Please join us (21 and up only, please) on Saturday, August 10th at 6:00 for our Chef’s 5-Course Tasting Menu with paired wines. Doors open at 5:15 for happy hour and dinner starts promptly at 6:00. Cost is a mere eighty-nine fifty for all five courses and all five paired beverages. Sales tax and a 20% gratuity will be added which will bring the total to just under $115. Due to limited seating, CREDIT CARD RESERVATIONS ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST. We accept Visa and MasterCard only.

NOTE

Due to the complexity of this menu we regret that we are unable to accommodate vegetarian requests or extensive menu modifications.

CHEF'S 5-COURSE TASTING MENU

Local Yellowtail Crudo | Shaved Stone Fruit | Toasted Almonds | Lime + Aleppo Pepper Vinaigrette

2023 Voix de la Vigne Sauvignon Blanc (5 oz. pour)

Roasted Italian Eggplant Involtini Stuffed with Housemade Ricotta | Spicy Tomato Sugo

2021 Marino Abate "Lapa" Nero d’Avola (3 oz. pour)

Pan Seared Lamb Loin | Smoked Summer Vegetables | Squash Soubise | Mediterranean Olive Tapenade

2021 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon (5 oz. pour)

Slow Smoked Beef Shank | Burnt Ends Baked Beans| Charred Tomato Jam

2021 Turley “Pesenti” Zinfandel (3 oz. pour)

Warm Caramelized Figs | Brown Sugar + Balsamic Glaze | Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream

2022 St. Supery “Dollarhide Vineyard” Muscat Canelli (3 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. answers to the HEAD’S UP question in the paragraph below if you’re a party of 1 or 2 (IMPORTANT!)

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 three or more 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

2023 Voix de la Vigne Sauvignon Blanc ~ $18

(Oregon) Winemaker’s Notes: Aromas of mango, gooseberry, fresh summer herbs, lemon zest, honeysuckle, wet stone and peach. The palate has great texture and vibrant acidity with notes of citrus, white pineapple and minerality throughout. Subtle green apple and spice notes linger on the finish.

2021 Marino Abate "Lapa" Nero d’Avola ~ $13

(Italy) Nero d'Avola, the traditional red grape variety from Sicily, develops into a complex red wine under the influence of warmth and Mediterranean winds. “Lapa” means “bee” in Sicilian dialect, and Marino Abate gave this name to this wine to reaffirm the organic agriculture and sustainability practices they use, from farming to winemaking: bees can survive only in a clean and unpolluted environment. Marino Abate winery, located in Marsala, the western corner of the Island, adopted sustainability as its mantra from the beginning and now all of their wines are certified organic. After the grapes are quality-selected and picked, the berries are gently pressed, and the must fermented in stainless-steel, temperature-controlled tanks. The wine then matures in steel for 12 months and in the bottle for a minimum of 3 months. The result is an intense, pleasantly fruity, warm, and full-bodied with smooth tannins.

2021 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $45

(Napa Valley) Winemaker Notes: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc + 1% Petit Verdot. This fresh and vibrant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is brimming with aromas of blackberry, mulberry, cassis, and violet. On the palate, bright flavors of cranberry, red plum, cherry, and lavender are intertwined with supple tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, smooth finish. ~~~ Review by Wine Enthusiast ~ 94 points: Seductive oak spices and a plush mouthfeel come with abundant red and black fruits in this full-bodied, appropriately tannic wine that needs time to reach its full potential. Pine and rosemary accents merge nicely with the blackberries and blueberries. Best from 2028–2038. ~~~ Review by James Suckling ~ 93 points: Spiced and creamy character with ripe dark berries and a chocolate and bark undertone. Lots of cassis and floral notes. Medium- to full-bodied, polished and sleek with chalky texture and hints of graphite at the end. Lingering finish.

2021 Turley “Pesenti” Zinfandel ~ $62

(Willow Creek District, Paso Robles) Winemaker's Notes: Deeply perfumed and enthralling nose of ripe red fruits, high-toned spices, orange zest, and an almost minty crushed chalk. Palate is smooth, lush, energetic and pure, with a smack of well-toned acidity, satiating structure and a long, precise finish. ~~~ Review by Vinous ~ 94 points: Packed with dark fruit, candied plum, spice, lavender and leather. This opulent, flamboyant Paso Robles Zinfandel from vines planted in 1923 is a wine of extremes. Jammy, opulent fruit and searing acids are all dialed up. Then again, that is Paso.

2022 St. Supery “Dollarhide Vineyard” Muscat Canelli ~ $29

(Napa Valley) Winemaker's Notes: Beautiful in pale yellow color accented with hints of green, this is a rich, well balanced sweet wine. Floral aromas fill the glass with white blossoms, mandarin orange and fresh apricot. On the palate, flavors of ripe peach and honeysuckle meld together with citrus undertones and a tangerine zest component to create an opulent and refreshing wine. Perfect with blue cheese as an appetizer, with spicy Asian dishes as a main or with stone fruits in a cream or custard base for dessert.

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