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The WineSellar & Brasserie is a place where wine and cuisine vie for the menu’s top honor. Its cuisine captured Zagat’s highest rating for food in San Diego in 2008, while its wine selection has received the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award for depth and breadth every year since opening in 1988.

This Sorrento Valley paragon is heralded by bon vivants of both food and drink because proprietor Gary Parker and his well-versed staff seamlessly bridge the two. Enjoy a spectrum of 2,500 different wine selections, ranging from a $6 Argentinean malbec to a $20,000 magnum of 1947 Cheval Blanc Bordeaux, with a varied menu to match.

Find a contemporary yet still classic take on French fine dining, like the impeccable starters of Tsar Nicoulai osetra caviar or pan-seared Hudson Valley duck foie gras ($24). Wise entrée selections include the grilled Maine diver scallops ($36), which are served with ragout of tomato and Maine lobster, and the black pepper roasted rack of venison ($38) — a medley of flavor with a celery root puree, Swiss chard and red port cherry sauce. Prime your palate for a perfect port with the Valrhona chocolate dessert: a luxury of terrine and flourless chocolate cakes ($9).

Either pre- or post-dinner, stop by the downstairs WineSellar shop, which boasts rare vintages and a strong selection of international wines. All bottles purchased can be enjoyed at the Brasserie upstairs for 20 percent mark-up over retail.

Themed tastings and special events are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, offering the chance to sample the finest varietals from Chile, learn how to gift the perfect Cab, or listen up to the who’s-who among California vintners. Out-of-towners can take advantage of the WineSellar’s boutique offerings via the eStore or the club options: the WineSellar Club, the Two-Rouge Club or the Gary Parker Collection.

Remind yourself how marriage is supposed to be: eliciting the best qualities in each other, highlighting one another’s particular beauty. The WineSellar & Brasserie’s cuisine and wine matches do just that.

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1 Reader Review

Finally recognized
By gourmet on 12/14/2007

The various favorable reviews are spot on and my only regret is that it will now be harder to get a reservation at a place I've liked and have been going to for years. Note that the staff really knows how to recommend wines and won't unecessarily encourage you to spend a fortune. It would be nice if the eminently fair wine pricing had an impact on all of the over-marked up wine lists around town.

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