Last week found me at Caveau, a brand-new wine bar on the corner of Pennsylvania Street and 17th Avenue. The polished space is straight out of Crate & Barrel, but it warms up quickly with an Uptown crowd and an interesting wine list that includes hits such as Sinskey Vandal Vineyard Pinot Noir, Cinque Passi Puglia Negroamaro, and Jax Y3 Sauvignon Blanc. The best deals are had during happy hour--4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily--when glasses of wine normally priced $12 and under go for $5, and glasses $13 and more are half-off. But with Tastes Wine Bar & Bistro just down the street, Caveau has some competition--especially in the food arena. At Tastes, dishes such as the richly flavored African peanut soup or the dreamy affogato are draws in themselves, while Caveau's eats, such as the starchy sweet-corn ravioli and overly sweet baked meatballs, still need some fine-tuning. 450 E.17th Ave., Suite 11