Newsletter Archive

Good Vibrations

     This week's little rumble in LA was certainly a reminder of what's important in life like family, friends, pets........really expensive wine.  Yes, we dashed rather quickly towards the bubbly shelf to save a couple bottles.  Halfway there, I wasn't sure if I was running to keep them from breaking or making sure I had something good to drink in case the building collapsed and we were trapped.

     The tremors got us thinking about vibrations and how high-end wine cooler manufacturers and life-style magazines are always telling you how bad refrigerators and cheaper wine coolers are for your wine because of their evil, destructive vibrations.  Yes, it's true, the compressors in many cooling units do cause vibrations that could potentially damage a fine wine.  But we're talking ageworthy, fragile wines....wines that you lay down for 20-50 years.  What is the damage caused?  CLICK HERE to read on...

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The Poll Booth - I'm So Cool I Only Drink Merlot

     In our last poll, we asked how people stored their wine if they had no A/C.  Well, 27% of you responded 'in my tummy' (well done), 22% of you own a wine fridge, 17% of you have a basement, 16% of you go to the bottom of your closet, and 5% of you use an off-site storage facility.  And there were a couple of write-ins involving mooching off of friend's wine coolers, and one alarming post about keeping wine in a bathtub full of ice and therefore, never showering.  That's committment.

     On to the next poll.... we've noticed a pattern in buying that is a ton of fun for us...more and more people are slapping their plastic down for more obscure wines.  So we're going to list some of the more foreign wines to most U.S. drinkers.  Some of you surely have been drinking these wines forever ("Dude...I've been drinking rose since I was 2" - yes an actual quote at our bar) and some of you may have just discovered some of these.  And some of you may be so alternative that you're back to only drinking pinot before the pinot craze is even over yet (does that create some sort of time warp?).  So vote honestly...which of these wines are you drinking frequently for the first time this year?  Malbecs? Gruner Veltliner?  CLICK HERE to vote in our poll.

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What We're Drinking At Home

     We've run into lots of customers at restaurants and we often get prodded about what bottles we've brought with us considering we have our pick of the store.  I guess some people just want to make sure we're not just pushing wines we got good deals on.  Fair enough.  So we're going to be dead honest about the bottles we bring home for our run-of-the-mill weekday dinners and our special occasion dinners. 

JOHN:

      To be completely honest, when I get to choose what to open at the bar any given night, I often choose something that I'm craving so that I can justify bringing home the dregs at the end of the night (call me cheap...i prefer 'thrifty').  This week, it was the Moric Blaufrankisch 2006 from Austria (featured during this last Sunday's wine tasting). 

     Never have I tasted something so perfect that the winemaker considered "entry level".  It is the best components of Syrah and Pinot combined....hearty but elegant, spicy and soft, subtely fruity, and a finish that is just dry enough to require another sip just to make sure the prior sip was accurate.  We had it with broiled lamb loin chops, roasted rosemary potatoes and couscous ($27.99/btl).

JEN:

     When I tasted this with one of our distributors, she looked pleased- maybe a little smug- as I oohed and aaahhed and asked, ready to be sad, how much it was.  When she told me and I realized we could offer it to our customers for $7.99, I didn't bother with the poker face.  It's from Languedoc in Southern France, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache and Syrah, and a 2005, which is now thought of as a spectacular year for French wine nearly across the board.  It's just so...luscious, but a tiny bit earthy, great with food, great on its own.  I can't get over the nuance and yumminess in such an inexpensive bottle. 

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Regular Wine Tasting Schedule

*** We hold tastings twice a week on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons , and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the bar is open for wines by the glass . Please see our calendar for details on any given day: www.cowineco.com/calendar ***

Wine Tasting:  Pinot Noir Killed the Cabernet Star

Friday the 1st

5:30-8:30pm

(wines by the glass also available from 4:00 to 11pm)

$15/person

5 wines and gourmet cheeses from Auntie Em's Marketplace

Please RSVP to: info@cowineco.com or (323) 478-1985

First of all, 132 years ago today, Colorado was admitted as our 38th state.  While we aren't named after the state directly, our boulevard is and where would be without our precious Colorado Boulevard?   And want to feel old? 27 years ago today, MTV started airing with Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles.  What does all this have to do with wine?  Not a whole lot.  In fact, a blog recently mentioned that we were 'nothing to write home about' partially because we weren't educating our customers every friday with specifically themed wine tastings.  When he asked our theme and I said 'cover songs', I could understand a bit of hesitation.  But Fridays at CoWineCo are about (hopefully) finding a good deal on wine and having fun with your friends and family.  We feature our favorite wines in the $15 and under retail category every week and we hope you enjoy them.  Itching for a more structured/educational tasting?  Come by on Sunday afternoons.  Cheers!

wines

Capdevila Pujol Cava Brut, Penedes, Spain

Koehler Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez, California

Saint Cosme Little James Basket Press Grenache, France

Ramsay Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Wolftrap Red, South Africa

Lazy Sunday Tasting

Sunday the 3rd

1-4pm

$12/person

4 wines and gourmet cheeses from Auntie Em's Marketplace

No RSVP necessary

wines

(selections TBD)

Wine Cellar Wednesdays

Every Wednesday

4-9pm

No corkage fee on any bottles in the store!

Grab anything off the shelf for the price of the bottle, ask the nice bartender for some glasses, sit, and enjoy

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See You Soon,

John and Jen

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[trying to pitch ideas for a column to stop Larry's story getting out] Let me see, I'll run through these, see if anything works for you - I'm afraid of the dark, nah, didn't think so.  This is hard - red wine gives me hives....I got a special thing for Asian ladies...

~ Hank Kingsley, The Larry Sanders Show