A local hospitality duo will put wine first in their new concept, Under Pressure Wine Bar, which is heading to 4920 Roswell Road in North Buckhead at Fountain Oaks later this year. The concept comes from Michelin-recognized sommelier Juan Fernando Cortés (Restaurant Eugene, C. Ellet’s Steakhouse, The Garden Room, The Chastain) and Adam Berlin of Chichería MX Kitchen and Buena Vida Tapas. The team shared with What Now Atlanta that they are aiming to open in late 2026 before the holidays.
Cortés and Berlin will focus on wine pairings but with a unique approach. Since wine pairings often run into limitations on the wine side, the team is flipping the script and selecting wines first. Then, the chefs will concoct a complementary dish for the wine.
“The concept was, what if we could taste all the wines available to us and that make sense for the type of business we run, and when we find the ones that are amazing and really stand out, what if the chef creates a dish that goes with it and we put those things on the menu?” Cortés told What Now Atlanta. “The chef is tasked with creating something that harmonizes with and contrasts positively with that wine. That’s the idea behind Under Pressure.”
The wine list will feature both staples and nontraditional, underrepresented labels, anchored by a 1,500+ bottle cellar. It will feature sparkling wines, both Old World and New World producers and plenty of by-the-glass offerings to make various options accessible.
“We’re definitely going to have great vintage champagne and Old World classics, but we’re trying to buck the trend on a few things,” Berlin told What Now Atlanta.
There will also be a house vermouth program and a cocktail menu, as well as food items such as truffle French fries and caviar service to complement rotating seasonal dishes designed to cater to the wine list.
The nontraditional approach to pairings that will define Under Pressure inspired the name, a nod to the David Bowie hit. The design of the space will draw inspiration from the musician, featuring elements like velvets and faux animal prints. SOGO Studios is heading up design for the 2,000-square-foot interior and covered patio, a space that will seat 150 guests in total.
As the team prepares the space for opening, Under Pressure will be popping up to begin to introduce the concept to the community. It will launch a four-week series of Thursday evening pop-ups on May 14 at Brush Sushi in Buckhead Village. Each week, Under Pressure will take over the main dining room in the evening and serve wine alongside à la carte dishes from Chef Jason Liang of Brush Sushi. They hope to continue to organize pop-ups leading up to the opening.
“We strive to take the combination of food and wine seriously and to bring great wines to the table so our chefs can make great dishes to complement those wines,” Cortés said. “We want to live outside of the conventional but in the realm of the amazing.”
