favorite cheap wine

[kcmo727]

Hi everyone,

I am always looking for new wines around $10. What are some of your favorite wine bargains, red or white?

Here are some good ones to try:

Ca Del Sol "Big House Red" (cute label!)
Yellowtail Shiraz
Hugel Gentil (this is an Alsatian wine, and worth seeking out)
Alice White Chardonnay
the big bottles of Concha y Toro, either Chard or Malbec

Can't wait to hear your suggestions!!

Michelle

[Gilgamesh37]

some of our favorites right around the $10 per bottle mark:

Calloway Sauvignon Blanc
Casal Garcia Vinho Verdi
Napa Ridge Triad
Cook's brut sparkling (around $5/bottle)


Penascal table red (we get it for $4.95/bottle--very peppery)
Cypress Merlot
Blackstone Merlot
EXP Syrah

[lindrusso]

Oohh my favorite subject - although I prefer the term inexpensive! ;) :)

My absolute favorite inexpensive wine - which I got as a recommendation on this BB - is Rosemount Shiraz. It runs about $7.50 at Sam's Club and not much over $8 other places. This wine has been rated a terrific value by many different sources.

Another good (not great) wine is Lindeman's Chardonnay. This one runs just under $6 at Sam's Club - I'm not sure what it goes for in other stores.

Clos du Bois has decent chardonnay that runs around $10 - sometimes more, but you can often find it on sale.

Fetzer Syrah runs about $7.50-$8 and is very good. Fetzer also has a quite decent Chardonnay and Cabernet. We like to get the big bottles of Fetzer when we are entertaining crowds that we know will be drinking quite a bit.

Ecco Domani has a nice Pinot Grigio and several other varieties that are decent. These usually run at about the $9 range.

Another nice chardonnay comes from Kendall Jackson. Another Sam's Club purchase that can be had for about $8.99, not sure what it goes for in the stores.

Oh - and I'll throw in a champane too: Domaine St. Michelle runs about $10.99. We are having some tonight! ;)

Happy sampling! :)

[Dewey]

My favorite for around $10 is Theirry and Guy 'Fat Bastard' Shiraz (France)! I originally bought it just because of the name, but it is actually quite drinkable. If you want to spend just a few dollars more, Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon is very good for around $14.

[wallycat]

I've had all of the above mentioned...yummy.

I also like Bogle Petite Syrah for $6.99.
2 or 3 times/year I go to my favorite liquor store and I go up and down the aisles and grab 1 or 2 bottles of anything under $10.00 (a few are more :o ) and taste them over the course of the year...every other year we may go to Sam's in Chicago and do the up and down the aisle thing -- My favorite shopping day!!

Virtually all of the wines at a Trader Joes are good and "inexpensive" and I hate that they are sooooo far from where I live :mad:

['lil cooker]

We're a bit partial to reds - there are some great bargains from Chile. One of our favorites - Santa Carolina Cabernet/Merlot blend. We buy the big bottles. It's quite good.

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Dewey
My favorite for around $10 is Theirry and Guy 'Fat Bastard' Shiraz (France)!

We just tried the Fat Bastard Chardonnay at a wine tasting recently and liked that as well. Thanks for reminding me! How in the world could I have forgotten a wine with a name like that??? :D

[Karen in VA]

We like Meridien Chardonnay and Cabernet. Also Columbia Crest Cabernet/Merlot blend.

[sharris315]

CHARDONNAY
*Chateau Souverain (around $10 ++, this is a good one!)

SAUVIGNON BLANC
*St Supery
Chateau Ste Michelle
R. H. Phillips--Night Harvest (Very inexpensive)
Capa Lapostolle

PINOT GRIGIO
*Mezzacarona

CHENIN BLANC
Beringer

SHIRAZ
*Rosemont

Shar
(I love this thread!! :))

[islandgirl]

One of our new favorite "affordable" wines is a French Cote du Rhone from Louis Bernard. Wine Spectator rated it a 91, and we can get it out here for $9.99, so I'm sure it's available for less elsewhere. It's a really nice, smooth red, and a nice change from all the California reds. Look for this one!

