The new house we are building will have a wine room in the basement, so I’ve spent a good amount of time looking at pictures of wine rooms online. Many of them are very old school, the kinds of rooms you would find if you were living in a castle in France. But since we’re in L.A., I wanted something a little hipper (and friendlier). I wanted a mix: a room with glass doors and wood elements so that it would be both inviting and timeless.
My architect mentioned that he’d worked with the owners of Wally’s, a well-loved wine store in west Los Angeles, several years ago to design their private wine room. So he put me in touch with their cellar expert, who shared that he’d recently finished working on Wally’s Vinoteca, a wine bar in Beverly Hills.
I went twice last week, and I was blown away.
Opened in December 2014, Wally’s Vinoteca was the brainchild of Christian Navarro, a kid from Palm Springs who twenty years ago started working with Wally’s founder Steve Wallace. Fast forward to 2013, when Guess? founders Maurice, Paul, and Armand Marciano bought into Wally’s and brought with them a whole different attitude: yes, deeper pockets, but also a sense that the city was ready for something more exciting. Christian, for his part, had always dreamed of a place that was more convivial – sort of like the Harrods Food Hall in London – where you could drink something, get a bite to eat, and linger.
The Marciano brothers let Christian run with his idea, and they’ve created a super exciting food destination in Beverly Hills. The vinoteca stocks 150 wines by the glass, but you can also order a bottle (from their 2,500+ bottle selection) and enjoy it on site. All the seating in the restaurant is communal, and – this I love – it’s available at different heights. So if you feel like lingering at a regular table, you can, but if you prefer to swing from a bar chair and face the room, you can do that too.
As you’d expect, the place is serious about wine, with floor-to-ceiling, handcrafted solid wood shelves.
But it’s also very inviting. The lighting is terrific (love the Edison lightbulbs) and they’ve used lots of natural materials: four-inch Carrara marble counters, reclaimed lumber ceilings, and distressed seating.
The food – a mix of cheeses, charcuterie, and small plates, is served in white bowls or olivewood boards. All very simple.
Halfway through the vinoteca is their cheese counter. They also stock breads, chocolates, and jams.
Behind it, there is a game mosaic inspired by the one at Harrods.
And to top it off, we got a private tour of their back room, which included wines from 1901!
Finally, I’ve found a wine room that I can understand: one that does what you need it to do (store wine), but also gets that it’s ultimately about creating a place where you can enjoy yourself and have a good time with friends.
So glad Wally’s is in our neighborhood … you should visit next time you’re in town!
Note: All images courtesy Wally’s Vinoteca.
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