Without wine, cheese's only pairing partner would be milk, leading to widespread dairy overdoses and rampant violence between calcium cartels. Pursue a more socially responsible partnership with today's Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of gourmet fare and wines at City Sip on West Sunset Boulevard. This deal is not valid toward classes or retail purchases.

City Sip tempts guests with a globally focused wine list featuring more than 40 wines by the glass, complemented by a thoughtful menu of cheese, small plates, panini, and more. Swirl, sniff, and sip your way through potable pleasures such as an Alsatian gewürztraminer from Klipfel ($11/glass), a Felino malbec ($12/glass), or another pick from the encyclopedic selection of bubblies, whites, reds, roses, and other vine-based beauties. Like the three-fisted men who harvest the grapes, wine flights provide a one-two-three palate punch, while dessert wines such as a Landskroon morio muscat ($11/glass) gently slap tongues with sweetness. A selection of craft beers including Allagash Curieux ($8) and Eagle Rock Brewery Solidarity ($7), plus a handful of nonalcoholic options, round out the liquid luxuries.

City Sip's gourmet selection of edibles augments the goodies in the glasses and helps keep non-sipping muscles from atrophying. Start with a selection of cow-, sheep-, or goat-milk cheese from a menu created by The Next Food Network Star finalist Reggie Southerland. Or go straight for one of four bruscettas, such as the figgin good ($10) with figs, creamy blue cheese, and balsamic syrup. An array of panini includes the daddio ($12), featuring fennel salami and truffle cheese, while a dessert of fresh strawberries, mascarpone cheese, and balsamic syrup ($7) sends taste buds into a tongue swoon. You may call ahead to make a reservation for parties of seven or more.

Not valid for happy hour.

Reviews

Los Angeles magazine and the Los Angeles Times featured City Sip. Ninety percent of more than 30 Urbanspooners recommend it, and nearly 115 Yelpers give it an average of four stars. Nearly 930 Facebookers are fans of the business:

• The friends-of-friends vibe remains here, where locals gather around a cherry red bar made of reclaimed bottles to sample California cuvée syrah, a late-harvest gewürztraminer, and more than 40 wines by the glass or bottle. Reggie Southerland (The Next Food Network Star) works miracles on the panini grill. – Lesley Bargar Suter, Los Angeles
• City Sip -- the result of this it-takes-a-village effort -- hits all the right notes of sleek and sexy without slipping into cheesy. – Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times