I have a funny story about Fat Bastard wines. There's a little liquor store here that is very narrow. It's owned by a wonderful couple who have a very laid back and humorous view of life. I always leave there laughing. ANyway, one day a woman was in the store asking about the Fat Bastard wines. After the wife explained what they were like, the customer asked if they had any of the white chilled. Without turning around, the wife called to her husband at the other end of the store, "Do we have any Fat Bastard on ice?" Then she turned, just in time to see her portly husband step out of the cooler where he had been stocking wines, and without missing a beat, the wife turned back to the customer and said, "It so happens we do." LOL

[jazzcat]

As for inexpensive wine,

I enjoy Jacob's Creek Chardonnay. (about 7.99)

[wallycat]

Islandgirl,
you made me laugh!!

[claire797]

I'm glad Gilgamesh mentioned the Penascal. This is a great Spanish wine I just discovered. It's about 6.49 a bottle!

Penascal (Spanish Red)
Kendall Jackson (best Chardonnay IMHO hands down)
Hogue Johannesburg Riesling
Chateau St. Michelle Merlot (a bit more expensive, but worth it)
Blackstone Merlot
Rosemount Shiraz
Ravenswood Zinfandel
Beringer Chenin Blanc (about $5.00 a bottle -- what a bargain!)
Fetzer 3 Rivers Ranch Pinot Noir (about $9.00, but tastes like $19)


I think it's great that we have so many overlapping favorites.

[1MegMeg]

Chardonney
- Banrock Station (Australia)
- Lindemans's Bin 65 (Australia)
- Black Opal (Australia)

Pinot Grigio
- Ecco Domani (Italy)

I am sure I will think of more later. :)

[jjsooner73]

I'm more of a red wine drinker, but my manager recently recommended a Columbia Crest Chardonay that was really good. The bottle says Grand Estates and it's about $8-9.

I also like Beaujolis Vineyards Pinot Noir (I'm sure I butchered the spelling there) and Gabbianno's Merlot, both for under $10.

[LGBurns]

Another vote for Rosemount Shiraz.

Also, Chateau St. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling.

I'm not a huge Chardonnay fan but I really like Deloach Vineyards Chardonnay. Their Russian River Valley is not inexpensive (I can get it at Cost Plus World Market for about $19) but their regular Chardonnay is very good and I can get it at Cost Plus for about $10.

[mightyh]

Another vote for the Chateau Ste Michelle Johannesburg Reisling!

[slknight]

I see a couple of recommendations for the Blackstone Merlot, and I'd definitely have to agree. However, I don't know where you guys are getting it for $10. Seems like it's about $14.99-$16.99 here.:o :o Geez! I think it must be the taxes in the northeast. :mad:

[m4star]

There is a WONDERFUL chardonnay that you can get at Whole Foods from Chile. It's called Dallas Conti and costs about $10. It won best chardonnay last year from Wine Spectator.

Also, for a good champagne try Fracois Montand. It's available at both Central Market and Whole Foods for $7/bottle. It's excellent.

[Mandy]

I usually only drink red wine...

Jacob's Creek - Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon

Black Opal - Shiraz

Bogle - Merlot & Petite Syrah

I'm all of a sudden drawing a blank...I'll be back when I think of the others... :o

['lil cooker]

One more we like:
Glass Mountain Cabernet - just split a case with my brother - around 8.50 a bottle. Thanks for all your recommendations. Am scribbling them in my cooking notebook - organizing them by type for easy meal pairings.

On a related note, when I go to the beverage store, I always take the time to read the reviews that the owner posts from Wine Spectator and similar publications. One thing I've found that seems a bit misleading - usually the reviews refer to the wine displayed BUT for a different year!!! Do you all think this makes a difference? Am I being too picky?

[buddie]

HOGUE

[Dewey]

Originally posted by 'lil cooker
One more we like:
Glass Mountain Cabernet - just split a case with my brother - around 8.50 a bottle.
You can get Glass Mountain Cab for $8.50/bottle!?!? I'm sooo jealous. If we order it by the case, we can get it for about $13/bottle. It's definitely another of our favorites. It's actually the "second" label of Markham, which is a great winery, although definitely not inexpensive. Thanks for reminding me of the Glass Mountain, we haven't bought a case in almost a year. I may have to go order one today.

