There was scarcely a seat to be had at the brand-new Postino wine bar last Sunday at 3:30 p.m. The big front patio was full; the bar was packed; there were no empty tables. But I didn’t understand why Houstonians have embraced this new Phoenix-based import so enthusiastically until I got a look at their wines by the glass list. I had to blink twice for the $5 before 5 p.m. prices to register.

Really? Five bucks for a glass of wine (or a pitcher of beer, for that matter)? When is the last time any of us has seen drinkable wine priced at five bucks a glass? Sometime back in the previous century is when. From a list of 28 wines, my friend and I picked a French Grenache, La Damase 2016, which had a gorgeous dark plummy nose and flavors; and a grippier Chilean red, 2015 Bouchon Carmenere-Pais.