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This morning I found myself, not entirely by mistake, in Bozeman, Montana wandering through the wine section of Costco. Under the flourescent lights, next to the Christmas decorations, those white light reindeer and chintzy ornaments, crates of wrapping paper, I was surprised by the selection. I’m not entirely anti-Costco; it keeps our Bristol Bay fish-camp stocked for the summer. However, by far the most promising wine I saw today was the Dunham Cellars 2005 Trutina selling in the mid-20s. Just around the corner were stacks of Dom Perignon selling for around $150. Costco wine storage methods aside, I still think I’d go for the Trutina. Okay, it is largely because of the storage methods. I like my champagne properly cellared. And it’s not that I don’t think Dunham deserves proper cellaring, but since it was only released three months ago I’d feel alright buying it to drink in the near future. If I’m going to spend over $100 on a bottle, I’m a bit more picky. The Trutina is a good wine for under $30.

But if you’re retail wine shopping in Bozeman, I would highly recommend the CVS Pharmacy. Better selection by far, and good pricing. Thanks to Michael Schwarz of Total Layout for the fine suggestion.

If you’re wanting to have a drink in town, definitely check out Plonk. My favorite downtown spot. Their wine buyer knows what’s going on, and their ever-changing list always contains pleasant surprises. They are licensed for on- or off-premise sales. Not in the wine mood? I strongly recommend the salt & pepper martini from the excellent full bar. Heading out to get one now…