Dali Wine Bar Grand Opening: Big Crowd, Lots of Wine

Sunday night’s Grand Opening party at Dali Wine Bar & Cellars was a blast. The place was packed with wine enthusiasts and the lushes who follow them around. Lots of yummy bites to gorge on and close to 100 different wines to sample (try the Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc–it’s mild, but full of flavor). As I wandered around the lobby of the office building adjacent to the wine bar, where the majority of wine stations and the food tables were housed, I ran into James Tidwell, sommelier at the Four Seasons. This guy is next in line to hit Master status in Dallas. Let’s just hope he stays here (murmur Drew Hendricks leaving for Houston murmur). I also scoped restaurateur Whit Meyer chatting it up with Dali owner Paul Pinnell. Of course the charming Pinnell was like a shark in motion, never standing in one place too long. I asked him if he expected such a big crowd. With eyes wide he said, “I expected a crowd, but nothing like this.” His surprise by the turnout seemed to be mirrored by Wine Director Rudy Mikula who flew by me with a quick hello and his hand full of plastic wine glasses. By the end of the night, we were enjoying the evening on the Dali patio with a glass of Iron Horse sparkling and planning our next trip to the newest hot spot to hit the scene. It will definitely include a bowl of their Andalusian gazpacho and a glass of whatever Rudy tells me to drink. photo by Matthew Shelley.