Peek inside Wichita’s new self-serve wine bar, set to open in Delano in a couple of weeks
It’s been more than a year since Ken and Danielle Harmon first announced their plans to bring a self-service wine bar — Alzavino Wine Tavern — to Wichita.
Now, they’re almost ready to open the doors, and wine fans who have driven by their attractive Delano space and wondered what was behind the paper covering the windows won’t have to wait much longer to find out.
In fact, if they read this story, they can get a sneak peek in advance of the bar’s two-day public grand opening, which is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 10-11.
The Harmons gave me a tour of the new business, which will likely be the best thing to happen to wine drinkers since Oeno Wine Bar opened in Old Town Square in 2006. It closed 10 years later, leaving Wichita oenophiles stranded in a sea of craft beer and cocktails.
But the Harmons’ bar is already attracting attention. People have been trying to peek in the windows ever since the couple put their big sign on the front of the building — the space at 1001 W. Douglas previously occupied by Coney Island Hot Weiners until it closed in January 2020.
The couple has completely remodeled the interior, giving it an old-world tavern feel. Its highlights include a dramatic light fixture made of wine barrel rings and Edison bulbs and a cozy private party room constructed inside an old bank vault.
But the bar, which has seating for 72 inside and a patio for 28 on the east side of the building, has something no other bar in Wichita has: an innovative self-service tap system. It features bottles of wine encased in a special machine that allows people to swipe a card preloaded with money and choose various sizes of pours — from a taste to a half glass to a full glass.
The machines, made by Napa Technology and used in homes, restaurants and wine bars across the country, allow people to sample different types of wines without committing to a full bottle. (Though for those who already know what they like, bottle service will also be available.)
The Harmons’ machines have space for 16 bottles, and they’ll be changed out seasonally. They’ll represent more everyday affordable wines as well as higher-end, more expensive and hard-to-find wines.
Alzavino also will have a food menu that features charcuterie boards, fruit and cheese boards, a hummus plate, flatbreads, bread and olive oil, and bruschetta. There will also be a few dessert options, including a “chocuterie board” made with an array of local chocolates.
The unique bank-vault space — which still has the heavy door left over from when the space was home to the Citizens State Bank in the early 1920s — has a massive inset booth as well as a few tables and chairs and will be offered to groups on a first-come, first-served basis. The owners also will reserve it for groups, and there’s room inside for about eight to twelve people.
In addition to the patio, the building also has an enclosed space on the very back of the building that has a roof but will be open-air. It has one big table and will serve as an extension of the patio — a place where people can enjoy the outside air while staying out of the elements.
The bar will have table service for food and for people ordering full bottles. Alzavino, which is trying to use as many local vendors as possible, will also have some branded items and local food products for sale. It will also serve craft beer, though no cocktails. All ages will be allowed in the tavern.
The Harmons said they’ve been fielding questions from excited wine drinkers for months. They’re also hoping to turn more Wichitans into excited wine drinkers.
“We’re hoping it appeals to all ages, all walks of life — blue collar, white collar, wine experts, wine newbies,” Danielle Harmon said. “We’re going to try to cater to all of that. So if you don’t know anything about wine and you think you should, well then start trying things on the machine. If you come in and know exactly what you like, well then order a bottle.”
Once open, the tavern’s hours will be 3 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 3 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 to 9 p.m. Sundays.
The 1906 building, which sits just across the street from Leslie Coffee Co. and Odd Fellow Hall, has been home to many businesses over the years, including a bank, a funeral parlor, a phonograph shop, a music store, and more recently, a motorcycle parts store.
This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 2:11 PM.
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