Wine Vault & Bistro is honored to announce an extra special 6-course Chilean winemaker dinner featuring six wines from Lapostolle and Clos Apalta, including not one, not two but three 96-100 point wines in an amazing line-up of other high-scoring wines. Acclaimed winemaker Andrea Leon is flying in from Santiago to host this dinner in person. She’s been a part of the team for almost twenty years now and she, along with consulting winemaker Michel Rolland, have been taking these wines from Chile to the next level.

Lapostolle and Clos Apalta were founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet after they discovered a unique vineyard in Chile’s Apalta Valley sheltering 100-year-old pre-phylloxera vines. They quickly realized the potential for producing world-class wines there and immediately purchased the property. The Marnier-Lapostolle family has been recognized for fine wines and liqueurs in France since the early 19th century so investing in Chile was definitely a move into the unknown! In establishing her family’s legacy in South America, Alexandra brought generations of French winemaking tradition and expertise to this rugged landscape of Colchagua. Today Charles de Bournet, seventh generation owner, leads the winery in its newest chapter of innovation after the official recognition of the Apalta DO in 2018. With Andrea at the helm, he continues to craft world-class wines that honor the winery credo: French in essence, Chilean by birth.

Anyway, after a few of their “entry level” Lapostolle wines to start (Rose and Red blend: both 92 points, and Cab Sauv: 94 points) we’re going to dramatically ratchet things up with their 96-point Petit Clos followed by side-by-side pairings with their 98-point “Parcelle 8” Cabernet and their 100-point Apalta Red. We hope to see you here for this amazing Chilean-inspired menu paired with these incredible wines. We want this to be a leisurely, unrushed experience so please plan on about three hours for this dinner. Wine notes and bottle prices are at the end of this announcement if you're interested.

SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS

Due to the complexity of this menu we regret that we will be unable to accommodate extensive menu aberration or vegetarian requests. If you have any 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 will be impossible for us to accommodate.

MENU

Red Curry Mussel Bisque

2024 Lapostolle le Rose (4 oz. pour)

Slow-Roasted Chicken Ravioli | Black Trumpet Mushrooms | Garlic Sauteed Bloomsdale Spinach | Truffle Pecorino

2022 Lapostolle “Apalta” Red Wine (4 oz. pour)

Tlayuda (Oaxacan-Style Stuffed Tortilla) | Adobo Braised Beef | Queso Oaxaca | Frijoles Charros | Charred Pico de Gallo | Avocado

2022 Lapostolle “Cuvee Alexandre” Cabernet Sauvignon (4 oz. pour)

Grilled Bone-In New Zealand Lamb Chops | Provencal Herb Sauce | Tomato Gratin

2021 Clos Apalta “Le Petit Clos” Red Wine (4 oz. pour)

Brillat-Savarin French Triple Cream Cheese | Rosemary + Sourdough Crisp | Caramelized Onion + Bacon Marmalade

2021 Clos Apalta “Apalta” Red Wine (1.5 oz. pour)

 ~ and ~

2021 Lapostolle “la Parcelle 8” Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 oz. pour)

Brown Sugar Roasted Pineapple | Passion Fruit Panna Cotta

Magdala Spanish Orange Brandy (1.5 oz. pour)

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RSVP (IF ON A DESKTOP COMPUTER)

Click the “Contact the Host” button in the “Tell a Friend” box on to the right and respond with the info below.

RSVP (IF ON A MOBILE DEVICE)

Scroll to the very bottom of this posting. Click the “Contact the Host” button in the “Tell a Friend” box at the bottom and respond with the info below.

RESPOND WITH THIS INFO

1. your cell number and best time to call so we can call you to update your credit card info

2. how many people are in your party, and

3. answers to the HEAD’S UP questions in the paragraph below if you’re a party of 1 or 2.

HEAD’S UP

Seating is EXTREMELY limited. We have a limited number of tables for couples who want to sit by themselves so please let us know if you’re willing to sit at communal tables as that will GREATLY increase your chances of getting in. We also have the two firepit tables on the patio for two (https://www.winevaultbistro.com/fire-pit) available if you don’t mind sitting at a lower, coffee table height table. Also, please consider inviting another couple or two to join you as if you’re a party of four or six there won’t be a problem getting your own table. We are currently limiting party sizes to a maximum of six.

LOCATION & PHONE

Wine Vault & Bistro is located in the heart of San Diego between Little Italy and Old Town at 3731-A India Street on the upstairs terrace. Follow the black handrail up the stairs from the sidewalk to our front door. Our phone number is (619) 295-3939.

PARKING

Metered and non-metered on-street parking is usually available within a 3-block radius. Try to find non-metered parking as the new meters are now enforced seven days a day until 8:00PM yet still only allow a maximum of two hours. You can also park in the free 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 usually parking on the side streets behind the restaurant, on San Diego Avenue one block in front of the restaurant and on the adjacent side streets just past the Chevron station across Washington Street. If you plan to drive here make sure to allow yourself plenty of time to find a parking space but ideally use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft so you don’t have to deal with it.

