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Booze on a Budget: CPK classes up its wine, St. Regis’ big wine auction
November 13th, 2009, 6:31 am · 8 Comments · posted by PAUL HODGINS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Here’s a collection of interesting events and bargains in the world of Booze on a Budget:
-One of the world’s great wine collections is up for auction, right here in O.C.
- California Pizza Kicthen classes up its wine menu
- This week’s hot Happy Hour recommendation
Read on for details.
Sold to the man from Hong Kong! This is a little rich for my blood, but it is interesting. Bottles from one of the finest wine collections in the country will be auctioned off next Saturday, Nov. 21 at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort in Dana Point.
According to Spectrum Wine Auctions, the company overseeing the event, it’s an outstanding line-up: 5500 bottles in 686 lots, 3900 bottles from renowned collector Aubrey McClendon. He’s the CEO of Chesapeake Energy, one of the nation’s largest energy companies. (McClendon reportedly made $112 million in 2008, meaning he was the highest paid CEO among all S&P 500 companies.)
Spectrum says wine auctions are doing very well this year despite the economy. Hong Kong, where the wine auction will be simulcast, is now possibly the second biggest wine auction market in the world, bigger than London.
Interested? The auctioneer’s gavel is slated to drop beginning 5 p.m. (That’s 9 a.m. Hong Kong time, in case you’re curious.)
Who says good wine doesn’t go with pizza? California Pizza Kitchen is classing up its wine list, offering some impressive labels for under $10 a glass: Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay, Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, La Crema Pinot Noir and Stags’ Leap Merlot.
Each week, two featured wines will be chosen and offered as tastings to diners (you have to be 21 or over, of course).
Good deals, good company. This week’s happy hour bargain tip: Brix wine bar. All wines by the glass are 50 percent off during H.H., which runs from 3-7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. The list includes some pretty high-end grape juice: Far Niente Chardonnay at $7.50, Rubicon Cask at $8, 14 Hands at $4.25. Brix is located at 16635 Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach. 562-592-3167.
We’ve hung out at Brix a few times, and it’s got a great vibe. The crowd tends to be middle-aged, laid back and friendly. Not a single callow, aggressively prowling 20-something to be seen.
Other Booze on a Budget stories:
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“Who says good wine doesn’t go with pizza? ”
I would say the majority of most Americans…..if a poll was ever taken..even cookie cutter chains like BJ still serve good beer with theirs.
Yeah, I agree porkchop… but I like that my wife would rather drink wine. There is just something about the girls in college I dated that slung back beers. She can have wine with whatever meal she wants, they still have beer there if that’s your preference.
Get with the times, porkchopbun. Wine fans are even pairing it with Mexican food now. Wine works better with some kinds of pizza than others, I’m sure. But I’ll try a nice peppery Zin with my BBQ chicken pizza, thank you very much.
“Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay, Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, La Crema Pinot Noir and Stags’ Leap Merlot”
These may be “impressive” labels but they are not impressive wines, especially with pizza and pasta. Imagine if, I don’t know, maybe they had Italian wines (besides an overly sweet pinot grigio) with Italian inspired food. Barbera, Dolcetto, Vermentino, maybe even Rosso di Montalcino would be good matchs. But overoaked Chardonnay? Yuck.
Of course I understand their business concerns. Easier to sell what people know than try and educate your customers especially given the usual “talent” level of your typical CPK staffperson.
Nice! I think we pay like $14 a glass at Maggianos for Santa Margherita… that’s a sweet deal!
I agree, Sidney. Why not throw a few Super Tuscans on the menu, or a couple of wines from the Sud-Tyrol or Umbria, two of my fave regions? Many Italian wines appeal to a wide variety of tastes and aren’t necessarily expensive. Perhaps, as you point out, CPK simply has to cater to the largest possible demographic right now. Let’s hope the new wine menu works and they’ll be encouraged to get a little more adventurous.
I dunno…. italian wines just don’t seem very “California.” Doesn’t seem like it would go down well at “California” Pizza Kitchen.
love the new wine offerings at cpk!