The Half of It

Put aside any misgivings you may have about neon signs and subterranean spaces, and descend the stairs into the former Zinc Bar space on Houston Street. It's now Bar Henry, a sort of big brother to the West Village's Café Henri, and it offers one of the city's most exciting new wine lists.

Credit for the list goes to owner Winston Kulok and his love for wine, and to John Slover--a former sommelier at Cru--who's applied his knack for finding old bottles at great prices to the bistro's wine selection.

Slover's reserve list--loaded with aged Burgundy, Bordeaux and Barolo at fire-sale prices (seriously, 1986 Château du Tertre Margaux is $88)--is a wine geek's Xanadu. But the universal draw is the Market List, which includes 100-odd bottles that are ready to drink now and priced to move.

Better yet, you don't even need to pay for the whole bottle. The entire Market List--magnums and 375 mls included--is also sold by the half-bottle, making it far less intimidating to check out unusual stuff like a chalky Savagnin from the Arbois (2004 Rijckaert Grand Elevage; $21) and incredibly affordable to try rarities like an impressively lively 16-year-old Austrian Riesling (Salomon Reserve Kögl, $30).

The remaining half of your bottle goes on the specials board, to be sold by the glass. Hang around long enough and you'll acquire a deep education in great wines at bargain prices.

Bar Henry, 90 W. Houston St. (between Thompson St. and West Broadway); 646-448-4559 or barhenry.com