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First I have to send a giant thank you to one of our Yelp community members (Ron F.) for telling me for months that I needed to make it out to the monthly wine pairing hosted here. I finally took his advice and I have no regrets from the evening. For anyone local, it can be found in the middle section of the Surrey Center, all the way at the far left end, across from Finch & Fifth. So parking and shops to check out are a plenty. The wine pairing event is after hours (7 pm) so you have the place to yourself and it is only $20 a person (as a guest). Now let me go ahead and mention that if you become a monthly member ($40) it includes this wine pairing event as well as a selected bottle of white and a bottle of red wine. Plus 10% off wine purchases. That pays for itself. Back to this event. You walk in and a Greeter is being served. Pace yourself here. There will be two small plates, a main entree, and a dessert served. All of these will be paired with a different wine. And don’t worry about your glass going empty. Their pours are heavy and the team is walking around with the bottle, making sure no glass goes dry. Separately, the dishes and wines were amazing. The pasta, meat, and baking skills were top notch. Everything was plated beautifully as well. The wines each had their own personality and made me mad at myself for not being a member. But the two of them together, pure joy to the palette. A bold Cab with a dense chocolate cake, that is a capstone pairing if I’ve ever seen one. I will point out that this is a deli by day. That means there are meats, side dishes, tomato pies, of course bottles of wine, and much more available for purchase. That also means there is very little seating. So plan to stand for the entire event (about two hours in all). But due to the nature of the group there and the curiosity to see everything there, you probably won’t even care about standing (especially around that third or fourth wine pairing). I am in love with this place and look forward to returning soon (aka, next month). Attend this event, go grab lunch one day, and stop by if you are needing a quality yet affordable bottle of wine.

Mangia e Bevi – Menu with Prices – 3613 Ocean Ranch Blvd #100, Oceanside

We have been here a number of times and always enjoyed the food and service. Previous review on Yelp was 4-5 star for dinner. This time we went to the monthly wine dinner held the third Wednesday of the month and which we have attend before. The featured Winery was J Lohr. They had an outstanding menu that was paired with some very good wines. Quail egg on smoked salmon Benedict for opener. Lobster Risotto and then a Rib-eye steak. Last but not least an Apricot Tort. The food was excellent in taste and presentation. The delivery of the food was very slow and unfortunately the portions were very small. I am not a big person, so its not often I finish a four course meal and still feel hungry but I did as did several others at my table. When your paying $70 a person for the dinner and wine, you expect at least one glass of wine to be poured with each meal course. This held true for the Benedict where we got a full glass of Chardonnay and more was available if you wanted it. With the Risotto we got a 3 oz. pour at best and then had to practically beg to get a little more of the Paso Red Blend that was being poured. Since the food came out so slow, you had plenty of time to enjoy your wine, except whoops they were not pouring you any more. With the Rib-Eye course we got little more than a tasting pour. When we asked for a some more of this very good Cabernet Sauvignon , we were told no, this was a $160 bottle of wine and everyone was just going to get a taste. We didn’t even have enough to consume wine with all of our steak. The Tort came with a Late Harvest Riesling which they seemed to have plenty of being our least favorite wine, because we were poured a full glass and they said there was more if you wanted it. After the meal we spoke with one of the owners to express our disappointment with the way the wine was served and slowness of food delivery, especially the limited quantities poured with the prime entrees. He expressed that since the Cabernet was so expensive, to keep costs down for the event they limited the amount of the wine being poured. It would have been better to have poured less costly, good value wines, which I’m sure J Lohr has many of, then try to skimp on the pours that were given and have us come away unhappy. None of the six people at our table liked how this event went because of the slowness of meal delivery and wine rationing. We all had come to previous wine dinners. Four of us expressed we would likely skip future wine dinners for now.

Uncorked Wine Tasting and Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 432 E Haley St, Santa Barbara