[Gilgamesh37]

Originally posted by slknight
I see a couple of recommendations for the Blackstone Merlot, and I'd definitely have to agree. However, I don't know where you guys are getting it for $10. Seems like it's about $14.99-$16.99 here.:o :o

It's always fascinating to me how much of a price divide there is across the country. When I (midwest) visit my parents (northeast) and go grocery shopping with my mom, I just about plotz. Or once when my best girlfriend was visiting she gave me money for a round of drinks--when I handed her back her change, she looked at the heap of bills I'd given her and said "Wait--did you actually PAY for it?"

Yep, the general Blackstone merlot (the sort of darkish brown/gold label) runs $8.99 to $9.99 a bottle here--but their Napa Valley label (sort of a palish grey-purple) is more like $25--and frankly, I don't think it tastes any better.

Interesting to see how many australian wines are in this thread--they've never been my favorites personally (except for a lovely tawny port from Yalumba).

[Julia1Pin]

All of therir wines are awesome and you cn find them at Trader Joe's for pretty cheap ($6-$10)!

We drink their Merlot and Chardonney all the time!

[TheresaM]

I was wondering if everyone knows their affiliated labels ??

Arrowood Vineyards & Winery
Owners: Robert Mondavi
Affiliated Labels: Grand Archer, La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi, Woodbridge, Robert Mondavi Coastal, Byron, Io, Colnera, Vichon, Opus One, Lace Lucente, Danzante, Sena, Arboleda, Caliterra.

Beringer Vineyards
Owners: Beringer Wine Estates
Affiliated Labels: Chateau St. Jean, Chateau Souverain, St. Clement, Stags' Leap Winery, Meridian Vineyards.

Blackstone Winery
Owners: Derek Benham, Courtney Benham
Affiliated Labels: Martin Ray Winery, Mark West Winery

Buena Vista Winery Carneros Estate
Affiliated Labels: Haywood Winery

Canyon Road Winery
Owners: Peak Wines International
Affiliated Labels: Geyser Peak, Barwang (Australia), Venezia

E. & J. Gallo Winery
Owners: The Gallo Family
Affiliated Labels: Anapamu, Indigo Hills, Marcelina, Turning Leaf, Rancho Zabaco, Gallo of Sonoma

Fetzer Vineyards
Affiliated Labels: Bonterra, Bel Arbors

Gallo of Sonoma
Affiliated Labels: Anapamu, Indigo Hills, Marcelina, Turning Leaf, Rancho Zabaco, Frei Bros. Reserve

J. Lohr Winery
Owners: Jerry Lohr
Affiliated Labels: J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Single Vineyard, Cypress, Ariel.

Kendall - Jackson Vineyards and Winery
Owners: Jess Jackson
Affiliated Labels: Calina, Camelot, La Crema, Pepi, Tapiz, Yangarra Park.

Markham Vineyards
Owners: Mercian Corporation
Affiliated Labels: Glass Mountain Quarry

The R.H. Phillips Vineyard
Owners: Vincor International
Affiliated Labels: Toasted Head, EXP, P.H. Phillips, Kempton Clark.

Robert Mondavi Winery
Owners: Robert Mondavi Family and shareholders
Affiliated Labels: La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi, Woodbridge, Robert Mondavi Coastal, Byron, Io, Arrowood Vineyards & Winery, Colnera, Vichon, Opus One, Lace Lucente, Danzante, Sena, Arboleda, Caliterra.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Owners: Warren & Barbara Winiarski
Affiliated Labels: Hawk Crest, Arcadia Vineyard

Sutter Home Winery
Owners: Trinchero Family
Affiliated Labels: M. Trinchero, Soleo, Fre.

[claire797]

Originally posted by TheresaM
I was wondering if everyone knows their affiliated labels ??



Well thanks to you, now I do :).

I must say though, even though the labels are affiliated, the wines are distinct. I wouldn't base my wine buying decision on an affiliated label, but it is good trivia.

