Not quite sure where to post this, but I guess at the end of the day my question is where are the LA wine drinkers hiding?
I live in LA, but just travelled to NY for a week or so and was struck by how prevalent the wine culture in NY is compared to my experience in LA. For starters, the wine list at Lei was incredibly deep, interesting, and fairly priced. I’m not aware of any lists in LA that check all three boxes. Beyond this, there were so many events around the city and it seems like there are a plethora of tasting groups that are pretty easy to locate. I’m hoping that somebody can change my mind here, are there any awesome wine lists/tasting groups/events/etc. in LA that I’ve just been missing? If there are any burgundy/champagne-focused tasting groups active that any berserkers are a part of, I’d love to chat about joining! This trip really just has me wishing i had more opportunity to share fun bottles with folks who enjoy them in the city I live in. I know that NY has the most mature wine market of any city in the US, naturally, but there has to be something I’m missing around here, right?
When I lived there I found all sorts of wine events on the west side. There are tasting events every weekend at the K&Ls (there was only one when I lived there) and there are events fairly often at a lot of other west side stores. there isn’t the density of wine stores that there is in manhattan so they’re obviously further apart. There are plenty of burg drinkers in LA, obviously.
Too many California wine lovers and distances here are much bigger.
So I’m with a group where I store my wine, because it’s close, not because we have similar tastes.
Are there that many more in NYC like LEI? Based on a criteria of how many wines under $100 are interesting, that a stunning list. (and it has trophies too, but that’s common).
You will need to take up the mantle if you want it to happen. Anytime I visit LA, there are usually people willing to host, so I know it is out there. Anytime I ask why there seems to be fewer dinners in LA than NY, people say something similar to already mentioned in this thread - the distance.
In NY it is easier to bring together people from within NYC or nearby in the tristate area due to the size of the public transit system.
If you want to see something similar, just start posting here in the events area and coming up with themed dinners. Overtime enough people will notice and come out and be part of it. If you’re consistent, you’ll form a group and others may begin to host as well because they see a reliable crowd forming.
I started a tasing group now going on 21 years. Some great friends and relationships have been made. This is your opportunity to create something and organize. You might be surprised at what you land.
I’ve been involved with long standing wine groups in LA for over 20 years and know of many more. Many of those who post here from LA are in wine groups that drink together regularly. At one point, I cut back from three or more dinners monthly to now just one or two. All of the groups I’ve been involved with have been pretty insular and don’t publicize normal gatherings for unknown people to join.