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Just visited Cepae last night as part of Yelp’s Winery Adventure tour. This event was for Yelp elites, a night of tasting and bites. The owner and staff were incredibly friendly, and you can tell they truly care about the business and educate while they serve with a smile regardless of your experience or wine knowledge. There is free 2-hour parking in the Soma Towers garage which is really convenient as well. It isn’t your validation style, you simply park, go to the machine by elevator and print out a 2 hour retail receipt and place it on your dash. Need more than 2 hours? Go back and print another! Just don’t get caught over-time, I hear its a $70 ticket. The space at Cepae is beautiful, well-decorated with a good mix of fancy flair while remaining casual and inviting. Surely somewhere you can bring a date, or stop in after work for some wine and bites. The wine selection seems incredible, and I can’t wait to come back to try more. I really enjoyed the sparkling rose, perfectly refreshing and flavorful- would love to keep that flowing this summer. The other wine I tried was a fantastic cotes du rhone- dry and well flavored. The cheese, bread, and bites paired excellently with the social atmosphere and wine flow- and made for an overall exciting and enjoyable event. Happily adding Cepae to my list of go-to winebar stops in Bellevue. Cheers!

Bean & Vine – Menu with Prices – 1717 Hewitt Ave, Everett

Stopped in here on a Saturday morning in search of both “Wine wisdom” and a few bottles of special sparkling wine for my son’s wedding, first night and their 1 year anniversary. Not a wine person myself, all I knew is that my soon-to-be-daughter in-law enjoyed Riesling. The woman behind the counter shared that she didn’t have such a wine but offered to get on the phone and help find “the one” that she knew would be great. She called her wine broker who shared where to find it. I went there, I bought 3 bottles. My now-daughter-in-law raved about it during the wedding and was so excited to have a sparkling option since she doesn’t like most champagnes. I do wish I remembered the woman’s name who helped me – she was remarkable – and was right about “the one” wine too! If you find yourself in Everett on a Saturday morning, stop in – enjoy a cup of coffee and leave with some Wine wisdom too. I’ll definitely be back!

Taste and Savor Wine Bar – Menu with Prices – 3581 E Harmony Rd Suite 130, Fort Collins

I just moved to Northern Colorado recently from Denver, and I must say that Taste and Savor exceeds any wine bar even in the Denver area. Their wine flights are on point, each with a perfectly matched cheese. As I was by myself I chose to do the A La Carte Charcuterie option, the cheddar was crisp and matched perfectly with my Chardonnay. The rosemary ham was unbelievable with the Rose. Finished the experience with a 20 year tawny port and homemade truffles. Taste and Savor is EXACTLY what a wine bar should be! A culinary experience! Bonus! They had and incredible live artist in tonight who made the entire experience THAT much better. The live artist really bridged the gap between the prominent “brewery” scene and the classic wine bar scene. A true Fort Collins experience I absolutely cannot wait to do again! I found my home wine bar!!!