[wallycat]

Heron is another one...I think wine spectator ranked it high...and it sells anywhere from 7.99/9.99-bottle. (syrah, merlot and cabs :D ;) )

[Canice]

Whaaaaaa! TheresaM, reading your post made me miss my mom! You see, she moved to Sonoma County after my dad died and lived there 15 years. Even before she moved up there - but especially then - we would go to the wineries and have lunch (picnics at Buena Vista!). She moved to Texas a couple of months ago. :(

Anyhow, the only I can think of not already mentioned here is my favorite: Husch Sauvignon Blanc :)

[lengels]

I love threads like this.

Here is another vote for Blackstone Merlot. We can get it as "inexpensive" as 8.99. I saw it in a restaurant in FL and it was the most expensive bottle on the menu (made me laugh :) ).

The Rosemount Estate Shiraz is very good also but there is one variety we were not too fond of - the Granache Shiraz.

[sharris315]

Thanks for the info--Theresa--I had no idea so many were connected and found it interesting.

Shar

[stieglitzcat]

Ohhh how I love good wine!
A very good Cabernet is Argentina's Trapiche - but make sure it is from Oak casts - it says that on the label's front.
My sister and brother-in-law lived in Argentina for several years and loved this wine. It was around $20 plus in Argentina. When they moved to Portland they found it for $10 and thought they had just stumbled on to a good deal...they were just sure the price was going to go up but,alas, my boyfriend and I have found it for $10 in the midwest, too...it's a great full bodied wine at a great price.
Trapiche also have a Malbec - but, I'm not as fond of it.
Great thread!!

[Anne]

Ravenswood zin and Talus merlot are the first that come to mind.

[Deedy]

Another vote for Santa Carolina - their Chardonnay is our favorite!

[claire797]

The best place to find Blackstone at a low price is either Sam's or World Market (Cost Plus). Guess I'll have to buy a bottle this weekend since we all agree on how good it is. As for the Blackstone Reserve, I agree that it's not any better than the Blackstone.

Also, for those of you who like the Chateau St. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling, I recommend you try the Hogue. I like both, but I actually thought the Hogue was better. It had more of a pear taste.

Another good Chenin Blanc I forgot to mention was from Snowquamish, Washington. I think the bottle cost about $6.99. It had a real honey taste to it and pairs well with honey mustard or lightly sauced chicken dishes.

Do any of you have any more expensive wines that you've been particularly disappointed with? I do. We ordered a split of Trefethan Cabernet the other night at Houston's restaurant. The cost of the split, was about $30. I was very disappointed. It was highly tannic -- almost bitter. I kept wishing we'd just ordered the Chateau St. Michelle Merlot.

[claire797]

Originally posted by Deedy
Another vote for Santa Carolina - their Chardonnay is our favorite!

Yes! Good call! And boy is it cheap. Santa Carolina seems to keep well in the refrigerator.

[Dewey]

Originally posted by claire797
Do any of you have any more expensive wines that you've been particularly disappointed with? I do. We ordered a split of Trefethan Cabernet the other night at Houston's restaurant. The cost of the split, was about $30. I was very disappointed. It was highly tannic -- almost bitter. I kept wishing we'd just ordered the Chateau St. Michelle Merlot.
I haven't had Trefethen in a few years, but I do remember enjoying it. However, I normally LOVE Markham, and so when I found a bottle at our local wine shop, I bought it, but it wasn't as fab as I remembered it. A good friend that is a "wine afficiando" (sp?), or a wine snob, depending on your perspective, said that it hadn't been a great year for cab that year (I think it was 1995.) So maybe you just got a bad vintage.

[basilbabe]

I'm so glad to see so many Austrailian wines posted. I think they are wonderful and are priced great!

My favorites:

YellowTail - Shiraz and Chardonnay $6.99
Lindemans - Chardonay - $7.99
Meridien - Chardonay - (like to stalk up when on sale!)

Thanks for the other suggestions. I'm going to look for the Fat Bastard! What a great name!

[sharris315]

I got Fat Bastard Chard at Sam's a couple of wks ago for $7.98--a good price.

