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“It’s more of a tale of urbanization, unfortunately,” says Steve Riboli, who helps oversee winemaking operations at San Antonio Winery. Built in 1917 by Riboli’s great-great-uncle Santo Cambianica, an Italian immigrant, San Antonio is the last surviving downtown Los Angeles winery. The timing was unfortunate—as it was built three years before Prohibition—but a local church allowed Cambianica to make sacramental wine, one of the loopholes during that dry era.
Does the quality of house wine vary between different restaurants or establishments?
Whether you're looking for a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand or a malbec from Argentina, you'll find exactly what you need for a fair price. In addition to being a wine shop, Venice Beach Wines is also a restaurant and tasting room. Stop by for a quick afternoon tasting or sit down and order some apps to pair with a chilled bottle of pinot grigio before hitting the beach. Côtes-du-Rhône red wines (made from a blend of Grenache and Syrah) are a fantastic choice here. If you like the style, but prefer a wine with a touch more body and depth, look for the Villages level of Côtes-du-Rhône.
Best House Wines
Their Chenin Blanc + Viognier is a unique wine that is unlike any other white wine blend. If you’re looking for something truly special for your house wine list, Pine Ridge is a quality option. Dark Horse Wine, out of Modesto, CA, is a staple for anyone who enjoys quality wine you can buy on a tight budget. The different varieties of wine Dark Horse offers makes this brand perfect for a variety of house wine options. If you’re stocking a bar or wondering what makes for a good house wine to try this weekend, we’ve got the list for you. These 10 house wines run the gamut from cheap wines to pair with pretzels to higher quality wines that still won’t bust your budget.
Production and sale
These are also typically the kinds of wines I would serve at a dinner party as an aperitif, or with light fare such as oysters, grilled white fish, or salads. And this brings us to why you should take a lesson from restaurants and have a case of your own house red and white on hand when you entertain. It’s also great to have your house wine on hand when you have the impromptu drop in from a friend or at the last minute you’re headed to a party and you need to bring a bottle with you. Knowing you have a quality red or white to rely on is much nicer than agonizing over what you might open or bring.

NV Pierre Peters Champagne Cuvee de Reserve Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs 750ml
That said, the selection is so huge that shopping can be a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, customers are able to search the entire store online beforehand to find exactly what they're looking for and save some time in-store. Upon walking into Wally's, guests are greeted with walls and walls of wine. Between the glass encasements and endless array of varieties, a trip to Wally's is a true treat for wine lovers.
Vinovore
Hoping to join a wine club and expand your palette with monthly selections? Some of these LA wine shops even double as restaurants, allowing patrons to sit down for a vino-paired meal before packing up a few bottles to take home. Whether you're new to wine or consider yourself an up-and-coming sommelier, keep reading for our list of the best wine shops in Los Angeles. I want something fairly light in body, crisp, dry and generally un-oaked at this juncture of the evening; a wine that is easy-drinking on its own and as refreshing as lemonade on a hot day.
J Vineyards & Winery
If you’re dining out and want to find a house wine in a restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask the sommelier or server for recommendations. They’re knowledgeable about the wine list and can guide you towards a good house wine that suits your taste preferences and budget. Additionally, some restaurants may offer special deals or promotions on house wines, so be sure to inquire about those as well. House wines are an integral part of bars, a speakeasy, restaurants, winery production, and everything wine lovers know and love.

Quigley House to raise a glass at 2024 Annual Wine Gala - ActionNewsJax.com
Quigley House to raise a glass at 2024 Annual Wine Gala.
Posted: Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Using trowels and brushes, they carefully removed the hardened dirt from around the two bottles. The cherries were probably picked at Mount Vernon in the 1770s, perhaps before the Revolutionary War, and stored for the future. The bottles, imported from England, dated to the mid-1700s and were probably buried between 1758 and 1776, Boroughs said. Gastro Obscura covers the world’s most wondrous food and drink.Sign up for our email, delivered twice a week. But, as Dinkelspiel writes, one of the the first acts of legislation passed by the newfound state of California, in 1850, was the Indian Indenture Act. The law forbade Native Americans from voting, and allowed them to be arrested on the spot for not working or for appearing drunk.
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This is because house wines are usually blends that are carefully crafted to maintain a consistent flavor profile. In wine purchasing, discounts exist for restaurants and shops if they purchase in bulk; the more wine purchased, the bigger the discount. A house wine’s low price is usually the restaurant just passing the savings on to you. Look for options that are reasonably priced without compromising on taste. Many wine regions offer great value wines that are perfect for everyday enjoyment. Furthermore, house wine is usually selected by the restaurant or bar based on its quality and versatility.
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“It went from being a small city to a big city, expanding and exploding and redefining itself ever since.” The post-war population sent land values skyrocketing, and the last of the vineyards were ripped out. “[During] that time period, the 1800s through the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, housing was just taking over everything downtown,” Riboli says. “So that’s what really destroyed the industry.” Soon enough, the only known vines in Los Angeles were the survivors clinging to old buildings, such as the grapevines Mike Holland found on Olvera Street. Many people who came looking for gold found themselves growing grapes. In her book, Dinkelspiel cites a journal of the time, the California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, which informed farmers that they could rake in $200 per acre if they planted grapes. Coupled with a tax break from the California Legislature, it’s no wonder that the number of grapevines in the state swelled from just over 324,000 in 1855 to over 4 million just three years later.