New-Art Theater,  Em and Ems for Dinner, and Meet Volatile Ester

***NOTE:  A few of you have asked, "where in the bejesus is your Week-O-Wine?"  New selections for the Week-O-Wine will begin again in February when we will ALSO be celebrating our 1 year anniversary.  More details to come in the next newsletter.***

New-Art Theater     

     CoWineCo's walls have changed costume yet again so join us this Saturday, January 21st  from 4pm-7pm for the art opening of artist, Alan Griswold.

     Alan's work is a mix of a few different mediums including monoprints, silverpoints, india ink sketches and charcoal sketches.  And what's he like personally?  Well, from his own bio, "Alan Griswold lives in Los Angeles and can grow a moustache in three days, but is encouraged not to by his wife, Kim and dog, Harriet." 

     We'll be discounting wines by the glass during the opening and serving tasty, gourmet cheeses from Auntie Em's Marketplace.  And if 7pm is too early and you just have to continue  your fine-art-culture-parade, the bar is still open 'till 9pm for our regular Saturday bar setup with a variety of wines by the glass.

Wine Tasting Schedule

Under $15 and Underpriced

This Friday the 20th

5:30-8:30pm

$15/person

Reservations recommended!  Fridays have been busy lately and we hate turning people away, so call ahead anytime and get your name down in advance:   info@cowineco.com or (323) 478-1985

We're going back to our roots and sifting through the walls and shelves to find those under $15 bottles we think deserve more recognition than they've gotten.  These are the indie wines with low budgets and lots to say.

wines

Brookland Valley Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Margaret River, Australia

Foxen Chenin Blanc 2002, Santa Barbara, California

Zaca Mesa Z Cuvee 2002, Santa Ynez, California

Hecula Red 2003, Yecla, Spain

McManis Syrah 2003, California

Lazy Sunday Tasting

This Sunday the 22nd

1:00-4:00pm

$10/person

4 wines and gourmet cheeses provided by Auntie Em's Marketplace

No reservations necessary  

This Sunday we'll be pouring two whites and two reds.  Maybe we'll throw a pink in just to be crazy.  Then again, maybe we won't.  We're that unpredictable.  Email or call in this weekend for specific wine selections info@cowineco.com or (323) 478-1985.

wines   

(Wines TBD)

D.O.A. - Drink on Arrival: New 2006 Arrivals! 

Friday the 27th

5:30-8:30pm

$15/person

Reservations recommended!  Fridays have been busy lately.  Call ahead anytime and get your name down info@cowineco.com or (323) 478-1985
We've got some brand new, limited production wines for you (including one ridiculously good white Burgundy) to taste and some new vintages of old favorites.   

wines

(Check back next week for specific selections on our website www.cowineco.com/calendar .  We're tasting wines over the next few days and a few may make it into the shuffle)

Lazy Sunday Tasting

Sunday the 29th

1:00-4:00pm

$10/person

4 wines and gourmet cheeses provided by Auntie Em's Marketplace

No reservations necessary 

Every Sunday we pour a variety of wines for your gustatory pleasure.  Email or call next week for specific wine selections info@cowineco.com or (323) 478-1985.

wines   

(Wines TBD)
 

Em and Ems for Dinner  

     On January 26th, Auntie Em's Kitchen is getting back in the saddle with their first Farmer's Market dinner of 2006.  Check out the menu below, make a reservation with Auntie Em's and grab a bottle of wine from CoWineCo on your way to dinner.  We've paired some of our wines to go with the menu and there's NO corkage!

January 26th, Farmer's Market Dinner Menu    

Cauliflower and Parmigiano Reggiano Organico Soup w/cured Olive Crostini
And
Ahi Tuna and Blood Orange Salad w/Jalepenos and Chives

(veggie option -  Blood Orange, Fennel and Arugala Salad)
WINE PAIRING: We’d suggest a crisp Sauvignon Blanc --our Pastou Sancerre is great at $18.99, or a slightly fuller-bodied but dry white such as our California Enotria Arneis at $12.99 would both marry well with the fish and herbs.
 
Chianti Braised Lamb Shank on top of a bed of Mashed Potatoes
WINE PAIRING: A Classico Chianti is an obvious choice for this dish--  we’ve got some great ones (such as our Monastero, $15.99,) or another Sangiovese option is a Montepulciano and we love our Fattoria Del Cerro Vino Nobile ($20.99).
Pinot Noir is also a delicious pairing for savory, more earthy meats.  A dry Oregon Pinot such as our Harmonia ($19.99) or a French Burgundy (also Pinot) such as our Domaine Boyer-Gontard Burgundy at $41.99, enhance the lamb with the supple dark fruit and earthiness of Pinot.
Or
Seared Orange Scallops on a bed of White Rice topped with a Spicy Peanut Cilantro Sauce
WINE PAIRING: We like Spanish whites with nutty dishes and of course seafood is a mainstay in many regions of Spain.  Our Do Ferreiro Albarino has a slight floral, citrusy quality but is dry on the palate ($21.99).  Also, a Chardonnay option would be our Calistoga Chardonnay ($15.99), lighly oaked but not too heavy.
Or
Vegetarian White Bean and Roasted Garlic Cassoulet
(with winter veggies and a gruyer and bread crumb topping)
WINE PAIRING: Hearty winter vegetables and garlic can be great with a richer white blend such as our Terre Rouge Enigma ($19.99), or for something different, a white Rioja grape such as our Conde De Valdemar Viura ($13.99).    For red lovers: white beans are an Italian staple, and a good red choice would be a light, fruity but dry red, such as our ‘Calitalia’-- Mosby Dolcetto ($15.99).
And
Fromage a Trois
A selection of three cheeses from the marketplace cheese monger
And
Chef's Choice Dessert

Please Email your reservations to www.auntieemskitchen.com or call the restaurant at 323.255.0800.  There is a 6:30 seating and an 8:30 seating.

Meet Volatile Ester

     Swirling your wine can look pretty snobbish at times, but really, there is a very solid reason for doing it (we taste so much wine, we've been caught swirling orange juice and coffee without thinking about it.  Yes, it looks really stupid.)  Different types of scents are released from wine in the form of molecules called "esters" which float up and evaporate in your nose.  When you swirl the wine, you're volatizing the esthers, allowing more of the scents to escape from the glass.  Both whites and reds will benefit from a good, sturdy swirl.  And when you're decanting, go with the same principle.  Don't pour the wine gently down the side of the decanter, tip it over and let the wine slosh all over.  While increased exposure to air is part of a decanter's job, you also need to stir up those scents to get the full experience.  And while we're in Wine 101 land, check out this recent article on the Wine Lover's Page about aging wine.  The Wine Lover's Page is a GREAT resource for wine experts and wine novices alike (no, I'm not getting kickbacks from them.  I wouldn't mind though.)

See You Soon,

John and Jen

"Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does - except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place."
~ Abigail Van Buren (1918 - )