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

2024 Lapostolle le Rose ~ $15

(Chile) Winemaker's Notes: 46% Cinsault, 37% Grenache, 13% Syrah + 4% Mourvedre. An elegant, delicate wine with strawberry, sweet cucumber and subtle herbal aromas. Refreshing mouthfeel with a long-lasting finish. Serve as an aperitif or with fresh salads, spicy seafood, empanadas, or pasta with cream sauce. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 92 points: An elegant Rose that’s dry and fruity with a lovely creamy texture and suppleness on the palate. Fresh and poised with a medium-long finish.

2022 Lapostolle “Apalta” Red Wine ~ $17

(Chile) Winemaker's Notes: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Carmenere, 3% Syrah + 2% Merlot. An estate blend that elevates the characteristics of each variety: complex and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon, exuberant Syrah and spicy Carmenere. Well-balanced nose of black fruits, coffee and chocolate. Silky palate displays luxurious tannins and a well-balanced structure. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 92 points: A touch of graphite to the fresh black cherries, plums, subtle spices and olives. Fruity and medium- to full-bodied with fresh, fine-grained tannins and a crunchy finish. Solid, medium-long finish.

2022 Lapostolle “Cuvee Alexandre” Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $24

(Chile) Winemaker's Notes: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Carmenère, 2% Syrah + 2% Petit Verdot. Deep purple robe with bright red hues. Expressive and intense nose with red berries, herbs and black currant aromas. Elegant palate with concentration and balance. Layers of fruit develop toward a very juicy finish. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 94 points: A fresh nose full of fruit. Dark cherries, fresh blueberries, spices, crushed stones and olives with a touch of graphite. Well-structured and vertical on the palate, but there is also fluidity in the center palate filled with fruit. Tight grip of crunchy tannins at the end before a long, fruit-expressive finish.

2021 Clos Apalta “Le Petit Clos” Red Wine ~ $49

(Chile) Winemaker's Notes: 68% Carmenere, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot + 1% Cabernet Franc. Nose is subtle and spicy with great elegance and aromatic complexity with notes of ripe fruit (blueberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, blackberry) opening after toasted and fine woody notes. Soft attack on the palate with savory, silky and well-integrated tannins. Full, round and fleshy palate ends with a magnificent aromatic persistence full of finesse. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 96 points: A nice touch of baked cherries and dark chocolate to the deep blackberry fruit. Ink and a touch of graphite and dried herbs. Full-bodied and pretty powerful with fine-grained tannins and a long, extensive finish. Give it two more years to let the fruit settle more. ~~~ Review by Vinous ~ 96 points: Exhibits a ripe character mellowed by the fresh nature of the vintage. Plum and blackberry aromas along with bay leaf and menthol hints over an ashy marmalade core. Indulgent, plush and rich on the palate, the soft and overwhelming mouthfeel lingers a long time with a precise, juicy and refreshing personality. A standout for Clos Apalta.

2021 Clos Apalta “Apalta” Red Wine ~ $140

(Chile) Winemaker's Notes: 75% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon + 7% Merlot. The Merlot offers up black fruit aromas such as black cherry and blackberry, all with wonderful freshness on the palate. The Cabernet Sauvignon, in particular from old pre-phylloxera vines, offers up aromas of red fruit (raspberry) and black fruit (blackcurrant, blueberry) with some ripe bell pepper and black olive notes. As it matures it develops pepper, crème de cassis, leather and charred notes (smoke, toast and chocolate). The Carmenere, brightly colored with hints of purple, is rich with rounded tannins. There are delicate cherry aromas on the nose, subtly balanced out by spicy touches of black pepper. Freshness on the palate ensures a beautiful finish of black fruit, smoke, cocoa, leather and tobacco notes. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 100 points: Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades.

2021 Lapostolle “la Parcelle 8” Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $135

(Chile) Winemaker's Notes: Elegant and complex nose of intense fruit with herbs and spices. Classic structure on the palate with elegant tannins, flavors of fruit and black spices and a long-lasting, velvety finish. Pairs well with red meats such as roasted lamb and braised short ribs, or complements mushrooms or a cheese plate. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 98 points: The old-vine character comes through clearly here with bark and mushroom undertones to the blackberries and blueberries. It’s medium-bodied with chewy, medium-grained tannins that tell the story of these old vines, most of which were planted in 1907. Give this four or five years to come around and drink it after 2028, but it’s joyful to taste its potential and history now if you can’t wait!

Magdala Spanish Orange Brandy ~ $35

A Mediterranean orange liqueur made by steeping lots of orange peels in grape brandy carefully distilled in small batches at the Torres distillery in Barcelona. Ageing in old oak casks produces an aromatic elixir, silky in texture and exceptionally elegant.

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!

Chris