Admittedly, its been years since I’ve gone into a Cost Plus store. Probably due to the fact that I am no longer in need of a garish area rug or a dining room table of exotic origin that I have to put together myself in just 71 easy steps.
But upon walking into my (semi) local CP location, I was immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia for my younger days; the magical early 90′s when my whole world fit into a one bedroom apartment (now replaced with what I affectionately call, the garage).
Cost Plus was a cornucopia where I could buy a set of blue drinking glasses, a fondue set, patio furniture and a jar of hot sauce, truly the Amazon.com of its day. But what you could also buy there was wine. Interesting wines too (though back then any wine was interesting to me). It was a time here in LA that I had not yet graduated to the wonders (or even knowledge) of Trader Joe’s.
Now that I know a bit more about wine, I was once again impressed with their eclectic but informed choices. They might not have as many brands as the Joe, but they really do cover the right varietals for the right regions at every turn.
In fact, when I went into the store to seed my Grape Madness bracket, I spent all my time in one section, domestic, before I realized the reach of their international offerings. Many wines jumped in and out of my cart on the way to the Elite Eight.
Edge Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa – Very Cool Bottle. Don’t let anyone tell you design is not a buyers friend.
Aaku Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia – Had to find two bottles under $5.00. This was one of them.
Norton Malbec, Argentina – Argentinian Malbec, $8.00? Done.
337 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi – When I was brainstorming names for Six Degrees, 337 was on my short list. Both wines use the same grape clone (337).
The Show, Napa - Also a cool bottle design. And I’ve heard good things about the guys who make the stuff.
Talia Rosso, Italy – Looking for an Italian wine in this price range.
Pinot Evil, France – Cheesy name and I don’t normally do cheesy but I’m a sucker for French Pinot, wherever it may grow.
Baron De Magana, Spain – I needed another top seed wine and had nothing from Spain in the cart, a region I grow more fond of with each wine I try. Thank you end cap displayer/corporate product placement executive…
So there you have it basketball & wine fans, the Cost Plus bracket for Grape Madness. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on these selections and of course I’d LOVE to hear some predictions of what you think will happen when these wines go head to head.
(insert Dick Vitale voice here): “It’s Grape Madness, baby!”
hey there, i’m a wine buyer for Cost Plus…thanks for the shout out on our selection.
Nice work! I just posed my Selection Show as well. Looking forward to getting the action started!
Fully deserved, KC. Thanks for checking in. How did you hear about our event?
@KC Hope you are planning to represent Cost Plus by submitting a bracket for Grape Madness and picking one of your bottles as your champion! I know we have some Trader Joe’s wine buyers carefully studying the match-ups as we speak!
just posted some comments about your costplus picks. you’ll be happy to know that i picked one of your selections – the show – to go all the way.
[...] starting the bracket reviews I wanted to kick it off with Daddy Winebucks as he started the smack talk but RJ’s Wine Blog beat me to it. So I’ll start by taking a [...]
Oh, talk all you want TJs and Whole Foods and Cost Plus… This is the dance of the Seven Zins…
It’s not just Bev Mo… but Marc’s Parker-like palate. Or maybe I should take that back… Allow me the palate of Clive Coates… or Hugh Johnson… or maybe, maybe Michael Broadbent!
The grapes are on the crush pad, baby… And there is gonna be some stomping!
nice to see someone has the guts to admit he’s bought some wines based on the packaging. the show is one of the best packaging I’ve seen. and, to stand by my assertion, I’ve picked the show to take the title in grape madness. a bit hopeful, perhaps, but it’s got a shot, particularly if there’s a taste for california cabs in the final round of tasting.
also, such an astute observation about cost plus being a store of youthful buying. i remember going to cost plus and buying exactly everything you mention – blue drinking glasses, a fondue set, patio furniture and a jar of hot sauce. much to my wife’s chagrin, we still use the mexican clear glasses with the blue tops, but their days are numbered, to be sure.
nice job…can’t wait to taste your final entry and to see if i’m right about the show…
I had those exact glasses, RJ, but lost them in a breakup (obviously I had a fool for a client)…glad to see you kept the hardware and the relationship intact!
[...] time running short before tipoff I still have one round of Bracketology outstanding for Daddy Winebucks and Cost Plus (or perhaps World Market in your [...]