NEW HOT SPOTS ON THE WEST SIDE
For years I've been going to jazz clubs in L.A. and loving the music, but hating the food and wine. Now The Vic has opened near the corner of Main Street and Ocean Park in Santa Monica, on the second floor of that old Victorian house next to the museum. And there is plenty of free parking-unheard of in Los Angeles! I went to hear Billy Child's sextet, especially since Carol Robbins, an old family friend, was playing jazz harp with them. Not only was the music terrific, but I had a delicious steak, and SURPRISE they had a good wine list, including some of my very favorite California wines, many available by the glass. For example, the David Bruce 2000 Pinot Noir at $12.00 (I still have a few bottles in my cellar, and it's aging well); Ravenswood 2001 Cabernet sauvignon at $8.00 (excellent with my steak, with a pronounced coffee-like flavor mixed with the flavor of dark red berries); the Ravenswood zin at $8.00 per glass, and the Joseph Phelps insignia 2000 at $125 per bottle (I can't buy it for less than that wholesale). So, as my dad used to say when he was invited out to dinner, "the price is right." And the selection, of which I've named only a few, is excellent. The night I was there the audience included some of the leading names in West Coast Jazz, as well as a number of composers and arrangers. The Vic is operated as a private club, and you have to introduce yourself to the owner (by telephone or email) and get a password to get in, but I'm sure any reader of this fine newspaper will qualify. Call 888-FOR-JAZZ (367-5299) OR JAZZ@THEVICFORJAZZ.COM. Another new spot is Moe's wine store on San Vicente. The store has already been reviewed in this newspaper, but I want to add a few comments about it and about wine stores in general. From my perspective there are three kinds of wine stores: One is the very exclusive type of store that carries only the top tier of wines, usually well known and usually very expensive. Yes they have a few "specials" and a few wines not well known, known in the industry as "token reds." Typically these stores have some well known person on the floor that is well connected in the entertainment industry, and helps select wines for the big buyers in the community. I have a client that buys me presents at one of these stores each year, and because he's not very knowledgeable about wine, what is foisted off on him is invariably a well known label but from a poor vintage, at a very high price. But I enjoy the wine and I appreciate the thought behind the gift. The second type of wine store is the warehouse variety. These stores try to carry some of everything. Sometimes its fun to visit them, as one would a museum, just to look around and see all the different types of wines from all over the world. If you know what you are looking for, this is the kind of wines store for you. Some good pricing can be found, and sometimes you find something new and exciting. Because of the size of the typical warehouse store, service is usually lacking, and the staff seems to always be busy. Getting someone on the telephone if you don't have a friend working there can be very difficult. But, like almost all wine stores, there are always people working there that are familiar with wines of the category that they work with; a French specialist, an Italian buyer, and most of the staff are familiar with California wines. Wine tastings in these stores, from my experience, are not well conducted, and typically are designed to help dump wines that aren't selling well. A warehouse can be a good place to rush in and buy a bottle, but it's not all that much fun. The third type of wine store is what makes buying wine fun. It's what I call a "neighborhood" wine store. It's a place to meet with friends on Saturday afternoon for a few sips of different wines, some cheese, and maybe a bite of a new sausage or pâté. Typically there's a short monthly newsletter advising about the tastings, and new offerings. The owner is there to talk about the offerings and the new inventory. And the inventory is not primarily expensive, well known commercial wines, but primarily low production wines priced so that you can drink them every night with dinner, but still taste something wonderful in the glass. And where I buy my everyday wines is where I want to buy my special, more expensive wines. At the moment Moe has the same wines that all the fine wine stores have, although some of his prices are better than elsewhere. But I hope he develops the store into a real neighborhood wine shop-something like the bar in the TV show "cheers." This is his intention, and he certainly has everything necessary to accomplish it. I'll stop in from time to time and let you know. Moe's Fine Wines is at 11740 San Vicente Blvd. #114, Brentwood; Tel 826-4444. mlh, Aug. 20, 2004 ADDITIONAL ARTICLES |
A TOUCH OF FRANCE IN HAWAII