Yesterday morning we put the February-March issue of My Table to bed, so in the afternoon we clinked glasses at Beckrew Wine House, the wine bar that replaced The Tasting Room on West Alabama in mid-2015.

Beckrew – operated by general manager and wine buyer William Fuller – has already received national attention. It won a spot on Wine Enthusiast Magazine‘s list of top 20 wine bars in the country. We didn’t make it over in 2015 (Camerata is walking distance from the office), but a new year calls for new wine.

Designed by Gin Braverman, the wine bar is a trendy little spot that mixes different hues, textures and patterns well. There’s herringbone blue and green tile, white brick walls, stand-out geometric light fixtures and pops of shiny brass accents. It sets the mood for relaxed, sophisticated wine enjoyment.

Wine Enthusiast lauded Beckrew for its flights of non-Champagne bubbles and free pizza. Yes, free pizza. Stop in on Monday and Tuesday during happy hour (3 to 6:30 pm) and buy a bottle of wine, and the kitchen will begin cooking your free margarita pizza. Wednesday’s happy hour special is 25 percent off all bottles of bubbles. The full happy hour menu is available Monday through Friday and includes a selection of $7 wines by the glass, $27 wines by the bottle and a few discounted snacks from the regular menu.

We enjoyed a few savory plates with our happy hour glasses of Côtes du Rhône. First were the meatballs ($7, photo above) served in a chunky tomato sauce with sliced bread. When it arrives at the table, you might be a bit disappointed. The meatballs are slightly gray and only come three per order, but they’re light and tender. If we were in charge of the kitchen, we’d lose the many slices of bread and add one or two more meatballs.

The crostini (2 for $6/4 for $10, photo above) are a fun way to try different flavor combinations for less. One option tops fresh goat cheese with dollops of Mission fig jam – a classic pairing that never gets old. An even sweeter option is the roasted grape and ricotta crostini with thyme – earthy with bold sweetness.

Standout of the meal was the pear and proscuttio pizza ($14, photo above) with provolone. The crust was light but sturdy, the proscuitto crispy, and the pear sliced thinly. We’d like to have tasted the pear more – the proscuitto and peppery arugula were the dominant flavors. But the fried bits of cheese on the crust won us back over.

Beckrew is a fine addition to the Upper Kirby area, and we see a Champagne flight in our future, perhaps after the April/May issue goes to press … or this Saturday.

Beckrew Wine House, 2409 W. Alabama, 713-526-2242, beckrew.com