Nothing I like more than a fun new wine shop in Los Angeles - even if it is downtown!
We were admittedly confused by all of the people wearing coveralls inside Buzz, Downtown’s newly opened wine and beer shop. Alas, we hadn’t stumbled upon the L.A. Mechanics Who Love Natural Wine meet-up; the one-piece suits are the uniform of Buzz’s self-proclaimed “wine sales geeks.” But please don’t let the gimmicky dress and titles turn you away. Buzz is a welcome addition to our city’s wine scene, and people who shop at Domaine L.A.and drink at Lou will find themselves right at home among the predominantly wild-yeast-fermented, sparsely sulfured bottles Buzz stocks–all 4,000 of them. Buzz gives plenty of shelf space to obscure varietals such as Trousseau Gris, a white mutation of the red grape. Only a few California producers make a single-varietal vintage from the grape, including Wind Gap ($23); it’s a flinty, melon-inflected departure from our state’s Sauvignon Blanc- and Chardonnay-tending status quo. We’ve also been gleefully mulling over the nuances of a 2008 Savennières Chenin Blanc ($30) from producer Loïc Mahé. Notes of pear and citrus sprout from the wine’s rocky salinity. And should you ever find yourself in dire need of, say, a rare bottle of Batic Pinela ($33) late at night, Buzz stays open until 2 a.m. Buzz, 460 S. Spring St., Downtown; 213-622-2222 or buzzwinebeershop.com