Wine Shop

Amazon.com on Thursday launched a dedicated wine marketplace on its website. The online wine shop is currently in beta, with thousands of labels searchable by type (red, white, etc.), grape varietal, winery, tasting notes (blackberry, vanilla, oak ... ), professional rating, vintage, ABV (alcohol by volume) or price. So far, customers in California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington , Wyoming and the District of Columbia (with more states to be added)

I had always intended to get to one of the private, invitation-only supper club events held after closing hours at Rosso Wine Shop in Glendale. When I saw the notice that Raj Parr , the ebullient wine director for Michael Mina Restaurant Group, would be there pouring his Sandhi wines at a supper last night, I reserved a spot. When we walked into the shop just before 7 p.m., owner Jeff Zimmitti told us to grab a glass and poured us a white Burgundy, the 2010 Maison L'Orée Bourgogne Blanc, of which Parr made just eight barrels.

About midday on Tuesday, Mike Carpenter, an owner of the Culver City wine shop " the Redd Collection ," got a call from a gentleman with a slight Italian accent. It sounded like it was coming from overseas. The caller asked if the shop had any 2008 Papale Primitivo di Manduria from the producer Varvaglione. Carpenter said, "'Sure, we've got it.' He asked how much we had. And I told him we have access to quite a bit, but probably only two or three cases on the floor. " Then he asked if the shop could supply him with 115 bottles.

About midday on Tuesday, Mike Carpenter, an owner of the Culver City wine shop " the Redd Collection ," got a call from a gentleman with a slight Italian accent. It sounded like it was coming from overseas. The caller asked if the shop had any 2008 Papale Primitivo di Manduria from the producer Varvaglione. Carpenter said, "'Sure, we've got it.' He asked how much we had. And I told him we have access to quite a bit, but probably only two or three cases on the floor. " Then he asked if the shop could supply him with 115 bottles.

At a trade tasting at the Wine House on Saturday for Dalla Terra , an importer of Italian wines, there was less emphasis on high-end Barolo or Barbaresco (though I did taste a stunning 2008 Marchesi di Gresy Barbaresco "Martinenga") and more on some really delicious wines that represent good value. I loved two wines from Masseria Li Veli estate in Puglia, a lively Salice Salentino at $18.99 retail and an Askos Susumaniello made from an ancient Apulian grape at $19.99, both reds.

L.A. girl Khristianne Uy was announced the winner of the first season of ABC's "The Taste" on Tuesday night's finale. Uy, who is also Charlie Sheen's personal chef, stood out the entire competition and definitely deserved the win. Here's a look at last night's finale. Jose Andres acted as guest judge, then mentor. Each of the four finalists, Khristianne Uy, Sarah Schiear, Diane "Cruella" DiMeo and Gregg Drusinsky prepared three spoons of tapas using mozzerella, Iberico ham and spot prawns.

Piedmontese winemakers aren't drinking Barolo and Barbaresco every day; they're drinking Barbera. And this Barbera d'Alba from the Barolo house Oddero (founded in 1878) is a beauty. It's everything it should be: ruby red, lush and velvety, with soft tannins and the bright taste of cherries and dark berries. Drink it with salumi , with grilled sausages and chops, with lusty pasta dishes. And make sure you have a spare bottle. It's hard to drink just one. Region: Piedmont Price: About $19 Style: Easygoing What it goes with: Salumi , grilled sausages, chops, pasta dishes.

A new story in the March 8 issue of the Hollywood Reporter floats the idea that News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch may be interested in buying Moraga Vineyards, the 13-acre Bel-Air estate now for sale at close to $30 million.  The key attraction for the media mogul is “the fully functioning and staffed namesake winery, developed beginning in the late 1970s by current owner Tom Jones, the former CEO of aerospace giant...

View Jessica Koslow's Paris in a larger map. In a new occasional series, chefs reveal the places they love in their favorite cities and neighborhoods. Jessica Koslow, proprietor of Sqirl jams and its namesake cafe, recently flew to Paris for 3½ days to celebrate her mother's birthday. "I completely overate!" she says. Here's her Paris address book: Bl é Sucr é , 7 rue Antoine Vollon, Paris 75012, 01 43 40 77 73 . "It's the Paris version of Proof Bakery [in Atwater Village]

Finally. "SOMM," the documentary about four contenders studying like crazy for the master sommelier exam , is slated for summer release after Samuel Goldwyn Films grabbed the North American rights. Until now, Jason Wise 's documentary has been shown at film festivals mostly. It had its world premiere at the Napa Valley Film Festival in November and was just shown at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival . I'm really curious to see it, and also to find out what the four somms featured in the film are doing now. If, like me, you'd rather not wait till summer to see the film, "SOMM" will be shown March 8 as part of the Paso Robles Wine Crawl . Get there early enough to visit tasting rooms around town.

