But do an online search, and you’re inundated with hundreds of wine apps from reviews to food pairings to find-a-bottle and even vineyard locations.  It’s dizzying if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, and like anything else in life – including wine – not all apps are created equal.

Some apps aim to be too specific, providing such niche information that you’ll need to download multiple apps just to satisfy your wine drinking needs. Other apps are unfocused, bombarding users with an overload of information or features, and let’s face it, who wants to dig through useless tidbits for the important stuff?

Whether you pride yourself as a being wine elitist, budding connoisseur, or simply want to experiment with new vino, a little knowledge can go a long way in picking your next bottle.  We’ve scoured the app world to share some of our favorites that we hope will satisfy your palate.

For the wine novice who doesn’t want to pay for an app, Hello Vino is a can’t-go-wrong download. It’s especially helpful for those who want to buy wine, but aren’t sure how to choose from the parade of bottles available in the wine aisle. Hello Vino also offers basic food pairings and suggested wines for various occasions. FREE

From the folks who make wine a career, Wine Spectator’s VintageChart + provides the magazine’s vintage charts (hence the name) in the palm of your hands. Unlike Hello Vino, VintageChart + wasn’t designed for wine newbies, who may find the app’s arrangement somewhat intimidating.  The price, however, isn’t intimidating. FREE

If you need help solving the food pairing conundrum, NatDecants is your solution, but don’t be fooled; this app goes beyond food.  The app’s ‘More’ category is a treasure trove of all things wine, with articles, winery locator, and even glossary. There’s also a useful-yet-somewhat-buggy barcode scanning feature. FREE (mostly – some features require registration and payment)

Drync Wine Pro is an app that users either really, really like or find overrated. We tend to think it’s worth the $3.99 based on its extensive wine list alone, but there is a free version with fewer features. Drync’s app includes prices on more than 1.2 million wines, and through your personal cellar, you can “save” wines you like most.  $3.99; (Lite version- which has a smaller cellar – is FREE)

Corkbin is the best bang for your buck that isn’t free.  Simply use your smartphone to snap a photo of the wine you’re drinking, make a note, and share. Never again will you forget the name of the amazing wine that made last night’s dinner complete. Corkbin’s food pairing guide is provided by Hello Vino.  $0.99

For the wine enthusiast who moonlights as a social media rockstar, SocialGrapes and LetsPour are two casually hip and interactive apps. Connect with other oenophiles to learn what they’re drinking, and share your reviews with the wine world. FREE

Want an app that grows as your wine knowledge does? Cor.kz has something (a lot of things, actually) for all levels of wine expertise. Cor.kz connects users to CellarTracker’s extensive database, but it’s categorized to make navigating a breeze.  It’s also the only app that we know of to offer side-by-side comparisons to help solve your wine buying dilemma.  $2.99

Did we leave out your favorite wine app? 

We’re turning the adjacent parking lot into tailgate central for the tastiest weekend of the year as the Denver Broncos take on those dreaded Oakland Raiders. In true tailgating fashion, food is the MVP; we’re firing up the smoker to roast an entire pig, but we’re not stopping there. Joining the pig are “teammates” prepared by our culinary team:

• BBQ chicken legs
• Kraut potato salad
• Sweet macaroni salad
• Cheese Whiz mac n cheese
• Sambal coleslaw
• Tortillas
• Duck confit baked beans
• Cream cheese dip
• Hot sauce bar

You’ll need something to wash down all that delicious food, so it’s a good thing we’re trucking in kegs of beer and creating some amazing cocktails at our outdoor bar.

Don’t worry, football fans. You won’t miss a single snap from Oakland. We’ll have a big screen outside showing the Broncos vs. Raiders game, so you can eat, drink, and watch football. Does it get any better than that?

Tickets for the all you can eat tailgate party are $25 per person ($10 for kids 12 and under). We’re giving $5 of every adult ticket and $2 of every child ticket to the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Purchase your tickets now through our interactive Facebook ‘Wine Events’ tab.

Bring your appetite – but leave the body paint at home – for an afternoon of pig(skin) fun.

Our owner David Schneider, Amy Epstein-Schneider, and Jody Epstein cordially invite you to a celebration and fundraiser to benefit cancer research. RED HOT, our special one-night event in memory of G. David Epstein, is Thursday, November 3 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Enjoy red mixolology cocktails, red wine and red beer with heavy hors d’oeuvres:

• Salmon Gyoza – sweet chile soy, chile oil
• Pork Slider – kraut, sriracha aioli
• Philly empanadas – red pepper marmalade
• Shrimp Skewers – achiote sauce
• Alamosa Bass Crudo – pickled fresnos
• Tomato Ceviche – chile manzanna
• Roasted Red Pepper Gazpacho – arbequina olive oil
• Sweet Potato Croquettes – beet ginger sauce

Net proceeds will be donated to the University of Colorado Cancer Center for an acute myeloid leukemia research study by Dr. Daniel A. Pollyea.