The Post Brewing Co. – Boulder – Menu with Prices – 2027 13th St, Boulder

The Post was an interesting stop during my stroll in downtown Boulder. It was my first time visiting Colorado and I was taking a solo trip so I was just walking around popping into shops, bars and restaurants that peaked my interest. I had a few places on my dinner list but during the afternoon I was just roaming around going in and out of places that grabbed my attention. The Post looked like a friendly enough place, there was almost a full bar but I spotted a few open seats from the window so in I went. I knew that Boulder, well Colorado in general was notorious for their breweries. I’m that weirdo that loves breweries but doesn’t like beer so I was hoping that some of these places would offer vodka or wine. I just think the atmosphere of breweries is fun and I like to be a part of that, just without a beer in my hand. Anyways, I pop in with my hiking sneakers, yoga pants and t-shirt, another spot in Boulder where it was perfectly acceptable to be in this get up and I snagged a bar stool. I was instantly greeted by their bartender who threw down a happy hour menu for food and drinks. Immediately, other guests at the bar were making friendly banter with me, discussing our lives and what we were doing in Colorado. The whole reason I like going into bars and restaurants solo is to be friendly and meet new people, and this was definitely a good place for it. I was here on a Monday at 4 on the dot, the beginning of happy hour. I’m a little high maintenance I usually never seen anything on the happy hour menu that I want so I ordered a glass of their brut Rose. However, I will say this, killer Happy hour menu! Get this, $5 draft beers, $5 manhattans or Moscow mules or margaritas, $5 house wines AND they have a beer & bubbles bucket (Hell yeah!) consisting of 3 cans of beer and 3 cans of sparkling rose for $35. That sounds like my kind of afternoon. Their happy hour eats were totally not my style; meatloaf biscuit, fried chicken biscuit, cheese curds, wings. Bar fare. Probably awesome bar fare but I was looking for some greens and I did notice they had a couple salads on their regular dinner menu but I passed, stuck with my one glass and was on my way. The dining room here is large and the bar was spacious enough also. This place was a good first stop in Boulder. I enjoyed the atmosphere the company and the delicious wine. I’d come back for buckets and bubbles with a friend for sure.

Holme Estate Cellars – Menu with Prices – 216 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside

I’m not the biggest wine drinker but I do appreciate good wine and they have that here at Holmes. I was very surprised to see a wine tasting room in Oceanside. So when I heard about it I had to try it out. They’re not in a big location and I kind of like that because you get that personal touch. Scott who is the man is very helpful, very knowledgeable about the wines and doesn’t look down on you because you don’t know your wines. I’ve been here twice now and each time I really enjoyed myself. The tasting room is very well put together and they have a wonderful lounge area as soon as you walk in the front door. They offer flights, tastings, glasses of wines and of course bottles. A friend of mine bought a bottle of Rosé which is my favorite wine here at Holmes. I can’t wait to come back because the wine is great, Scott is excellent at his job and the prices aren’t bad at all. This just may become my spot!

Cana Wine Bar – Menu with Prices – 2554 S Broadway, Denver

I decided to check out Cana Wine bar for happy hour on Monday with some friends and was pleasantly surprised with this gem on Broadway! The initial attraction to Cana was their special of happy hour all night on Mondays. I mean, who doesn’t love happy hour specials–especially one that runs all night?! And FYI, they offer happy hour all night Monday and Tuesday and from 4:30 – 6:30pm Wednesday through Friday. Cana Wine Bar is located on South Broadway in a cute house. Once we walked in, you notice the cozy and laid back ambiance. There are a lot of different seating arrangements that can accommodate small or large groups. In the middle of the home is where the bar is located and the staff. We were greeted upon arrival and sat close to the bar. After hearing a list of the specials, we tried out their rose which was great. I ended up settling on a Brazilian cabernet sauvignon that had a lot of body and flavor. The special was half off for the entire bottle, so it was perfect to split with a friend. Otherwise, they have a lot of different varieties to choose from. We also ordered a large plate of charcuterie which didn’t last long. It came with five different types of cheeses: brie, smoked gouda, saged cow’s milk cheese (green one in my picture), manchego, and a NY cheddar. It also came paired with salami, a variety of crackers, marinated olives and dove chocolates. The plate worked well for us, however if you’re really hungry and needing a hearty meal I would recommend eating before you come here for a drink. If you’re looking for a wine bar in the Denver area, look no further! The staff here are knowledgable, friendly and helped us have a great experience. I enjoyed how cozy and intimate this place is–definitely a great place for a date or to catch up with some friends. I did not get a chance to check out their outdoor area but will definitely be back to explore it another time. With their specials running all day Monday and Tuesday, Cana Wine Bar is a great HH spot you need to check out!

