2211 The days of wine and phrases

Wine critics write the most wonderful words. Today's wine column in the WSJ was about wine bars, and I just had to share with you these phrases. They are just so--I don't know--earthy, robust and unstoppable. Most are reusable in other stories.

• explosion of wine bars
  
• passion for wine
  
• a demographic of time-starved people
  
• a sophisticated retreat from airport madness
  
• a place of fun and wonder
  
• a menu of "4 pages of wine and 2 pages of food"
  
• opened too long--if flat, listless, stale, metallic, or oxidized
  
• take a chance on something new
  
• flights of wine--4 chardonnays from around the world
  
• the bartender/wine server should be passionate
  
• be honest with your budget
  
• stunning stuff not on the list
  
• it's not geeky to take notes

I know nothing about wine--I drink "three buck chuck" (Charles Shaw, $3.30 at Trader Joe's), and I stagger after one glass of Merlot, but I love tasty words. One recommended wine was $25.99 a bottle--a sparkling Shiraz. "It was delightful with some seriously dark, herbal and earthy tastes leavened with languid bubbles. It would go well with chili, hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches and barbecue."