Two San Diego Culinary Couples Team Up for a Wine & Chocolate Pairing Pop-Up

Two of San Diego’s culinary couples are joining forces for a limited-time pop-up in the North City district, and it’s the kind of collaboration that makes sense when you look at their backgrounds.

Michelin-trained pastry chef and Netflix star Christophe Rull and his wife Wilma are teaming up with Emily Towe and Jody Brix Towe of J. Brix Wines for Hearts & Vines, a wine and chocolate pairing designed for Galentine’s gatherings or romantic Valentine’s tastings.

North City Neighbors Collaborate

Both couples launched their first shops in North City, with Christophe and Wilma opening their patisserie and Emily and Jody growing J. Brix Wines from a garage project into one of San Diego’s most respected natural wine brands.

The collaboration brings together their shared focus on quality and creativity, with chocolates created specifically for this pairing.

Three Pairings Built Around J. Brix Wines

The tasting features three pairings, each designed to highlight different aspects of J. Brix’s wine lineup:

• Cobble + Sand Chardonnay is paired with white chocolate infused with Meyer lemon, pistachio, and a hint of vanilla.
• Audire Pinot Noir gets matched with 72% dark chocolate layered with fleur de sel, poached pear, salted caramel, and silky ganache.
• Stay in Bed Red Blend comes with pure 80% dark chocolate to showcase the wine’s depth and smoky character.

VIP and Walk-In Experiences Available

The VIP experience is $50 per person and includes a front-row seat at the bar with a guided walkthrough from the owners on the pairing and creation process. If you want to hear directly from Christophe, Wilma, Emily, and Jody about why these specific combinations work, this is your chance.

A $35 walk-in experience is also available for those who prefer a more casual approach. Bottles of wine and chocolate confections will be available for purchase separately if you want to bring some home.

See you there!

When two couples who know what they’re doing in their respective fields team up, it’s worth making the trip to North City to see what they’ve created together.

📆 Thursday, February 13 & Friday, February 14, 4:30 PM – 8 PM
📍 250 N. City Drive, Suite 10, San Marcos
🎟️ VIP experience: $50 per person – Reservations here | Walk-in experience: $35
ℹ️ More info here

See you there, San Diego!