Rootstock Wine and Beer Bar

This cozy Humboldt Park spot punches way above its weight. The list reads like a natural wine enthusiast's fever dream — Jura, Basque, orange wines, ancestral method sparklers, and a serious Sherry selection that most downtown wine bars would envy. It's the kind of place where the beer crowd and wine nerds find common ground.

With 50-75 bottles focused on low-intervention producers, Rootstock commits to a point of view instead of trying to please everyone. The Jura focus means you'll find skin-contact Savagnin and oxidative Chardonnay alongside funky Poulsards. The Basque selection leans into Txakoli and rare Spanish whites most Americans have never heard of. Orange wine gets serious shelf space, and the ancestral method sparklers offer a pét-nat playground. This isn't a list for Cabernet drinkers — it's for people ready to explore.

Between 15-20 pours by the glass keeps things accessible without dumbing down the selection. The glass list rotates through the same adventurous territory as the bottles — expect skin-contact whites, funky reds, and Sherries that actually taste like something. Prices stay reasonable, making it easy to experiment without commitment.