<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet title="XSL_formatting" href="/blog/xsl.xml" type="text/xsl"  media="screen"?>
<rss version="2.0">

<channel>
<title>
<![CDATA[Wine For Everyone]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content350.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[]]>
</description>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Hometown Pairings - Issue #1]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content342555.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
Hometown Pairing


&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; We're going to start a series of hometown wine pairings every once in awhile here in the newsletter. For us, hometown means our very own Eagle Rock. For those customers outside of Eagle Rock, hopefully this will encourage you to try some of our fine dining establishments if you haven't already. For those locals out there...you've probably had the food, but try the wine pairing. Trust us...it's damn good.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; First we're going to begin with Oinkster. Chef Andre Guerrero branched out in Eagle Rock as his third venture, after MAX and SENOR FRED in Sherman Oaks. The idea was to do gourmet fast food, keep the menu small, provide a cool outdoor space, and watch the crowds roll in. Well after dozens of shining reviews including comments from Jonathan Gold suggesting they had some of the best roasted chicken and fries in Southern California, they're doing rather well. But, I digress. I'm here to talk about pastrami. House cured pastrami, to be exact. Oinkster cures their pastrami for two weeks, rubs it with a special spice blend and smokes it with applewood. It's messy, it's complex, it's fantastic. So how to make it better? Wine, of course. 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Our suggestion is the Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah 2006, Columbia, Washington ($23.99/btl).&amp;nbsp; We love virtually everything that Owen Roe bottles, but this one specifically is a dead ringer for the Oinkster pastrami.&amp;nbsp; There's enough fruit to balance out the spice in the pastrami, but also enough spice and smoke to compliment to the toastiness of the applewood.&amp;nbsp; We stumbled upon this pairing a few months ago when Jennifer and I were exhausted from a long baby week (parents...you get it) and we happened to have the Ex Umbris open at the bar when we grabbed Oinkster take-out.&amp;nbsp; It's as if the pastrami and syrah saw each other across a crowded room and walked in slow motion to each other's arms.&amp;nbsp; It was that dramatic.&amp;nbsp; Seriously.&amp;nbsp; We were crying while eating just thinking about it.&amp;nbsp; That could have been exhaustion, but we choose to think it was the love affair between our wine and food.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Try it.&amp;nbsp; You'll agree.&amp;nbsp; Also, have other perfect pairings with restaurant items in your 'hood?&amp;nbsp; Comment below.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; ]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[July 16, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[I'm So Hangry I Might Hit You and Have a Blintz]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content342509.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[I'm So Hangry I Might&amp;nbsp;Hit You&amp;nbsp;And Have a Blintz
&amp;nbsp;

&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; A good friend of ours coined the term &quot;hangry&quot;, referring to that point when you're so hungry it's just making you angry.&amp;nbsp; Well, when you work at a retail counter and/or bar for as many hours as we do each week, you start to see how the weather affects people en masse.&amp;nbsp; So that leads me to another definition of hangry -- when you're so HOT you're about ready to punch a kitten and crawl in your crisper for&amp;nbsp;a nap.&amp;nbsp; And that long, long lead-up gets us to wine and heat.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; We get this question all the time -- what do&amp;nbsp;I do with my wine if&amp;nbsp;I have no A/C at my house?&amp;nbsp; This is pretty important because here in Eagle Rock, it's supposed to hit 104 degrees tomorrow and heat and oxygen are the mortal enemies of any wine.&amp;nbsp; First of all, don't throw the wine in your trunk where there is definitely no A/C and run errands for two hours.&amp;nbsp; At your home or apartment, by far the best thing to have is a wine fridge.&amp;nbsp; With wine becoming more and more popular over the last few years, there are many options at many price levels from counter-top units around $70 to ridiculous monstrosities for the price of a nice house.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; If you have no A/C at home and no wine fridge, the common practice is to pick the coolest place in your house to store wine which can be the floor of your closet.&amp;nbsp; It's probably the coolest place in the house with no direct sunlight.&amp;nbsp; But when the weather is in triple digits for more than a couple days, this won't cut it.&amp;nbsp; So just put the wine in your normal refrigerator.&amp;nbsp; Unless you need long-term storage for a vintage, fragile wine, a normal fridge is just fine.&amp;nbsp; And yes, you'll read articles about the vibrations of the compressor damaging the wine but really, from that $8 sauv blanc to the $50 '06 California pinot, you have nothing to worry about unless you're going to stick it in there for years and years on end.&amp;nbsp; Just remember to let both whites and reds warm up to a proper temperature before drinking.&amp;nbsp; Or, if you're soooooo hot you're dying of thirst and need wine immediately (or Thangry), just tip that cold bottle up.&amp;nbsp; No one's going to tattle.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Have other inventive creations to cool your wine?&amp;nbsp; Leave a comment or vote on our homepage poll.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[June 19, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[ Importers of Great Import]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content342529.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
Antonio Martinez, Founder, Antalva Imports
&amp;nbsp;
Importers of Great Import

