Bestwinesonline goes bricks and mortar; a 60-minute wine class at Dominick’s

One of the leading discount wine websites is moving into the bricks-and-mortar world. And you’re invited.

On Saturday, Bestwinesonline is celebrating the opening of its retail shop in Santa Ana from noon to 5 p.m.

Co-owners Tristen Beamon and Kyle Meyer have a lot planned. At the “tasting alley,” customers will be able to sample more than 30 wines paired with hand-crafted sausages from Mad Mike’s, along with cheeses and charcuterie.

Proceeds of the $20 ticket ($25 at the door) go to Barbells for Boobs, a breast cancer charity dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer, with an emphasis on women and men under 40. Bestwinesonline employee Layla Ali-Ahmad, 26, has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.

Some of the wines they’ll be pouring that afternoon include Chateau Beaucastel from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, La Rioja Alta from Rioja, Loring from California, Luce delle Vite from Italy, Chateau Malescasse from Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundies from Domaine Louis Latour. And when it comes time to make a toast, the sparkler will be from Sonoma’s Iron Horse.

Best Wines Online, 1544 E. Warner Ave., Santa Ana, (888) 817-8880.

In Los Angeles, wine lovers who want to learn more about their favorite beverage can take classes at UCLA Extension or at the Wine House in West L.A., but there’s not exactly a surfeit of specialized wine instruction.

Now sommelier Susan Brink O’Flaherty, an owner of Venokado wine shops and also wine director for Dominick’s and Little Dom’s, will be teaching a 60-minute wine class Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Dominick’s in West Hollywood. “Made in Piedmont” will feature a tasting of four Piedmontese wines along with light bites, and plenty of information on the wine and the region from O’Flaherty.

This is the first of a series she’ll be teaching on the third Tuesday of each month. “Because it’s Dominick’s and our wine list is predominantly Italian, I wanted to these Piedmontese wines that the layman may not know necessarily,” she says. “But Piedmont is such a beautiful region for wine and for food.”

The next class will focus on the wines of Tuscany.

The cost is $25 per person. For reservations, call (310) 652-2335 or emailhsuk.dominicks@gmail.com.

Dominicks, 8715 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 652-2335.

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