WHY To taste oddball whites, rare reds and exotic microbrews and banter about same with BottleRock’s urbane, wine-savvy GM George Skorka, former sommelier at an impressive list of high-end eateries.

WHAT On the ground floor of the Metropolitan Lofts building, in starkly modern rooms lined with hundreds of intriguing bottles, this branch of the Culver City original may be Downtown’s most intelligent wine-and-food destination. The open kitchen turns out tempting, wine-friendly treats during rush hour (4 to 6:30 p.m.) and an extensive menu of cheeses, charcuterie and small plates (green curry mussels, pork-belly risotto, agnolotti with bacon and dates). The 900-plus wines and beers are all available for retail sale, a boon for nearby loft dwellers.

WHO A crowd as sophisticated and eclectic as the wine list.