Montavilla’s Vino Veritas Wine Bar & Bottle Shop Relaunches with New Ownership, New Décore and Updated Food Menu
Urban Winemaker Festival features seven local winemakers on March 28th from 3-6 p.m.
March 5, 2020 – Portland, Ore. — Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood wine bar and bottle shop Vino Veritas recently relaunched with new ownership, an updated food menu and a stylish new vibe. The wine bar has been a popular venue since 2017 where neighbors and visitors can socialize over global and local wines, small bites and live music. “Our new design takes it up a notch with a warm decor that remains familiar to our regular guests, but offers a better use of color and a cozy ambiance,” says owner Sami Khawaja.
Khawaja is one of the three original partners in the wine bar and recently took over full ownership from his colleagues. Together with Khawaja, the wine team includes certified sommeliers Manuel Mederle, Trevor Gorham and Miguel Garcia. “Our certified sommeliers elevate the wine bar experience with their combined knowledge and global perspectives coming from Italy, Mexico and the US,” says Khawaja, who is a native of Jordan. “Their recommendations span the globe and across the beverage industry from wine and sake to beer and cider.”
New Design Offers Eclectic and Warm Vibe
“The updated space remains an intimate and casual gathering spot where you can enjoy a glass or bottle of wine, listen to live music and enjoy some small bites,” says Khawaja. The Vino Veritas team worked with a local design firm to choose new furniture, light fixtures and floor coverings to create the warm and cozy aesthetic. “It’s like drinking wine in your friend’s living room.”
Meat and Cheese Boards to Sweets
Highlights from the new menu include snacks like homemade white bean hummus or a fresh baguette with chives and za’atar butter. Other small bites include chicken liver mousse paté with stone-ground mustard; mushroom arancini with romesco sauce; Cajun shrimp toast; and truffled mushroom tartine with goat cheese and arugula. And don’t forget a sweet to pair with a glass of wine such as truffles in flavors like French silk, Italian espresso and salted caramel or enjoy raspberry sorbet with a splash of Prosecco or Cava. Happy hour daily from 4-6 p.m. offers discounts on glass pours and food.
Events: Blind Wine Tastings to Live Jazz
Vino Veritas offers seating for 40, along with a bottle shop and performance space for regular musical acts featuring established and emerging jazz artists like Pete Krebs, Brent Martens, and Dave Fleschner and Friends. Wine education events include Blind Wine Tasting Wednesdays where guests learn how to blind taste wine to determine grape varietal, vintage and region. Vino Veritas also offers a wine club called Club Vino that will introduce members to two new wines each month from a different region, varietal or winery, along with exclusive benefits.
MARCH EVENT
Urban Winemaker Festival – Saturday, March 28 from 3-6 p.m.
Meet seven local winemakers at the Urban Winemaker Festival featuring winemakers from Alto Cirrus, Gonzales Wine, Willow Wine Cellars, James Rahn Wine, Clos Griotte, 00 Wines and Stedt Winegrowers. Tickets are $18-20 and include wine pours, food and a 10% discount on featured bottles. Purchase tickets here.
About Vino Veritas Wine Bar and Bottle Shop
The neighborhood wine bar and bottle shop opened in 2017 and is owned by Sami Khawaja, who is one of the original partners. Known for its highly curated selection, the list features many micro-wineries from the Pacific NW, along with some heavy hitters from around the globe. The wine bar offers a variety of events from weekly blind wine tastings to live and DJ music featuring a rotating list of local musicians. Vino Veritas is located in the Montavilla neighborhood at 7835 SE Stark Avenue, Portland, OR. Hours are Monday-Thursday 4-10 p.m., Friday 4-11 p.m., Saturday 2-11 p.m. and Sunday 2-10 p.m. Happy hour is daily from 4-6 p.m. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @vinoveritaspdx and at vinoveritaspdx.com
P.S. Please let me know if you would like to come in as our guest to enjoy some wine and food pairings or attend the Urban Winemaker Festival on March 28th!