Arousing a dormant love for wine

Maureen Collins got bit by the wine bug as a kid -- without ever

having a sip. While growing up in the Santa Cruz area, Collins worked

odd jobs at her friend’s winery.

“I picked grapes, stomped them and did anything you could possible

do at a vineyard,” she said.

Her dormant love for winemaking was reawakened in 2003 when she

realized after 22 years that the electronics industry wasn’t her

calling.

“The entire time I was in semiconductor electronics, I had to

learn more about the business,” Collins said. “Yet now with wine, I

want to learn more.”

In 2003 she made a 360-degree career change and opened the cozy

Great Legs Wine Tasting & Boutique on the West Coast Highway along

the Mariner’s Mile. At 49, she’s having the time of her life, talking

and learning about wine.

“I feel like a five-year old, just sponging everything up and

loving the whole wine learning experience,” Collins said.

Collins’ dream boutique was complete when she was able to invite

representatives from the winery where she worked as a kid -- Bargetto

Winery -- and feature them as special guest winemakers.

Each day she meets with wine purveyors, distributors and brokers.

She has created a terrific inventory of 600 labels priced from $7.95

to $200.

Collins hosts daily wine tastings and weekly winery events. She’s

also there to greet customers and ask if they’re interested in

sampling wines. Her customers range from first-timers to wine

experts. Collins finds it especially rewarding talking with novices

-- fielding questions and explaining what customers are seeing,

smelling and tasting in each glass.

Great Legs specializes in California wines created in the region

from Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz. Many of the labels come from small

production vineyards that yield about 700 cases a year. Collins

favors the complexities of Pinot Noir -- “even before ‘Sideways’ came

out,” she said -- and other favorites include Meritage and Bordeaux

blends.

“I’ve just been loving Syrahs,” Collins said. “They’re full of

fruit, spice, smoke and tobacco.”

Great Legs is named after the streams, or legs, that glide down

the inside of a wine glass after it’s swirled. Wine enthusiasts say

that legs indicate the wine is rich and full-bodied, though their

appearance has more to do with alcohol content.

A special wine-tasting event takes place each Thursday from 5 to 8

p.m. Most of the year, visiting winemakers present their wines, but

right now they’re busy preparing for the harvest.

During Thursday’s event, guests receive seven to eight pours for

about $25. Appetizers, cheeses, crackers and spreads are available.

The next wine-tasting event will be held on Thursday from 5 to 8

p.m. It will feature wines of the Central Coast, including Pinots,

Syrahs and Zinfandels.

Gourmet cheese plates can be ordered, courtesy of Picnics Deli in

Costa Mesa.

New daily wine-tasting menus come out each Friday. Wines from the

menu can be sampled anytime by the flight (five pours), glass or

bottle.

Great Legs can also be reserved for private events. It offers

wine-related gifts and accessories, as well as gift baskets.

Parking at the boutique, which is still referred to as the Asia

101/John Dominus restaurant building, can seem confusing. Once you

try it, though, it’s very easy. There’s a parking garage and free

validation for guests.

IF YOU GO

* WHAT: Great Legs Wine Tasting & Boutique

* WHERE: 2901 W. Coast Hwy., Suite 100, Newport Beach

* WHEN: Open noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 9 p.m.

Thursday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m.

Sunday

* INFO: (949) 515-8466; o7www.greatlegswine.comf7