HAS IT BEEN A MONTH? >>>

I dropped by Cork! A Wine Bar on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue last night. Weaving past the tables of female 20- and 30-somethings to the bar, I learned that owner Nick would add a bunch of new wines to his menu today. He also would add suggested wine pairings on his food menu for each dish.

Every month Nick shakes up his wine menu - replacing eight or so wines – resulting in a new full wine menu approximately every three months. He decides which wines to add based on the reaction from his Thursday night wine tasting crowd. It's a science.

Let's look at the new wines:

• Rose Regale, Sparkling Rose, Italy, $8
• Chateau Calabre, Sauv Blanc and Semillion Blend '80, France, $7/$24
• Chateauneuf Du-Pape 2007: Grenace/Syrah (80/20), France, $50
• Opolo Vineyards 2008: Zinfandel, Paso Robles, Calif., $34
• Peirano Cab '08, Lodi, Calif., $7/$25
• 181 Merlot '08, Calif., $8/$28
• JLC "La Violette Syrah '08, France, $8/$28
• Rapido Red '09, Sangiovese, Italy, $6/$24
• Domaine de L'Heres '04, Cab/Sauv/Merlot/Cab Franc blend, France, $7/$24
• Titan Hills Vineyard '08, Zin/Syrah, Barbera blend, Paso Robles, Calif., $8/$28
  

Drop by tonight from 5-8 p.m. for the weekly Thursday night wine tasting.

Cork! A Wine Bar

3012 6th Ave., Tacoma,
253.212.1492