Tapas Sampler Platter

1. Pollo Croquettas (Breaded Chicken Breast)

2. Manchego Cheese Drizzled with Arbequina Spanish EVO

3. Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese & Almonds

4. Aceitunas y Anchofas (Spanish Olives Stuffed with Anchovy)

5. Tortilla Espanola (Potato Omelet)

6. Pan con Tomate (Tomato & Garlic Rubbed Bread)

Served with:

NV Pere Ventura Brut Nature Cava (4 oz. pour)

Warm Seafood Salad: Pulpo (Baby Octopus) Slow-Poached in Olive Oil with Meyer Lemon, Chorizo Oil & Apple Vinaigrette

Served with Spanish vs. California Albarino:

2005 Aires de Arosa Albarino (2 oz. pour)

2006 Tangent Albarino (2 oz. pour)

Cherry-Stuffed Roasted Quail with Huckleberry Emulsion & Market Vegetables

Served with Spanish vs. California Rose:

2006 Las Renas Bullas Monastrell Rose (2 oz. pour)

2005 Ramian Estate Page One Grenache Rose (2 oz. pour)

Paella a la Plancha with Gamba (Shrimp), Chorizo Bilbao (Spanish Sausage) & Pollo (Chicken) with Valencia Orange Aioli + Patatas Bravas (Fried Potatoes) with Pimenton Aioli + Grilled Bread

Served with Spanish vs. California Tempranillo:

1997 Torre Oria Grand Reserve Tempranillo (2 oz. pour)

2005 Verdad Tempranillo ~ (2 oz. pour)

and with Spanish vs. California Grenache:

2005 Monastir Grenache (2 oz. pour)

2006 Bokisch Garnacha (2 oz. pour)

and with a new world/old world Spanish red blend:

2003 Reino de los Mallos Spanish Red Wine (2 oz. pour)

PX Adult Milkshake

Made with:

34-Year-Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry (2 oz.)

RSVP

Please make your reservations directly with Wine Vault & Bistro at 619-295-3939. We're very good about returning calls promptly, so please leave a message with the best time to return your call if you get the dreaded voice mail. Due to limited seating, CREDIT CARD RESERVATIONS ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST. Sales tax and an 18% gratuity will be added to the cost of all tastings.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

If you have special dietary requests, please let us know when you RSVP, not when you arrive! We're pretty flexible (within reason!) with substitutions and can usually accommodate most special dietary requests if given advance notice.

CANCELLATION POLICY

You may cancel your reservation up to 72 hours in advance without penalty. NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED WITH LESS THAN 72-HOUR NOTICE unless we are able to replace your cancellation at the last minute. (See below for groups over 4 people.)

LARGE GROUPS (OVER 4)

If you want to come with a group of friends, please make one reservation for your entire party so we can reserve a block of seats for you ... however, in the interest of fairness to others, we reserve the right to limit the number of people on a single reservation at our discretion. The cancellation period for canceling the ENTIRE reservation without penalty is doubled from the standard 72 hours (see above) to 144 hours (6 days). If you need to cancel only 1 or 2 people, the standard 72-hour notice still applies.

WHEN

The dinner begins promptly at 6:30, but we highly recommend that you arrive earlier to better your chances of getting a closer parking space. The bar opens at 5:54 if you'd like to enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail before dinner.

WHERE

Wine Vault & Bistro is located in the heart of San Diego between Little Italy and Old Town at 3731-A India Street on the upper terrace. Follow the black handrail from the sidewalk up the stairs to our front door.

PARKING

On-street parking is usually available within a 3-block radius. Remember that it’s OK to park in yellow commercial zones after 6:00 and that meters are also free after 6:00. You can also park in the lot behind Shakespeare Pub two doors down, but do not park in El Indio's lot unless you want your car towed! If you can’t find parking next to the restaurant, there’s always LOTS OF PARKING on San Diego Avenue and the adjacent side streets just past the Chevron station across Washington Street. There's also a huge pay parking lot ($1 per hour) at the Mission Brewery Building two blocks south at the corner of Washington & Hancock. (You'll have to take San Diego Avenue to Noell to Hancock to get there due to the one-way streets.) So please don't drive yourself crazy endlessly going around in circles waiting to pounce on that perfect spot when there's TONS OF PARKING less than three blocks away!

WINE QUANTITIES

We'll be pouring 2-4 ounce tasting portions of wine (see the line-up above) totaling 24 ounces, or the equivalent of a full bottle of wine per person. Pour buckets are provided for designated drivers.

WINE SALES

Although some wines may be in limited quantities, all wines poured at this dinner will be available for purchase at the restaurant until sold out. We reserve the right to limit sales of any rare or allocated wines at our discretion.

THE FINE PRINT

Due to fluctuations of supply, we reserve the right to make substitutions of equal or greater value in case any of the wines or foods become unavailable. Please, ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 ... even if your babysitter flakes out on you at the last minute!

WINE NOTES & BOTTLE PRICES

NV Pere Ventura Brut Nature Cava ~ $14

(Spain) This is a non vintage cuvee from the Penedes region of Spain. It is a bottling done with all natural and indigenous yeasts from organically farmed vineyards. It is a blend of Catalan varietals: Xarel-lo, Parellada and Macabeo. The wine is fresh and lively on entry with notes of green apple, stone fruits and minerals. It continues its freshness with a lively citrus note on through the clean finish. Textbook Cava. This is the first time it's been imported to the U.S.

