The Bazaar by José Andrés
Spain's greatest hits, all under one roof
Washington · Washington · Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at The Bazaar lands like the food: ambitious, Iberian, and not apologizing for any of it. You open it and immediately understand this place takes Spain seriously — not just Rioja and done, but the full peninsula from Bierzo to Priorat to Jerez. Jeff Norton is on staff as sommelier, and you can feel that hand in the curation.
Selection Deep Dive
With 350 to 450 bottles and Spain as the obvious north star, the list punches well above its weight in the right places. Vega Sicilia Unico and Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita are both present, which tells you this program isn't flinching at the top end. But the depth isn't just trophy wine — Telmo Rodríguez bottlings and Descendientes de J. Palacios Corullón from Bierzo give curious drinkers real reasons to explore. The sherry section via Emilio Lustau is a genuine standout in a city where sherry still gets chronically ignored.
By the Glass
Thirty to fifty by-the-glass options is a serious commitment, and the range spans $14 to $30 a pour — which means you can work through Spain's regions without cracking a bottle. The Gramona III Lustros Cava showing up by the glass would be the right call for the liquid olive course. Rotation frequency is unclear, but the breadth suggests this isn't just a static afterthought.
CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva (Rioja) — $90–$120 (bottle est.)
Imperial Gran Reserva is one of Rioja's most consistently overdelivering wines — classic structure, age-worthy tannin, and a producer with over a century of credibility. At a restaurant where bottles climb into the hundreds quickly, this is the anchor play that keeps your budget intact without sacrificing the experience.
Descendientes de J. Palacios Corullón (Bierzo)
Most tables here are going straight for Rioja or the splurge bottles. Corullón is Mencía grown on steep slate slopes in Bierzo — it drinks like a cooler-climate Pinot with more grip and way more intrigue. Most people skip it because they don't recognize the region. That's your gain.
Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita (Priorat)
L'Ermita is a genuine icon and there's nothing wrong with the wine itself — but at restaurant markup on one of Spain's most allocated and expensive bottles, you're paying a significant premium over retail for the privilege of drinking it here. Unless someone else is signing the check, this is a bottle better sourced elsewhere.
Emilio Lustau Sherry + Jamon Ibérico de Bellota carving station
Fino or Manzanilla from Lustau and a plate of Bellota ham is one of the most classically correct combinations in all of Spanish eating. The saline, yeasty cut of the sherry slices right through the fat of the ham and resets your palate after every bite. This is the pairing that makes the whole meal make sense.
🔥 The Bottom Line
The Bazaar earns its Wine Spectator credential honestly — this is one of the most focused and genuinely exciting Spanish wine programs in Washington, backed by real expertise and a list that rewards curious drinkers. Markups keep it from being a pure steal, but if you're eating here, the wine belongs on the table.
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