Tickets are $75 per person with $40 of each ticket considered tax deductible. Tickets can be purchased via our Facebook page.  Please note that tickets will not be issued for the event; your named will be included in a list at the door.  Valet parking is available for $8.

Business or urban casual attire is suggested.

If you are unable to attend, we hope that you consider making a donation to the University of Colorado Cancer Center.  Please follow this link and reference: G. David Epstein in the Special Notes section.

Questions? Please contact Amy Schneider amyeps@gmail.com

Mark DeNittis "stands in" for the pig.

Row 14 Bistro & Wine Bar and Il Mondo Vecchio Salumi are teaming up for the Disassembly Dinner, Wednesday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m. Il Mondo Vecchio’s Mark DeNittis will take apart – disassembling, if you will – an entire pig in an expert butchery demonstration.

Row 14 executive chef Jensen Cummings and his talented culinary team will create all five courses.   Each course will feature a different cut and appropriate wine pairing. The delicious lineup includes:

• Head: Headcheese Potstickers – scallion, ancho chile oil, togarashi mustard butter
• Shoulder: Braised Shoulder Ramen – housemade Sriracha, pickled carrots, braised fennel
• Belly: Pork Belly Confit – roasted beets, fried kale, parsnip vanilla puree
• Loin: Smoked Loin – olive oil polenta, red kuri squash chips, roasted garlic gremolata
• Dessert: Pig Trotter Bread Pudding – bacon brittle, fried basil, raspberry ginger gelato

The Disassembly Dinner is $70 per person, and seating is limited at 30 guests. Reserve now to guarantee your seat by clicking the ‘Wine Events’ tab on our Facebook page.

Click here for more information on any of our upcoming wine events >>>>

Participating breweries with fresh hops beers at Row 14: Boulder Beer Co., Great Divide Brewing Co., Oskar Blues Brewery, Ska Brewing, Steamworks Brewing Co., Strange Brewing Co., Tommyknocker Brewery, and Wynkoop Brewing Co. Specialty beers include Breckenridge Brewery Palisade Peach Wheat and Crabtree Brewing’s Chunkin Pumpkin.

For many breweries, this will be the first release of the season for their fresh hop (also grown in Colorado) beers, with many making deliveries just in time for the weekend. The beers will be on tap at Row 14 beginning Thursday afternoon, September 29 and being served through Saturday, October 1 (or while limited supplies permit.) Not all beers will be available at all times and the stock will be rotated through the bar taps and the taps in our newly-created weekend Beer Garden. Sourcing local products is one of our core principles of business.

Prices for these special draft beers begin at only $5. There is no cover charge at Row 14, and valet is available nightly for only $8 with purchase – a steal of a deal. We do suggest however using RTD transit or taxi – we will happily call anyone a cab. Directions / map.

In addition to the fresh hops and Beer Garden, look for our outdoor grill with a myriad of “meaty” items as decided by Chef Jensen. This is in addition to our regular menu and our late night menu, served until midnight – always. We will be opening early this Saturday at 3pm.

Consider Row 14 Bistro & Wine Beer Bar as your GABF destination away from GABF!

Based in Columbia Valley AVA, Long Shadows’ celebrated wine arsenal is a blended union of regional winemaking expertise from across the globe and Pacific Northwest flare.  Columbia Valley’s diverse microclimates, coupled with warm days and cool nights, provide its grapes an ideal balance of acid and sugar levels while ensuring each wine embodies its “native” taste.

To craft the perfect Riesling, Shoup turned his focus to  – where else? – Germany and Armin Diel, whose family has owned and operated Schlossgut Diel estate and winery since 1802.  Growing up learning the ins and outs of the industry, Diel assumed management nearly 25 years ago, continuing the family legacy of producing internationally renowned wines, notably (and not surprisingly) Rieslings.  Diel’s impressive resume and pedigree convinced Shoup he found his Riesling maker.

Diel’s Long Shadows contribution is “Poet’s Leap,” a German-inspired, Washington-conceived Riesling that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.  Poet’s Leap 2009 vintage, which is available by the bottle at Row 14 Bistro & Wine Bar, was Editor’s Choice #7 on Wine Enthusiast’s list of the Top 100 Wines of 2010.  With subtle sweetness, melon, peach, and citrus aromas abound, Poet’s Leap is clean and crisp with a lively, lingering finish.

Rieslings are extremely versatile, complimenting a gamut of dishes (even desserts), and Poet’s Leap is no exception.  It goes especially well with Asian fusion or seafood entrees, such as Row 14’s Tempura Hawaiian Tilapia and Chips, Kurobuta Pork Loin, along with many or our appetizers, including Ahi & Salmon Rangoons, Crispy Calamari, and Ahi Tartare.

Featuring the world’s premiere cyclists, including the top three finishers from last month’s Tour de France, USA Pro Cycling Challenge is a 500-mile race twisting, turning, and climbing across Colorado’s scenic Rocky Mountains.  Sunday’s final stage starts in Golden – with a grueling climb up and precarious descent down winding Lookout Mountain – before cyclists sprint into the Mile High City along Speer Boulevard then across the finish line at Civic Center Park at approximately 1:30pm.