&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; If you happen to not just imbibe wine, but follow some of the happenings in the wine world either through wine magazines or wine blogs, you've probably run across articles about different importers. These maverick grape slingers are often the unsung heroes of your local wine store shelves, taking chances on previously unknown or unpopular varietals and grape growing regions all for the glory of our tastebuds. The best ones are driven by an unstoppable passion to deliver to your dinner table an unforgettable experience they had possibly hundreds of thousands of miles away in the dank basement of a three hundred year old winery. Their wiring doesn't allow them to sip, smile and move on.&amp;nbsp; To them, a great wine stands up and demands to be shared with the rest of the world. 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Every once in awhile, we're going to take the time to introduce you to some of these importers, beginning with Antonio Martinez, President and Founder of Antalva Imports.&amp;nbsp; Antonio is a one man show....the same guy pouring the wine at our bar for us to taste, is just weeks later walking the vineyards of the wineries he repesents and looking for new ones.&amp;nbsp; We know this because we often screw up and call his cell phone to order some wine finding out that it's the middle of the night where he is.&amp;nbsp; Email..email...got to you remember to email.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Antalva Imports was founded in 2001, based on the idea of bringing premium Spanish wines to the American market. The philosophy of the company is to seek out small producers with a commitment to value as well as quality. Martinez has been in the California wine industry for over ten years. Born in Spain, Antonio has always had a desire to bring the culture and lifestyle of his country - expressed through its wine - to America. After years in the wine industry and numerous trips back to Spain, he recognized that many exceptional wines had yet to be discovered and enjoyed by the American public. Antonio joined his passion for Spanish wine with his desire to share his culture and created Antalva Imports.&amp;nbsp; It's meeting and working with people like Antonio that continues to make us happy we dove head first into this business.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
Here's a list of wines we carry from Antalva Imports:
&amp;nbsp;
Vina Santurnia Crianza Rioja 2004, Spain
Vina Santurnia Riserva Rioja&amp;nbsp; 2002, Spain (coming soon)
Faristol Garnacha 2006, Terre de Alta, Spain
Pago de Valdoneje Mencia 2005, Bierzo, Spain
Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria 2005, Campo de Borja, Spain
Deobriga Crianza Rioja 2004, Spain
Crucillon Tinto 2005, Spain
Pago de los Capellanes Joven 2006, Ribera del Duero, Spain&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; ]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[June 19, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Rise of the Supertasters]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content342473.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Have you heard of these lost, under-appreciated superheroes, &quot;supertasters&quot;? About 25% of the U.S. population are considered supertasters, meaning that they have at least twice the amount of tastebuds that we boring/regular/average tasters have. Now, if two of you live in a house and your significant other can't describe what he or she tasting as well as you can, that doesn't mean you're a supertaster. That might just mean that your spouse just isn't the sharpest tack in the tackle box. 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; But would it be better to be a supertaster? Would you sit there at dinner and just get lost in the millions of layers each bite of gourmet food had, washing over you for hours? Many think the experience of being a supertaster is more likely just the opposite. The subtle spiciness of a dish is for you, too spicy to keep in your mouth. The light acidity of a finessed Cabernet Franc is to you, just pure acidity. A little oak on a nice Spanish tempranillo could be like chugging a vile of vanilla. 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; So you supertasters, choose wisely. You average tasters, be happy you can enjoy twice the range of foods and wines that supertastes sometimes cannot. Are you a supertaster? Do you have a friend who insists that they can taste a wine from 4 feet away? Comment below.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Hangover Over]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content342463.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; When running a wine store, you obviously engage in many discussions about drinking and the effects of drinking. Everyone has their legendary drunk story and nearly everyone has their own personal hangover cure. We've heard everything from butter and egg sandwiches to peanut butter and a Camel Light (personally, I don't think you can beat a French Dip Melt from Dave's down the street). And many customers claim super-human abilities like:
&amp;nbsp;

