Is that a PalmPilot in your pocket?

Here’s the scenario: You’re strolling the wine aisles of your local supermarket, and you’re getting nervous. Sure, it could be the Luna bar you slipped into your pocket or that you’re overwhelmed by the vast selection of wines. I feel your pain, if not your pocket. A handy new piece of software for your Palm-compatible device will supply you with needed confidence in wine shops and restaurants. The software, called Winescore, is a huge database of almost 9,000 wines from France, California, Oregon, and Washington. Just whip out your Palm, so to speak, and you can find grape varieties, wineries, and reviews in seconds. Check it out at www.WineScore.com.

You can lead a horse to Waterbrook . . .

. . . and you’ll likely have a very drunk horse. Sorry. Those of you who like red Bordeaux blends have good reason to feel perky this week. Why? Because Waterbrook has released two of them, one at either end of the price spectrum. For the high rollers: The ’97 Waterbrook Meritage ($35, rhymes with “heritage”) is a blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, and Cab Sauvignon grapes from the best vineyards in Washington. Smooth and long-lasting, it yields up huge flavors of spice, black cherry, vanilla, and chocolate. For those on a budget: The ’99 Waterbrook MElange ($14) is a blend of the same grapes as in the Meritage, but with Merlot dominating. It’s a particularly easy-drinking but tasty wine with very interesting cola and blackberry flavors.

Dennis,

My significant other and I went to an expensive restaurant recently to celebrate our first anniversary. She’s quite the wine aficionado and ordered a very expensive wine ($120, ouch!). When the waiter brought it to the table, he opened the bottle, then poured the wine into a glass container. What was he doing?

Stella

Stella,

Trying to help you make it to your second anniversary. “Ouch” is right—$120 is a lot to pay for a wine that would likely cost half that in a retail store. Still, the waiter’s heart was in the right place. What he’s doing is acknowledging that your significant other just bought a very expensive wine, and he’s helping you get the most out of it by decanting it—that is, aerating it by pouring it into a decanter. Considering that the neck of a wine bottle has a circumference about the size of a nickel, just opening a bottle and letting it sit doesn’t accomplish much. Decanting the wine stirs it up, letting offending gases blow off, and releasing a multitude of flavors and aromas.

Dennis

E-mail: wine@seattleweekly.com