ALTHOUGH A CUM LAUDE GRADUATE OF BROWN UNIVERSITY WITH HONORS IN ENGLISH, I HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED THE WORD “AUTOCHTHONOUS” UNTIL I READ LOU AMDUR’S DESCRIPTION OF THE FRAPPATO HE PAIRED WITH MABEL’S BOUILLABAISSE THIS WEEK. LOU’S VOCABULARY IS ONLY EXCEEDED BY HIS PASSION FOR WINE — ODD WINES, INTERESTING WINES — FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ALL OVER THE WORLD. YOU’RE NOT LIKELY TO RUN ACROSS LOU’S FINDS AT K&L OR THE WINE HOUSE. NOR ARE YOU LIKELY TO FIND A PROPRIETOR WHO WILL TAKES SUCH DELIGHT IN DESCRIBING THE DIFFERENCES OF SOIL, SLOPE, SEA AIR, AND VINICULTURE IN THE THREE MUSCADETS HE SOLD ME. IF YOU FREQUENTED LOU’S WINE BAR ON VINE BEFORE LOU SOLD IT TWO YEARS AGO, YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO LOU’S PASSIONATE AND ESOTERIC WINE TALK. I’VE MISSED LOU’S A LOT, NOT JUST FOR THE WINE BUT THE EXCELLENT BISTRO FARE AND THE RETRO, COZY AMBIANCE. LOU HAS EQUIPPED THE WINE SHOP WITH A KITCHEN, SO IN ADDITION TO WEEKLY TASTINGS, WE MAY SOON ENJOY A FLIGHT OF CHENIN BLANCS OR BERZOS WITH FOOD FROM A POP-UP RESTAURANT. “NATURAL AND UNUSUAL” IS WRIT LARGE ON THE WALL AS YOU ENTER. LOU SUPPORTS WINEMAKERS WHO GROW THEIR GRAPES WITHOUT PESTICIDES AND FERMENT THEM WITHOUT CHEMICALS. LAST NIGHT WE DRANK A BLANC DE BLANCS CHAMPAGNE FROM A PRODUCER WHO PLOWS HIS FIELDS WITH A HORSE-DRAWN PLOW. AT $45/BOTTLE IT BEAT TATTINGER COMTE DE CHAMPAGNE BY A COUNTRY MILE. MOST OF LOU’S WINES FALL IN THE $25 RANGE. IF YOU BUY YOUR MEAT AND FISH AT McCALL’S, AS I DO, JUST HEAD SOUTH AND TURN RIGHT INTO THE MINI-MALL AT THE CORNER OF HILLHURST AND FRANKLIN. BETTER STILL, GET ON LOU’S MAILING LIST AND ATTEND SOME TASTINGS FOR A REAL AUTOCHTHONOUS EDUCATION.
LOU WINE SHOP 1911 HILLHURST AVE (323) 305-7004 info@louwineshop.com
