DANVILLE DOES what it can after dark. There are the requisite spots — an Irish pub and a sports bar — for a wealthy city of about 40,000. But now, a new wine bar is breathing much-needed life into this one-drag hamlet.

Bridges opened the Vine five weeks ago in front of its established restaurant, and by my estimations, it was an instant hit.

On a Thursday night around 8, most seats are taken in the steel-and-glass lounge. It has the feel of a warehouse, but with touches of a modern bar. Clear, hand-blown glass lamps drop from the high ceilings. Paintings of vines smashed against a sea of purple decorate the longest wall. Chocolate-hued couches and a dramatic, family-style

If we had the space for something like this in my Rockridge 'hood, I'd be there nightly.

As a retail shop and wine bar, the Vine takes the try-before-you-buy model of Artisan Wine Lounge and Alameda Wine Co. — both reviewed in this column — and infuses a nightlife element. Unlike most cramped bars, there is ample space for bands to set up, and they do. On Thursdays, it's a jazz trio from San Francisco. On Friday and Saturday nights, live R&B and blues gets the younger crowd, which trickles in by 11 p.m., on its feet. But the management asks that you don't dance. Sorry.

The Vine is way more interested in wine enlightenment. And the by-the-glass (or taste or bottle) list of 35 wines proves that. I was impressed to see uber-small Sonoma producers such as Sandler and Zepaltas represented in addition to fun offerings, such as an Oregon brut and affordable Burgundy.

My taste of 2006 Lange Pinot Noir ($7), though a generous pour, wasn't showing well. It lacked the serious earthiness I've come to expect from the Willamette Valley. But a taste of the 2005 Alcance Carmenere from Chile ($6) more than made up for it. It was rich in color, mulberry flavors and spicy aromas, and the mouth-feel was balanced by soft, ripe tannins and a gentle walnut finish.

The wine list is updated every three weeks, and once a month, a new flight is switched out in a list of eight. The flights are organized in a fantastic way and present great value. For instance, the Everyday Flight ($14) is designed for the "home cook-off" customer and offers three tastes of reliable varietals. The Vine clearly knows its audience, so there's a Buttery Chards Flight ($21) and a "Sideways" Flight ($21). But given the management's extensive knowledge of the biz and its dedication to education, I was disappointed there was no Bringing Back Merlot Flight. "Sideways" is so 2004.

As for food, a menu of simple, colorful small plates is there to make the wine experience complete. I thought the Warm Phyllo Wrapped Brie ($9) was lovely, with its accompanying truffled honey and roasted black figs, but found the toasted brioche hard and dry. However, the Andouille Sausage Pizzetta ($10) was dynamite with its thin slices of sausage, portobellini mushrooms and delicate, seasonal braised greens.

What rounds out a night at the Vine is clearly the crowd. They are upbeat, very well-dressed and so happy to be out at a sophisticated spot not far from home. At the bar, local men over 50 discuss their portfolios over port. At a table across the way, four hot moms gab about the Boy Scouts. And at my table, five thirtysomethings talk shop. Around 8:30 p.m., a fortysomething in scrubs approaches the table, looking for a bite and a sip on her way home from rounds. We make suggestions. She joins the table and shares our menus. This is the new Danville after dark.