Urban Vint

Wine Shop Review - Los Angeles

Cork-Barrel Spending
Beer and Wine on Fountain Avenue

UrbanDaddy - VenokadoFor the barbecues you'll be hitting this weekend, you need: Beer. Wine. And a little something extra.

All of the above can be found in one spot at Venokado, the sleek new shop open today on Fountain Avenue.

You'll have to pay attention to find the place—it's in that oddly triangular building between La Brea and Fairfax that used to house a random, divey market. Once inside the modern (but still oddly triangular) new incarnation, head left for the wall of rare but mostly affordable bottles selected by the trio of wine-loving women—your favorite kind—who run the place. They got their hands on a few bottles of Sea Smoke Pinot Noir, as well as some biodynamic Domaine Olivier Pithon (we hear you can taste the dirt...in a good way).

You'll also find some rare brews like Bohemia, Hitachino's Red Rice Ale and that rarest of specialties, PBR in a can, inside the beer cooler at the back. And unlike any wine shop of note you've ever entered, you can also head over to the right for piles of unique design-y goods, in case you need a suede baseball or trippy money clips from Copenhagen to go with your Merlot. They're big into unusual gift boxes here, to keep your status as VIP Party Guest intact.

Not that there was any question.

Venokado, 7714 Fountain Ave (at Spaulding), West Hollywood, 323-850-1600
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Posted by Xhayni at 8/29/2008 3:55 PM | Add Comment

NYC Wine Shop Review

Case Clo-sed
A Robot-Powered Wine Shop 

UrbanDaddy - CLO

You're well-acquainted with the pleasures of wine, but those pleasures haven't changed much in the past few hundred years. The top notes have stayed nutty, the hangovers have stayed vicious, and the sommeliers have stayed...human.

But that's all about to change. The sommelier part, anyway.

Welcome to Clo, a futuristic new take on the wine shop opening this weekend, discreetly nestled on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center.

Just find your way through the maze of escalators—and past Per Se and Masa—to a frosted glass box at the top. (You'll know it from the sci-fi glow and waft of merlot.) Inside, a stunner view of the park and twelve automatic wine-dispensing machines wrap around the room. Snag a pre-paid card and then do what you would with an ATM—only instead of wads of cash, you'll be flush with wine: A single swipe will get you a two-ounce mouthful ($2 a pop at the low end to $70 a swill on the high). If you like it, you can get a bottle to go.

Of course, to you it's more than just a shop—show up after a hard day of work to blow off some steam and do some serious "tasting." The shop's also got its own Minority Report-style interactive menu, which you peruse by waving your hands all around the place—you know the drill. Since the computer does the thinking for you, you should end up with the perfect pinot.

And no human error.

Clo, Time Warner Center, 4th Floor, Columbus Circle, opens to the public this Saturday, August 16. Brace Yourselves.

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Posted by Xhayni at 8/12/2008 7:29 PM | Add Comment

Marching Orders

Marching Orders
Wine Bar in Ghirardelli Square

UrbanDaddy - MarcheLike a true San Franciscan, you make it a point to avoid areas where out-of-towners dressed in Alcatraz fleeces might outnumber locals. So it's been a while since you last visited Ghirardelli Square.

We're here to tell you that it's safe to go back.

Softly open now, with the second-floor restaurant fully opening Friday, Marché on the Square's gourmet market/wine bar/bistro represents the next phase of the Ghirardelli Square rebirth—into what some are now dubbing, ahem, Lower Russian Hill.

With 100 wines (60 French, 40 California and New World, 25 by the glass), five champagnes and soaring views of the Bay, you won't have to try too hard to appreciate the vibe here. The accommodations even include a gluten-free beer from Belgium, "Green's Dubbel Ale," making this perhaps the perfect place to meet up with all your vegan drinking buddies.

Take in the airy décor from a stool at the cast-iron-topped bar, or head upstairs for a better view of that island prison—the Cal-French menu is served in both spots. Start with Spiced Sauteed Diver Scallops, then move on to Steak Frites and finish with a made-to-order crepe or cheese plate—you'll like the rich, buttery triple-cream Brillat-Savarin.

You'll still be sharing the place with a few tourists, so bring a date, or make it a double date.

After all, there's safety in numbers.

Marché on the Square, Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point (at Larkin), 415-359-0365

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Posted by Xhayni at 7/9/2008 5:59 PM | Add Comment

Casa Lapostolle Wine Review

The folks at UrbanDaddy recommend...