- I can drink white wine all night and not get a hangover
- it is impossible for me to get a sake hangover
- if&amp;nbsp;I drink two glasses I get a hangover, but I'm fine if I drink more than a bottle
&amp;nbsp;

&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Well, yes, it is true that some people are affected by the sulfites (1% of the population) and histamines more prevalent in red wine, so the white wine thing could be partially true. Though i'm guessing that pesky 10-15% alcohol thing gets in the way at some point. As for sake, yes, there are little to no preservatives used in most sakes and it is proven that preservatives can add to a hangover. But 'impossible', well.....hmmm...then you're that lost superhero that I've been looking for all my life....I'd like to be your superhero sidekick and I'd like my name to be &quot;The Imbiber&quot;. As for the last point, it could be partially true. I'm WAY better at pool after a couple of beers, then terrible after a couple more so I'm sure there can be a sweet spot with alcohol as well. 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Have a hangover cure? Have superhuman tolerance abilities but only on Tuesdays?&amp;nbsp; Please comment below (and yes, this was totally inspired by a Slate.com article on hangovers).]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[The Kids Are Alright]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content68782.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;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.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Let's start with the law.&amp;nbsp; 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.&amp;nbsp; 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.&amp;nbsp; 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.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 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.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[The Great Corkage Schmorkage List]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content68308.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[UPDATED - 2/27/08
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; When restaurants offer no, low, or discounted corkage for wine you bring into their restaurants, it's a big deal. The margin on food aint pretty so alcohol usually makes up the difference for them.&amp;nbsp; So, support these restaurants!&amp;nbsp; And please, by all means, leave comments below with restaurants we have left out that offer low or no corkage.
&amp;nbsp;
CLICK HERE to see the list and interactive map

&amp;nbsp;]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Wine Shipping Leads to a 12 Step Program]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content35501.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[



&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; There's a great article in the NYTimes today about our nation and its interstate wine shipping laws. In 2005, the Supreme Court made it legal for wineries to ship to most states, but not retailers. Retailers can legally only ship to a handful of states and some of those states you can only ship one case a month, other states you have to give the statealcohol control body a list of wines you will be shipping into their state in the future. Last year I tried to explainto the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission that my time machine was broken and that I really didn't know which wines would be heading their way in the future, but that didn't fly.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The current laws of alcoholwere born out of prohibition (any of you that have entered CoWineCo with a child have already experienced one of these laws...minors can enter our store but not remain...as if they were going to throw down a sleeping bag and move in). The importer/distributor/retailer model was a way of 'controlling' a seemingly life-threatening substance. Now don't get me wrong, addictions are very serious and alcohol is very different from Sunny-D, but our laws are absurd. In the NYTimes article, Craig Wolf, chairman of the Wine &amp;amp; Spirits Wholesalers of America, says of the dangers of shipping alcohol out of state, &quot;the bottom line is that you whittle away at the system little by little, and what you end up with is what you have in England, where cheap alcohol has led to binge drinking through the roof...&quot; Really? So if I could ship a few bottles of wine to my sisters in Massachusetts for Christmas, I would soon find them splayed out on their front lawns, throwing up while still gripping bottles of neon blue Mad Dog 20/20? Hmmm. The quote makes sense when you consider Craig's position with the wholesalers who stand to lose their grip over the flow of alcohol in our country. Take away the wholesalers and CoWineCo would actually be able to buy from the source, thus lowering prices for the customers. Dear God....what anarchy. 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; If only my time machine were working, I'd give Craig a ride into the future and show him that actually, the vast majority of the country is pretty damn good at deciding when to say when.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; CLICK HERE for the full article.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Top 5 Things We Don't Want To Hear at Our Bar]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content35476.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
&amp;nbsp;
5.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Are you pouring anything good today?
4.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Can I retaste #3 forty-five times?
3.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;How about a little top off
2.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; When do the hot ladies show up? (or, Do you have a cute girl discount?)
1.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Serioushly, em fine...I....*hic!*...want jus onnnnnne more glasuv wine]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[The Price of Cork]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content568.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[