The Infinite Monkey Theorem Menu with Prices 2501 Dallas St, Aurora

This Infinite Monkey Theorem, located within the Stanley Marketplace, is a bit different from the RiNo location, though the wine is the same (which is a VERY good thing). This location boasts a very quiet, relaxing environment to sip your wine of choice in. It is almost reminiscent of a library, lounge, or coffee shop. If you are wanting somewhere to bring your favorite novel and have a glass of my personal favorite, the sparkling white, this is the place. If you are looking for a place to sip rose while you loudly giggle and catch up with your girlfriends, this may not be for you. The RiNo location has always been one of my favorite places to go because it has always struck me as a beer brewery that served wine. To elaborate, my husband always loved going to breweries and their loud, fun atmosphere but it was difficult for me because I didn’t enjoy drinking beer. When we discovered the RiNo Infinite Monkey Theorem it was this revelation that we could combine the best of both worlds. This is not what the Stanley Marketplace’s atmosphere promotes, favoring a quiet, dark escape instead. It is good that the two locations are different because they are not that far apart from each other, and it’s important to offer variety. Just don’t go to this one expecting the experience you get at RiNo. That being said, for me personally the Stanley Marketplace Infinite Monkey Theorem is less my cup of tea…wine. Their prices are always a bit high ($7 a draft), but were easily justified by the super fun atmosphere and amazing flavors. While this version of IMT definitely offers the same, extremely delicious wine, the atmosphere is less appealing. Don’t get me wrong, I will ABSOLUTELY be back here, because I love their wine so much. It just might be a stop and grab one instead of a spend-a-whole-date-night here.

Pinot Boutique – Menu with Prices – 227 Market St, Philadelphia

Wine in Nouveau Chic Dirty Backpack Boho Chic setting. With some polite and some pretentious service but it’s all part of the ambiance.(I guess) The Pinot Boutique has its charm and place especially in Center City Philadelphia. Great event options such as, ‘wine tasting’, classes, First Friday with live music are on their calendar. Speaking of the calendar do not count on it for accuracy with prices or times! All seems okay but the food or small bites menu leaves much to be desired. It would be nice to have kabobs, veggies and dip, or simply more variety. I ordered the Sparkling Flight which was nice, just not special. I liked two out of four but everything is personal preference. The olives I ordered I thought would be a variety. They had a decent flavor again nothing special all the same. Some of the olives on my plate were old a shriveled like raisins. My server was pleasant and attentive. However the pseudo Sommelier didn’t have the decency to correctly label my flight tree. The last persons choices of ‘Premium Red’ topped my flight. Did they clean it? I guess not!

Topping & Legnon Winery and Tasting Room – Menu with Prices – 1301 Cleveland Ave, Santa Rosa

We actually came here by accident when we were on our way to the winery next door, but it ended up being the best accident ever! We had such a great server, who was very friendly and relaxed, and we got to try 6 different wines over the course of an hour and a half. My favorites were the cabernet franc and the pinot noir, followed by the syrah. We came on a mild summer day in August where it was just the perfect temperature outside so we sat under some trees on their patio and slowly sipped our wine. They have a great groupon available – $24 for wine tasting for 2 plus souvenir glasses and a bottle of rose or a $24 voucher. Their great service plus delicious wine means 5 stars!!

Dolce Vita Trattoria Italiana Menu with Prices 323 E Broad St, Athens

I left dolce vita less than two hours ago and am writing this review completely disgusted with the situation I experienced tonight. I honestly feel like I should have been paid to even sit down in this restaurant. When my group arrived at 6:30, we immediately began to order drinks. The first red flag occurred when they did not even have enough menus for all 5 tables in the restaurant. I ordered a bottle of the only white wine on the menu (yes, there is only one white on the entire wine list) and was told that they were out of it. It was 6:30 and only 4 tables were occupied. The waiter offered me a sparkling wine and a moscato, which in its self shows how little this restaurant cares to not even train their waiter that moscato is a dessert wine. After this I ordered a sparkling wine which seemed like it was my only option for the night. The Prosecco was great, but I received my wine by walking up to the bar when my waiter gestured me to walk over and grab it, because he obviously wasn’t going to bring it to the table himself. After my first glass I tried to order a second and was told that they had unfortunately ran out of both types of Prosecco they had. My THIRD choice was to order a beer because at this point we were one hour into our reservation and had not received our salad, and I needed a drink. They were out of beer as well. At 8:20 my group and I stood up and told our waiter we were leaving because 5 plates of pasta never arrived at our table after almost 2 hours. After paying for our wine, which we should not have even had to do considering they were out of all of our first and second choices, the manager (who we later learned is the owner of the restaurant) proceeded to grab my friend by the arm and demand she pay for food we never received. When my boyfriend went to ask about the bill, he retreated to the kitchen like a coward. While the staff at dolce vita may think my friends and I are just young, obnoxious students, you lost about $600 dollars on our table full of soon to be UGA alumni. Your blatant disrespect to us was confirmed by the 4 tables that came and went while we waited for appetizers. My time in Athens will be remembered dearly besides this experience and I will NEVER recommend anyone to come here. And I sincerely hope the manager/owner never grabs another patron again, because that is assault and should be take seriously.

