Wine Vault & Bistro is pleased to announce a 5-course winemaker dinner featuring the wines of Rombauer Vineyards. Winemaker Richie Allen will be here in person to host these dinners.

When chef and I tasted through the wines during carnage (https://www.winevaultbistro.com/carnage) we kept coming up with pairings that unintentionally showcased Asian flavors. Rather than fight it, we decided to embrace the idea and Chef Gregory created what we think will be an incredible Asian-influenced menu to pair with these incredible wines.

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.

RSVP

Please RSVP via reply email 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. 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.

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MENU

2022 Rombauer "Carneros" Chardonnay (5 oz. pour)

Crispy Shellfish Rangoon | Asian Chopped Salad | Sweet Garlic Chili

2021 Rombauer "Santa Lucia Highlands" Pinot Noir (3 oz. pour)

Beech Mushroom Ramon | Crispy Shiitake Mushrooms | Garlic Foam | Mayak Egg

2021 Rombauer “California” Zinfandel (5 oz. pour)

Slow Roasted Pork Belly | Steamed Bao Bun | Sticky Gochujang BBQ Sauce | Daikon Sprouts

2021 Rombauer "Napa Valley" Merlot (3 oz. pour)

Cumin Roasted Lamb | Hand Pulled Noodles | Charred Vegetables | Soy Glaze

Scorpion Cocktail (3 oz. pour)

Housemade Coconut Ice Cream

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COST

Cost for the complete dinner including all five courses and all four wines plus a Scorpion Cocktail with dessert is $119.50 per person. Sales tax and a 20% gratuity will be added to the cost of all dinners which will bring the total to just over $150.00 per person. 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 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 if you'd like to mingle with Ritchie 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 ~ FREE & PAID

On-street parking is usually available within a 3-block radius. Meters are free after 6:00 so if you park at a metered spot just put in enough money (probably less than a buck) to get you to 6:00 and then you’re home free. 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 two 5-ounce and two 3-ounce tasting portions of wine (see the line-up above) plus a Scorpion Cocktail (yikes!) with dessert, 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

2022 Rombauer "Carneros" Chardonnay ~ $38

(Carneros) Winemaker’s Notes: Aromas of ripe yellow peach, melon and chamomile all framed by freshly baked pie crust. The palate is bright with flavors of nectarine followed by a subtle spice and lively acidity. The finish leaves you wanting another sip.

2021 Rombauer "Santa Lucia Highlands" Pinot Noir ~ $62

(Santa Lucia Highlands) Winemaker's Notes: Aromas of plum, cherry and crushed cranberry are lifted and concentrated on the nose, complemented by light lavender notes and hints of spice. The plum, cherry and spice continue to the palate which is full and rich with soft tannins and bright acidity, all creating an incredibly balanced wine with the finish building on the back palate. ~~~ Review by Jeb Dunnuck ~ 94 points: Coming from some top sites in the appellation and the first vintage for this cuvée, it reveals a translucent ruby hue to go with a great perfume of red cherries, mulberries, Asian spice, sappy flowers and some background herbal nuances. Beautiful on the palate as well, it's medium-bodied, has a silky, seamless texture, terrific balance and a great finish. It shows the pure fruit character of the appellation yet is complex, nuanced and just impeccably done.

2021 Rombauer “California” Zinfandel ~ $36

(California) Winemaker's Notes: 94% Zinfandel + 6% Petite Sirah. Aromas of raspberry, cherry, and cranberry mingle with notes of dried herbs and flowers. The palate is full of concentrated red berries, spice, and licorice flavors with a juicy mid palate framed by fine tannins. The finish is long, silky and full of flavor.

2021 Rombauer "Napa Valley" Merlot ~ $52

(Napa Valley) Winemaker's Notes: 89% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon + 2% Petite Verdot. Blackberry and ripe plum aromas lift out of the glass, mingling with decadent fresh piecrust, cinnamon and other baking spices. These flavors continue to the full-bodied palate where the ripe blackberry and spice are followed by hints of vanilla. Soft tannins round out the sip which ends with a long and silky finish.

Scorpion Cocktail

According to cocktail legend, the Scorpion had its beginnings in the 1930s in a little bar in Honolulu called The Hut, where some unnamed barkeep poured rum, citrus, orgeat syrup, and brandy over ice, garnished it with an orange, and dubbed it the “Scorpion.” Vic Bergeron (of Trader Vic's fame) picked up the recipe a decade or so later at his bar in Oakland, tweaked it a bunch, multiplied it by about four, and created the Scorpion Bowl, a large-format cocktail still served in Tiki bars and Chinese restaurants around the world. One of the beautiful things about a Scorpion is that no one can agree exactly on how to make it. Vic himself changed his recipe constantly, eventually publishing at least three versions of the drink. We experimented with many versions and finally, after much “research,” came up with our own version. Ours contains light and dark rum, cognac, freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice and orgeat (almond) syrup.

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