This is a fun idea for a wine bar! Lots of wines to taste, and you have your choice of a ‘taste’, a ‘half-glass’ or a ‘full-glass’. Obviously, the price per glass varies with the amount served. I have to say that the ‘taste’ is miniscule for the price, so I would go for the half-glass every time!You order your food at the counter and it is delivered… eventually! Because we were a group, each person ordered separately. But the service was very hap-hazard. Some dishes came out in a different order than when placed. Guess they took a shorter time to cook? Most of the food was quite tasty, but everyone who had fries said they were just room-temperature, certainly not hot. And one of the dishes served (crab cakes) were still cold in the middle. Not good.Now for the challenge of the place. You exchange your credit card for a plastic card that you use for all your purchases of food and wine. It’s a great idea! BUT… I personally tried two wines that were from almost empty bottles. Although they refilled them, I asked if I would be charged for the little drop from the empty bottle. I was assured that I would not be charged. I asked for a copy of the itemized receipt and was told that it would take a half hour to get that… WHAT?! Seems like potential for rip-off to me.The next day I looked at my bill… I paid $35.34 for a main course at $15.00 and the two half glasses of wine that I had. Hmmm… the half glasses were $5 and $6 respectively. So that’s a total of $26 – not $35.34. I know there is tax, but really… $9.34 of tax!!?? I think I was charged for those two little ‘spits’ of wine.I could have ignored this, but one of our group ordered a hamburger with fried and it INCLUDED a glass of red wine in the price. When she got home, she checked her bill and WOW! She was charged for the glass of wine! She called and the restaurant apologized and said they would credit the price of the wine. But really… a group of 6 people and 2 have bills that are wrong? If they can sort out this problem with the charging, it’s a place to go again. But I won’t be back until they can give an itemized bill to each person.

Sleepy Cat Urban Winery Menu with Prices 1840 W Allen St, Allentown

My husband and I were at Sleepy Cat for a music event, but I had to do some sampling. Six samples for $5, which is deducted from the purchase price of a bottle.That evening there were 21 wines on the list. I decided to stick to the whites and save the reds for another visit. I thought it odd that I was not given a fresh glass for each sample but was told they do it only when you switch between reds and whites. Doesn’t the flavor still cling to the sides? Unlike other wineries, I could not buy a bottle and drink it during the performance. I had to purchase wine by the glass (Kitty Kisses $5), which I did, and bought a bottle of Pawsitively Peachy ($14) to take home. The employee that waited on me was helpful. Only one owner, Mark, was on the premises that evening, and was very friendly. On our second visit, again for a music event, we bumped into some friends who were there for the first time. They were also confused by the sampling process. Like me, they expected individual glasses for each sample, served at the same time, so they could go back and forth to compare. Instead, it was just one sample at a time and the next sample is poured into the same glass. Although I intended to sample reds this time, I decided to just purchase by the glass. Despite this, I must say that Sleepy Cat provides some very good local live music events, so it is worth going.

Savour Wine Lounge – Menu with Prices – 5222 Doniphan Dr Suite B, El Paso

I consider Savour Wine Lounge to be a hidden gem in west El Paso. It’s a really cute place that’s intimate and cozy. The music is at a perfect volume. It’s clean and calm in there. This is perfect for me! I recently bought a bottle of Ghiga Moscato to take home. I also bought some for a friend’s party. I finished one bottle by myself in two days. I usually don’t finish a bottle of wine but this wine is delicious! It has such a crisp and sweet taste. It’s not dry or tart and it goes down smoothly! It’s a perfect dessert wine to drink with a piece of cake or bowl of ice cream. This is my new favorite wine. I like that Savour Wines sells wine from countries like Italy and Spain, also smaller wineries in California. You really can’t purchase these wines anywhere else, just online or if you travel to those places. Savour Wines has been offering their wines to local restaurants too. I’d say just go buy from them directly. I’m pretty sure they’ll give you a sample or two. The owners know their products very well and they’re a fun bunch! The holidays are coming…why not buy your favorite people a bottle of wine from here? I’m sure their wines are a perfect addition for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner. A white wine from here would be perfect with turkey dinner! The moscato…with a slice of pie! If you enjoy wine and haven’t gone to Savour Wine Lounge, now is the time. I can’t wait to go to their brunch on Sunday. They offer bellinis rather than just the typical mimosas. Savour Wines also offers free pizza with the purchase of wine on Thursdays. They have live jazz music on Thursdays, too. What more can you ask for? I’m eager to try more foods from their menu. I’ll be going back! This may be a new spot to hang out for me.

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant Menu with Prices 1605 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley

