I really appreciate when an establishment provides the space for a fancy night out along side the opportunity to have a casual dinner and/or drinks at the bar without feeling underdressed or out of place.

This is important in our small, yet progressive, hub of Fort Collins because without it, many college students and beyond would find it challenging to dine out. Café Vino is a nice centrally located option to have either/or.

The classic Spanish-like ambience and décor provide a good, moody atmosphere to have a family dinner gathering or a relaxing end-of-the-day drink and tapas at the bar.

Though the main focus when it comes to alcoholic beverages is their classic wine menu that pairs well with the many unique tapas dishes, the cocktail menu is another well-thought out option to choose from.

One of their most sought after drinks is the Ladies Man. This drink is served straight-up and made with Rittenhouse rye whiskey, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Amaro Montenegro, Angostura, orange bitters and a marasca cherry. A favorite with the staff, this drink was a nicely crafted palatable and balanced cocktail that ended every sip with a strong bite.

And, as they say, “when in Rome,” … when at a wine bar such as Café Vino, sampling wine is a must.

Along with wine by the bottle or glass, Café Vino provides both red and white wine flights to choose from. The last flight, Flight 6, is an option to select any three still wines from the by the glass menu.

The Elena Walch, Schiava, an Italian wine fit its description of bright, silky and elegant well. On the lighter side of reds, the Schiava is a great red for spring and summer.

The UVA Nocturna “UN” Garnacha is a nice medium bodied red that would pair nicely with their lighter tapa options and was also a good red for sipping between courses.

And the last but not least and my favorite, the Domaine de Boissan, Ventoux, a rich, bold and robust red from France was wonderfully balanced and dry and paired very nice with the pork belly tapa.

When looking for somewhere to taste outside the box, Café Vino provides a generous list of well done classic cocktails and a modish list of old and new aged wines to choose from.

Collegian Craft Alcohol Blogger Ashley Haberman can be reached online at blogs@collegian.com.