With its palate-pleasing entrées and a state-of-the-art wine cellar housing vineyard-based varieties from all over the world, The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar in Tustin proves that you don’t have to go to Newport Beach or Laguna Beach to get a taste of the finer things Orange County has to offer.

Monthly winemaker dinners pair limited-edition, often difficult-to-find wines from a wide variety of vintners with specialty dishes prepared by Executive Chef Yvon Goetz, one of the most renowned chefs in Southern California.

When selecting dishes for these dinners, Goetz goes beyond the run-of-the-mill beef cuts, instead opting for less-conventional choices such as buffalo and ostrich. Goetz has to make sure these specialties are available before deciding what to prepare, which is why menus for upcoming winemaker dinners are not made available until two or three weeks before the event.

At the last winemaker dinner in February, for example, Goetz paired varietals from Two Hands Wines with culinary delights such as Muscovy duck and New Zealand venison osso bucco.

A sampling of Trefethen Family Vineyards’ best will be featured at the next winemaker dinner on April 16, while the Robert Stemmler Winery and Etude Wines will get their turns to shine on May 26 and June 23, respectively. All dinners – each priced at $99 per person, excluding tax and gratuity – will be held on the restaurant’s Vineyard Patio at 7 p.m. For menu information and other details about the winemaker dinners, visit The Winery’s Web site or call the restaurant.
Since The Winery offers rare wine varieties and exquisite dishes personally prepared by an award-winning chef, connoisseurs of fine dining have a very good reason to raise their glasses.


MORE WINE EVENTS & BOUTIQUES

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar
2647 Park Ave., Tustin
714.258.7600


TASTY WINERIES & EVENTS

Amazing Grapes
Wine Store
29911 Aventura, Suites D, E and F Rancho Santa Margarita
888.299.9463
Features special tasting events and an “Amazing Wine Bar.” Meats and cheeses available. Hours: Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bacchus’ Secret Cellar
6735 Quail Hill Pkwy.
Irvine • 949.502.4600
The shop stocks more than 600 labels from all over the world, and the wine bar is open daily for tasting and offers more than 18 flights. Or you can create your own tasting menu. The shop is open Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to
10 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

California Taste Fine Wines
• 303 Broadway, Suite 103
Laguna Beach • 949.715.5385
• 28940 Golden Lantern, Suite E Laguna Niguel • 949.218.9974
Wine tastings are offered every Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. Laguna Beach hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Laguna Niguel hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Eno at the Ritz-Carlton
1 Ritz-Carlton Drive • Dana Point
949.240.0829
You’ll find more than 300 wines,
50 international cheeses and fine chocolate at Eno. Wine classes and pairings with cheeses and chocolate are offered. Or just stop in to sample a flight. Open Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.
 
Frog’s Breath Cheese Store
143 N. Glassell
Orange • 714.744.1773
Wine-and-cheese tastings are offered Thursday through Saturday. Specialty cheeses and a variety of Italian meats are available for purchase. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.


From the Vine Wine Boutique
23874 Aliso Creek Road
Laguna Niguel • 949.448.8814
The family-owned boutique features limited-production wines. Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Hi-Time Wine Cellars
50 Ogle St. • Costa Mesa
949.650.8463
Wine tasting is held Thursday through Saturday. Organic wines and gourmet snacks are available for purchase. Store hours are Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Napa Valley Wine Bar
31781 Camino Capistrano, Suites 201 and 202
San Juan Capistrano
949.493.6272
Daily wine tasting features an impressive variety of boutique wines from California. In addition, a special brew, wine and barbeque menu is available every Thursday. Wine bar hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 2 to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 to 6 p.m.

Newport Beach Vineyards & Winery
20362 Birch St.
Newport Beach • 949.645.2200
The premium vineyard and winery produces more than 250 cases of gold-medal-winning Bordeaux-style wine. Its wine cave is open to private and corporate events.

The Wine Club
1210 E. McFadden Ave., Suite E Santa Ana • 714.835.6485
Wine tasting begins in January, with pairings Saturday and Sunday from
1 to 4 p.m. Wines from around the world, gifts and accessories are
also available for purchase. Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to
7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wine Gallery
2411 E. Coast Hwy., Suite 250 Corona del Mar • 949.675.3410
Wine tasting is offered daily, and a variety of handcrafted limited-production wines are available for purchase. The tasting bar is available for private events. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.