Vines and Steins - Gio Wine Bar

A monthly column for East County wine and beer enthusiasts

By Richard Noel

If you’re out and about in East County and in the mood for a great glass of wine in an elegant atmosphere, relax with the knowledge that this urge will not require you to drive into the urban core of San Diego and spend an exorbitant amount of time or money just to park your car.  That’s because GIO Restaurant in downtown La Mesa has opened the doors to its much-awaited wine bar. 

GIO’s wine bar is located in the “west wing” of the building, which also houses a coffee bar in addition to its restaurant.  The wine bar has an open, relaxed, yet upscale feel to it.  Seating is available at round tables crafted onto wine barrel bases, at the bar, or at the window sill looking out onto La Mesa Boulevard.  There is also an upstairs lounge crowned by a barrel ceiling, where a flamenco band entertained the night we visited.  Ryan, the bar manager (and our server), greeted us and made himself available to answer my questions about the wines.

The wine menu itself has an international concept, a “wines around the world” theme with flights arranged by regions or countries:  Aussie, Latin (South American), European, French, or Domestic (U.S./California).  There is also the World Flight which includes five 1.5 oz. tastings of wines from each of the aforementioned geographical categories.  Each flight costs $16, or $32 with a tray that includes cheese, fruit, and meats also selected from the same region.  All prices were moderate and fair, with individual 3 oz. tastes ranging from $4.50 to $7.00, and full glasses from $6.50 to $10.00. 

One thing I really appreciated about GIO’s selection is that they offer personally selected wines which you are unlikely to find while browsing the shelves of your local grocery store or strip mall outlet.  When I go to a wine bar, I am looking to be introduced to something new and interesting, and nothing is more disappointing than finding a wine menu consisting of brands I’ve seen around time and time again to the point where I’ve already memorized the retail price and employee remarks next to the price tag.  Of note were the White Knight Viognier, a popular white Rhone varietal with an intense, fruit-forward bouquet of apricot and citrus.  They also featured a rosé of Pinot Noir from Italy’s Regaleali , the kind of clean-finishing, respectable blush wine you’d like to take along on a summer picnic.  I also tried my first sip of vermentino from Italy, (a less common white varietal, known as rolle in France), and a well-balanced Pinot Noir from 42°S Winery of Tasmania.

I’ll be coming back to GIO to see what’s new on their menu.  Ideally, I’d like to see the geographic scope of the wines expanded to feature more of the exciting finds coming out of New Zealand, and more domestic offerings from California’s Central Coast as well as Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  I love the diversity of Italian varietals and a flight of wines from Italy would be nice to see. 

You’ll find GIO to be an inviting atmosphere ready for fun and discovery.  I’d recommend GIO for couples, first dates, and small gatherings of friends.  However, groups of more than six might prove a challenge for adequate seating.  For your friends who haven’t gotten quite hip to the grape, the bar also features beer on tap; I was pleased to see four out of eight taps occupied by San Diego County craft brewers Stone and Coronado.  You’ll find all the charm and style that the Gaslamp Quarter used to promise now waiting for you in downtown La Mesa.  You’ll find parking readily available on La Mesa Boulevard--with meters that don’t eat too many coins—and free parking nights and Sundays!

GIO is located at 8384 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa CA,  91941, 2 ½ blocks east of Spring Street.