Shar

[TheresaM]

Claire797, I agree that Snoqualmie wines are good for the price. I first tried their Carbenet/Merlot blend and thought it was very good. I been meaning to try the Chenin Blanc cuz our local grocery store sells it for $6.99. I too like the Louie Bernard, it's a nice red wine that would please everyone. Another is Cline Vin Rouge, it's a blend of like six red wines ($8.99). I have mentioned Wente, Morro Bay, Kenwood, Dallas Conte (chiliean wine), Raymond, Beaucannon, Grand Ridge (australian wine) these are all chardonnay, Clos du Bois (savi??? blanc /semillion blend, only the back label tells you this is a blend with semillion), Rosemont (chardonney/semillion blend). I like just about every Rancho Zabaco, Dancing Bull red wine. All of these wines you should be able to find for $10 or under.

[claire797]

I'll have to try one of the Snoqualmie reds then. I was surprised at how good the Chenin Blanc was. Then again, most Washington wines are good.

I've been avoiding blends like cab/merlot and semillion chardonnay lately. Before I start drinking blends, I want to get good at distinguishing the subtle nuances of each specific grape :). Not that the blends aren't good.

Is Meritage a blend? I haven't tried it yet.

[TheresaM]

Claire797, yes Meritage is a blend. Most American wines are labeled after the grape variety that comprises at least 75% of that wine. A label with "Cabernet Sauvignon" indicates that the wine is comprised of 75% or
more of the grape variety Cabernet Sauvignon.

While many wineries prefer to use proprietary names in addition to,
or rather than, Meritage, to obtain a license and use the term Meritage a wine must meet the following criteria:

A red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere.
No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend.

A white Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following
varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert.
No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend.

[Wendy w]

Love this thread! My niece recently turned me on to Blackstone Merlot and it is great and Slknight, they are sticking it to you in the Northeast because I have seen it for $7.99 here.:eek:

I also like Black Opal (especially their cabernet/merlot mix)will have to try the Shiraz, Calloway and Rosemount. Another one that I do like that hasn't been mentioned is Coppola red wine. They make a really good red table wine and it goes for around $8.00 at Costco and Trader Joe's.

[Peggy]

A few immediately come to mind:

Forest Glen Merlot
Forest Glen Chardonnay
R.H. Philips EXP Syrah
R.H. Philips EXP Chardonnay
Cabernet Sauvignon's from Chile
Gallo Sonoma Pinot Gris

Hmmm... That's all I can think of for now. Maybe others will pop into my head later on!

Peggy

[boisewinesnob]

Originally posted by Dewey
it hadn't been a great year for cab that year (I think it was 1995.) So maybe you just got a bad vintage.

Actually, 1995 was a fantastic year for lots of CA cabs, in some cases even better than '94 :cool: . Maybe it was 1998 she was talking about....that was a less than spectacular year. Of course, there are always exceptions, it seems :p

[slknight]

Originally posted by Wendy w
Love this thread! My niece recently turned me on to Blackstone Merlot and it is great and Slknight, they are sticking it to you in the Northeast because I have seen it for $7.99 here.:eek:



I decided to double-check the price today. I did see the 2000 at the grocery for $9.99. But I also know that I have paid far more than that, because I bought 2 bottles last year for my supper club and couldn't believe how much it was. Maybe the store I was at was just really over-priced? Or maybe I bought the more expensive Reserve and didn't realize it? Anyway, there are two more places close by that I want to check out. This is really bugging me now.

[JackieO]

Originally posted by Mandy
I usually only drink red wine...

Jacob's Creek - Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon

Black Opal - Shiraz

Bogle - Merlot & Petite Syrah


I've just recently discovered the Bogle reds, too, and like them. A little bit pricier, but better (IMHO) is the Murphy Goode "Liars Dice" Zinfandel. It was the favorite at a California wine tasting our neighborhood association hosted a few months back. In fact, my neighbor and I split the cost of a case ($154/12 bottles wholesale) and it just arrived last week. One bottle down, five more to savor:p

[KathrynY]

Susan (slknight) - I find that the price on the Blackstone Merlot is much higher at a small, local bottle shop than at a "Liquorland" warehouse-type place. I have seen it around here for $9.99 - $12.99 depending on which store I'm in. Now, if only my closest Trader Joe's had a wine section :(...