There is no more iconic wine shop in all of California than Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant. A legendary wine importer whose French and Italian selections sell at restaurants, wine bars, and high end markets across the country, KLWM only has one shop, accessible if you live close to Berkeley, but also worth a pilgrimage if you are visiting the Bay Area from somewhere else. The advantage to visiting the “mother ship” is obvious the moment you enter: amazingly knowledgeable staff who startle you with their wine recommendations and revealing tasting notes, along with ultra fresh stocks of newly arrived wines whose bottles are stacked and stored on nearly every available square foot of floor space. My advice for those intimidated by a wine shop of this caliber is to begin by signing up for their superb monthly newsletter, which you can receive as downloadable pdf. Read until you can’t stop fantasizing about Bandol or Barolo and find yourself dreaming about the Dolomites and Loire Valley in your sleep. Next, email or call a sales staff member to set up an initial appointment. Tell them which regions of France or Italy you are interested in – maybe Sicily, the southern Rhône, or Corsica – and your maximum price point ($40 is a good starting one), and let them guide you to wines of interest. On future visits, you can skip the pre arranged appointment if you wish but stick to price points and regions of interest. Chablis. Alto Adige. Cru Beaujolais. Wines under $20 that would be perfect for a party. Giftable gems for a dear friend or family member. Consider lunch at Bartavelle as well, next door, which offers KL wines by the bottle and glass for very reasonable prices. If you like it, stop by next door and buy it. And make a mental note to read Adventures on the Wine Route, Lynch’s famously readable, well illustrated memoir of how it all began.

Vintage Vino – Menu with Prices – 14 E Dakin Ave, Kissimmee

My favorite place to go for a flight of wine. John waited on us and was friendly, kind, and generous. I wanted to find a place with a great price for a flight of Wines and happy hour for my friends in downtown Kissimmee, FL and I found Vintage Vino online. I loved the service and two of the Wines. The Riesling and Peach Moscato wine were delightfully sweet, addictive, and yummy. My friends and I loved the Ambience. I adored the giant wine glasses and the fact he placed the bottle of wine by each glass. We each had three wine glasses of wine for each flight. The wine was ample too. $12 a flight unless it had more expensive Wines. Happy hour had $4 select Wines and beers. Dinner from nearby restaurants are served here – so convenient. The bathroom area required a punch in number password for Vintage Vino. Service was not the quickest but we managed to get our refills and food soon enough. The furniture and seating was very comfortable and inviting. I was very happy to come, relax, and chat here with friends! I will definitely come here again and again. My go see wine place in Kissimmee, FL!

Hope Valley Wine & Beverage – Menu with Prices – 4711 Hope Valley Rd #4E, Durham

Now I am by no means a wine connoisseur (I can’t even spell that without looking it up), but even I found myself at home in this fantastic wine shop. As mentioned in numerous other reviews, the staff here really are just about the friendliest people you could meet. The importance of that fact cannot be overemphasized enough for an essential wine rookie timidly walking into a wine shop! My fears quickly dissolved in HV Bottle Shop, however, as the staff member that helped me was so very kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. Upon asking him a question about a possible wine selection, he had a suggestion for me right off the bat! (and of course his suggestion turned out to fit the bill perfectly) There is a wide selection of wines from numerous regions to fit pretty much any budget, as well as a decent selection of chilled wines and a tasting machine (score!). Plus they host regular wine tastings so unsophisticated individuals such as myself can broaden their palate a bit. Despite my naivety when it comes to vino, I do think I’m a bit more well versed in the arena of beers. And lo and behold, there is a very respectable selection of craft beers and microbrews here as well! Clearly, you are not going to find the variety or sheer numbers found in Sam’s or Tasty Beverage, but the selection of ales here is nothing to shake a stick at. Seemingly equally knowledgeable about beer as he was about wine, the staff member informed me that NC cannot sell Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA because of NC’s 15% ABV cap on beer (as the 120 minute IPA runs north of the 15% ABV line). He further informed me that NC had a 6% ABV cap until 2005 when a new bill was put into effect thanks to the Pop the Cap movement. (maybe everyone else already knows that, but I certainly did not!) Great wine selection, much more than decent beer selection, amazing staff, and fun facts to be learned upon visiting–what more could you want?

Margaret & Maxwell – A Wine Salon Menu with Prices 5 All Souls Crescent, Asheville

