Farpointe Cellar

By Jim McClure

Whether you’re looking for a fun after-dinner destination or a spot to while away a weekend afternoon, you can hardly go wrong with a good wine bar. More specifically, if you’re in the Mid-Cities area you can hardly go wrong with Farpointe Cellar.
Located on Southlake Boulevard just west of Southlake Town Center, Farpointe Cellar has become a Southlake institution. On any given evening or weekend afternoon, you’ll find a mix of experienced wine collectors, casual drinkers and those just wanting to relax with a glass of wine and cheese plate. Not being in the middle of the Town Square itself, it is easily accessible as a destination in it’s own right.
Farpointe is part bistro, part wine store and this is a very good thing, as having the full selection of wines from the store at their disposal helps set the bistro apart from other wine bars. By working with the store’s buyer and head wine guru Trey Williamson, bistro manager and wine-know Christina Chilcoat is able to not only offer a broad and deep selection of wines, but to also keep the selection fresh and interesting by offering new and interesting selections on a regular basis. If the bistro doesn’t have something at the moment that suits your palate, they have a great solution: pick something from the store. For a nominal corkage fee you can order any bottle from the retail side and have it served at your table next door.

The weekend is when the bistro really shines. Friday through Sunday they offer themed flights, such as the geographically titled, “Spanish Reds” and event inspired, “I Survived the Blizzard” line-ups. When the weather turns from snowy on Wednesday to sunny on Saturday, the bistro is quick to open the doors and serve on their spacious patio area, where customers can also enjoy a premium cigar from the store.
Don’t be lulled into thinking he bistro is strictly a weekend spot, though. Farpointe often hosts visiting wineries on weeknights, showcasing their wines and giving the patrons an opportunity to see “behind the curtain” into the thought processes involved in wine making. Recent brands have included Rudd, Barnett, and former Dallasite Adam Lee with his Novy and Siduri labels. For those looking for a way to kick off the weekend a little early, every Thursday is “Bring Your Own Pizza Night,” where customers are invited to bring or have pizza delivered to the bistro and enjoy bottle discounts.

As an evening progresses, space becomes an increasingly premium commodity, further evidence of the loyal and growing customer following that has steadily increased under Christina’s management over the past year. Despite the bustling business, Farpointe has maintained their relaxed atmosphere and unpretentious attitude toward wine. Newcomers quickly pick up on the neighborhood pub atmosphere, where friends are quickly made and time is easily lost track of. In other words, they find just what you’d want to find in a good bar.