UPCOMING WINEMAKER DINNERS

We’ve got lots of winemaker dinners coming up including Bokisch, Foxen, Margerum and Duckhorn to name a few. Dates, menus and pricing haven’t been finalized so we can’t take advance reservations just yet but be sure to watch for email updates in the coming weeks!

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In the meantime, we thought it would be fun to kick off San Diego’s typically mild winter by showcasing some dishes from the Mediterranean, an area that shares similar temperate weather but completely different cuisines. We’ll be featuring some hearty classics from Spain, the Greek Isles, France, Morocco and Italy paired with some delicious wines.

We hope you'll be able to join us for what promises to be a fun evening of tasting great wines paired with great food! Wine notes and bottle prices are at the end of this announcement and the menu is below.

Doors open at 5:15 for happy hour and dinner starts promptly at 6:00. Cost is ninety-nine fifty for all five courses and all five paired beverages. Sales tax and a 20% gratuity will be added which brings the total to about $127. Due to limited seating, credit card reservations are a must. We accept Visa and MasterCard only.

MENU

SPAIN

Trio of Spanish Pintxos: Seared Tuna Gilda | Mushroom + Goat Cheese Croquette | Chorizo al Vino Tinto

NV Mas Fi Brut Cava (5 oz. pour)

GREECE

Avgolemono (Greek Lemon + Chicken Soup)

2024 Bokisch “Miravet Vineyard” Garnacha Blanca (4 oz. pour)

FRANCE

Pan Bagnat: Smoked Marlin | Oven Roasted Tomatoes | Tapenade | Pesto

2023 Stolpman Grenache (4 oz. pour)

MOROCCO

Braised Lamb Tagine | Brown Butter Almond Couscous | Feta Salsa Verde | Six-Pepper Oil

2021 Juan Gil “Blue Label” Spanish Red Blend (4 oz. pour)

ITALY

Gianduja Tiramisu

Frangelico Italian Hazelnut Liqueur (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 NOTES & BOTTLE PRICES

NV Mas Fi Brut Cava ~ $13

(Spain) Winemaker's notes: 40% Xarel-lo, 35% Macabeo + 25% Parellada. An elegant and balanced sparkling wine. Undergoing second fermentation in the bottle, it is aged for 10 months providing its fine bubbles and complex and structured palate. There are notes of white flowers and citrus on the nose, with fresh stone fruits and pleasant creamy flavors in the mouth.

2024 Bokisch “Miravet Vineyard” Garnacha Blanca ~ $19

(Clements Hills, Lodi) Winemaker’s Notes: Ripe aromas of mango, green tea, orange peel and orange liqueur. The palate has serious weight that emphasizes flavors of pomegranate juice, guava, peach and apricot skin. Ends with a pleasant, zippy finish.

2023 Stolpman Grenache ~ $25

(Santa Barabara County) Winemaker’s Notes: 90% Grenache + 10% Syrah. Pretty shade of ruby red with transparency. Wallop of red fruit running the spectrum of flavor from cherry blossom to fresh strawberry all the way to compote. Toast and a quiet, already integrated oak backbone frame the wine, while not taming the deliciousness quotient. The oak gives the wave of red fruit fresh crispness while elongating the continuum into further ripeness. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 93 points: So much purity to the fresh, concentrated beam of cherries, raspberries and red plum preserves, all lifted by flowers and mouthwatering acidity. A kiss of spices and Mediterranean scrub sweeps in, while elegantly long, approachable tannins promise a rewarding life ahead.

2021 Juan Gil “Blue Label” Spanish Red Blend ~ $35

(Spain) Winemaker's Notes: 60% Monastrell, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon + 10% Syrah. This complex and elegant wine is made from selections from the oldest parcels, averaging 75 years old which are planted at 2,300 feet on sandy, chalky soils with extremely low yields. Parcels are fermented in small stainless steel tanks and then aged for 18 months in new French and American oak barrels separately before blending. This is a wine that will evolve over 2-3 years and drink well for many more. Blackberries and plums framed by licorice, vanilla and toast. Full-bodied and well structured, yet fresh with well integrated tannins that sculpt a long, lasting finish. ~~~ Review by Wine Spectator ~ 93 points: An aromatic thread of toast, licorice, vanilla and Mediterranean macchia winds through generous flavors of plum sauce and blackberry paste. Full-bodied but fresh and well-structured, this red is firmed by chalky, integrated tannins that sculpt the long, lasting finish.

Frangelico Italian Hazelnut Liqueur

(Italy) A northern Italian liqueur made from toasted wild hazelnuts, cocoa, vanilla beans and other natural flavors all melded together and aged in oak casks. Enjoy it straight, on the rocks, or in or with coffee. 40 proof.

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