Wine News

Try before you buy at high-tech new wine bar at Legacy Hall in Plano

Would you rather try a glass of wine for $20 or spend $400 and take a chance on the bottle.

Photo courtesy of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

A high-tech new wine bar and wine shop hybrid is opening at Plano's Legacy Hall that'll let you try pricey wines in small sips before you drop a bundle on a whole bottle.

Called Vinotopia, it's a new concept from FB Society, the company behind the food hall as well as restaurants such as Whiskey Cake, Sixty Vines, Velvet Taco, Ida Claire, and Haywire. According to a release, it'll open on April 30. It's located on the ground floor under the stairs, between Son of a Butcher and Buttercup Love Me Tenders.

Vinotopia lets you try any wine in their inventory of approximately 60 bottles in a variety of size sips. They're using the same wine dispensing technology used at their wine-centric Sixty Vines concept:

Wine Station smart dispensers, which mete out tastes in one-, two and a half-, or five-ounce self-serve pours
Coravin wine preservation system, which guarantees the wine is at the correct temperature and is not oxidized

Sommeliers will be onsite daily to offer advice.

Wine has become an increasingly meaningful category for the company, says FB Society founder and chairman Randy Dewitt.

"My wife, Michelle, is a sommelier and we"ve both been wine collectors for many years," Dewitt says. "We found ourselves seeking a concept that would allow us to sample wines before committing and spending hundreds on a bottle that we may not love. And so, Vinotopia was born."

He anticipates that some customers may come simply for the wine bar experience, but still wants to offer collectors an avenue to find coveted wines for their at-home cellar.

"We believe this concept is a precursor to how people will discover and purchase wine in the future," Dewitt says.

You'll be able to find the Vinotopia stall by its live art demonstration made from repurposed wine bottle capsules from local artist Ryan Sorrell. You buy a Vinotopia tasting card and use it to buy a glass of your favorite, or to sample a $400 bottle of wine for $20.

The release says that the Plano shop will be a preview of what is an eventual flagship location, whose address they do not divulge. What a tease.

wine

Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 fresh happy hour finds for July

Clifton Club/Instagram

Drinks mixed at Clifton Club

This edition of Where to Drink in Dallas, CultureMap's monthly roundup of the best bars for drinks and deals, has five fresh happy hours, ranging from hipster hangouts to neighborhood bars to an omnipresent chain with drink deals you cannot beat.

Here are five suggestions for Where to Drink in July 2026:

Applebee's
National chain with about two dozen locations across Dallas-Fort Worth has a daily discount drink special program that puts every happy hour to shame. The big news is that, for the rest of July, they've brought back their famed Dollarita, a classic margarita made with tequila, triple sec, and lime, available all day, every day, for $1. If you crave flavors, splurge on options that include lime, dragonfruit, strawberry, mango, watermelon, blue raspberry, and prickly pear, all for $1.50. (Note: There's a 3-drink limit if you do not order food.) More upscale sips include a margarita with Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Malibu Coconut Rum, & blue curaçao for $10. They offer food deals, too such as their late night half-price appetizers like wings and mozzarella sticks.

Bit of Grub
Bit of Grub is a new spot in Far North Dallas, almost to Plano, serving comfort food and Tex-Mex such as "inside out" chicken pot pie, CFS, steak fingers, burgers, nachos, burritos, and poutine. They're rolling out lots of deals which include a "double" happy hour: a regular HH Monday-Friday from 2:30-6:30 pm, followed by a second HH that starts at 8 pm — basically, before and after dinner. There are rotating drink specials as follows: Monday, $2 Margaritas. Tuesday, $3 Martinis. Wednesday, $2 Drafts. Thursday, $3 wells. Food specials include $4 nachos, $5 quesadillas, and $3 fries & tots, starting at 8 pm.

Charlie’s Tavern & Kitchen
New pub in the Northview Plaza shopping center in northeast Dallas is a spinoff of the original founded in Arlington, with the same down-to-earth vibe and menu of wings, chicken tenders, Cajun pasta, fried mushrooms, quesadillas, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and tacos, with prices ranging from $12 to $20. The space has been a revolving door for similarly-styled concepts but maybe this is the one that'll stick. You surely can't beat the price with a happy hour that runs daily from 3 pm-7 pm, plus a reverse happy hour 11 pm-1 pm, featuring $4 beer and house wines, $4 off cocktails, and 20 percent off appetizers.

Clifton Club
Low-key, sultry bar in the Fitzhugh/Travis neighborhood along the Katy Trail is part of the Greg Katz portfolio (Beverley's, Green Point Seafood & Oyster Bar, Claremont Grill) and hosts a happy hour on Tuesday-Sunday from 4:30-6:30 pm. There are margaritas, French 75s, and Moscow mules for $10; espresso martinis for $12; and their house martini for $15. Accompanying bites include spicy tuna crispy rice, truffle parmesan French fries, and mini Wagyu smashburgers. The kitschy fun item is the “kid’s meal” served in a red McDonald's-inspired box containing a mini smashburger, fries, happy hour cocktail, and a cigarette.

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine
Longtime chain founded in 1986 by Gloria and Jose Fuentes, celebrating the traditions of El Salvador, offers happy hour Monday-Thursday all day, and Friday from 11 am-7 pm, with house margaritas for only $7, at all 23 DFW locations across Texas including their newest in Plano, at 8601 Preston Rd., on the southwest corner of SH-121. This is a newly constructed location, representing Gloria’s fourth stand-alone restaurant, and replaces their Frisco location on Gaylord Parkway. (According to a representative, moving to Plano gave the company a chance to own the space rather than being a tenant.) Along with $7 margaritas, the new restaurant is serving signature dishes such as black bean dip, pupusas, and fried plantains.

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