Garagiste Wine Room dwells on a corner in the heart of Las Vegas Downtown Arts District where avid wine drinkers and newcomers alike celebrate and explore all that wine has to offer. Its owner, Eric Prato, uses his 24 years of hospitality experience and advanced certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers to ensure you’re in safe hands on your wine journey. He knows wine can be intimidating, and they are there to help with as many or as few details as you would like.
Garagiste’s meaning is “a small-scale entrepreneurial wine-maker, especially one who does not adhere to the traditions of wine-making.” They admit they don’t make wine, but they do show their love for wine by cultivating an environment that encourages exploration and discovery through the sharing of knowledge and fantastic wine.
Notably, there are many different types of wine depending on the grapes being used and the region from which the grapes are grown. Garagiste carries a broad variety to try, like red, white, rosé, orange, sparkling, and even low intervention wine. With so many styles to choose from, anyone can get lost when trying to navigate all these options. That’s where Eric and his crew come in to help.
From the moment you enter the wine room, you’re greeted with smiles from behind the bar and groovy music to transport you into the ambiance that is Garagiste. The relaxed yet refined personality of the wine room invites you to do what Eric thinks is the best way to explore wine… just dive right in. He encourages you to create a connection with the wine. “Share what you already like and what you think they might not like to give our wine connoisseurs the foundation to help get a taste of a new wine they may enjoy.”
Garagiste specializes in small-production, prestigious, yet affordable wines from regions off the beaten path all over Europe and the United States. Much of their wines are produced in France, being the most prominent in their selection. So, even though you may not see the brand you normally grab off the shelf at your local grocery store, they offer a wine that will most certainly broaden and satisfy the taste you are searching for and allow you to explore. Garagiste likes to keep their selections of wine fresh and ever-evolving. Once the cases of wine they’ve hand-selected are gone, “it’s gone until they find the next vintage. It not only keeps the staff consistently learning but also gives regulars a new experience every time they walk through Garagiste’s doors. “If they’re here once a week,” said Eric, “chances are there will be four to five new wines to try. If you’re here once a month, the menu will be completely different.”
Community, joy, and sharing great experiences with one another is truly at the heart of wine. Hospitality and approachability are important mottos at Garagiste, and that all starts with comfort. That, combined with Eric’s extensive background in wine and the constant flow of new products, is unparalleled to any other wine bar.
Garagiste offers private events for celebrations. And at the end of the night, you have the option of taking whatever wines you loved the most home with you. Alternatively, after a long day of whatever it is that is filling your busy schedule, you can order anything to go for retail with the help of their online store, allowing a night in just as riveting as a night out.
Garagiste has found a way to create a distinct experience while, as Eric says, assuring guests that “they can always have a good glass of wine in a comfortable environment, and know that when things change, their wine adventure will always continue with us.”
