Wine Vault & Bistro is pleased to announce a 5-course wine dinner featuring six wines from Michele Chiarlo. The winery is located right in the heart of Italy’s Piedmonte region, an area known for its truffles on the culinary side and for its Barolos and Barbarescos on the wine side. I had the good fortune of spending some time there a few years ago doing recon for an upcoming Piedmonte tour (2025 hopefully) and cannot wait to go back! Not only are the wines off the charts but the food scene is equally amazing with a ridiculous number of Michelin star restaurants concentrated in a relatively small area. While we don’t have a star, I think we’ve created a menu worthy of one, including a truffle risotto that should go toe-to-toe with the best from Piedmonte. Adam Verona, global sales manager, will be here in person to host this dinner. We hope you'll be able to join us for what surely 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 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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MENU

Grilled Swordfish | Wild Arugula | Caper + Preserved Lemon Dressing | Toasted Almonds

2019 Michele Chiarlo Gavi (4 oz. pour)

Pan Roasted Chicken Breast | Fried Polenta | Rustic Puttanesca Sauce

2019 Michele Chiarlo “Le Orme” Barbera d’Asti (4 oz. pour)

Rigatoni Amatriciana: Guanciale | Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes | Calabrian Chili | Pecorino

2019 Michele Chiarlo “Il Principe” Langhe Nebbiolo (3 oz. pour)

Black Truffle Risotto | Roasted Mushrooms | Shaved Truffle Cheese

2018 Michele Chiarlo “Reyna” Barbaresco (3 oz. pour)

    ~ and ~

2017 Michele Chiarlo “Tortoniano” Barolo (3 oz. pour)

Strawberry Millefleur

20121 Michele Chiarlo “Nivole” Moscato d’Asti (3 oz. pour)

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RSVP

Please RSVP via email to chris@winevaultbistro.com with the following information. (Please do not telephone in your reservation as everyone is working remotely and no one will be here to answer your call and it will just go to voicemail and delay your reservation.)

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

2. how many people are in your party, and

3. which day you want to attend (Saturday or Sunday), and

4. answers to the HEAD’S UP questions in the paragraph below,. 

HEAD’S UP

Seating is EXTREMELY limited. We only have a few 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 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.

COST

Cost for the complete dinner including all five courses and all six wines is $109.50 per person. Sales tax and a 20% gratuity will be added to the cost of all dinners which will bring the total to just under $140.00. 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.

WHEN

The dinners begin promptly at 6:00 on Saturday and at 5:00 on Sunday, but we HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that you arrive earlier to better your chances of getting a closer parking space. The bar opens at 5:00 on Saturday and at 4:00 on Sunday if you'd like to mingle with Adam 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. The drop-off point is two doors south of our entrance in front of Shakespeare Pub at the corner of India and Winder. Meters are free after 6:00 on Saturday and all day on Sunday. 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're pouring two 4-ounce portions and four 3-ounce portions of wine (see the line-up above), 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

2019 Michele Chiarlo “Le Marne” Gavi ~ $20

(Italy) Winemaker’s Notes: Straw yellow with brilliant green hues. Elegant, fresh with the scents of golden apple, acacia flower, citrus and bread crust. Well-structured, fragrant. Good length with a finish which is round and savory. The Cortese grapes are selected from vineyards of clay marl soil located on high hills near the town of Gavi. The sea breezes from the Ligurian Sea and cool mountain winds from the Apennine Mountains create a microclimate ideal for growing Cortese grapes to optimal ripeness. The grapes are pressed without crushing and the must is cold settled before undergoing a low-temperature fermentation. The wine is aged for 3 to 4 months on the lees in stainless steel tanks before bottling.

2019 Michele Chiarlo “Le Orme” Barbera d’Asti ~ $14

(Italy) Winemaker’s Notes: Ruby red with violet hues, this elegant and intense wine offers notes of red cherry and red currants. A harmonious and well-structured wine with a beautiful savory finish. The Barbera grapes are a selection from several vineyards in southern Asti, including the La Court estate. The light-colored soils are “Astian sands”, meaning from Asti, and are rich in lime and microelements. Temperature controlled fermentation, including 10 days of maceration on the skins, in stainless steel tanks yields the dark, rich color that is typical of great Barberas. The wine is aged in large French oak casks for 3 months then rests in stainless steel and in bottle before release for a total of 16 months aging.

