Newsletter Archive

Put a Cork In It

Back by popular demand, a new, improved and upated list of mostly northeast LA restaurants that offer no or low corkage when you bring your own wine.  In some cases, there are deals for wines specifically from CoWineCo so check out the notes on the map.  CLICK HERE to go directly to the map.  CLICK HERE and comment on our blog if you want to add new restaurants to our list. 

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Oh! Orcella!

     This is another one of those wines where our rep poured it at our bar and we all kinda looked at each other wondering how on earth this wine was so cheap ($11.99/btl).  The rep shrugged and just said, "I know.....and we have lots of it."  So, just like our previous featured wine (Gustavo Thrace Third Bottle Red) was the best deal in rich red we have had in a long time, if your palette leans towards more elegant reds, this puppy is calling your name.  CONTINUED...

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Electrify My Soul: Songwriters and the Spiritual Source

by Dan Kimpel

     Dan is a longtime friend and customer of CoWineCo and when he approached us about this event, it just didn't make any sense....I mean music......writing.....wine? Hmmm. Very unorthodox. Kidding of course.

     We all know music can affect you in profound ways, but what inspires the people who create the music? Author Dan Kimpel -- who has interviewed virtually every major songwriter in the history of American popular music -- has observed that many successful songwriters are often able to tap their spirituality for inspiration. Electrify My Soul: Songwriters and the Spiritual Source explains these through interviews and observations with Melissa Etheridge, Paul Williams and many others. Although the songwriters span a diversity of practices including Shambhala Buddhism, Orthodox Judaism, Fundamental and New Thought Christianity, Evangelical Agnosticism and Native American beliefs, Dan explains in his introduction that the subject is spirituality, not religion. "I've been very careful not to give ink to those who declare they have The Truth and we'd better listen up so we'll have it, too."  You said it, brother.

     So please join us on Thursday the 6th to meet the author and sip some wine.

Book Signing / Wine Tasting:  Electrify My Soul by Dan Kimpel

Thursday, March 6th

7-9pm

Gourmet Cheeses from Auntie Em's Marketplace and Hors d'Oeuvres

Wines by the glass ranging from $6-$15

THE WINE BAR IS STILL OPEN OUR NORMAL HOURS FROM 4pm to 11pm

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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: Leaplings Unite

Friday the 29th

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

So, today is very snooty and exclusive.  It only happens once every 4 years in years divisible by 4.  Or the official explanation, "although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days, a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours. Every four years, an extra twenty-four hours have accumulated, so one extra day is added to that calendar to keep the count coordinated with the sun's apparent position."  It really sounds like they're suspicious of the sun here, doesn't it?  The sun's "apparent" position....suuuuuure sun....we know you're gonna promise us everything then flip-flop tomorrow. 

Also, if you're born in a leap year, you are called a "leapling".  Didn't know that.  And if your birthday is today, you actually only age every 4 years.  That rocks.

wines

Tolosa No-Oak Edna Ranch Chardonnay 2006, Edna Valley, California

Sharpe Cellars Ballet of Angels White, Connecticut (yes, the infamous 'creepy baby' wine is being poured again)

Les Hauts Lastour Coteaux du Quercy Red 2004, France

(last 2 reds TBD - call or email the store for selections)

Lazy Sunday Tasting

Sunday the 2nd

1-4pm

$12/person

4 wines and gourmet cheeses from Auntie Em's Marketplace

Our Sunday tastings will now feature slightly higher-end wine selections. Our Friday tastings get a little too loud to discuss the wines in great detail (we're not complaining), so if wine knowledge is your grail, Sundays are the best tastings for you. Call or email Sunday for selections.

(323) 478-1985 or info@cowineco.com

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And remember, every Wednesday from 4-9pm you can choose any wine in the store and pop it open for no corkage charge!

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Oh, and also remember, we're now open until 11pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

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The Kids Are Alright

     There was a very interesting article in the NYTimes earlier this month detailing the growing war between the stroller-set and the S-DANKs (Single Drinkers No Kids).  There are two reasons this really caught our attention -- 1.) one of the bars mentioned is The Gate in Parkslope, Brooklyn - a hallowed place in our memories as we used to live two doors away from this glorious drinking establishment and referred to it simply as 'downstairs', and 2.) the laws are drastically different in LA regarding children in drinking establishments and this is often a source of frustration and confusion with our patrons. 

     Let's start with the law.  In California, a minor can not enter and remain within an establishment licensed as a bar unless that establishment is considered a 'bona-fide eating place', aka restaurant.  It's especially confusing because, like a handful of other establishments in LA, we look like a retail establishment, but are actually licensed as a bar, front to back.  By law, we have to post 'no one under 21 allowed entry' on our front window and enforce this law to the best of our ability or we could be fined, or worse, lose our license. 

     Now let's get to opinion.  We hate this law.  Eagle Rock is a family neighborhood and as new parents ourselves, we understand a parent's want/need for more places to get out of the house with your child and enjoy a drink in a nice place.  In NY, as long as a child under 16 is accompanied by an adult, he/she can enter a bar no problem.  Isn't California supposed to be a bastion of liberal thinking?  Let the businesses make their own rules and decide whether or not they want to be kid-free or kid-friendly.  That would actually allow more small businesses to specialize one way or the other, create more competition, create more jobs, etc. etc.  Goodbye for now, high horse.  We will meet again.

     Please let us know what you think by GOING TO OUR BLOG and commenting.

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See You Soon,

John and Jen

I'll have a Shirley... No, a virgin... No, a children's... Oh, what the heck? You only live once. Give me a white wine spritzer!

~ Ned Flanders, The Simpsons