Best wine bar for the neophyte

If you're like us, you want to enjoy a good glass of wine, but without first consulting your thesaurus to describe it. For a first-rate selection without an oppressive wine-tasting atmosphere, try Masa, located in the South End. The restaurant is better known as one of the city's best spots for progressive Southwestern cuisine, but its bar merits consideration on its own. With its salmon walls, modern fixtures, and sexy copper-topped bar, Masa draws a hip crowd that's more likely to talk about the latest buzz film than the tannin level of the drinks.

The available wines are displayed on a series of shelves behind the bar, serviced by the type of rolling ladder you see in old bookstores. On a recent visit, our bartender was more than happy to help us select from the 14 domestic and international wines that were available by the glass that night. Both her recommendations proved to be excellent. And we'd be remiss if we didn't throw in a good word for the bar food -- the onion rings, served with an ancho-pepper rémoulade, make our all-time top 10.

Masa, 439 Tremont Street, Boston, (617) 338-8884.