2019 Michele Chiarlo “Il Principe” Langhe Nebbiolo ~ $21

(Italy) Winemaker’s Notes: A brilliant garnet red, this wine has notes of violet, red fruits, plums, and fine spices. It is intense yet harmonious with good structure and complexity. The tannins are fine, and the finish is round and long. The Nebbiolo for Il Principe come from vineyards in Barbaresco and Vezza d’Alba in the hillsides of the Roero area. The soil of Barbaresco is bluish-grey calcareous-clay marl that is poor in organic substances but rich in manganese and potassium. The Roero vineyards have loose sandy soil. Following fermentation, the Nebbiolo is left to refine in large vats for a year. Il Principe showcases typical varietal flavors and characteristics, as well as the influence of the Roero terroir. This classic and pleasant Nebbiolo has excellent character and is suited to medium aging.

2018 Michele Chiarlo “Reyna” Barbaresco ~ $42

(Italy) Winemaker’s Notes: Nebbiolo. Garnet red with brilliant hues, this elegant wine expresses a fine bouquet with notes of small red fruits, rose petals and tea leaves. The tannins are fine and aristocratic, and the finish is long and full of flavor. Barbaresco is known as the queen of Italian wine. The vineyards of Reyna lie on steep hillsides in Barbaresco and Neive, facing southeast and southwest. The soil is bluish-grey calcareous clay marl with good presence of microelements, with more sand in the Barbaresco vineyard. Grapes are harvested an average of 10 to 15 days later than normal, resulting in extremely rich musts high in sugar and lower in acidity. Temperature controlled fermentation is followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for 18 months in large casks of French Allier and Slavonian oak followed by aging in bottle. ~~~ Review by Wine Enthusiast ~ 94 points: Aromas of truffle, rose, violet and camphor shape the enticing nose along with a whiff of leather. On the savory, linear palate, bright acidity and polished tannins accompany ripe raspberry, black cherry, tobacco and ground clove. Drink now through 2033. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 93 points: Lots going on on the nose, with dried cherries and strawberries, colored by sous-bois elements like dried leaves, grilled mushrooms and dried flowers. Medium-bodied with lightly firm, dusty tannins and a nicely controlled finish. Delicious to drink now but will age too.

2017 Michele Chiarlo “Tortoniano” Barolo ~ $50

(Italy) Winemaker’s Notes: Nebbiolo. Garnet color with brilliant luminous hues. The nose is inviting and complex with notes of rose petals, juniper berries and fine spices. Elegant with ample structure and silky tannins, and a long finish. Remarkable elegance and persistence. Tortoniano is named for the tortonian-era soils in which the vines are planted, rich in microelements such as magnesium and manganese. Grape clusters are thinned and harvested up to 15 days later than usual for the fruit to attain a higher concentration. Temperatures are strictly controlled during vinification and the wine is aged for two years in large oak casks and one year in bottle before release. ~~~ Review by Wine Enthusiast ~ 93 points: New leather, truffle and camphor aromas mingle with a whiff of wild berries on this earthy red. The ripe, accessible palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, culinary spice and game alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2027.

2020 Michele Chiarlo “Nivole” Moscato d’Asti ~ $14 (375ml) or $19 (750ml)

(Italy) Winemaker’s Notes: A brilliant straw yellow, this fragrant Moscato d’Asti has floral aromas with notes of peach and apricot. It is creamy with fine bubbles and a crisp finish. The Nivole vineyards are found in the hills surrounding Canelli in Piedmont, an ideal microclimate for growing Moscato. The hand-harvested grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press and the must is fermented using natural yeasts to a low level of alcohol. A natural mild effervescence develops during this process. Unfermented Moscato grape must is then added to fine tune the sugar levels. The wine is bottled immediately to preserve the fruit aromas characteristic of the Moscato grape. The result is an aromatic Moscato with such delicate finesse that Michele Chiarlo named it Nivole after the Piedmontese word for clouds.

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!