The architect — Ben Oliver — and chef — Ryan Smith — behind the new wine bar coming to 100 Church on Barclay were very generous to give me an impromptu tour of the unusual and creative space they have going at 100 Church for owner Shane Benson. Benson ran New York Vintners on Warren, and what he has here is the similar but more flexible, more adventurous and with a more reasonable rent. The team has assembled not just the wine bar in front (pictured above) but a gorgeous tasting room (I am always a sucker for reclaimed wood) and kitchen behind the bar (photo below), a lounge with a hidden whiskey cabinet (my photo will not do justice to the remarkable Venetian plaster walls, so we will wait till the room is finished), a sports bar downstairs and an expansive wine storage space for members. Yes, those are live plants.

The soft open is April 1; the hard open is April 8.

The members will get the use of the downstairs spaces — the lounge and the sports bar — but when the rooms aren’t booked for a private event or busy with members, there may be some overflow. The space will also hold classes and tastings. The wine bar will have one of the largest selections of wine by the glass in the city.

There’s even a small retail component. So if the business plan seems like it is all over the place, that’s sort of the idea. “One thing Shane has learned is to be flexible,” said Smith. More TK when they are all ready and open.