L.A. girl Khristianne Uy was announced the winner of the first season of ABC's "The Taste" on Tuesday night's finale. Uy, who is also Charlie Sheen's personal chef, stood out the entire competition and definitely deserved the win. Here's a look at last night's finale. Jose Andres acted as guest judge, then mentor. Each of the four finalists, Khristianne Uy, Sarah Schiear, Diane "Cruella" DiMeo and Gregg Drusinsky prepared three spoons of tapas using mozzerella, Iberico ham and spot prawns.

Wine dinner alert: A trio of particularly interesting ones are coming up at Alma , Lukshon and Papilles . Over at Lukshon in Culver City on Saturday, chef-owner Sang Yoon welcomes Józef and Judit Bodó, owners of tiny Bott Winery of Tokaj, the prestigious wine region in the northeast corner of Hungary, for the first of Lukshon's Winemaker Dinner Series. It promises to be an intriguing pairing of Hungarian wines with Lukshon's contemporary southeast Asian cuisine. The cost is $95 per person, including tax and gratuity.

Caroline Styne and chef Suzanne Goin opened Lucques together in 1998. A.O.C. soon followed, and a while later, Tavern . Both partners are very hands-on, Goin in the kitchen and Styne in the front of the house. Styne also puts the wine lists together and they've grown ever more eclectic and compelling over the years. The two have just moved A.O.C. into the old Orso space in West Hollywood. “I've been in love with that building ever since I used to go there with my dad,” Styne says.

Finally. "SOMM," the documentary about four contenders studying like crazy for the master sommelier exam , is slated for summer release after Samuel Goldwyn Films grabbed the North American rights. Until now, Jason Wise 's documentary has been shown at film festivals mostly. It had its world premiere at the Napa Valley Film Festival in November and was just shown at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival . I'm really curious to see it, and also to find out what the four somms featured in the film are doing now. If, like me, you'd rather not wait till summer to see the film, "SOMM" will be shown March 8 as part of the Paso Robles Wine Crawl . Get there early enough to visit tasting rooms around town.

A new story in the March 8 issue of the Hollywood Reporter floats the idea that News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch may be interested in buying Moraga Vineyards, the 13-acre Bel-Air estate now for sale at close to $30 million.  The key attraction for the media mogul is “the fully functioning and staffed namesake winery, developed beginning in the late 1970s by current owner Tom Jones, the former CEO of aerospace giant...

At a trade tasting at the Wine House on Saturday for Dalla Terra , an importer of Italian wines, there was less emphasis on high-end Barolo or Barbaresco (though I did taste a stunning 2008 Marchesi di Gresy Barbaresco "Martinenga") and more on some really delicious wines that represent good value. I loved two wines from Masseria Li Veli estate in Puglia, a lively Salice Salentino at $18.99 retail and an Askos Susumaniello made from an ancient Apulian grape at $19.99, both reds.

It takes a big personality to overshadow Randall Grahm, so I'm glad I was sitting next to his mom at Monday's luncheon at Jar restaurant celebrating 25 years of his Le Cigare Volant wines. Ruth Grahm, who already had a reputation as a Broadway songwriter, achieved midlife fame with one of the great winery sales gimmicks of all time. When Randall was just starting his Bonny Doon winery , it somehow never occurred to him to hire a sales representative for Southern California. So for the first release, he called Ruth in a panic.

The four women at a nearby table at lunch here in Montpellier's Medieval quarter, , looked as if they had tottered in straight out of a Gallic translation of "Sex and the City": made up, dressed up and hoping for something more than salads. Any silly resemblance ended with their drinks, though, because the waitress was delivering not a tray of cosmos but a bottle of what she cheerily announced as "Le Picpoul. " Rosé might seem a more natural wine to order on a blistering Bastille Day, and not just for devotees of pink.

My husband never remembers Valentine's Day. He's just not sentimental that way. Lucky guy, because neither, as it happens, am I. But if you're with someone who does care, deeply, about celebrating Feb. 14 and, gulp, you've waited too late to get a reservation at her favorite restaurant, don't let panic send you out to buy some questionable red underthings at Trashy Lingerie. Head to the nearest wine shop, pick up a couple of Champagne flutes and a bottle of rosé Champagne. Bring said bottle over, already chilled, along with the makings of a simple but elegant supper -- you can manage a pasta dish or a steak, right?

View Jessica Koslow's Paris in a larger map. In a new occasional series, chefs reveal the places they love in their favorite cities and neighborhoods. Jessica Koslow, proprietor of Sqirl jams and its namesake cafe, recently flew to Paris for 3½ days to celebrate her mother's birthday. "I completely overate!" she says. Here's her Paris address book: Bl é Sucr é , 7 rue Antoine Vollon, Paris 75012, 01 43 40 77 73 . "It's the Paris version of Proof Bakery [in Atwater Village]