Great thread! I've seen several of my favorites, and will add a few more to the list:

Reds
Villa Mt. Eden Pinot Noir (California)
Santa Cristina Sangiovese (Italy)

Whites
Zenato Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Marques de Caceres Rioja (Spain)

[Gail]

I'll wager to guess that Rosemount Shiraz must be one of the universal favorites of inexpensive wines. Rightfully so, too!

And thanks, Peggy, for mentioning the Forest Glen label which has some entirely decent inexpensive reds. We like the Sangiovese and Cab.

Also pleasant nice light fruity wines are either the Marqués de Cáceres white or red Riojas

Benziger Fumé is often in the $9.00 range and is our standard house white for Mexican food, and the Mondavi Coastal Chardonnay. is a palatable inexpensive Chardonnay.

Two lesser-known but tasty bargains are Di Majo Norante Sangiovese at around $6.99 or so and the amazingly-priced Grand Théâtre White Bordeaux which is a steal at $5.99.

[Dewey]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob


Actually, 1995 was a fantastic year for lots of CA cabs, in some cases even better than '94 :cool: . Maybe it was 1998 she was talking about....that was a less than spectacular year. Of course, there are always exceptions, it seems :p
I think you may be right, because it was sometime around Xmas that I found that bottle of Markham, and I doubt our local wine shop would have any '95 still hanging around. It was ironic that we also had some Glass Mountain at the time, and that tasted way better than the Markham. I kinda wonder if the Markham hadn't been properly stored... It wasn't vinegary, but it definitely wasn't full of the usual flavors (especially for a $28 bottle of wine!)

[mochadelsol]

When I find something I like I stick with it for quite sometime:) So once again I hold my hand up, Duck Pond-Pinot Gris:p :D :D . For 9.95 while it last. The price says 12.95, I don't know that it's for real since it's been selling for less for along time now. No matter, I'm loving it.

[boisewinesnob]

Laurie,
have you ever tried Markham Petite Sirah? It is one of my absolute all-time favorites! Also Peter Lehman (Australia)! I am very picky about my petite sirah's....one of my favorite varietals. I still have almost a case of both the 95 and the 96 (Markham). Their winemaker went to Sterling in 97 (I think)....also excellent. I haven't tried Glass Mtn in a while.

Suzy

[Lchiles]

Here's our votes:

Kendall Jackson Chardonnay
Gallo Sonoma Chardonnay
Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay
Fetzer Sundial Chardonnay
Hess Select Chardonnay
Georges Duboef Beajolais
Toasted Head Chardonnay (Little more exp)
Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel

[KCSoccer]

To Michelle (kcmo727):

Where do you find the Hugel Gentil wine in Kansas City? And what do you like to serve it with?

[kcmo727]

Hi Cindi,

You can get Hugel Gentil at Lukas Liquors, near 119th and Metcalf. I have also bought it at Meiner's Sunfresh in Brookside. It is a very fruity but not overly sweet wine. Try it with cheeses such as Manchego or Havarti and have some sliced pears, grapes or dried apricots alongside. I am sure it would be great with chicken and fish too. I have to admit, I don't know much about food/wine pairings -- if the wine tastes good to me, I can enjoy it with anything!! But this wine is definitely not like an oaky Chardonnay which can overpower certain foods. Hey, did you join the KC supper club? I am going to try to make the August meeting. Hope to see you there.

To everyone who has posted, THANK YOU! These suggestions will keep me happily trying new wines for ages.

Michelle

[Dewey]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob
Laurie,
have you ever tried Markham Petite Sirah? It is one of my absolute all-time favorites! Also Peter Lehman (Australia)! I am very picky about my petite sirah's....one of my favorite varietals. I still have almost a case of both the 95 and the 96 (Markham). Their winemaker went to Sterling in 97 (I think)....also excellent. I haven't tried Glass Mtn in a while.

