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Local Event Premier Host
Cost: $65.00 + tax and gratuity
For the first time ever, Wine Vault & Bistro is pleased to announce a winemaker dinner with Melville Winery. Head winemaker Chad Melville will be here to personally host this dinner. In 1997, working side by side with his father Ron and brother Brent, Chad helped to establish Melville’s Estate vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills, a journey that began and continues to endure with tremendous passion and dedication. Since that time, Chad has received great critical acclaim for his wines. Through both his intimate knowledge of the vineyards and his relentless commitment to winemaking practices that honor tradition and the land, Chad understands the magical evolution each bottle of wine undertakes from vine to glass.
Founded in 1989, Melville is a family-owned and operated estate winery with its roots in Sonoma County's Knights Valley, where Ron Melville grew high-quality grapes. In 1996, Ron's desire to grow cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah brought Melville Vineyards to the Sta. Rita Hills, located in the Western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. Today, Ron and his son Chad, uphold Melville’s tradition as one of the most highly-regarded estates in California. Their philosophy is that at the time of harvest, they consider the wines to already be made and strive not to interfere with their natural path.
Hope to see you here! Wine notes and bottle prices are at the end of this announcement if you're interested. Here's the line-up:
NOTE: Due to the complexity of this menu we regret that we will be unable to accommodate vegetarian requests or extensive menu aberrations.
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Salmon 3 ways: Mousse Chive Oil | Salmon Roe W/Lemon Crème Fraîche | Sliced Lox W/Red Onion Caper Relish All Served On Toasted Bagel Chips
2017 Melville Blanc de Blanc (5 oz. pour)
Pan Roasted Jidori Chicken | Sun Dried Tomato | Mushrooms | Toasted Israeli Cous Cous | Shallot White Wine Cream Sauce
2015 Melville "Estate" Chardonnay (5 oz. pour)
Ramen: Shiitake Dashi | Crispy Pork Belly | Slow Roasted Duck Breast | Umami Tofu | Udon Noodles
2015 Melville "Estate" Pinot Noir (5 oz. pour)
Braised Bone-In Short Ribs | Charred Cauliflower | Whipped Potatoes | Red Wine Demi Glace
2016 Melville "Estate" Syrah (3 oz. pour)
Berry Gazpacho | Preserved Lemon Ice Cream | Candied Zest | Honey Drizzle
Bee's Knees Cocktail (4 oz. pour)
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RSVP ~ (619) 295-3939
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.
COST
Cost for the complete dinner including all five courses and all four wines is $65.00 per person. Sales tax and an 18% gratuity will be added to the cost of all dinners. Due to limited seating, CREDIT CARD RESERVATIONS ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST. We accept Visa and MasterCard only.
SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS
Due to the complexity of this menu we regret that we will be unable to accommodate vegetarian requests. If you have any other special dietary needs, please let us know when you RSVP, not when you arrive. We will do our best to accommodate special dietary needs if we can and if given advance notice. Please be aware that last minute menu aberration requests without advance notice will be impossible for us to accommodate.
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 dinners begin promptly at 5:00, but we HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that you arrive earlier to better your chances of getting a closer parking space. The bar opens at 4:15 if you'd like to mingle with the winemaker and enjoy an adult beverage 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
Valet parking is available for $8.00. The drop-off point is two doors south of our entrance in front of Shakespeare Pub at the corner of India and Winder. On-street parking is also usually available within a 3-block radius. Remember that it’s OK to park in yellow commercial zones on Sunday and that meters are also not enforced on Sunday. 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. 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 3-5 ounce tasting portions of wine (see the line-up above) totaling 18 ounces, plus a honey cocktail or the equivalent of well over three-quarters of a 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.
WINE NOTES & BOTTLE PRICES
2017 Melville "Blanc de Blancs" Estate Chardonnay ~ $48
(Sta. Rita Hills) Winemaker's Notes: Golden straw in color, vibrant and crisp aromatics of granny smith apples, lemon peel and a hint of toasted brioche spring from the glass. On the palate, fresh and zippy notes of jasmine flower, rock salt and jicama are immediately apparent while more tender components of marzipan, grilled pineapple and honeycomb linger in the background. Bone dry in texture, vivacious and tight bubbles provide ample lift that leads to a lingering and concentrated finish.
2015 Melville "Estate" Chardonnay ~ $24
(Sta. Rita Hills) Winemaker's Notes: Delicate brass in color, with fruit driven aromatics of grilled pineapple, lemon zest, white peach and orange blossom springing from the glass. On the palate, notes of honey, fresh ginger and tarragon mingle with weightier impressions of sourdough bread, salted caramel and agave nectar. The wine boasts a rich and polished mouthfeel with a generous streak of acidity that anchors a chiseled and precise finish. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast.
2015 Melville "Estate" Pinot Noir ~ $28
(Sta. Rita Hills) Winemaker's Notes: Light garnet in color. Vivid aromatics of rhubarb, tangerine zest, fresh cranberry and juniper are immediately apparent while intriguing notes of eucalyptus, chanterelle mushroom, plum skin and green tea linger in the background. Focused and precise, with velvety tannins that frame its plush core as well as the lengthy and cohesive finish. 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast.
2016 Melville "Estate" Syrah ~ $28
(Sta. Rita Hills) Winemaker's Notes: Inky garnet in color. brilliant aromatics of ripe blue fruits, allspice and white pepper emanate from the glass. In the background, floral notes of lavender and violets intermingle with deeper components of prosciutto, buttered mushrooms and soy. The palate impression is tender and polished with a firm presence finishing with significant weight and focus. 96 Points, Wine Enthusiast.
Rum-Based Bee's Knees Cocktail
The Bee's Knees cocktail is a gin, lemon and honey classic that dates back to prohibition. The phrase “bee's knees” was prohibition-era slang for “the best.” In that time, the addition of ingredients such as citrus and honey were often used to cover the less than ideal smell and taste of bathtub gin. Since gin typically isn't used in dessert cocktails, we experimented with substituting other liquors and came up with this rum-based version using an aged Venezuelan reserve rum. Served on the rocks.
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!
Hope to see you here. Buon appetito and cheers!
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Wine Vault & Bistro
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