If you know me at all you know I loves me a good glass of wine. I’ll even take a mediocre glass of wine or a bad glass of wine. I mean, there’s only been one glass of wine I have refused so far, and that’s because it kind of tasted like blood…anyway…

At Wine Steals, you can get whatever kind of wine you want, from pretty much all over the world! They have hundreds of different wines you can come in and buy retail by the bottle (they will even make special orders) or sit down and enjoy in-house. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, especially when it’s full, and the waiters are always very friendly, but not too in-your-face about it, as I often find them to be in the US. The place is set up a bit like a traditional winery, with barrels and crates everywhere, but then you notice that the barrels are actually tables and there are chairs and couches, a bar, and waiters, and realize it’s really a casual wine lounge where you can relax after a long week of work.

Wine Steals - The bar and menu

Wine Steals hosts wine tasting on various days throughout the week at each of its three locations. They have $5 and $10 tastings, highlighting various wines each time and at each location. For example, they might focus on wines from Australia, or on specific kind of wine, like Pinot Noir. If that’s not enough for you, the Hillcrest and Cardiff locations also offer live concerts on Thursday nights! Check their calendar for tasting and concert info and times. More recently, Wine Steals started offering Sunday brunch, which, judging by their selection of wine and food, I’m sure is also great.

I love this place because not only is it on the former marine base in Point Loma (there is also a Hillcrest and a Cardiff location, but I haven’t been to those), but it also serves everything you need for a good, do-it-yourself wine tasting – 1) good wine, 2) cheese, 3) bread, 4) cold cuts, 5) fruit. A full board to share with a couple of people, including Brie, Blue, Gouda, Havarti, and Swiss cheeses, Turkey, Prosciutto, Salami, Fresh Seasonal Fruit, Fresh Bread, Cracker, Balsamic Vinegar, and Olive Oil, will run your party $25 (€17.42). There are also other combos where you can combine bread and cheese, cheese and fruit, or cheese and salami, for around $12-$16 each for the full or $7.50-$9.00 for the half portion.

Wine Steals - Pizza and cheese/bread/fruit platter

For you olive-lovers, they have olive plates, and they also have started serving hearty, full-sized pizzas or pizza wraps, fresh salads, and some desert plates that sounds heavenly (the Chocolate Decadence Bomb is calling my name!!). A nice addition is that the pizzas are named by which wine would complement them best – there is Riesling pizza, Pinot Noir pizza, and so on.

In terms of the actual wine prices, it’s difficult to pinpoint – they change their menu every week and offer all varieties of prices by the glass or bottle. There are so many types of wine to choose from that if you are feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask the waiters for their suggestions and what might taste good with what you want to eat or what your personal preference is. The menu is written in chalk on a blackboard above the bar, usually with a little description of the wine anyway, so you can also get an idea of what to order from there. I suggest picking out a few different kinds of wine that sound like they suit your palate and ordering by the glass to get a nice sampling.

If I didn’t mention it before, Wine Steals is pretty casual in terms of dress code and atmosphere, so don’t think of it like a snobby “wine bah dahling.” Go ahead and visit if you don’t know the first thing about wine, and don’t take it too seriously. You might even learn something about wines from one of the organized tastings or from one of the waiters.

Wine Steals - Interior of the Hillcrest location

With three locations and all the food and wine you can consume, you really don’t have an excuse not to take some time out of your trip to San Diego to kick back and eat and/or drink here, or if you’re a local, to relax with some friends after a long day at work. Check the website and map below for all practical information and choose which location suits you best.

Official Website

Map of Locations – Google Maps

Photo credits: Photos of bar/menu and wine bottles are © 2009 Ashi Fachler; photos of food platter and interior courtesy of Chris Provinzano.