Bring "The Table" to your dinner table.

Last night at Ella, my friends and I had a major dilemma: to pay or not to pay a corkage fee?

Totally standard and expected, a corkage fee is more like an 'apology' fee for bringing in your own wine to a respectable establishment. There are ways to get out of this apology. The tactic: buy one of their bottles and they will forgive you! So naturally, the next question: "what is the least expensive, good wine on their list?"

At Ella, they make it easy for you; a page in the back of the wine list with bottles under $50. PERFECT! Our intuitive server pointed out this sneaky page and recommended we go with "The Table" Cabernet, produced by Once Wines, and then proceeded to give us a little background on this winemaking endeavor.

Some sommeliers got together, had a blending contest, and created a magnificent red wine from Napa Valley fruit, but aimed at a style that melds with the flavors and delicate nuances of food.

This wine is only available in restaurants, and the exclusivity is impressive (Daniel, Thomas Keller), with Ella making the cut.

This Cabernet based wine was exactly what we were looking for. Earth-driven, a little dusty, firm tannins and amazing structure. The fruit factor was a little lacking, but with our NY steak, it couldn't have paired better.

If you find yourself perplexed with bottle choices, your spoiled palate craving something regal, and your wallet a little light, definitely try "The Table" Cabernet. These sommeliers know whats up.

A delicious surprise-Carignan

Every once and awhile, you come across a wine you know NOTHING about. You look at the label in a total dumbfounded stupor. What in the world is Carignan? Its hardly ever found in restaurants, and similarly buried in wine shops. So why is this winemaker taking the time to produce such an under-the-radar wine? I think its a combination of

1. A Challenge 2. An urge for Creativity 3. Faith in the unknown. If you can find these traits in a winemaker, you're bound to find a hidden gem.

Today I met Alex MacGregor, the winemaker of Saracina & Atrea wines. He poured a lineup of 3 of his current releases: A sauvignon blanc, zinfandel, and petit sirah. All three were outstanding but nothing too edgy, with the zin being the most balanced and best of show on this particular day. But THEN, he brought out a bottle of his secret stash; a side project not affiliated with the winery called "TRINAFOUR" (with a sweet plaid label). This wine is comprised of 100% organically grown Carignan [CARE-IN-YAWN] a native Spanish grape.

This wine was such a great surprise. Having little knowledge about it, I didn't know what to expect. This wine is considered a 'blending grape', used in conjunction with more noble grapes to support a blend. What you get in a well made 100% carignan like this one is a medium bodied wine with ripe red fruit, lavender and thyme notes integrated with a juicy raspberry and Bing cherry core. Kaitlin and I looked at each other with an "OH! This is fabulous!"..."We could totally drink this with dinner!" It was surprisingly unique and quite delicious all alone without cabernet or syrah to sweep in and steal its thunder.

I love this project and the experimentation by the winemaker. It is so refreshing to try something totally new for a change...

Cheers to delicious surprises and our new friend, Carignan.