Need a break from Christmas shopping? Undecided about what to pour over the holidays?

Wine Vault & Bistro is pleased to announce our annual Christmas dinner. We’re featuring some of our favorite wines with our flavors of Christmas dinner. It’ll be an amazing 5-course menu paired with four different wines plus our legendary housemade eggnog as a finale with dessert PLUS a Manhattan as a nightcap.

Hope to see you here! Wine notes and bottle prices are at the end of this announcement if you're interested.

NOTE: Due to the complexity of this menu we regret that we will be unable to accommodate vegetarian requests or extensive menu aberrations. Also, in the event any of the wines or food become unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute others of equal or greater value.

MENU

Oaxacan-Style Tamale filled with Chipotle Roasted Turkey | Salsa Roja

Medici Ermete “Quercioli Secco” Lambrusco (5 oz. pour)

Cioppino | Sourdough

2020 Treana Blanc (3 oz. pour)

Spanish-Style Roasted Lamb | Charred Onions | Smoked Lamb Jus

2018 Bokisch Tempranillo (5 oz. pour)

Maple + Bourbon Glazed Ham | Crispy Chestnut Stuffing | Country Gravy

2018 Saxon Brown “Fighting Brothers” Pinot Noir (3 oz. pour)

Sticky Toffee Pudding | Brown Butter Caramel

WV&B’s Legendary Eggnog (3 oz. pour)

Nightcap

WV&B’s Triple Barrel-Aged Manhattan (1 oz. pour)

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RSVP

Please RSVP by clicking on the “Contact The Host” button in the box on the right and responding with the following information.

1. your cell number and best time to call so we can call you to update your credit card info if we don’t already have it on file

2. how many people are in your party, and

3. an answer to the HEAD’S UP question below. 

HEAD’S UP

Seating is EXTREMELY limited. We have a very 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 two firepit tables for two (https://www.winevaultbistro.com/fire-pit) available so let us know if you’re OK with those tables if you want to sit by yourselves. 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

Meters are free after 6:00 so if you park in a metered space just put in enough money (usually under a buck) to get you to 6:00 and then you’ll be home free. Free non-metered on-street parking is also usually available within a 3-block radius. 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 each wine (see the line-up above) plus our housemade high octane eggnog with dessert plus a Manhattan nightcap, 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 (and eggnog and Manhattans) 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

Medici Ermete “Quercioli Secco” Lambrusco ~ $12

(Italy) Winemaker's Notes: Bright ruby red in color with a distinct violet scent. Dry yet fruity with fresh, pleasantly harmonious flavors and a lively effervescence.

2020 Austin Hope "Treana" Blanc ~ $22

(Central Coast) Winemaker's Notes: Viognier, Marsanne + Roussanne. A luscious, full-bodied Rhone blend with aromas of white peach and apricot. The aromas explode onto the palate and intertwines beautifully with lemon zest and fresh orange blossom flavors. The rich and oily mouth feel weights the wine through the long creamy finish. A bright splash of acid balances this well-rounded white wine.

2018 Bokisch Tempranillo ~ $25

(Jahant, Lodi) Winemaker's Notes: Intense nose of rose petal, new leather, baking spices and dried cherry. Meaty flavors of Santa Rosa plum, cherry fruit, leather, cardamom and cinnamon balanced with dusty, grippy, elegant tannins reminiscent of a classic Rioja Reserva from Spain.

2018 Saxon Brown “Fighting Brothers” Pinot Noir ~ $36

(Sonoma Coast) Winemaker's Notes: Exhibits the harmonious balance of generous fruit and bright acidity we strive for with this proprietary blend. Opening with hints Bing cherry, red currant and fresh florals, the wine gains richness on the palate with the emergence of plum, dark chocolate and clove notes. The wine's juicy core is buoyed by focused acidity that adds a lovely tension to the long, lifted finish. 171 cases produced.

WV&B’s Eggnog ~ $39 (750ml)

An addictive concoction we’ve been perfecting for almost forty years now. It’s a decadent combination of super fresh eggs with bright orange yolks (instead of the typical pale yellow supermarket ones) from an organic farm, pure vanilla, cream and nutmeg aggressively spiked with two kinds of rum, cognac and bourbon. We sell it in recycled wine bottles for thirty-nine bucks. And, according to lots of research I’ve done lately, it will actually keep for 1-2 years as long as it’s continually refrigerated. And it mellows and gets better with age. I know that it just sounds so wrong to keep anything with fresh eggs and fresh cream for more than a week or two, but once a certain level of alcohol is introduced, (and we’re waaaay above that level) all bets are off and it will keep for a much longer period of time as long as it’s continually refrigerated. I kept some of last year’s batch until May and it was truly amazing but, out of an abundance of caution, I’ve somewhat arbitrarily listed the shelf life as end of March. But I’ve had customers tell me that they’ve just now opened some of last year’s nog and that it’s amazing a year later (But then again, you’d have to have the self-restraint to actually keep it for a year!)

WV&B’s Triple Barrel Aged Manhattan ~ $20 (200ml hip flask)

A magical blend of premium Bourbons plus Antica Carpano Italian Sweet Vermouth, a touch of Luxardo Cherry Liqueur and a splash of special Old Fashioned Bitters all seamlessly aged together in three charred oak barrels solera style since 2020.

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