La Playa Merlot, little liquor store at 14th/Churth, $7.99.
Yes, Merlot is the white zin of the mid-to-late 90s. It’s not great, it’s not bad, it’s easy to grow and easy to make totally decent wine out of. On the other hand, it often doesn’t add anything to food, nor does food do anything particularly to a glass of Merlot. It’s the Vin Ordinaire of California’s post-cabernet boom. Lambasted by wine aficionados and Sideways and everything under the sun, it’s really not that bad. Usually.

La Playa 2004. It’s around. I think I’ve maybe seen it in Trader Joe’s. I think I’ve even bought it before, but couldn’t remember it, which means it was one of those “Shit, we’re out of wine, let’s get something cheap, but not too cheap” wines.

That’s the kind of wine I like.

This time, I found it at this little corner store by the Church and Market Safeway in San Francisco. It was marked $6.99, but I think the corner store guy charged me $7.99 for it after razoring off the price tag. Whatever– it’s only a dollar, and I had Ms. Yoyo with me, and we were full of pretty good food and giggling. Full disclosure: I’d also just gotten off a 11 hour flight from London to see The Pyper for his 40th. I was in a good mood and it might have been my mistake.

The price isn’t important, though. Although, a $6.99 wine is way cheaper than a $7.99 wine, but sometimes a buck is just a dollar. Not worth arguing about. And the wine was worth the extra buck.

Just so you know.