Review: Indulgence Wine Bar
By Jacob Mathias
At its best, Indulgence Wine Bar in downtown Stevens Point fills a void in downtown culture. It’s small and quiet, with comfy couches and small tables promoting conversation and socializing. Bottles of wines from all over the world line the shelves and beautiful mosaics made from corks are an eye catching display. Sinatra and Count Basie play softly in the background, just loud enough so those that want to hear, can.
Tom Deppiesse, owner of Indulgence and Estate Wines in Plover, offers a rotating selection of seasonal wines with by the glass price points ranging from $5-9.00. I was recommended a Langguth Riesling by the staff, which was perfect for the day. It was light, crisp, and citrusy with no stickiness on the tongue.
Indulgence offers a number of other white wines as well as some pinots, cabernets and ports. Deppiesse is knowledgeable about his products and can recommend well.
The beer selection gets a little disappointing. The only lager offered is a Carlsberg, made in Ireland. It’s not bad, a little hoppier than most American lagers, but that’s where the familiarity stops. His other beers range from the novelty including a Samuel Smith Chocolate Ale, to the downright strange such as Wells Banana Beer. I’m not saying there’s not a place for these brews, but given the location and local community, putting a Point Special or a Miller Lite in the cooler might not be a bad idea.
Indulgence also offers a variety of appetizers that pair well with wine including cheese platters, bread with dipping oils, and chocolate platters.
I chose to try the “caprese platter.” Caprese is traditionally an Italian salad made with tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves. What I received were large slabs of mozzarella cheese and tomato drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper.
The presentation was inelegant and a little awkward to eat. To their credit, the product used was good. The tomatoes were tangy and the cheese had a nice nutty flavor. It was just not what I was expecting out of a caprese platter.
For the serious wine and beer enthusiast, Indulgence is a good bet for a night out, a foodie may want to get dinner elsewhere first.