Mercy Proves to be for the Strong

What do Roy Orbison, the Bible and Addison, Texas, have in common? Wine and "mercy" can be found in all three -- from the second verse of "Pretty Woman" to ancient biblical traditions to Dallas' newest tribute to all things viticultural - Mercy Wine Bar.

Inspired by European and other world travels, this intimate grape-lovers' lounge has changed the landscape of metropolitan food, fun, atmosphere and, of course, wine. Though mercy often is associated with the meek and the mild, in this case it definitely stands for the strong and the successful.

Breaking the Mold

Owner Glen Agritelley knows well how it feels to break the mold and what it takes to stray from the norm. After years as a corporate executive in the computer industry with companies such as Prodigy and Microsoft, Agritelley took on the role of entrepreneur and began a solo career of risk-taking and investing. His portfolio includes the purchase of Dallas' declining TbarM Racquet Club in 1997 and Sebastian's Closet, one of the city's finest clothiers, in 2001. With his ventures gaining momentum and producing solid profits, Agritelley decided to open Mercy, now one of the city's finest food and beverage destinations.

"I spent a lot of time in Europe, in Italy," Agritelley says. "Wine bars were everywhere -- then I began noticing that options in a lot of cities here were limited. What was the option to a smoky bar?" He wanted to flip the linear, historical, old-to-new paradigm on its head and offer a distinct alternative of food, wine and ambiance to the discerning guest by incorporating some of the old world into the new scene.

"It really is about the experience -- the entire wine experience," he says. "Once we picked the wines, we selected the direction we wanted to go with our guests and then picked the food."

The resulting direction is decidedly European, from the Tuscan colors, Venetian mezzanine and long, linen sheers to murals and tapestries reflective of cultures past.

"We tried to pick the best of places I've been to around the world and incorporate them and make them fit," Agritelley says.

More than 120 wine labels from 10 countries are offered by the glass, an additional 50-75 are offered by the bottle, and 20 sparkling wines as well as more than 20 international beers round out the selection.

Manager Vincent Havard, originally from Voltaire, France, designed Mercy's menu with the same passion for wine he showed as a 14-year-old boy studying restaurant management at Lycee Hotelier. His expertise shines through in his enthusiasm for his guests, and Havard says the dedication to the grape and the decor found at Mercy make him feel right at home. His style is not to be pretentious, but to make guests feel comfortable while still providing them with a formal level of service.

"We went through a lot of changes to get where we are today," Havard says. "Sometimes we changed the (wine) labels 10 to 15 times a month to make the guests happy."

Romancing the Guest

This level of catering takes the experience to new heights -- from the crystal glassware that is always in use to a custom-designed, granite-scalloped-top wine bar that holds 1,200 bottles.

Wine tasting flights -- a choice of three for $15, or three, three-ounce flutes of sparkling wine for $25 -- also help define the mood. The sparkling wine flights are accompanied by a complimentary accessory cart that comes complete with stainless steel Martini glasses filled with raspberries, blueberries and luscious strawberries.

Agritelley's guests typically care more about environment than price -- all the more reason to make the environment comfortable and comprehensive, no matter how trendy.

"It's very customer-centric," he says. "Going out, these are the same people you see in many of the upscale restaurants around town… a good percentage of them don't smoke or necessarily enjoy drinking liquor."

All of which makes them ideally suited for Mercy Wine Bar. While ages range from 25 to 55, Agritelley says that the median, 40-year-old crowd in particular has embraced the venue's cozy-up-to-a-carafe philosophy. "It's kind of a hideaway (for them)," he says.

In going with the European influence, Agritelley, Havard and staff lead with wine and follow through with food. Portions are accordingly small and, once again, the paradigm is reversed.

"The whole idea is tasting as opposed to getting so full you can't stand yourself," Agritelley says.

Indeed, a tab may have on it a $27 glass of wine and a $9 entree, in contrast to other venues' tickets.

That is not to say that the wines are all expensive, however. Much like their individual characteristics of body, taste and aroma, the labels themselves show diversity in price to please most any patron.

"We've tried to find some things that are a little bit different but not necessarily expensive," Agritelley says. "You can find many great labels for under $20."

This wine marketing strategy gets no argument from Havard. "What is the best wine in the world? It's the one you like ... a lot of people order wine by the name. I try to offer them a different orientation."

Havard's emphasis is on pairing wines with meals based on the sauces being used and by aroma -- not always by palate. An example is salmon served with a burgundy or a pinot noir rather than a pinot grigio or Chardonnay. "Aroma is the key in pairing," he says.

A Subtle Revolution

Pairing the right wine with the right food and the right clientele with the right atmosphere has opened up new doors for the wine bar wonder that is Mercy. Agritelley says most of his traffic comes from direct mailing, two-mile marketing, including a billboard, and a heavyweight earning Web site (mercywinebar.com) which received 2,800 hits in its first month. Agritelley also says that more than 60 percent of recent hits are from repeat visitors, many of which are international.

The same solid numbers are evident in Mercy's volume. Agritelley estimates a current average of 1,200 to 1,400 bottles of wine per month is sold at an average $20 price tag. Projected to break even in 15-16 months, Mercy Wine Bar did it in just five.

Still, there is much more on the horizon. Agritelley says while this niche has taken off, it's always important to update service as well as menu, decor and music. "You have to evolve your look and feel," he says. "Not revolutionary, perhaps, but subtly."

But perhaps as subtly as the after notes in many of the venue's wine selections, Mercy Wine Bar may be on the forefront of a captivating, revenue-raising revolution. "As our saying goes, it is 'tranquility by the glass,'" Agritelley says. NCB