Row 14 is conveniently located one half-mile from Sunday’s finale at Colfax and Broadway.  Before seeing the crowning of USA Pro Cycling Challenge’s inaugural winner, stop by to experience our brunch of champions (we open at 10am).  Unveiled earlier this month by acclaimed executive chef Jensen Cummings, our Sunday brunch menu features appetizers, dishes, and cocktails experienced nowhere else in Denver.

We don’t think “the King” was ever a cyclist, but that shouldn’t keep you from trying our Elvis Pancake with peanut butter, whipped cream, bruleed banana, and candied bacon for only $9.  For Sunday’s finish, perhaps we add the letters USA to our BLT BLTA (candied bacon, grilled romaine, heirloom tomato, peppered bacon, wild arugula, tomato confit, avocado served with togarashi parmesan fries).

We’ve also reworked our Hangover Helper, recently featured in 5280, to include an Oinker Muffin with cheddar, scrambled egg, aioli, Bloody Mary and a can of PBR for $15.

If you forget to take your daily vitamin, we have those too – in a mimosa!  Our creative bartending team actually rims the glass of our specialty mimosas with crushed Flintstone vitamins.

Our weekly patio pounders special is in its final weeks. Choose between three sangria varieties – rose, sparkling, or red – just $18 for a generous-sized pitcher from 10am – 6:00pm.

The city’s free USA Pro Cycling Challenge festival ends around 4pm, and while we stop serving brunch at 2pm, we’re just getting started in the kitchen.  Row 14 offers SIX hours of Happy Hour – afternoon (2 – 6pm) and late (10pm – 12am) – Sunday through Friday.  Our new dinner menu is available starting at 5pm nightly.

With a day like Sunday, everyone’s a winner.

Before joining Row 14 Bistro & Wine Bar, Cummings was the Chef de Cuisine at the acclaimed TAG Restaurant under the guidance of nationally award-winning chef Troy Guard.  Prior to his tenure there, he served as executive chef at Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House.  Cummings has also been an advocate in bridging the gap between local products and international cuisine. He has worked with Colorado Fresh Markets, the Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Proud to build relationships, logistics, and transportation between farmers and restaurants, and intends to continue these relationships and philosophy.

Cummings describes his approach to New American cuisine as “Pangean,” reaching back into prehistoric days when the continents were one large supercontinent.  First, this allows him to understand and appreciate the origins of ingredients and how dishes become known as classics, so that he can evolve them and share them with others. His second premise is to create dishes that are approachable but with a twist – to take familiar ingredients and prepare them in a new style, or vice versa – to take a familiar cooking style and use unfamiliar ingredients.  Ultimately this allows flavors from across the globe to integrate in new and unexpected ways.

Our menus will remain unchanged for now to allow for a gradual transition to Cummings’ dishes into the fall. Some of the crowd favorites will remain on the menu.

“I am very excited to work with Jensen, as I know he is dedicated to our core values of providing great food and beverages in a welcoming environment and maintaining high service standards,” said Schneider.  “I could not be happier to have him leading our culinary team and partnering with me to elevate every guest’s experience with us.”

Cummings replaces Row 14’s original chef Arik Markus, who amicably parted ways with Schneider.  “There is no question that Arik is a capable chef who worked diligently in the opening of this restaurant,” said Schneider. “We are grateful for his contribution during his time here.”

That was the challenge for the state’s most innovative mixologists: create Colorado in a glass — using Colorado spirits, of course.

It was a challenge Row 14’s Tyler French couldn’t pass up.

Tyler was among 10 finalists in the first-ever Colorado Cocktail Project, a mixing, shaking, stirring showdown to select the state’s signature cocktail.  His entry was Brother’s Brew, a brilliant and refreshing fusion of Colorado beer and gin.  Using state-grown strawberries and topping with mint, Brother’s Brew is perfect for sipping on a sunny day.  Luckily for us, we have about 300 of those a year.

Brother’s Brew

• 1 1/2 oz. Leopold’s Gin
• 1/4 oz. Leopold’s American Orange Liqueur
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 2 large strawberries
• 9 mint leaves
• Steamworks Colorado Kolsch (or similar pilsner/light lager-style beer)

Directions

1. Muddle strawberries into a mixing glass, then add eight mint leaves (lightly pressing into strawberries)
2. Add simple syrup, lemon juice, Leopold’s American Orange Liqueur, and Leopold’s Gin
3. Shake over ice
4. Strain into small glass
5. Add 2 ounces of Steamworks Colorado Kolsch
6. Garnish with strawberries and mint leaf (slap the leaft first to release its flavor)

Arik called owner David Schneider to the stage for wine pairings (which is only fitting given our recently awarded Top Wine List in Denver from 5280 Magazine.) He recommended a Gruner Veltliner or Chablis, just two amazing choices of our more than 40 by the glass.

For those that were in attendance and missed the handout with the recipe, or those who chose to spend their morning at our Sunday brunch enjoying our Patio Pounders, check out the recipe: