Booze News: Next Vintage Wine Shop's 50 For 50 Events

I'm not advocating that we all reach for the bottle during these stressful times (if a recent study is to be believed, even one small glass of wine a day can increase a woman's cancer risk), but for those of us who like an occasional top-quality tipple but who balk at the high prices, there's good news.

There are a ton of local wine deals and--to repeat that overused word--"experiences" in Orange County right now, and we'll be blogging about as many as we can manage. First, we kick off at the high end.

At the Next Vintage Wine Shop, within the classy Charlie Palmer restaurant at South Coast Plaza, there's a new monthly happening on a Saturday afternoon (3:00pm-5:30pm), during which guests can buy 50 of the store's top wines at 50 per cent off their usual price. There will be samplings--plus snacks to soak them up--and sommeliers will be on hand to offer advice.

The radical name for the shindig is "50 for 50" (at least it's easy to remember!).

There are some pretty good deals on the preview list we saw: a Napa Valley Duckhorn Merlot for just $26, a decent non-vintage Diebolt-Vallois Champagne for $20, and, from Spain, a JC Vizcarra Tempranillo for a bargain $11.

The dates for your diaries are: April 25, May 23, June 13 and July 25.