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Most airports’ dining offerings are pretty slim. Finding a decent glass of wine may be even harder.

The airport wine bar seems like a no-brainer, and the Wall Street Journal reported recently (subscription required) that they are indeed on the rise.

The article refers to three existing wine bars: at Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, and Washington-Dulles. I’ve seen the latter two in person. The Charlotte wine bar is really a tasting room in between concourses C and D, selling bottles or tasting-sized pours of North Carolina wines. At $1 a taste, it’s not a bad way to pass a few minutes between flights.

Vino Volo, which opened in September 2005 at Dulles Airport, is more of a real restaurant, with tasty-sounding menu options paired with wines. I didn’t have time to stop in between flights, but this small storefront, in the C-concourse, looks like a great option. And this model, run by Doug Tomlinson, is the one that’s set to expand:

Mr. Tomlinson’s San Francisco company, Taste Inc., hopes to open five more airport wine bars this year — he won’t say where, as negotiations proceed — and then continue to expand.

Bring ‘em on. It beats the wine selection at the Red Carpet Club, I assure you.

tags: travel | air travel | airports | wine bars