As stylish new wine bars pop up around San Antonio, one tried-and-true local favorite has reentered the chat — and with a new look.
After nearly seven years in business, the Pearl's cozy High Street Wine Co. (302 Pearl Parkway, Unit 104, (210) 908-9144, highstreetwine.com) unveiled extensive renovations this fall. The business reopened in early October, debuting a post-facelift footprint double its original size and including new amenities such as plush lounge areas and a private event space.
Unlike some of the newer kids on the block, the nationally acclaimed wine bar doesn't boast graphic, eye-grabbing wallpaper, and there's not a neon sign in sight. That's by design, Beverage Director Austin Tabbone said.
"We want the wine to be the medium for what we're really trying to do, which is establish connections with people and create a place for people to connect and collaborate and to learn," he said. "Whether you know a lot about wine, whatever level you're at, we can all just chill here and have some wine and hang out. And if you don't want wine, that's cool, too. We have dope charcuterie. We have great flatbreads, we have awesome beer ... it's about the whole vibe."
Fans of High Street's previous digs will remember its cozy bar setup and sun-kissed patio's intimate bistro seating, and the expansion doesn't diminish those details. Instead, the revamped space now features even more small, intimate vignettes intended for groups as small as two and as large as a dozen.
The new areas are primed for socializing, to be sure, but the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on the new layout also lends itself to something near and dear to Tabbone's heart: wine education.
High Street's new blackened steel and reclaimed wood details complement cozy lounge areas and a semi-private, convertible space specifically designed for classes and guided tastings. Educational events — curated by Tabbone and often led by winemakers themselves — will return this fall.
"I will be bringing wine classes back in November, and because of the new space, we're able to do it a little bit more flexibly. It doesn't have to happen on days when we're closed anymore," Tabbone said. "The more focused classes are going to be happening more frequently, but our flights always have some sort of educational component to them. I try to build in those moments where you don't even know that you're being educated, I always want there to be this sense of effortlessness, so even though a flight is heavily thought about, it comes across as something very approachable."
Tabbone's cheekily named, themed wine flights during October, which coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month, included the "Having a Baja Blast" collection, which explored three robust reds from Baja California, Mexico. The "I Waaaant It Thaaat Way" option allows the High Street pros to create a flight based on flavors each individual patron enjoys. The three-varietal flights on the menu include 2-ounce pours of each wine, all of which run less than $30.
Alongside High Street's physical changes comes the wine haven's first foray into the members-only space. Starting this fall, the spot will offer a monthly subscription service that provides a pair of bottles curated by Tabbone, along with education on those bottles, invitations to members-only tastings and a 15% discount on purchases for the duration of the membership.
Upcoming educational events aren't exclusive to the wine club, but members will snag early access to class details along with admission discounts.
Locally owned High Street opened in 2016 and has since been named a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program. Last year, food and wine website Tasting Table ranked it as one of the nation's 20 best wine bars.
Despite its national gravitas, the venue continues to strive for accessible education, diverse and sustainable wine, beer and cider options and all-around positive vibes. That's something to which San Antonio wine lovers are more than ready to raise a glass.
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