The Wine Loft

Honestly… so bummed about this place. A flight of wine for $ 30. Three 3oz pours of wine. The full bottle prices of these three wines ranged from $ 36 – 54. So you’re charging me essentially $ 20 a glass for a bottle of wine that retails for $ 36-​$ 54?
How does that make sense? Great location and so much potential but need to do the math on the tastings…

Great low key neighborhood bar for wine and some beer. Generally, full of locals and happy shoppers taking a break.

I’ve been to The Wine Loft on several occasions. I’ve always had a pleasant time. I went last night and tasted 5 wines. All were mediocre. Purchased 2 half glasses and actually didn’t even want to finish either. My husband left his second glass full. Such a bummer. We used to like having this wine bar near our home. I’m giving them 3 stars based on our cumulative experience. Hoping things change.

A hidden gem right in the middle of the Forum Shopping center! First and foremost the people here are great. We were served by Tanner who was very attentive, funny and had a whole wealth of wine knowledge. For anyone daunted by the large selection, just tell him the kind of wines you normally like and he will pick the perfect one. You can either drink by the glass, or if with other guests buy any of the bottles on the well stocked shelves and drink there.
The wine list changes weekly so there is always a great selection. There were a lot of Kermit Lynch imports here which make for some very tasty wines at great prices! My boyfriend had a few glasses of an amazing Greek white, and I had the sparkling Brut Rose from South Africa, which was amazing.
They have a great little food menu and often a few specials (like their St Paddy’s day sandwich). We went with an amazing charcuterie and cheese board. It was loaded with 4 different cheese — the creamy d’affanois was amazing, as was the aged gouda. We even got a refill on the bread and cheeses. The board was complimented with fruits and nuts.
I’ll definitely be going back for more. I even hear they have a deal on certain nights and a «First Class Flight» — Ill be back to try them all!

I echo John Carlo A’s below review — The Wine Loft has the lightest pour of wine in San Diego.
Having had The Wine Loft bookmarked for a while, it was the perfect time to drop in when our group of five was looking for some Friday night drinks & apps.
Ambiance is of the typical wine-​ish feel — dark woods, a little industrial, and a mix of modern. We chose a center table, which turned out to be a poor choice. The backless bench seating is a ‘no bueno’ for a night of camaraderic chat and sip. Cue the squishy leather couches and mood lighting — this is a wine loft, right?
Onto the wines… The menu offers half glass, full glass, and bottles. My full glass rolled out looking identical to a table-​mates half, so value-​wise it’s all bad. After my surprisingly light-​pour experience, I recommend going for bottles only.
Food is unremarkable — nothing’s bad, but I barely remember it.
Verdict — don’t let The Wine Loft’s miser pours rankle your nights of indulgence. I’ll perhaps return if I’m on the hunt for an obscure bottle, but I’ll save tastings for more reliable shops.

Love it! Awesome wine tasting selection and delicious cheese plates! You’ll be glad you stopped in. Cheers!

This place is a secret gem — A little hideaway like nothing else in San Diego.
The service is exceptional as the staff are the perfect hosts; being knowledgeable in their products and charismatic in their entertaining.
I always enjoy the HUGE fruitful cheese & meat board, listening to some cool bluesy jazz they’ve got on.
You can pull a bottle for yourself to have there or take home — or for holiday gifts they will help you to create a decadent, beautifully wrapped gift basket filled with a variety of things they have in the boutique. Grab a glass or two and join in the conversation whilst you wait for your partner to finish up their shopping :)
The staff never steer you wrong in their recommendations.
Love this place and all it stands for!

Very nice curation of wines at good price points. The owner is down to earth an very knowledgable about his wines. I buy most of my wine there.

Tonight we walked after 45 minutes after receiving a short pour on my wine and no appetizers having been served. Horrible service. Can’t understand how they stay in business. Oh, BTW as were leaving they finally brought our ‘food’ but it was not what we had ordered. Our service complaints were dismissed without any apologies

I really enjoy this classy and sophisticated wine loft. It is the perfect place to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine for a break while shopping at the Forum, a ladies night or a romantic date.
High ceilings, warm hues and up-​scaled lighting create a cozy ambiance that perfectly compliments a nice glass of Syrah. You can open a bottle from their retail wine store for a mere $ 9 corkage fee. They also pour from a decent sized wine list.
Patrons seem to really like to congregate at a long rustic wooden table centered underneath the custom light fixture which is made from wine fermenting bottles and vintage style light bulbs. Those coveted seats seem to be taken or reserved on my visits so I sit at one of the high tables. There is also a corner with comfy sofas and a little table, a bar and a TV.
On a recent Friday night the crowd filled up the Wine loft and it was standing room only. I love to be immersed in the effervescence of a tipsy crowd at twilight. Lots of happy groups seem to congregate here to ponder the niceties in life. The charcuterie and cheese boards are well endowed with about 4 kinds of fruit, green olives and a selection of cheese, meat or both to compliment the wine. They carry a limited selection of beer for all of you naysayers out there.

