Sauced, Four Men Hospitality’s newest Brooklyn hotspot, lives up to the hype. Lauded by oenophiles and novice wine lovers alike, this little wine bar casts a seductive spell. Led by celebrated winemaker Jordan Veran, Sauced perfectly plays off his expertise, offering exquisite wines at an affordable price in a comfort-meets-cool environment. Veran not only studied winemaking throughout France, but also served as the wine manager at L’Avant Comptoir in Paris—the renowned restaurant from Yves Camberorde. But it isn’t just his knowledge of wine that makes Sauced successful, it’s a belief in creating a space for the local community to enjoy, over and over again. And with a 150 bottle list and 20 wines by the glass, tastings will never get old—especially as these are the types of wines you will seek out, time and time again. The accompanying food program is nothing to scoff at either—chefs Facundo Kairuz, formerly of Chez Ma Tante, and Henry Lu, of Loosie’s Kitchen and formerly of Llama Inn, design the repeatedly delicious menu. While dishes such as their Cured Pork Belly Pintxos and Celery Root Puree and Chicharron rotate daily, Sauced’s charcuterie and cheese program is consistent (and consistently amazing). And as the summer months fast approach, Sauced-goers can expect fun-filled nights with sizzling D.J.’s, karaoke nights, and outdoor ping pong games. If you need any more reason to visit Sauced, it’s great wine and culinary indulging with a conscience. The venue operates on a zero-waste food program with a focus on sustainability overall. See it for yourself! Sauced is located at 331 Bedford Ave., in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
Downtown: We are beyond excited about Sauced. Can you tell our readers the concept behind this new wine bar?
Damien del Rio of Four Men Hospitality: Sauced is simply a neighborhood bar that serves up good wine and fun vibes. Our goal is to show people a good time while making wine accessible.
Downtown: How are you (Four Men Hospitality) so deftly opening such a large series of hotspots in Williamsburg, seemingly one after another, with such ease?
DDR: There is nothing easy about what we do. As a job, it is one of the most demanding, but the fact that we don’t necessarily see it as a job, but more of lifestyle, is what makes it look easy.
Downtown: How does Sauced fit into your repertoire of offerings (Loosie’s Kitchen, Etiquette, Loosie Rouge)?
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
DDR: As with our other venues, Sauced lives to create a place for community. It is, however, the first to focus fully on wine. Our intention is to bring a space to the neighborhood where friends and future friends can gather and enjoy good wine and food at an approachable price point.
Downtown: How did you begin to work with celebrated winemaker Jordan Veran on this project?
DDR: Jordan is a friend that shares our same philosophy toward wine and community. From the time we met in Paris it was mutually understood we would eventually work together on something. This time it happens to be a bar. Soon enough it may be a vineyard. Who knows? This is just how the universe works. Good energy begets good energy.
Downtown: What do you love about his contributions to Sauced? What drew all of you to working with him?
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
DDR: Jordan has a natural approach to sharing his knowledge of wine. It comes from his culture and education, he studied oenology and worked on vineyards in Australia, where his passion for winemaking took shape. When he returned to France, he managed L’avant Comptoir in Paris, a wine bar with over 500 references and no wine menu. The vineyards were in his backyard, the winemakers are his friends. Culturally speaking it’s a very different approach to how we as Americans experience wine. This is what he shares with our clients and what compelled us to work with him on this project.
Downtown: We can vouch for the quality of the wines, each one we tried was absolutely delicious and exactly tailored to what we each wanted. How are each of the wines chosen? Do all of you agree on them?
DDR: Jordan chooses, we just pour and drink. Most of the winemakers we serve he knows personally. This is what makes the experience so intimate.
Downtown: What regions does Jordan mostly source the wines from?
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
DDR: Many come from France but are not limited to the country. We have wine from Greece, Italy, Corsica, Austria, and Spain. Let’s just say 95% of our wines come from Europe.
Downtown: What about Sauced caters to burgeoning and dedicated oenophiles?
DDR: We serve good juice at very low markups. You can come and try several wines in a night and not walk away feeling guilty that you’ve spent your rent money here.
Downtown: We loved your food pairings. Can give us some highlights on what kind of food platters and appetizers you offer at Sauced?
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
DDR: Our food offering has a focus on small plates, again at an affordable price point. Unless we have a guest chef, our menu items never exceed $10.
Downtown: How did you begin to work with Facundo Kairuz? What are some of the dishes he contributes that we should try? Who sources your cheeses?
DDR: Facundo is a friend of a friend. As we were starting to grow our business in the area our mutual friend introduced because she felt he would be a great fit for what we are looking to create. Our menu changes both daily and weekly depending on what is coming into our other places. What we do stay consistent with is our charcuterie and cheese program which is sourced between Food Matters Again and our friends at Sogno Toscano.
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
Downtown: Tell us about the space: what do envision for Sauced now and in the summer?
DDR: Sauced is just starting to take off. We expect more deejays, crazy karaoke nights, and outdoor ping pong in the summer.
Downtown: We love that you are implementing a zero-waste program across all your business ventures, Sauced included. How are you implementing this program? Why do you think it is so important in this day and age?
DDR: All of our menu development takes a very conscious approach to food waste and sustainability. With three different operations, we are able to create different menu offerings for each venue from derivative products that would otherwise be considered waste. In this day and age, we have a responsibility to do so and it works to our advantage when done correctly.
Downtown: What would you like neighborhood locals and wine lovers alike to know about Sauced?
DDR: We offer Happy Hour flights from 5–7: Three wines for $21! We also offer Happy Hour sparkling from midnight to close at 50% off.
Photograph by Brianna Balducci.
