We thought we’d get Corkage Week off the a good start by tipping you off to a few spots in LA that offer free corkage, at least for the time being. We realize that the BYO option is not legal in all parts of the country (Virginia is off-limits, for instance). But in Los Angeles, it’s at least semi-legal — restaurants without licenses technically shouldn’t be letting you bring your own alcohol in, but many (most) do allow this, and do not charge a fee for doing so. Restaurants with licenses generally allow you to bring your own wine in, but normally charge a fee ($10 on up) for you to do so. We’ll profile costs at LA-area restaurants later this week.

Our plan was to go to LAmill, a coffee roaster/shop in Silverlake that has a dinner menu care of Providence. But when we arrived, a sign greeted us saying that they’d applied for a license with the ABC, and that no outside liquor would be allowed in during their probationary period. We decided to leave, since a glass of wine was definitely in order on Friday. Scratch LAmill off your list of free corkage restaurants in LA. Read more…

Then we have just the opportunity for you. We wrote a while back about Campanile’s Friday Night Flights program being a great alternative to wine bars.

We were particularly excited upon reading the email blast we received earlier today with their line-up for this coming Friday (August 8th)…then we remembered that we have other plans that won’t allow us to attend.

Damn shame, since one of the flights (CHEESE!) comes with a pour of Sine Qua Non’s Mr. K The Nobleman dessert wine. Check out the line-up, and let us know if you have a chance to attend. $38 for three wines (generous 2 to 3 ounce pours) and 3 small plates is a great deal — especially when you consider that Mr. K retails for $100 and up per half bottle:

Flight 1: “Fruits of The Sea”

Scallop Ceviche with Mango and Lemon
2006 Viognier “Alban Vineyard,” Failla, Edna Valley

Big Eye Tuna with Ginger and Lime
2007 Chenin Blanc “Saini Farms,” Leo Steen, Dry Creek Valley

Yellowtail with Radish and Chervil
2006 Kerner “Stiftskellerei Neustift,” Abbazia di Novacella, Alto Aldige

Flight 2: “Tuscan Reds”

Lamb Daub
2004 Sant’ Antimo Rosso “Romito del Romitorio”, Castello Romitorio

Polenta Cake with Wild Mushroooms
2006 Sant’ Antimo Rosso, Casanova di Neri

Artichokes, Bocconcini, Parsley Pesto
2004 Collazzi, Tenuta Collazzi

Flight 3: “Say Cheese”

Tomme de Savoie, Quince Paste
2007 Mosto D’Uva Parzialmente Fermentato Rose “Bigaro,” Elio Perrone , Piedmont

Stilton, Quenby Hall, Frizée
Cockburn’s 20 Year Tawny Porto

Camembert and Watercress
2002 Chardonnay “The Noble Man,” Mr. K

We recommend making reservations for the evening, by calling Caroline at (323) 938-1447.

Note, we are not affiliated with Campanile in any way, though we did host a fantabulous event there in June.

We went to an sparsely attended intimate reading last night at our neighborhood wine bar, Lou on Vine, featuring hot-button wine writer Alice Feiring. We read her book about a month back, and, though we don’t always agree with what she says, in the book or elsewhere, we have great respect for both the author’s prose and her point of view. We won’t get into a review of the book here, and maybe we never will (there has certainly been enough back and forth about the tome without us throwing ourselves into the dialogue). Nor will we get into a review of Lou, which continues to grow on us (can’t get enough of the Pig Candy or Hook’s Cheddar) despite our disdain for their frustratingly compact stemware (bitching about it makes us feel a bit wine-snobby, but oh well).

Suffice it to say, Feiring takes a hard line approach to the current state of the wine world, while the approach at domaine547 is admittedly soft line, with a highly inclusive attitude to wine. Yes, we like leaner Loire Valley Cab Francs made with native yeasts. We like us some slightly oxidized Chenin Blanc and Burgundian Pinot Noir. But we also like bolder California wines, such as the Curran Black Oak Syrah, which we’re fairly certain would trigger Alice’s gag reflex (though we bet Alice would be intrigued by the Curran whites). Read more…

Just wanted to point out a nice wine blog that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and paints a nice portrait of the LA Wine scene. Amy Christine is a winemaker, Sommelier, and distributor of fine imported wine. But her blog isn’t an insider rant about those things. It’s about what she’s been drinking lately, and it’s tons of fun. Check it out!