Let me start by saying that I love this place. Walking in the door under the pergola, I feel as if I’m entering a Napa Valley winery. Inside, the ambience is so inviting, with its brick wall, wrought-iron accents, fireplace and stone ledges. It just feels cozy.

Given its name, one might expect the primary focus to be the wine list, which is top-notch with its generous array of well-chosen, reasonably priced varietals. Many are from the Carneros region of California, a personal favorite of mine. But a few bites into the food and you realize you’re not just in a wine bar that happens to serve food, but a dining establishment that also serves great wine.

Executive chef Jennifer Cappello, with sous chef Aaron Wysocki, artfully prepare dishes that are visually delightful and taste sublime. The menu is exciting and varied. The food is sophisticated yet will satisfy a variety of tastes.

The quality of the food and the creativity and execution of the dishes are unsurpassed. According to the staff, some of the most popular dishes include French onion soup, drunken goat cheese bruschetta, Mediterranean chicken skewer platter, and tamari-glazed Kobe beef burger with homemade potato chips with truffle oil—all tasty dishes you’ll want to return for again and again.

There’s an abundance of menu items. I’ve yet to stumble on one that I haven’t liked. That said, the stand-outs for me are the black-tie scallops: four enormous diver scallops with a dollop of mascapone cheese on top of a pancetta crisp. The sweetness of the scallop combined with the saltiness of the pancetta was simply divine. The sliced grilled tenderloin of beef with melted Roquefort cheese in a pool of rich Cabernet demi-glace dotted with truffle oil was decadent. The slowly smoked salmon plank, tender and smoky, is served warm with Boursin cheese, balsamic reduction, and lavash crackers. The crab cakes, chock full of jumbo lump crabmeat with a hint of corn and red pepper, remind me of some of my favorites from Santa Fe. (I love being transported by food.) The roasted vegetable mélange—a large, colorful platter of sliced grilled portobello mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, squash and artichokes with a drizzle of a thick balsamic reduction—would complement any dish.

The six desserts are all yummy, but if you have room for only one, the toffee apple tart with French vanilla ice cream is the one to get. It’s buttery and irresistible.

Sunday brunch at the Vineyard Wine Company is a must. Each item is a familiar favorite creatively elevated to a new level. The food is scrumptious and generous. It’s also quite a value, considering all dishes are under $10. For anyone not wanting breakfast items, the full lunch menu is available until 4:00pm.

This is a family-owned business. Everyone I encountered, from wait staff to the kitchen, wanted me to know how much they loved working for the Jones family. They all seem to take pride in their roles at The Vineyard.

Erin Caneza, Dan Richey and Robert Jones make certain that every guest feels taken care of. A wealth of knowledge is behind this establishment. Both Caneza and Jones are graduates of the International Sommelier Guild. Caneza also completed the Court of Masters program. Richey was brought in specifically for his extensive restaurant and wine background. Together, the three of them head this thriving business, overseeing a wine bar, restaurant, and wine shop and gift store with one of the most extensive selections of fine wine in Central Florida. Wine Director Fidel Palenzuela does a masterful job assembling the wine list as well as collaborating with chef Cappello on nightly entrée-pairing specials for the menu and monthly themed wine-pairing dinners. According to Cappello, the team works together seamlessly to ensure that all of the food revolves around the wine.

The Vineyard Wine Company pleasantly surprises me every time, and I thoroughly appreciate that. Did I mention I love this place?
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The Vineyard Wine Company
1140 Townpark Ave. • Ste. 1260 • Lake Mar
407.833.WINE (9463)
thevineyardwinecompany.com

Open seven days a week. Lunch: 11:00am-4:00pm Dinner: Sun.-Thurs. until 10:00pm, Fri..-Sat. until midnight. Sunday brunch: 10:30am-3:30pm. Live music Tuesday through Saturday evenings.

The Vineyard Wine Company is now serving Sunday brunch 10:30am-3:00pm. The menu is an å la carte assortment of traditional favorites with a gourmet flair, from eggs and custom omelets to Nutella pancakes with banana brûlé, breakfast crêpes, and French toast made with raisin challah in Bailey’s Irish Cream batter. All brunch selections are under $10 and include a choice of side dishes such as applewood smoked bacon, fresh fruit salad, hash brown casserole or grilled sausage. Mimosas, Bellinis and freshly squeezed juices are available, as are signature drinks such as the Ultimate Bloody Mary, a house-made specialty topped with a jumbo shrimp, and the Lambic Belgian Framboise, an imported raspberry- or peach-flavored ale. In addition to brunch fare, a full lunch menu is available from 10:30am-4:00pm. S The Vineyard Wine Company 1140 Town Park Ave., Ste. 1260, Lake Mary; 407.833.WINE (9463) thevineyardwinecompany.com.