&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; In the last few months, a handful of customers have expressed confusion, dismay, sometimes outright anger about our corkage policy.&amp;nbsp; What is our corkage policy?&amp;nbsp; If you don't want a glass of wine from the 6-7 selections we're pouring on any given night, you can grab any bottle off our walls, and for the price of the bottle plus $10 corkage, it's yours to open in our bar and enjoy for the night.&amp;nbsp; And every week on our Wine Cellar Wednesdays, there is no corkage fee at all.
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; The idea of a hybrid wine store and wine bar in the same space is a relatively new idea in Los Angeles and it is entirely understandable thatit can cause confusion.&amp;nbsp; So at the risk of sounding dry and boring, here's why we do it: 
A glass of wine at a bar or restaurant is drastically higher than what it costs you to buy a bottle of wine, bring it home, and pop it open in your living room. A bottle you might buy in our store for $20 has 4 full glasses of wine in it, costing you $5/glass if you brought it home. That exact same wine at a fine restaurant could be $10-$18 a glass.&amp;nbsp; With our corkage policy, you're paying $7.50/glass to have that wine in our store.&amp;nbsp; That little extra margin is what helps pay for your friendly neighborhood bartender, all those broken glasses, all the lovely plumbing issues that come with running a bar, and my stash of grape Big League Chew.&amp;nbsp; We hope that helps clear up any questions/concerns.&amp;nbsp; It's what we do to stay in business and continue to improve our selection and service.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[My Vino Has Been Taken Hostage]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content520.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 

&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Your hosts/hostesses are great cooks who appreciate unique wines so you bring something wonderful. But when you present the wine, they thank you and put it away in their wine collection, never to be seen or tasted by you again. What do you do, if anything? ]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[The Eagle Has Crash Landed]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content503.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[

&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; We recently had the sommelier from a very fancy Los Angeles restaurant come in and tell us about a customer who was loudly proclaiming the subtle qualities of his bottle of Screaming Eagle ($1200/btl). But all the qualities he was describing for his date and the rest of the restaurant to hear were odd. So the sommelier asked to check the bottle and he realized it was corked beyond belief.....it was like smelling spoiled garbage. They drank down the whole thing happily. Do you tell them that they're not tasting what they're supposed to? Does it really matter if they like it? Is it the sommelier's responsibility to replace the bottle and risk embarrassing the customer?]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Hmmm... Just How Good a Friend Are You?]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content491.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; You're having&amp;nbsp;friends over for dinner, you're really into wine and they're not... do you go for the nice stuff on your wine rack or do you 'dumb it down' and grab some of the simpler stuff? You wouldn't believe how much this comes up in our store. The debate is essentially, do you believe that good wine can only be appreciated by someone who has been tasting wine for awhile, or can it be properly enjoyed by all? 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Post your comments here.&amp;nbsp; After the homepage poll results are all in after&amp;nbsp;a couple of weeks, we'll weigh in as well.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 4, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Remembering Our Meritage]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content476.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[

