptious brunch spread every Sunday. In fine weather, diners can take their beverages and bites out to the expansive patio.

Intimate tables, high-top chairs, and polished bars fill the 7,000 square feet of indoor space and 6,500 square feet of patio seating at The Tasting Room Wine Cafe's Citycentre location. Whether as a light snack after work or a six-course meal and wine tasting, a constantly evolving collection of menus and bottles picked by the head sommelier ensure delectable results. Walls and shelves sporting a panorama of red and white bottles decorate the lively dining area and private event space. Bartenders keep bottles stored in Enomatic wine-service systems that preserve their organoleptic properties and maintain flavor so that every glass tastes like the bottle had just been plucked from a wine tree and opened. Live music serenades digestion on the patio as guests pair conversations with small plates, elegant entrees, and slices from a cheese and salumi menu.