Wow. I dig this place a lot. Combining a very meticulously and carefully curated range of wines from around the world with a super cozy and intimate wine bar, Margaret & Maxwell could be my new go-to spot for wine – even though I’m a beer guy. They have a respectably wide range of well selected wines – from Austrian Gewurztraminers to Finger Lake Dessert Wines – you’ll find something you’ve never seen – and you can easily strike up a conversation with the owners who definitely know wine. On a recent visit, my wife and I grabbed a spot on the couch in the wine bar and ordered two glasses of wine and a meat and cheese plate – very reasonably priced at $12 for two amazing soft cheeses and mortadella served with honey and crackers to spread upon. Oh and we go to sample a couple of new wines as well. It’s clear that the proprietors know food and wine. My glass was a soft and velvety Pinot Noir from Oregon that was just delicious. The ambience of the wine bar – set back from the shop – is nicely mellow, dim lighting with a custom art-nouveau fashioned bar, a large velvety couch and chairs and various pictures and interesting things to look at – I felt like I could be in some funky cafe in Brussels. This would be a pretty nice place for a first date or ‘date night’ with your S.O. One of the owners was attending the wine bar and mentioned they were hosting a “3 course” wine tasting the next day so my wife and I were all in. The wine tasting featured three wine representatives who DID NOT skimp on quality or originality. I tried one of the best white wines I’ve had – an unassuming white bordeaux that I would never have known about. Oh and they splashed out with an $80 bottle of rose champagne (“Don’t mind if I do”) as well as an amazing Cabernet Franc from California. If they organize these regularly, count me in. We walked away with a bottle of the Cab Franc for dinner. I wish our local wine shop/bar were as cozy and well curated as this place. Tucked away down in Biltmore Village, it’s a bit of a trek for us, but we certainly know its worth it.

Ciro Food And Drink – Menu with Prices – 321 A Justison St, Wilmington

Never come here during an event. I inadvertently made a reservation during their wine dinner. I wanted to try the six course tasting menu and had no clue there was a wine dinner. Two of the dishes were awful. The duck breast was served in a pool of blood because it was undercooked and did not rest long enough before being served. When I cut into it, more blood poured out onto my plate. The creme brûlée was cold and rubbery; the top (that is supposed to have a nice crunch) was pliable because it had been left out too long. When I complained, I was told that is how creme brûlée is served “American style.” What an insult to American cuisine. I wasn’t brought another dessert or offered anything but the bill. The other dishes were fine but could not make up for these two horrible plates. We got the wine pairing, which was $90. Each course came with a tiny sliver of wine that wasn’t replenished. It wasn’t even one bottle worth of wine, certainly not $90 worth of wine. Total waste of money. The service was atrocious. It took over an hour to get our first two courses (which were small). There was a 45 minute gap between the second and third courses. Not even any bread on the table to tide us over. They forgot one of our courses and tried to bring out dessert as the fifth course. When I asked where our real fifth course was, the waiter couldn’t remember what he’d already brought us and insisted he’d brought us five already. When we described the courses, he realized he forgot one. I shouldn’t have to argue with the staff to get the number of courses I’m paying for. I’d been to this restaurant on a normal night and it was fine enough. I was hoping to have a lovely date night with a fancy menu. Instead, I got a long wait and had to beg for all of my courses. I will not be back.

Urban Wines and Spirits – Menu with Prices – 45 1st Avenue, New York

This place is amazing; I felt I really needed to write a review. I’m sooooo impressed by the guys working there!!! BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!!!! Today, I ordered a cheap bottle of vodka and a cheap box of wine for a little event I’m having. Instead, they called saying they didn’t have the wine in stock. Rather than spoiling the event, they instead upgraded my vodka, gave me a selection of 1,5L wines and a T-shirt. I am blown away!!! From now on, I’ll never go anywhere else…. even if it’s inconvenient!! Also, I must say, I have never waited more than 15 minutes to have my booze delivered using their app. I swear, it’s like they teleport. It has such a chill atmosphere and the guys are super knowledgeable and authentically kind. They legitimately just want to expose customers to new things and truly love learning about and discussing wine. Their passion and love for what they do, elevates alcohol consumption to an fun educational experience. Really excellent quality at a range of prices. Though I was first intimidated to go into a boutique looking wine shop, it turns out, the shady liquor store with bulletproof glass one block away and it is somehow WAY more expensive.

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!

Vlz Liquor Store – Menu with Prices – 18907 Jamaica Ave, Jamaica

This is the best wine store in the area. But the aren’t really any other wines stores in the area, so… It’s nice that the is no Plexiglas. The front counter employees are always a nice, but rotating staff. They have cold wines in a fridge, but they are the lowest level, cheap, mass-produced bottles. It’s nice that they have such a wide selection of Portuguese wines in store. But the owner has placed a barrier in front of the Portuguese (& other) white wines so that you can’t get near them to see them. Why? Because it’s not summer. Forget your chicken & fish dishes you might prepare during Lent! More importantly, these wines are not being sold & replaced. So by the time the security around the bottles are dropped these white wines will be waaaaay past their “freshness date”. You don’t wanna be ageing inexpensive white wines. Trust. Make sure the year you buy is THIS year’s bottle. There are many liquors on hand for such a small store. Those do last a lot longer, so you’re good. Bottom line: Stay with red wine from the front shelf or hard liquor and be nice to the counter staff. They deserve it.