Speaking of wine, our favorite development is the burgeoning by-the-glass movement. What better way to turn a wine novice into a free-spending connoisseur than to give him or her a low-commitment, high-quality taste? How else to get the Chablis stalwart to venture a Viognier, or the Merlot man to pick Primitivo? If you can't even commit to a single glass, Gramercy Tavern and Blue Ribbon Bakery offer (and charge less for) tasting-size portions. All-Italian Enoteca I Trulli and Divine Bar Downtown offer tasting flights that turn cocktail hour into a tutorial. For those who miss the ritual of the bottle, the anticipation of the uncorking, and the rich clink of the ice bucket, there has emerged a ceremony of the glass as well. Restaurants like Lupa and Babbo sell wine by the quarter-liter and pour it from a miniature carafe, enhancing the drama and, no doubt, driving sales.

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