&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 

&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; A friend of ours lost money on this bet recently so we thought we'd clear up a common misunderstanding so none of you wander into your local sports bar and interrupt the football game to bet someone about the pronunciation of 'Meritage.' A 'Meritage' wine is not French and does not rhyme with 'triage', it rhymes with 'heritage' and is a marketing term dreamt up in 1988 by a group of American vintners.&amp;nbsp; This proprietary name was chosen from 6000 entries and is a combination of the words 'merit' and 'heritage', used to identify wines made from the noble Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc most commonly, but can include Petit Verdot and Malbec or for white Meritage, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert.&amp;nbsp; The Meritage Society believes strongly in these blends having the same status as noble single varietals and wish to separate them out from the more basic 'table wines' of the wine world. Isn't it odd that 'table wine' has a pejorative connotation? Do we put our fancy pure varietals on something besides a table? I think we should put a moratorium on new marketing names for wines. It's confusing enough already.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[June 11, 2007]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Johnny 5 Is Unfortunately Alive]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content450.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; I was recently leafing through a book on bars and bar culture (because the book had lots of pictures), and i came across Robobar (pictured above).&amp;nbsp; Now I love robots as much as the next guy.&amp;nbsp; It's&amp;nbsp;a guilty, geeky pleasure to see the latest MIT creation on youtube or see some extremely, extremely creepy attempt by the Japanese to make a robot look and act like a socially-stunted airline attendant without full use of her joints.&amp;nbsp; But robot geeks of the world, there are two things you should not try to recreate: 1. schoolteachers and 2. bartenders.&amp;nbsp; Just give it up.&amp;nbsp; Bartenders are the cornerstones of society.&amp;nbsp; They see the best and worst of humanity on a weekly basis....celebration, mourning, found love, lost love, friendships beginning, friendships ending, lottery wins and jobs lost.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; So i ask you, what is Mr. Robobar going to say to a guy who smashes through the front door with a ten-mile grin spread across his face because his first child was just born?&amp;nbsp; I'll tell you what he's going to say, &quot;what's your poison?&quot; or some schlocky programmed phrase that's going to come out sounding like HAL from 2001 in bad community theater.&amp;nbsp; And when the guy asks for a Rye Manhattan, he's gonna get a lukewarm Zima.&amp;nbsp; That's how all these things inevitably end.&amp;nbsp; I'd personally take that creep from the Disarrono commercials over Robobar any day of the week.&amp;nbsp; And that is saying something.
&amp;nbsp;]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 12, 2007]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[The Great Corkage Schmorkage List]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content415.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[When restaurants offer no, low, or discounted corkage for wine you bring into their restaurants, it's a big deal. The margin on food aint pretty so alcohol usually makes up the difference for them. We thought of publishing a list of restaurants that offer some sort of corkage deal on our site but then realized, the list would be a LOT more comprehensive if we asked for your input first. So, here's our short list of restaurants to start you off, but please comment with your ownpicks!
&amp;nbsp;

***NEW! - we've added an interactive corkage map on google - CLICK HERE ***



&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
COLUMBO'S RESTAURANT
No corkage for wines purchased at CoWineCo!1833 Colorado Blvd.Eagle Rock, CA 90041(323) 254-9138 
&amp;nbsp;


MIA SUSHI
No corkage Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for wines purchased at CoWineCo!4741 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
(323) 256-2562
&amp;nbsp;


CAMILO'S CALIFORNIA BISTRO
Low corkage! $5/ bottle
2128 Colorado Blvd.
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
(323) 478-2644
&amp;nbsp;


BISTRO K
No corkage!
1000 Fremont Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 799-5052
&amp;nbsp;


CAFE BIZOU
Low corkage! $2/bottle
91 N. Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA 
(626) 792-9923
&amp;nbsp;

BLUE HEN
No corkage!
1743 Colorado Blvd.
(323) 982-9900
&amp;nbsp;

