Following a trend of a lot of San Francisco restaurants, Luka’s Taproom and Lounge in Oakland is offering their bottles of wine at 50 percent off on Sundays. So, no, you don’t have to order just a glass. Check em out for more info: www.lukasoakland.com/.

Have I mentioned the Oakley Five Reds yet? It’s $5.99 and heavenly. Picked up a bottle last night from Walnut Creek BevMo! and cracked it open with some rotelle tossed with tomatoes, spinach, pinenuts, garlic and olive oil. Oh, it’s a Cline wine btw.

I’m doing a story on the creative labels movement (think Bonny Doon, Fat Bastard, Marilyn Merlot) and would love to hear what your favorite labels are. Does it have a critter on it? Or a clever name Screw Kappa Napa? Are you more apt to try a wine because it has a cool label? Would you buy it again? Post your comments and favorites here or email me at jyadegaran@cctimes.com.

"Let’s face it. You’re in a vineyard in the middle of the night with a man in a pink suit."

Crooner Chris Isaak’s words pretty much summed up the night. An ‘03 Merlot that was too heavy for me on a 90-degree night and an astonishingly crisp ‘04 Chardonnay rounded out all that is perfectly gorgeous about a summer concert in Livermore. Stockton’s own Chris Isaak wooed the crowd with his pelvic thrusts and feather-like wails and the food was deelish.

With the exception of the couple in front of our table — why do 50-year-olds need to smother their 25-year-old girlfriends at these functions? — and the staged hootchie dancers (Roy Orbison is rolling in his grave) I think a concert at a winery is just about the most amazing thing you can do for yourself this summer. (I also saw Fiona Apple at Mountain Winery last month) So put down that magnum and spend your money on this instead. It’s a pretty penny. ($71-$215). 

So I went to Pink Out! last night — that totally fabu event to celebrate all that is pink and sexy in wine. It totally confirmed that roses are my favorite food wines (I’m more of a Butterfly/Slanted Door girl than a Ruth’s Chris one, so I drink my Big Reds solo, like some people drink protein shakes.)

Anyway, I talked to a few hot young winemakers, including Charles Bieler of Napa’s Three Thieves, www.threethieves.com, who was there pouring Bieler Pere Et Fils Rose, Charles’ and his dad’s Provence wines). In a pink suit, he was looking very court jester meets Tom Petty in "Don’t Come Around Here No More." Made me wish I wore my pink patent leather heels.

Jeff Morgan, whose Solorosa Late Harvest Rose ($18), www.solorosa.com, was one of my faves, throws kick-ass parties, complete with just enough camera crews (2, NPR and Bay Area Backroads) and pretty people.

Other must-try (read: unusual) rose:

Croze 2004 Vin D’une Nuit. 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite possibly the richest rose I’ve tasted. Even great for my steak friends.  www.croze-cab.com

Family Winemakers is coming up on Aug. 20-21 at Fort Mason in San Francisco. I’ve been two years in a row and it’s fabulous. A chance to sample and rap with the 400 or so small, family-owned and operated boutique wineries in the state. I think I’m going to volunteer this year, as a 3-hour shift gets you free admission to both days and a nifty T-shirt. Join me. Sign up at www.familywinemakers.org.

Recently, I was invited to what promises to be the wine party of the summer — private, noncommercially speaking, anyway. Since I can’t make it, the hosts told me to pass on the info to all Corkheads. You should definitely go!

PJ Rhae and Don Jackson are a fabulous couple who are totally into wine. They throw wine parties every Friday night at their Antioch home. At tomorrow night’s summer extravaganza, they’re expecting 60 people, and it’s no wonder: Live local jazz, food, Michael and David Winery of Lodi pouring, as well as selections from Napa’s Bounty Hunter Wines of Napa. It costs $20 and proceeds benefit Access Capital Resource Group, a charity aimed at helping single moms buy homes.

Tell em I sent you, and cheers! To RSVP call Don @                       925-783-2478

Like California Chardonnay? Well, you owe it to Harold Olmo, a viticulturist and geneticist that took the grape from its humble beginnings of 50 acres in 1960 to 100,000 acres today. Olmo figured out how to develop the variety with larger clusters and greater disease resistance, and it soared. He created another 30 varietals, including emerald reisling, centurion and carnelian, and though I’ve never tried any of these, I’m going to seek them out this week in his honor. Olmo died of complications from a hip fracture on June 30. He was 96 and spent over half his life working as a researcher and professor at UC Davis. Toast to his life tonight. I know I will.

Tip, of the bottle: When I try a good bottle, I promise to tell of you about it. Today, it’s Schramsberg’s Cremant Demi-sec, a dessert-style sparkler made from the Flora grape. It’s a cross between Semillon and Gewurzt, so not too sweet, crisp and peachy. We had it with Burmese food and were in heaven. It retails for around $35.