65978 Fri Jan 21 15:04:31 -0800 2005 8 2 Los Angeles Area 0 356175 Had a very good, if not spectacular, meal at SONA recently. Having built up a pretty decent wine cellar over the years, I checked with SONA before we set off to eat to see if it was OK to bring a bottle from our cellar. I was told that as long as they didn't have the same wine on their own list, no problem, simply pay a corking charge. Fine. Fortunately, I had chosen to bring along a Rhone --a 1990 Chapoutier Cotes Rotie La Mordoree -- that SONA did not have on their list. (They did have the '89 and '91 -- at over $400 per bottle! I think that I had purchased the '90, a better vintage, for about fifty dollars a few years back). What I found most incredible about their list was that their cheapest bottle($78) was a bottle of Guigal Cotes du Rhone, a bottle that can be bought almost anywhere for seven or eight dollars! Fri Jan 21 15:04:31 -0800 2005 0 Hugh 1 356193 That is really outrageous and unacceptable. And if people are actually paying that they are stupid. Fri Jan 21 16:35:29 -0800 2005 356175 0 Caplock 2 356233 They have to underwrite the vanity project Boule somehow. Fri Jan 21 19:45:24 -0800 2005 356193 0 judaschair 3 356251 LOL - that's funny. But with the prices Boule charges it doesn't seem like they'll need much help. Fri Jan 21 21:13:49 -0800 2005 356233 0 Caplock 4 356313 Sona's wine prices are no higher than comparable restaurants. And the list has lots of interesting choices beyond the usual. Sat Jan 22 19:53:14 -0800 2005 356251 0 joewineguy 1 356235 Astonished by your claim that Sona's cheapest wine is $78, I just took a look at their extensive list on line and found quite a few bottles for less than that, some as low as $23. I assume Guigal produces wines of varying prices and quality. There was a Guigal on Sona's list at $190. I'm guessing the $78 bottle isn't the same one that goes for $8.99 retail. (But I could be wrong.) Fri Jan 21 19:49:41 -0800 2005 356175 0 PlonkMan 2 356241 I don't remember much about Sona's wine list but I can say that Guigal produces a large range of wines at many price points, including quite a few in the $30-50. Fri Jan 21 20:11:31 -0800 2005 356235 0 JudiAU 3 356249 I have to say, I thought their wine list was not badly priced comp to many - they had the Sea Smoke Southing Vineyard for the mid-80's which is only 2x retail and a bunch of other stuff well under 80 for sure - I was not that drunk yet. Fri Jan 21 20:48:26 -0800 2005 356241 0 Kurt 1 356275 I checked out their wine list on their website and the only Guigal listed is a '96 Chateauneuf at $88.00 which for restaurant prices doesn't seem out of line. Guigal's Cote Du Rhone is quite a bit less than their Chateauneuf. Sat Jan 22 02:06:29 -0800 2005 356175 0 Will