As of today, over 1,000 people “Like” LA Wine Co. on Facebook.  That’s pretty impressive since only a few month that number was zero.  Liking LA Wine Co. on Facebook is a great way to keep up with the latest wine deals.  If you’re like me and can’t get enough wine deals, just imagine seeing the latest 90 point Cabernet come up on your Facebook feed while you’re wasting time checking in at work.  It sure beats reading your third grade girlfriend’s progress with potty training her children…

LA Wine Co. Facebook Page

Well it doesn’t get much better than this!  LA Wine Co. already has the lowest prices in the country and Sunday from noon to 5 only, everything in stock is 10% off.  The catch?  This deal is only available in store.  If you are reading this from the LA area, do yourself a favor and get there early to pick up your favorite wines.  This is the only chance I know of all year to buy wines at these unheard of prices.

The line out the door says it all!

Nothing starts off a spring or summer evening better than a cool, crisp Sauvignon Blanc.   I think the best Sauvignon Blancs, especially for the value-focused consumer, are coming out of New Zealand’s Marlborough region.  In a way, Sauvignon Blanc is a pure expression of wine, uninfluenced by oak, with all the focus on the grape.  This makes it the perfect wine to open an evening.

Barker’s Marque’s version is particularly rich, compared to many Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, but it’s a perfect expression of the varietal.  This wine is produced from a single vineyard and it really shows.  It starts with the signature bright, citrus notes that jump out of the glass.  The rich mouthfeel and tart acid would make this wine a perfect pairing to a rich, fatty fish like salmon, Chilean seabass or trout.   That said, the wine really stands on its own and doesn’t need food to be enjoyed.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is still relatively inexpensive, with great values to be had for well under $15.  At $11.95, this is one of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve had.  It’s a perfect way to kick off the spring with some fish on the grill, or maybe just sitting outside enjoying the weather!

Barker’s Marque 3 Brooms Sauvignon Blanc 2009- $11.95

Here at Nickel and Dime Wine, we’re all about great wine values. But values can come in all shapes and sizes. A bottle of first growth Bordeaux for $250- that’s value. Likewise, a 90 point Napa Cabernet for under $20 is also a great value. So we want to know what price range your typical wine purchases fall into. The winning price range will get a special blog post of (in our humble opinion) the absolute best wine in that range.

So vote away! It’s as simple as the click of your mouse and much more enjoyable than filling out the U.S. Census.

I decided it was time to move my wine out from under the bed, in the closets, cabinets, corners and hallways and get a proper wine cellar.  I’ve had a 50 bottle wine refrigerator for a couple of years but that has pretty much been full since the day I bought it (on Criagslist).  Until now I only had my most collectible bottles (think  Beringer Private Reserve, George de Latour, Caymus) in a temperature controlled setting but I wanted to move some of my second tier but no less ageworthy wine  (Mondavi Oakville, Mas Doix Salanques, Faust Cabernet etc.) into a cooler as well for proper aging conditions.

Since I’m always looking for a deal, I set out to find the best wine cellar under $2,000 that could accommodate my growing collection.  I visited the Vinotemp factory and was impressed by their furniture style wine coolers but unfortunately those far exceeded my budget.  The metal refrigerator style coolers were more affordable but didn’t look great and only hold around 160 bottles.

So that brought me to the Wine Enthusiast BYO (Build Your Own) Deluxe Double Wine Cellar kit for $1595 with free shipping.  It holds 350 bottles, is made of mahogany and available in dark walnut stain (my choice) or mahogany stain.  BYO means the kit shows up via a freight company in nine separate boxes.  The cellar itself is six heavy boxes with the shelving and cooling unit comprising the other three.  I have to admit it was a bit of a shock to see the size and weight of this kit.

Make sure you get a friend or understanding spouse to help because this is 100% impossible to assemble on your own.  The assembly itself is relatively straightforward although the instructions were clearly written by an illiterate Chinese manual writer (what is harware?).  But you get the idea from the pictures and four hours later, after much silicone sealing and screw tightening, it was done.  The hardest part is connecting the two back panels (using bolts O not L).  Note: get a drill with a hex attachment to make this faster.  The Ikea style allen wrench included in the kit will not cut it.

Once assembled, even my wife agrees, the unit looks very nice.  The wood is high quality, the wooden shelves look great and the insulated glass doors are great for showing off your collection.  This unit easily compares to $4,000+ (already assembled) models from other manufacturers.  So far the cooling unit is relatively quiet and is regulating the temperature well.

Most bottles fit well- 12 nested Bordeaux bottles per shelf.  Some of the fatter bottles have to be strategically arranged, but when it’s all said and done, I’ve been able to get 12 bottles on every shelf.

Bottom line: if you’re willing to take half a day to build your own, you will save around half over anything else available.

Of note: a 160 bottle unit is also available for $995, again with free shipping.

Wine Enthuiast BYO Deluxe Double Wine Cellar Kit (dark walnut)- WineEnthuiast.com $1,995

Wine Enthuiast BYO Deluxe Double Wine Cellar Kit (mohagany)- WineEnthuiast.com $1,995