Wine Vault & Bistro is pleased to announce our annual Valentine’s dinner for you to share with your sweetheart. Since Valentine's Day falls on a Wednesday this year, we're serving our Valentine's menu the weekend before so you can avoid the craziness and fighting the crowds of going out on the actual day.

As we’ve done in years past, before we designed this menu, we did some research and found 33 different foods that have purported aphrodisiac qualities and were able to incorporate a whopping 25 of them into this menu! (So if you don't get "lucky" after having this menu it's not our fault!!!) Here they are in alphabetical order with the ones in this menu highlighted in ALL CAPS: ALMONDS, ANISEED, ARUGULA, ASPARAGUS, avocado, bananas, BASIL, BROCCOLI RABE, CARROTS, CHILI PEPPERS, CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, CORIANDER, FENNEL, FIGS, GARLIC, GINGER, HONEY, licorice, MUSTARD, NUTMEG, OLIVE OIL, oysters, pineapple, PINE NUTS, POMEGRANATE, PUMPKIN SEEDS, raspberries, strawberries, TRUFFLES, VANILLA, watermelons and last but definitely not least, WINE!

The wines are equally special, too, and include a refreshing sparkling Brut Rosé from France, both an old vine white and an old vine red blend also from France, and the stellar Juan Gil Blue Label Spanish red blend that tastes like a “baby Clio” at 2/3’s the price. As always, we'll end with a serving of our Spanish Orange Brandy.

NOTE: Due to the complexity of this menu we regret that we will be unable to accommodate vegetarian requests or extensive menu aberrations.

MENU

Baby Arugula Salad | Dried Figs | Lardons | Pomegranate Seeds | French Bleu Cheese | Dijon Vinaigrette | Toasted Pecans

NV Prosper Maufoux Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rose (5 oz. pour)

Garlic Crusted Sea Scallop | Vanilla Scented Fennel Mousseline | Toasted Pumpkin Seed Crunch

2020 Lafage “Centenaire” Old Vine Rhône White Blend (8 oz. bottle per couple)

Roasted Asparagus | 64º Egg | Brioche with Brown Butter Toasted Almonds

(“Centenaire” White Blend from previous course + “Narassa” Red Blend from next course)

Crispy Skin Chicken Thigh | Basil Pesto | Chile, Honey + Ginger Glazed Carrots

2019 Lafage "Narassa" Côtes Catalanes Grenache/Syrah (8 oz. bottle per couple)

Sous Vide Petite Filet | Charred Broccoli Rabe | Truffle Whipped Potatoes | Marchand de Vin Sauce

2019 Juan Gil "Blue Label" Red Blend (8 oz. bottle per couple)

Chocolate + Coffee Panna Cotta | Nutmeg Spiced Caramel

Magdala Spanish Orange Brandy (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.(IMPORTANT!) answers to the HEAD’S UP questions in the paragraph 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 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

NV Prosper Maufoux Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé ~ $21

(France) Winemaker's Notes: 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay + 20% Gamay. Nose of red fruits like cranberry and cherry. Attack and evolution of candied red fruits and citrus ending with earthy biscuit notes.

2020 Lafage “Centenaire” Old Vine French White Blend ~ $19

(France) Winemaker’s Notes: 60% Grenache Blanc, 20% Grenache Gris and 20% Roussanne. Takes its name from the century-old vines of Grenache Blanc and Gris farmed just a few kilometers from the Mediterranean on gravelly clay soils. The final wine blends these ancient grapes with 20% of younger vine Roussanne. The grapes are harvested in two passes: first when they just reach ripeness and are still high in acidity and then a second pass when the grapes are fully ripe with rich fruit flavors. This results in a wine that is both rich and balanced. Fabulous citrus and white peach aromas predominate but there are complex echoes of flint, vanilla and a touch of lemon verbena. A complex yet subtle and well-balanced wine with a long finish.

2019 Lafage "Narassa" Côtes Catalanes Grenache/Syrah ~ $21

(France) Winemaker’s Notes: 70% Grenache + 30% Syrah. The nose is dominated by lots of pure blackberry, crushed herbs, earth and peppery characteristics. The mouth is full-bodied and very rich with soft, fine tannins with a fresh, elegant finish. ~~~ Review by Wine Advocate ~ 91 points: Black cherries and blueberries mingle easily on the nose, joined by hints of maple syrup and licorice. Full-bodied, velvety and super-ripe, it comes across as almost sweet on the lingering finish.

2019 Juan Gil "Blue Label" Red Blend ~ $35

(Jumilla, Spain) Winemaker's Notes: 60% Monastrell (Mourvedre), 30% Cabernet Sauvignon + 10% Syrah. Brilliant red in the glass. A light roasted aroma complemented by fresh berries. Savory notes of earth and black tea balanced with a rich core of black fruits. Round tannins and good acidity. The Monastrell vineyards are 2,800 foot elevation with an average vine age of 55 years. They are situated on chalky and sandy hillside soils with excellent drainage, allowing them to ripen in optimal conditions. The production does not exceed one ton per acre. The Cabernet and Syrah vineyards are located at 2,300 feet elevation with an average vine age of 15 years. The fermentation is carried out separately in small open tank fermenters. The wine is then aged for 18 months in new French and American oak barrels. ~~~ Review by Wine Advocate ~ 92 points: The wine is ripe, oaky and heady (15.5% alcohol), but I felt a change in the oak, which seemed more integrated. When I asked Miguel Gil, he told me they had changed the toast, using less toasted barrels, from medium+ to medium, and that shows in the wine. They still believe this wine should have new oak to give it aging potential. They have also introduced optical sorting of the grapes and eliminate the raisins (by shape) and the unripe grains (by color), and that adds precision and cleanliness. ~~~ Review by Wine Enthusiast ~ 92 points: Deep ruby to the eye, this wine has a bouquet of black currant and mocha. It is smooth at first sip, and then opulent tannins fill the mouth, offering a backdrop for flavors of cherry, raspberry, milk chocolate and menthol that slowly recede into a soft, minty finish. ~~~ Review by Wine Specatator ~ 92 points: A sleek, layered red featuring a concentrated range of blackberry coulis, fig cake and mocha notes with aromatic accents of candied violet, dried thyme and minerals. Balanced and fresh, with juicy acidity and sculpted tannins that create a firm impression on the spiced finish.

Magdala Spanish Orange Brandy ~ $35

(Spain) A Mediterranean orange liqueur made by steeping 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