2005 Aires de Arosa Albarino ~ $10

(Spain) Floral yet subtly earthy nose of grapefruit, lemon and apple with background aromas of grassy herbs and minerals. Refreshing attack of limeade and strawberry balanced with peachy grapefruit acidity in the evolution and long, dry, sweet lemon finish.

2006 Tangent Albarino ~ $15

(Edna Valley) Winemaker's Notes: Made in the traditional style of Rias Baixas Albarinos, this wine is pure and vibrant. Wonderfully aromatic, it smells of honeyed tangerine and lush peaches. It is fresh and crisp, with spicy notes, and sports an unusual salty character. Tropical hints of banana and grapefruit add to the complexity. Albarino is often compared to Viognier for its peach aromas and to Riesling for its minerality. The refreshing quality of this wine makes it an excellent aperitif. It pairs well with most any seafood tapas or small Spanish sandwiches known as bocadillos.

2006 Las Renas Bullas Monastrell Rose ~ $11

(Spain) Floral nose of strawberry and sweet ripe raspberry with some faint earthy background aromas. Vibrant, fruit forward attack of fresh warm strawberry balanced with sweet raspberry acidity in the evolution and a subtle background earthiness in the long, fruity yet dry and crisp finish.

2005 Ramian Estate Page One Grenache Rose ~ $15

(California) Winemaker's Notes: Inspired by the wines of Spain, this Garnacha is perfect for sipping or for a pairing with your first course. Rose petals, liquorices, cloves and candied red fruits on the nose with a dry, full bodied, voluptuous mouthfeel of fresh strawberries, rhubarb and ripe red cherries in the mid-palate. The finish is a very long, rich mouthful of holiday spices and dark red raspberries. This wine is much bigger than one would expect based on outward appearance.

1997 Torre Oria Grand Reserve Tempranillo ~ $17

(Spain) Nose of ripe cherry with background aromas of herbaceous tobacco, olive, hardwoods plus a touch of eucalyptus. Chewy palate full of jammy plum and berry flavors with a long, complex, elegant finish. At its peak and ready to drink now.

2005 Monastir Grenache ~ $12

(Spain) 100% Garnacha from the region of Carinena. This wine shows plenty of character from the indigenous grape clones grown on rocky hillside vineyards of brown limestone. This wine is meant to be drunk young. It is fruity up front, with plenty of structure from the natural acidity. It has bright red and some dark fruits which give this wine several layers. An earthy and minerality component gives the wine backbone and a focused finish.

2005 Verdad Tempranillo ~ $17

(Santa Ynez Valley) Winemaker's Notes: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Syrah + 10% Grenache. Tempranillo makes a bold, earthy, somewhat tannic wine with lots of chocolate and spice. It adds a masculine component which is why I blended it with the silky, supple, ripe Syrah from Bien Nacido Vineyard which adds a lovely lush middle along with ripe berry flavors and pepper. The superb, more feminine Grenache adds gorgeous wild berry aromatics and brightens the whole blend. The wine was blended together in March of 2006 and aged a total of 16 months before bottling. The wine has ripe cherry and berry aromas with layers of black cherry, cocoa and spicy-smoky flavors with a touch of cinnamon and toast. This is a full-bodied wine with rich flavors, good balance and a long satisfying finish.

2006 Bokisch Garnacha ~ $16

(Clements Hills, Lodi) Winemaker's Notes: 97% Grenache + 3% Tempranillo. Our Garnacha is reminiscent of the dense, spicy, Spanish red wines produced from this variety in its area of origin - Aragon. Due to minimal irrigation and severe pruning, its smaller berries and higher skin-to-juice ratio give it a deep color showing bright red hues with a tinge of blue. Subtle notes of pomegranate and cassis reveal themselves along with a slightly floral quality in the nose. Complex layers of strawberry and bright fruit combine in the palate for a delicious, lengthy finish. A medium-bodied wine, this Garnacha shows excellent balance, fresh acidity and bright flavors. 291 cases produced.

2003 Reino de los Mallos Spanish Red Wine ~ $17

(Spain) 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot + 20% Grenache. Rich nose of concentrated sweet black fruits. Smooth attack of ripe black cherry and black plum plus hints of saddle leather balanced with a sweet tobacco-like acidity in the evolution and with mild tannins in the long, smooth, fruity yet earthy finish.

NV Dios Baco 34-Year-Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry ~ $16 (500ml)

(Spain) Intensely rich nose of sweet molasses and raisins with faint background aromas of coffee and licorice. Thick, viscous attack of rich raisin flavors perfectly balanced with just the right amount of acidity in the evolution so as not to make the flavors cloying. Long, non-tannic finish with an ever-so-faint background hint of spiciness that contributes to its complexity and also helps make the flavors non-cloying. Rated one of the 100 Best Buys by Wine Enthusiast, this unusual but versatile, black-and-thick-as-motor-oil dessert wine is great by itself, or simply drizzled over vanilla ice cream, or to accompany cigars. Cooks also use it to add a complex flavor dimension to stews, soups and braised meats. Once opened, it has a shelf life of at least a month. 17.0% alcohol.