Suzy

I don't think I've ever had the Markham Petite Sirah -- I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for it. Right now, I've got a bottle of THE BEST Petite Sirah I've ever tasted in my basement. It's from Vincent Arroyo, which is a very small winery in Napa. I think you can only buy the wine from the winery. We had tasted this in a barrel tasting (my wine snob friend knows the owners and he got us an unplanned barrel tasting!) and it was FAB, so we bought futures on the vintage. We could only afford one case, and DH and I have been saving this last bottle for some REALLY special ocassion. I love this winery, everyone that goes to Napa should visit it. Every year, they select an extra special vintage and name it "Joy's Reserve" after their wonderful black lab, Joy. It's even got her picture on the bottle. Ya gotta like a winery that names their best bottling after their dog! Anyway, I haven't been able to find another Petite Sirah that can stand up to this one (especially at the price, it was only like $18/bottle) so I'm always open to suggestions. I think it was just a really good year (I think it was '94). So I'll have to ask my local shop if they can get the Markham Petite Sirah, since I generally like Markham (although it's a bit pricey here in CO.):rolleyes: I also like Sterling wines, but they tend to be even pricier, so I save those for special times (we had a Sterling Cab on our 10th wedding anniv when we were at the Penrose Room at the Broadmoor Hotel -- very swanky place) I'll also keep an eye out for the Australian one. I've been trying some of the cheaper Australian wines, but it's kind of hit or miss. And I think that Petite Sirah tends to be a bit more money than other varietals.

[newsomz]

I have to second all the comments about the Hogue Reisling. Yummy! Also, I really liked Hardy's cab/shiraz blend.

Carrie

[KCSoccer]

Thanks, Michelle, for the hints/tips on the Hugel Gentil wine. I'll definitely give it a try. And, no I didn't get to go to the KC Supper Club outing because I was in Spain for two weeks. But I'm planning on August!

Speaking of Spain, we had some of the most incredible and inexpensive wines while we were there. Reds, rosados (rosé) and especially whites. We stayed in the northern part of Spain, along the Costa Verde (Green Coast) in Austurias, which is known (along with the province of Galicia) for their Albariño white wines. Albariño is fruity yet not sweet and matches perfectly with seafood (and just for sipping, too!). The proprietor of the old hotel where we were staying served an Albariño "house" wine with meals that was incredible (and was about $4 per bottle). When we inquired as to where we could purchase some, he arranged for a case to be delivered to us at the hotel at his cost -- the wine was made by a friend of his from a very small vineyard and not sold retail. What a wine and what a bargain! Too bad it isn't available here, but I'd certainly recommend seeking out other Albariño wines sold here in the States. That and other Spanish wines are still a bargain.

BTW, it is true that you can't eat a bad meal in Spain! I have never eaten so well, so much and so cheaply as I did while there!

[CTSera]

Now this is a thread I can get into.

I'm seconding (or thirteenth-ing??) the vote for the Rosemount Shiraz - it's a proven winner in our house, and my darling fiance will get it whenever we can't decide. We've also tried their Cab-Shiraz blend at roughly $8/bottle, and it too was yummy. A little smoother, a little more versatile (you don't need a big flavor to stand up to it the way you do with a standard Shiraz).

We also really enjoy Beringer for their Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. They are extremely reliable, and if ever I'm cooking fish/light chicken, I can always turn to one of their whites.

Other favorites include Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, Chateau St. Michelle Cabernet, Georges du Beouf Beaujolais (in season... incredibly cheap! We picked up a bottle of the Regnie variety for $9; Fleurie you can find for $6), and Figini Gavi de Gavi (an Italian white, very dry and light like a Pinot Grigio, retailing around $12/bottle in my area).

I'm loving this conversation! Keep it up! I'm taking notes! ;)

~Sarah

[kcmo727]

Cindi,

Spain -- that is a dream vacation! I love riojas but I don't think I have ever tried an albarino. Hopefully the KC supper club has some wine lovers. I will bring a bottle of Hugel to the dinner, why don't you bring an Alabarino? We can taste and compare. See you then!

Michelle

[jenalynh]

Sutter Home's White Merlot. Mostly drink it to get wasted on Friday nights, or in cooking if I have it available during the week. I like it, and DH loves it (so much he'll finish a bottle or two in a night). Merlot meets White Zinfa... very juicy but not too sweet and not dry.

J