An Urban Winery Establishes New Roots in Little Italy

The northern stretch of Little Italy is experiencing a food and drink boom; joining Ballast Point Brewing Co.'s planned brewery restaurant and chef Richard Blais' Juniper & Ivy project is a new urban winery and tasting lounge.

A member of the newly formed San Diego Urban Winery Alliance, which includes Leucadia's Solterra Winery & Kitchen, San Diego Cellars opened their first facility in the Miramar area in 2011; their in-progress Kettner Boulevard space will likely open in September.

Partner and winemaker Todd Hipper gave Eater a peek at their new digs, which encompass a 1500-square-foot tasting lounge and 600-square-foot patio that will also house their winemaking equipment. His portfolio includes a viognier, syrah and cabernet sauvignon made from San Diego County-grown grapes, and Hipper hopes to eventually ramp their production up to three to four thousand cases a year.

Their wines will be on tap in the tasting lounge, along with a selection from other local wineries; bottles of San Diego Cellars wine will available for purchase. You can bring your beer-drinking friends here too; six to eight craft beers will join the tap list.

Their lunch and dinner bistro menu is still developing, but expect nosh-friendly food (cheese and charcuterie plates, panini and salads). San Diego Cellars also plans to present live music in the evenings.
San Diego Cellars [Official Site]
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