Screwtop Wine Bar Menu with Prices 1025 N Fillmore St, Arlington

This place is absolutely adorable. As a Wisconsin native, I die for anywhere that has amazing cheese and this place has an incredible cheese selection. We went on a Monday night around 6:30 and there was a wait, which was okay but surprising. The staff at Screwtop is really knowledgeable and super friendly, we had some wine while we waited and looked at the wine selection available. I’d say in total we probably waited about 15 minutes before we were seated. Once seated we ordered a selection of three cheeses & added cornichons (little pickles). The prices may look a little crazy but let me tell you, they give you a TON. I think for $2 they gave us an entire jar of cornichon lol. We went with a pumpkin goat cheese, a seasonal garlic-y gouda (the green one in my picture) and a guinness cheddar. The cheese was all awesome, they also let us sample a pumpkin gouda that was AMAZING. The portions are huge and they give you a gigantic basket of bread & crackers, we couldn’t finish anything, I was not at all disappointed. We also ordered the truffle mac & cheese and its wine pairing. OMG, sooo good. In my opinion, it could have been a bit more creamy but the truffle flavor was on point. We also had a cup of the pumpkin soup which was to die for. Creamy, thick and perfectly seasoned. It was exactly what you want from a pumpkin soup. I ordered the Thanksgiving Wine Flight which was $35 but the pours were pretty generous. This was the only thing I thought was a tad over priced. I really enjoyed the wines though. Over all, I would DEFINITELY come back and would also consider hosting a group event here.

Pastry Art Bake Shoppe Menu with Prices 1917 29th Ave S, Birmingham

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. First tried Baby Bites when a friend brought them somewhere and since then they’re my go-to item to bring to parties. I have also had Baby Bites from their new location in Huntsville and would say the quality is comparable if not identical. But, this is the original location and I’d highly recommend them. The Baby Bites are delicious- so moist and flavorful, and I don’t think I’ve ever had one I didn’t like. (I’ve sampled most of their flavors.) They also hold up VERY well for several days in the refrigerator (even just in the box they come in). Highly recommend for a great dessert! (Oh also they are a little pricey but well worth it IMO and always a crowd pleaser!)

Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 35 State St a, Santa Barbara

I came here for happy hour (which is 3-6pm Monday-Friday) and I was not disappointed! The service, food, location, and drinks were amazing. It’s only about a block from the beach/pier and it has indoor and patio seating (pet friendly)! To start of with drinks, I ordered the meggerz mule, If you love chili mango, you will love this drink. It was refreshing and delicious. This drink exceeded my expectations and not to mention only $7. We also ordered the buffalo cauliflower, margherita pizza, mini ahi poke tacos, and their chicken and waffle bites. These items were amazing and I personally can’t even pick a favorite because all of them were so good and delicious!! Their happy hour had $6, $7, and $9 food items as well as a $15 combo meal which comes with burger, fries, and beer (what a steal)!! Not to mention their craft beers are all $5 during happy hour! Service was great and our server was very accommodating. We sat at the patio and we were able to enjoy our food with our four-legged best friend. What more can you ask for?! I can’t wait to come back again to try more of their menu items & drinks.