In the Casa 
World-Class French Wine from Chile 

Casa Laposotolle You've had wine with backbone, wine that’s earthy, even wine with "good legs." "Well-traveled" isn't an adjective that comes to mind in matters of the vine, but we submit that the traditional lexicon may need some expanding.

One very good reason: Casa Lapostolle wine.

Casa Lapostolle combines the superb wine terrain of Chile with the wine know-how of France. Founded by the Marnier Lapostolle family (yes, that Marnier Lapostolle family, producers of tasty French liqueur Grand Marnier, as well as other great French wines), the label set up camp in Chile because of its perfect vine-growing climate. Casa Lapostolle's vines are unique to Chile in that many of them were actually brought over from France in the last century—so it's almost like they've got dual citizenship.

As a result, Casa's wines reach levels of jovial sophistication that only wines from such a multicultural fusion could, from their smart Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays, to their sassy Cabernets, Merlots and Syrahs. The venerable Wine Spectator even named Casa's 2005 Clos Apalta one of its "Hot Wines," awarding it 96 out of 100 points and describing it as having "gorgeous aromas, great grip and density."

Now, that's the type of wine review worth drinking to.

For more information visit www.casalapostolle.com
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Posted by Xhayni at 5/29/2008 7:52 AM | Add Comment

Hotel Review

Bed on It
Your New Westside Hideaway

UrbanDaddy - Hotel Palomar

Introducing awelcome new way to beat Westside traffic—get a room.

Opening tomorrow, Hotel Palomar aimsto make the notion of actually going home at night seem kind of...outdated.

Flee from the office before sundown and start yourrecharging in the modern lobby's living room, where hotel guests will convergefor a gratis wine-soaked happy hour every evening. Once lubricated, you'll bein a better state of mind to appreciate the not-so-subtle nods to Hollywoodthroughout—Industry-ready conference suites are named after film festivals, andclassic movie quotes will soon appear upon your pillow at turndown (hopefullynothing from Psycho).

Of course, you don't have to stay overnight toride out rush hour with a glass of vino. Blvd 16, the wheat-coloredrestaurant and bar within, opens Saturday with a list of 125 bottles to go withseasonally minded food that should keep you busy (and by busy we mean devoid ofroad rage).

And by the way, nobody says you have to use theroom for the whole night.

Hotel Palomar Los Angeles, 10740 Wilshire Blvd (between Selby andManning), Westwood, 310-475-8711 (hotel), 310-474-7765 (restaurant)



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Posted by Xhayni at 5/7/2008 2:14 PM | Add Comment

Digital Wine Bar in Los Angeles

Experimentation often leads to what the experts call discovery.

We're referring to drinking wine of course, and the proprietors of Vinoteque, a new wine bar-slash-live-music venue now soft-open in Culver City, are creatively uncorking their curious and formidable supply to encourage maximum experimentation (and hence discovery).

At Vinoteque, you can order a glass of any wine in the place—about 500 options from Croatia to Australia to South Africa—and once the bottle's uncorked, its name is displayed on a pair of digital screens so your neighboring protégés know the rest is up for grabs. (Co-owner Adam Fleischman was involved with the launch of the similar—if less high-tech—dispensation technique utilizing an oversized chalkboard at fellow Culver City bar BottleRock.)

When you're through by the bar, aim straight for the larger adjacent lounge, where the cork ceiling from Silver Lake Wine designer Ana Henton both continues the wine theme and acoustically assists the musicians onstage. (The name combines "vinoteca" with "discotheque.") And if you come back in the morning, you'll find pastries and coffee.

But Vinotecafé just wouldn't be as catchy.

Vinoteque, 4437 Sepulveda Blvd (at Braddock), Culver City, 310-482-3490

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Posted by Xhayni at 4/9/2008 2:55 PM | Add Comment

Cameron Hughes Lot 44 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Cameron Hughes does not own a vineyard. They specialize in what is known as the "spot" market. If any of you have ever invested or worked in commodities then you pretty much get the gist. For the rest of us (yes, I was once a stockbroker, but I did not specialize in the spot market -- that's my cousin's gig), simply put, high-end winemakers always make more than what they need so they have enough to assemble their final blends thus they sell off and declassify wines that don't fit the quality parameters for a $50 bottle, but make an excellent $15 - $9 bottle of wine. That is essentially what Cameron Hughes has done. He gives us the $50 rejects for $15 - $9 bucks. Not bad! Even better when you taste. I was pleasantly surprised on a recent visit to Costco. This just may become one of my "house" favorites. Oh, and I really like the business model as well. I'll let Cameron Hughes speak for itself:

