DA Vines Vineyard Wines & Bistro — Restaurant in Cottonwood

I dined at DaVine's beautiful Restaurant and Wine Bar last night; alone.

I ordered the Cassoulet. In part because I didn't know what a cassoulet was and was in the mood for adventure. The Cassoulet is listed on their menu as an appetizer. It arrived in a small bowl with 7 thin baguette slices on the side. The bowl was filled with flavorful beans and diced sausage, topped with shredded duck that melts in your mouth. I noticed duck mentioned a few times on their menu (they know what they're doing!).

Sometimes dining alone can feel lonely, but I found a spot at their beautiful bar. The staff made me feel most welcome. I kibits a bit with John about how they made their black flatware so shiny. Answer: vinegar. I wondered if that same trick worked on the glasses but he had to go. Next time then. Bartender Alex and I then struck up a conversation about the film industry. Good times.

Lastly I want to talk about the acoustics in the restaurant. There was a large table that sat directly behind me the whole time I was there. I knew they were there, but I didn't hear them., This was remarkable for such a large group so close to me. This made me curious about their ceiling. Theirs is beautiful, with swags of fabric suspended. I suspect that has something to do with the amazing acoustics of the place.

Thank you Gents for a...

Wife and I went here on Sunday. Our first visit. Gonna give a very detailed review. Lets get the cons out first:

-Patio does not offer much shade- is this a big deal-not really as it is beautiful 10 months a year.

-not much character inside- seats, chairs, and outside of a nice picture of vineyards, plain walls, dark tables. etc. Just needs some decor improvement.

Pros:

-Dana was amazing- patient, explained the story of the place, the vineyards, and the wines. She was pleasant , personable, knowledgeable, and fun.

-John, the owner, was great. We talked about the wines and gave me 5 different tastings- basically a flight. He didn't charge me and he talked about the wine and interacted. I actually purchased a bottle because of the tastings.

-Onion Soup- amazing- best onion soup I have had.

-Poutine- I am used to Canadian style but this was very good. Duck fat and brie- how can you go wrong! I would suggest less duck fat and less brie as it became soupy and mushy. A little duck fat goes a long way- But not a complaint.

-Turkey and brie- great sandwich.

-Wines were all good. Some better than others but all were good.

Overall, we really enjoyed our time there and will, for sure, be back. Great wine, great service, great...

The place is gorgeous, well appointed, with beautiful and interesting furniture. The menu is very good and the food is good (we had the vegetarian board and the baked brie). The wine is really good, we had a red flight. The service is just service. Staff was complaining with the manager, openly where the customers could hear, about how bored they were. The manger was on her lap top all the time, didn't visit the tables or talked with the customer. The female server did not explain the menu, did not make recommendations, did not ask if we had any questions. When I asked her if they were related to the D.A. Winery, she just said "people ask that very often, but no, this business is not related to that one. This one is Da Vines, you know cuz the owner is from Chicago, the other one is D period A period winery, no relation. We never learned where the grapes come from, how are the wines produced... Nothing... We really wanted to like...