Lovers of fine wines, spirits and foods should make Wally’s Wine & Spirits at Resorts World Las Vegas a must-visit on their itinerary. This beautifully designed destination offers guests a multitude of experiences under one roof—part luxury wine and spirits retailer, part restaurant and bar, and part gourmet deli counter.
“You’re able to come in here and have a whole experience—grab a great bottle of wine or spirit at retail and enjoy it; have an elevated bistro experience; have a great cocktail to start made with seasonal ingredients,” says Phillip Dunn, director of spirits for Wally’s Wine & Spirits. “Wally’s is the best of all worlds.”
We decided to explore the wine and spirit side of Wally’s world for the reader. Since the brand was established in Southern California, it has a huge celebrity connection, and that translates over to the Las Vegas location by way of specialty cocktails. Two popular picks celebrate Las Vegas residents: 1.) The first cocktail is a tribute to longtime local Guy Fieri and longtime Vegas visitor Sammy Hagar, who teamed up to make Santo Tequila. “It’s a really, really, really good product,” says Dunn. You’ll find Santo reposado in the Yuzu Amazing, a riff on the classic whiskey sour. It’s mixed with yuzu and egg white and gives off a hint of oaky flavoring; 2.) The second cocktail is an ode to new Vegas resident Mark Wahlberg. Using the actor’s new tequila, Flecha Azul, the Albahaca cocktail mixes in ancho chili, basil, aloe vera and grapefruit bitters. There is also the house Old Fashioned, made with Brother’s Bond bourbon from actor Ian Somerhalder, and a mezcal margarita made with Dos Hombres mezcal from Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston.
Albahaca & Yuzu Amazing
On the retail side, to get an idea of the special bottles that line Wally’s shelves, Dunn pulled an impressive lineup of rare and special finds, some with eye-popping price tags. The first is a very rare, very in-demand and very limited-made, 1989 Petrus, a 100 percent merlot from the Pomerol estate in France (price available on request). For a cool $40 grand, check out the bottle of 2020 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. “This is one of the most highly sought-after Burgundies in the world,” says Dunn. Another grand bottle from the same vineyard is the excellent vintage and extremely rare 1995 La Tâche, for a cool $12,000. A high-quality, textbook example of a great 100 percent chardonnay is the 2019 Le Montrachet Grand Cru from Remoissenet vineyard. And what would a lineup be without a pick from one of the most popular champagne brands in the world, Vueve Clicquot? The 1990 La Grande Dame, a top-10 champagne, is rarely released and considered to be one of the most classic vintages of the 20th century.
Moving on to spirits, find a very rare, highly sought-after bottle of G4 Reposado de Madera Dia de Muertos tequila, loved for its slightly higher 84 proof and additive-free recipe. Throw down some serious dough, $30,000, for the single malt 1958 Shirakawa Japanese whiskey, another rare find. For a more reasonable price of around $600, The Boss Hog X Commandments whiskey from WhistlePig is a great find at Wally’s since it’s rare and super hard to find on the open market. “This’ll kick ya in the pants,” says Dunn. “So have it over some ice.”
The wine and spirits collections at Wally’s goes on and on ... and on. But perusing all the bottles lined across all the walls inside Wally’s is a truly fascinating and fun adventure.
“We’re probably the only place like this on the Strip, that’s reason enough to try us out,” Dunn says. “I think the experience of Wally’s is awe-inspiring if you’ve never seen a wine and spirits shop of this magnitude. It’s well done from a retail layout. You can come in and eat and look at the bottles. It’s almost like having dinner in a wine cellar.”
Tips/Insider Knowledge
• Check out the collection inside the walk-in vault, kept at 58 degrees.
• Wally’s cork fee is $50.
• Rare and vintage bottles make up 25 percent of the bottles for sale; the wine to spirits ratio is about 70/30.
• Wally’s also works on consignment, which enables the brand to source incredibly rare finds from coveted collections.
• Stop by the gourmet deli counter and select from high-end meats and cheeses to make your own charcuterie board. Choose from decadent meats from Italy and mouthwatering cheeses from France and the U.S.
• If you want to explore Wally’s collection of bourbons, vodkas, whiskies, tequilas and more, simply ask your server to put together a flight of 2-ounce pours.
• On the restaurant side, Wally’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Resorts World Las Vegas, 702.676.6966. rwlasvegas.com
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