PINOT BISTRO
No corkage!
12969 Ventura Blvd.Studio City, CA 91604 
(818) 990-0500]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[May 17, 2007]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Customer Wine Reviews]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content401.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Our first guest review is by Sherrie of The Legion of the Purple Teeth&amp;nbsp;.&amp;nbsp; Sherrie just has a way of cutting to the chase&amp;nbsp;which we admire here at CoWineCo.&amp;nbsp; Have a good review&amp;nbsp;of your own?&amp;nbsp; Post away.&amp;nbsp; And maybe, just maybe, you might get a shiny prize in the shape of a post in our newsletter.&amp;nbsp; Ooooooh, exciting.&amp;nbsp; No seriously, post your own reviews.&amp;nbsp; We want something to read for a change.
&amp;nbsp;
REVIEW:&amp;nbsp; Gelsomina Lambrusco Montovano, Italy - $11.99&amp;nbsp; (more in stock next week!)
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &quot;This is not a wussy wine for your wussy wuss friends who love pinot grigio (and also pan flutes). It is a sparkling red, with an appealing rich dark brick color, and a zingy perky acidity. That tartness would go so well with a nice tray of charcuterie. You know, some hunks of Italian salame. Or slices of sopressata. Ooh, is that grana padano? I'll just make myself a little plate if you don't mind… oh my, I drifted off there to a wine tasting in my imagination. 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Don't feel pressured to finish it off in one sitting because it's fizzy and you're living hard and you have no place to go tomorrow morning. Get yourself one of these Metrokane bottle sealers for bubblies (mine came with my Rabbit opener), and pop it back in the fridge. On day 2, I had it with some Quercia speck I picked up from Whole Foods and it held up just fine. No crackers, no cheese, just a few slices of buttery rich smoked pork and some tart Lambrusco. I'll gladly get another bottle of this special treat, and have it with hearty grilled chicken sausages. Meat + wine = heaven. Sorry, my vegetarian amigos. This post was more about meats and meat enjoyment than what it should have been about. I promise to write about brussell sprouts…someday.
Other Random Information:70% Lambrusco, 30% Ancellotta, produced &amp;amp; bottled by Negri's Wine, San Giorgio, Italy.&quot;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Get thee to her blog!&amp;nbsp; ]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[June 28, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[In the Beginning...]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content355.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Well, I just smashed a bottle of Champagne against the bow of my monitor here to celebrate the first post on our new wine blog - Wine For Everyone.&amp;nbsp; &quot;Wine For Everyone&quot; does sound a bit like &quot;Hands Across America&quot; or &quot;I'd like to buy the world a Coke&quot;, but it is pretty much the tagline to our store.&amp;nbsp; The idea was to create an environment that didn't cater to wine snobs, collectors, 30-somethings, 10-somethings or anyone in particular.&amp;nbsp; We wanted a place where everyone felt comfortable talking about, learning about, or drinking wine.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Two years later, we're getting this blog up and running to finally get some feedback from you about where you are in the world of wine.&amp;nbsp; Is it new and terrifying?&amp;nbsp; Has it been your lifelong passion?&amp;nbsp; Do you only drink wine to get to the corks and make little action figures out of them?&amp;nbsp; It's all fine.&amp;nbsp; Because for all of the layers of B.S. heaped on top of the subject of wine, it is still fermented grape juice.&amp;nbsp; Tasty, complex, mystifying grape juice, yes.&amp;nbsp; But fermented grape juice, all the same.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[June 28, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[The Pour]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content351.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; I've mentioned this in our newsletters before, but hands down, the best wine blog I have found on the interwebs is Eric Asimov's &quot;The Pour&quot; on the NYtimes website.&amp;nbsp; CLICK HERE to go there now.
&amp;nbsp;

&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Eric just has a way of writing about wine so that you learn a great deal&amp;nbsp;every post, but aren't made to feel stupid in the process.&amp;nbsp; My least favorite wine blogs are the ones that suggest that you live in a hole in the ground if you haven't already heard&amp;nbsp;of the Blah Blah Estate Reserve Whammo Cabernet from Doctor whatshisname.&amp;nbsp; What?&amp;nbsp; Oh my god!&amp;nbsp; I haven't spend $80 on the new cult wine!!!&amp;nbsp; I&amp;nbsp;must be one big ass!
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Alright, rant done.&amp;nbsp; Have suggestions for other wine blogs?&amp;nbsp; Let us&amp;nbsp;know.&amp;nbsp; ]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[June 28, 2008]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[A Test Post For Blog #1]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.cowineco.com/content29.html]]>
</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetaur adipisicing elit, sed doeiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim adminim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi utaliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor inreprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nullapariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt inculpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum Et harumd undlookum like Greek to me, dereud facilis est er expedit distinct.]]>
</description>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[January 23, 2007]]>
</pubDate>
</item>

</channel>



</rss>
