Wine country

At Jajo Vino in Tel Aviv's Neveh Tzedek neighborhood, you can taste some of Italy’s and France’s finest by the glass.

By JONATHAN GILAD
Wine country (photo credit: Courtesy)
Wine country
(photo credit: Courtesy)
One of the first wine bars in Tel Aviv, Jajo Vino is also one of the best. It is romantic, it is easy going and, most of all, it is all about a deep understanding of wine and good taste. There is a large bar where you may find yourself making friends with strangers as the evening progresses. But if you happen to be sitting looking out at the lovely lane, you may very well forget where you are and think you’re on vacation somewhere in Italy or France.
Jajo Vino is about the love and appreciation of wine – good wine and lots of it. Most of the wines found there are not available in other wine bars in the country. They include rare, carefully selected French and Italian wines, many of which are offered by the glass, allowing patrons to take a short but enjoyable trip to Europe for the price of a few glasses.
Granted, those prices are not cheap – we’re talking about the finest wines available – but purchasing them by the glass, assisted by the excellent and professional staff, will lead you to new discoveries.
The decor of the place is dictated by the focal piece – a wine rack that reaches all the way to the ceiling. The atmosphere is very casual yet elegant, and very romantic. And the music – oldies, soft jazz and French chansons – adds to the ambience.
To pair with the 150 wines served, the kitchen offers a concise menu consisting of small tapas-type dishes. These include blue cheese and endive (NIS 40); roasted cauliflower (NIS 36); sardines, pizza and crostini, cold cuts and a fantastic plate of imported French cheeses (NIS 76).
Do not hesitate to ask for guidance. The bartenders, who very well may be the owners, will be only too happy to take you by the hand, so to speak, and lead you through the back roads of some of the finest wine areas of the world. Enjoy the trip.The writer was a guest of the bar.
Jajo Vino Not kosher44 Shabazi Street, Neveh Tzedek, Tel Aviv Tel: (03) 510-0620 Open 4 p.m. – midnight. Friday noon – midnight