"Beautiful nose of toasty French oak, warm fruit, mocha and black olive.Medium-full bodied (hallmark of the 2005 vintage), this wine showsoutstanding overall structure and balance and great depth of varietalcharacter. Chocolate, blackberry, tobacco and expresso flesh out themidpalate and the wine finishes smooth with notes of cocoa powder andthat classic Rutherford “

Cameron Confidential: This is the bottle blend(meaning that it’s one finished wine from one producer and the exactsame wine as they will bottle that year) from a high-end, conscientiousRutherford producer truly focused on quality. Their bottling frontlinesat $45 on their website and has received 90-92 point scores for thepast 3 vintages from the Wine Spectator. 

A steal at $15 (or $13 at Costco)? You be the judge, go out sample and let me know.

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Posted by Xhayni at 3/5/2008 2:09 PM | Add Comment

Gay Wines (Really!)

As reprinted from MenInTouch.com:


It’s a fact, whether you like it or not, gay wines are here to stay.It all began as some sort of silly game: why would anyone need to drinka gay wine? What would be the special features that would make a wine“gay friendly”? Well, I don’t have the answers, as I can’t predict thatin some near future we’ll have to choose between French fries and “gayFrench fries”, or “gay sodas”, etc (”gay etc”), the fact is that gaywines are a reality.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not opposed to it, it’s just the idea ofbecoming into some sort of sect, with special wines, etc, what’s reallytroubling me. But, what the heck, let’s continue with this post… Let’ssee some gay wine reviews:

Pilot Gay Wines

Pilot Gay Wines

Pilot is the first line of gay wines created in Argentina. Althoughthere are older gay wines in other countries, this is the first entireline of wines. At the moment they offer the following wine “varietals”:

  • Pilot Chardonnay
  • Pilot Malbec
  • Pilot Syrah
  • Pilot Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Pilot Champagne

The bottles are very well presented, with some fancy leather labelsand interesting colors. If you want production notes, I haven’t tastedthem yet, but I’ve heard that in an overall, we are talking of a freshcollection of wines, specially designed for summer times.

Pansy

Pansy Gay Wine

Marketed as the “world’s first gay wine” by New Zealand’s KimCrawford Wines, this wine is a Rosé made from Merlot, with a splash ofMalbec and Cabernet Franc. It’s fruity, pink-hued, requires a certaintaste and is targeted at the gay community.

These are some comments on this wine:

The Winemaker’s Notes:

Pansy! is a sculptured wine. Made from Pinot Noir grapes fromNelson, a portion of juice was bled from the grapes one day aftercrushing. The wine was then handled like a white wine, cool fermentedand sulfured once dry. Once stabilized the wine was bottled early toretain its natural freshness.
Further profile details can be found here

The Blurb on the Label:

Fresh, funky, fleshy and fun, this rose is an ideal aperitif, summer sipper or just because… Like life, Pansy is made to enjoy.

According to Erica Crawford “Pansy wine is about “friendship,kindness and generosity of spirit”. The wine is aimed directly at thegay community.

—-

Well, it seems it’s up to you now, taste them and tell what do you think about this to be or not to be gay wine controversy.

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Posted by Xhayni at 3/5/2008 1:33 PM | Add Comment

Red, White or Port?

For the most part, I've always been a red wine drinker. In my college days, I drank what was readily available, usually white. But I quickly realized that I am a RED drinker (preferably Cab) with an occasional Port. Most white wines go straight to my head causing serious inebriation in short period of time. On the other hand, I can sip a good bottle of red wine in a sitting without much distortion. Of course, I don't make a habit of this except when writing. 

I'm curious...what's your type? Red, White or Port ....and why?

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Posted by Xhayni at 2/29/2008 2:22 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

Los Angeles - TASTE @ The Wine House

Date: Jan 2008 - Mar 2008
Time: Everyday! Noon - 5PM
Cost: Varies by Selection
 
 
Place: The Wine House
2311 Cotner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

View Map
 
Phone: 310/479-3731
TASTE @ The Wine House features a revolving selection of 32 different wines served by our automated card-activated sampling machines. 8 whites, 8 domestic red wines and 16 imported red wines are available from which to make your choice! Prices range from $1.00 to $20.00 per sample. All served at perfect temperatures, this is a great way to try before you buy - or just try! So come on in and have a great time tasting.
More Info:  winehouse.com

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Posted by Xhayni at 2/13/2008 5:46 PM | Add Comment
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