Finca, the California tapas eatery, wine bar and bottle shop that opened early last year in San Diego’s North Park, has been named to Wine Spectator Magazine’s international list of its Editors’ Favorite Wine Bars.
Just 38 wine bars worldwide were selected as Editors Favorites’ and Finca is not only the sole San Diego honoree, it is also singled out on the cover of the October issue. In their description of Finca, the magazine’s editors praised the 19-month-old venue’s exceptional, affordable and primarily Spanish wine program and the hotspot’s “buzzy” social vibe.
Dan Valerino, Finca co-owner and wine director, said Monday that being named to the list is a tribute to San Diego’s rising profile as a wine destination.
“To be able to represent the city makes me unbelievably proud,” he said. “None of us would be featured in a national publication if San Diego wasn’t beginning to get the attention it deserves. We have world class operators here and we cannot wait to see which of us is recognized next.”
The Wine Spectator list included 29 wine bars in the United States and nine overseas, including three in Paris, three in Tokyo and three in Florence, Italy. Among the U.S. honorees, eight are in California, including Wally’s in Los Angeles; Saison, Ungrafted and Verjus in San Francisco; Maison Healdsburg in Healdsburg; and Compline and Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ in Napa.
Finca, a 90-seat venue at 3066 North Park Way, was opened in February 2024 by business partners partners Dan Valerino, Joe Bower and Ricardo Dondisch, who all have deep roots in the local restaurant scene.
Restaurant investor Dondisch co-owned The Hake restaurant in La Jolla, where Valerino was general manager. When that restaurant closed in 2017, Valerino became G.M. of Juniper & Ivy, where he met chef Joe Bower and they became close friends. In 2020, Valerino and Bower launched the restaurant management company Bottle Boon, which now runs the Sorrento Valley restaurants Green Acre Campus Point and Casa Campus Point: Tacos & Tequila. Finca is the trio’s first joint project and it has been a great success.
Here is the full review of Finca written by Wine Spectator’s Aaron Romano:
Finca
Wines by the Glass: 20+
Bottles on the list:165
Wine director: Dan Valerino
Few occasions are as sociable as a table full of tapas and wine, and Finca revels in this Spanish custom within its buzzy North Park neighborhood confines. The primarily Spanish wine list shifts with the seasons, with coastal wines like Albariño from Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez offering refreshment in the summer, giving way to inland reds as the weather cools.
Fortunately, value reigns throughout the year. Most bottles are under $100, but splurges such as Bodega Lanzaga Rioja Tabuerniga are also available, at a very reasonable markup. Paramount to the list’s ethos, Valerino purchases only from wineries with green farming practices, including the smattering of non-Spanish wines on the list.
Beyond the printed by-the-glass list, a daily Finca, in a trendy urban neighborhood of San Diego, focuses on Spanish wines and tapas. chalkboard announces other interesting bottles the team has spontaneously decided to open. Furthermore, a rotating, bi-monthly four-wine exploration page featuring a specific region (currently Sierra de Gredos) can be purchased by half-glass, full-glass or bottle — or opt for a flight to try all four. A selection of Sherries and vermouths are also available by the glass or bottle.
Additionally, there is a bottle shop for takeaway, but Valerino deems it a bonus amenity, noting that guests largely prefer to sit down on-premise to enjoy the wines.
Located northwest of downtown San Diego, North Park has become a trendy area in recent years. As such, the vibe matches the urban neighborhood, with exposed ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that illuminate the vibrant shades of orange and green.
As for the tapas, dishes like charred eggplant dip with house-made potato chips or grilled lengua with spätzle, fermented beets and cherries don’t speak to typical Spanish fare. Other, more traditional plates like patatas bravas “Finca style” get a SoCal twist, served with jalapeño crema.
Nevertheless, Finca is a community-focused establishment centered on good food, wine and company, as any good wine bar should be.