There's a New Wine Store In Town: domaineLA

When one of your favorite online retailers opens up a bricks-and-mortar outfit in the town where you live, it's cause for celebration.

domaine547, which has been my regular source for unusual--and affordable--bottles of wine has opened the doors of domaineLA. On chic Melrose Avenue, in one of LA's ubiquitous strip malls, is a new wine store that offers way more than the bottles of wine you see in every other urban wine emporium.

The palate behind the store's selection is Jill Bernheimer, who has been blogging, twittering, and selling wine online for a while now. I like Jill's palate, and trust her recommendations--so much so that she's really the only person I buy sparkling wine from any more, whether its affordable Cava or splurge-worthy Champagne. And I appreciate her efforts to go beyond the normal Cabernet/Chardonnay shuffle and stock wines made from grapes like Poulsard and Assyrtico.

domaineLA is a cool space, with fantastic post-modern grape lighting, a central seating area that feels like a lounge with wine books to leaf through, and a running strip of chalkboard where Jill posts messages and recommendations. There's even a computer in the corner where you can check out wine ratings ("if you must," Jill says).

I bought a case of wine while I was there. As always, I appreciated the time and the good advice that Jill gave me based on what I was looking for and what she knew I'd liked previously. This is the kind of relationship that everyone hopes they can have with a retailer--and all I can say is it really makes a difference.

So what did I buy? I indulged in a 2005 Stéphane Tissot Poulsard Arbois Sans Soufre ($26), a and a N.V. Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Cuvée St. Anne ($45). I got great deals on a 2008 Trajarinho Vinho Verde from the "Wall of Affordable Delicousness" ($9.99), the 2008 Masia del Bielsa Garnacha Campo de Borja Viñas Viejas ($10), and the Charles Syrah Volume II Talcott Vineyard ($10). And I walked on the wild side with a 2008 Mercouri Estate Kallisto ($19.99), a dry 2007 Viñedos de Ithaca Priorat Odysseus Pedro Ximénez ($20), and the 2008 Ludwig Winery Gewürztraminer Dry Single Vineyard Selection ($13.50). Anybody out there had a dry PX before? Me neither!

If you are in LA, check out this great new store. It's worth the trip to replenish your stash of exciting, drinkable wines.

domaineLA is located at 6801 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038 (323) 932-0280