Great wine!

Ok, I’ve been hesitant to write about my favorite wine bar for fear it will get too crowded. I love this place! It is the perfect spot to meet friends for a glass or bottle of wine. They have a great selection of reasonably priced wines and the staff is very knowledgable. Tanner is probably one of the BEST bartenders I’ve come across. My friends and I are «regulars» and he know our preferences and always picks out the perfect wine!
Bill, the owner, does a great job with the food. I have had the meat and cheese platter which is large enough for at least 4 people to share. Also, I really like the crostini with bruschetta drizzled with a thick and yummy balsamic vinegar.
Give them a try! They are in the Forum so you can always use the excuse you are running an errand and duck in for a drink. I noticed last time I was there they even have micro beers if someone in your group isn’t into wine.

Loved it. Outstanding wine suggestions, charcuterie was fabulous, beyond ordinary meats and cheese, reminded me of San Francisco upscale foods. Servers were friendly, attentive and interested in assisting with wine choices and tasters. My husband is SUPER picky and he LOVED it. We’ll be back for sure.

I really enjoy this wine bar. I have been here a few times and they have a great selection. Tuesday night they have a great deal so sign up on their email list. They have some great meat and cheese platters with an assortment of goodies. I really like that they took the time to toast the little pieces of bread. It was a nice touch. For the price I think they could have had a little bit more cheese on the platters. Great ambience and a nice selection of other things to buy. As much as I like it when servers and staff don’t continually bother you for another glass of wine I actually feel from a sales point of view we should have been offered another round a bit sooner. After all they do have an amazing selection to explore. I will certainly be back.

Been here 2x so far and I really enjoy the ambiance and the selection of wine. This place is great! I always keep telling myself why am I not here more?
If meeting friends or just needing a nice shopping break, then check into the wine loft. I recommend buying a bottle and sharing, much more affordable then buying by the glass. Also their boards are yummy but definitely as a snack. You’ll want to either eat prior to getting here or grab something at urban plates to fill up later.
Staff is über friendly and very helpful when selecting wine to purchase now or to drink later. Thanks Lisa G! We really liked the bottle you recommended!

Wine bar is perfect! Friendly staff, varied by the glass selection, and excellent share plates that pair well with the wines.
Great selection of bottles as well, and the server told me they are happy to try and order whatever you are looking for. Personally, I liked that they had something for everyone and every occasion– from fantastic french burgundys to their «under $ 20» selection.
Cant go wrong!

This place gets a solid 4. My wife and I came here with another couple on a double date type night just for a glass of wine and a cheese board. Mainly because my wife is addicted to testing cheese boards out at any given opportunity and had recently purchased a groupon.
Upon first entering the establishment it has a welcoming feel and a cool layout. The store part of the loft is near the front and the bar area is at the back (clever, you have to walk past the wine on sale before grabbing a glass of vino). The party I was with were around mid 20’s to early 30’s, which is a little too young in comparison to the customers that were there but hey, we are starting young.
A guy came over to take our order and although professional he could have been a little warmer. Then we sprung the whole groupon thing on the table and immediately felt judged! The ladies got Pinot Noir and I asked for some Riesling, but they were out. I followed up by asking for a beer but shock, they were out of my beer choice also. I settled for some Pinot Noir also and we began to enjoy the atmosphere.
The place is super clean and I like the little mirror in the bathroom. Classy!
The Cheeseboard is top notch and the price is not that bad. Overall, a pretty good place to go. However, be cautious not to say groupon too loud, because if you do people in there will look at you with a turned up nose (Then again, maybe that’s just how their nose job turned out)
I will be back!
Adam

PHIL sourced a couple bottles of DARIOUSH VIOGNIER, one of my favorite white wines, for a dinner party this weekend (pairing with a FRENCH ONION SOUP). also picked up some FINOCCHIO (a fennel spiced salumi) for the charcuterie appetizer plate.
last time he found six bottles of COBOS (PAUL HOBBE’s ARGENTINE MALBEC).
the WINE LOFT’s a nice little store.
enjoy the tastings.

I recently stopped in to take a quick look at this wine shop (after shopping at The Forum). It was still early in the day so I was the only customer in the wine shop. I believe the owner was working that day and he was so incredibly cool. He didn’t snub me when I only splurged on a $ 9 bottle of wine :)
They carry a variety of wines and cute knick knacks that could keep your mind busy when you’re drinking a glass of wine from their wine bar.
I think they currently only offer meat/​cheese boards on their menu.
I hope to re visit one evening to try out their wine bar with a few friends.

I had not been in here for a few years but decided to stop by and give it a try again. They did a major remodel of the layout, the bar area is much bigger than before which is nice for large groups. They no longer have a cigar humidor which makes sense as you can’t smoke in the Forum shops anyways. The staff was very knowledgeable about the various wines and what compliments food well. They have some wines that are not very common so I asked for some help selecting a bottle which was great. I described the types of wines I liked and they made a recommendation to a great bottle. I will be back for sure.