What are good wines?

[WillyBrandt]

I'd like to get into wines, but I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

What are good wines under $15?

I know that I like California Red Zinfandel, but nothing else.

[Marian]

1. Why do you want to know?

Why?

Do you have to know?

Why do you care?

(those are some of my favorite whines)

:hi:

[DuctapeFatwa]

2. Good Wines come from France

If you like anything called "California Red Zinfandel" just stick with that.

[alwynsw]

32. Don't you mean Texas?

Courtesy of Munson?

<snip>

Munson's work enabled him to help save the European grape and wine industry from devastating fungus and insect attacks. In the 1840s European vineyards had been ravaged by the fungus parasite oidium. During that time France suffered losses of nearly 80 percent of its vines. The European wine industry imported native labrusca rootstock from the United States, but these cuttings brought in phylloxera, a plant louse, which attacked the slowly recovering vineyards. In 1868 phylloxera was discovered in southern France; more than 6 million acres of vineyards were destroyed in France, Germany, and other regions of Europe. The French wine industry, knowing of Munson's expertise, requested that he send some of the grape hybrid rootstock that he had developed during his studies at Denison. He shipped phylloxera-resistant rootstock to France, where it was grafted with varieties of European vinifera. Munson's work and that of another horticulturalist, Hermann Jaeger, helped save the European wine industry from total devastation.

Oh yea. He learned his trade in part in KENTUCKY.

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/fmu8.html

[WillyBrandt]

34. Thanks for the petulant snobbery

You've never had a good Italian or Argentine wine? Are you truly serious, or are you just being a jerk?

[DuctapeFatwa]

49. The best I've had that was not from France was from Bulgaria

A long time ago. There are some drinkable Italian wines.

Argentina has very good beef.

[DBoon]

43. Plenty good Zin from CA

So-called old vine Zinfadels have a lot of character. I had of bottle of one from Firestone that is very good. Good solid Zins come from the California Central Coast (Mastantuono Winery is good) and from the Sierra Foothills, Amador County. Ravenswood in Sonoma is good as well.

For good value in reds, consider Chilean and Australian wines, esp. Australian "Shiraz", another tasty red.

An if you like Zin, you may want to try Spanish Rioja ("blood of the Bull is that "Sangre del Toro"?) and Italian wines (I like Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - it is inexpensive and very good)

It is a rare day when you get anything good under $7. For $12 though you can get something very drinkable.

Cost Plus is a good place to buy inexpensive wine. Trader Joe's is OK, but you have to be careful what you buy.

[Capn Sunshine]

47. Good wines come from France, GREAT wines from California

And there's absolutely NO argument.

Red Zinfandel, Clos Du Bois, '99 if available in your town. Or Ravenswood, 2000.


Remember what little good wine is left in France all grows from California stock imported after the vinyards were wiped out in the 70s.

[DuctapeFatwa]

50. It is something in the soil, or in the air, or in the ether in France

California produces very nice avocados.

[Lady Freedom]

3. What do you need the wine for?

are you needing it as a dessert wine? a mixer? dinner?

[WillyBrandt]

15. No reason, I just want to get into wine...

Normal table wines, but if you know of any good desert wines, I'd be interested too

[mr_hat]

4. *The* classic is, "I wanna go to My-yammie."

[supernova]

5. Every time you go to the store

pick up a bottle or two of something you haven't tried before. See if you like them. Try all countries too, US, France, Italy, Argentina. Just experiment then see what you like.

It's also fun to find wine tastings in your area and go to those. You can taste a bunch of different wines all at once.

Happy imbibing!

[RebelOne]

6. I am a cheap wino. I like a chablis.

But when I want to treat myself to a more expensive wine, I buy a French Gravis (sp). It's a very good dry white.

[Whitacre D_WI]

25. Chablis is not cheap.

Unless you mean that excrement from California upon which some unscrupulous producer has placed a label that says "chablis." Chablis is from a region in France that is called, well, "Chablis." It's part of Burgundy, and its wines can be very expensive.

And yes, there are some EXCELLENT Graves out there. But not just white (though some of the whites are damn good as well). Graves is part of Bordeaux, and two of the finest red wines we have at our disposal come from Graves: Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion.

Happy Drinking!

[absyntheNsugar]

7. Night Train, Thunderbird and Boons Farm

French wines don't even compare to these...

ON EDIT: Please realize I AM joking :-)

[many a good man]

8. Clos du Bois

Merlot or Cabernet can be had for around $15, less on sale. They're my favorite Californians. Martin Ray makes a really good white, can't remember what kind. Its pretty hard to find. Other than that, I go to imports. Ferrande makes a decent Merlot for around $9.

[ScrewyRabbit]

9. The best way to get into wines

is to just buy some, drink them, and decide if you like them!

You like Zins already, you can spend a long time just exploring that grape. So if you want one recommendation to start, go out and buy a bottle of Ravenswood zinfandel (their vintners blend should be under $15) and give it a try.

[GCP]

10. Kendall-Jackson make an excellent Merlot

I can get it for $12.99 at my local BJs, but it's usually around $17.99.
Their Sauvignon Blanc is also very nice, crisp and dry.
Many German white wines are very good, a liebfraumilch, piesporter or hock are all crisp, white wines, excellent served cold, some are sweeter than others.
Ask a guy at the wine shop, they can usually recommend something nice.
You usually go with red wines to accompany red meats, and whites with chicken or fish.
Enjoy!

edited for spelling

[Lindacooks]

11. German white wines are good

Piesporter Michelsburg, any of the rieslings.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

12. Mirassou and the Hogue wineries put out some excellent products

Mirassou is CA and Hogue is WA. If you are just getting started I would recommend a riesling...usually sweet and easy to enjoy as a desert wine or just sitting around!

TheProdigal

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. Follow the advice of others - just go to the store, and give it a shot

and if you have a decent liquor in which the help actually know the wines, PLEASE take advantage of their knowledge, and don't be ashamed to say "I like Zinfandel, but I want to try something different, and I don't want to spend more than $12 a bottle" (lower your final price, becuase they'll always pull out one or two bottles that are just a few bucks more...and I don't say that in a cynical way).

Best way to do it is to go to wine tastings at the store.

Most of the wine I've bought has been through wine tastings (but in NYC, my two liquor stores have wine tastings almost every day, so taht's an easy option for me). But there are HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of really good wines even under $10, so I almost never buy the same kind twice, unless I find a wine I really, really like, in which case I have bought cases at a shot. Except my proseccos and sparkling wines, I have definite ones I like and always go back to.

But otherwise, in the last 15 years, I've rarely ever had the same wine twice, and I haven't even BEGUN tapping the amount of wines available in the $10 or less range.

I like wines from Australia a lot, for some reason.

[Wickerman]

23. My wife likes Australian wines a lot

I don't drink, but when we take a bottle somewhere it is always well received. One that comes to mind is Yellowtail - tis cheap but apparently tasty enough. Again, I can't vouche, but it does get good comments. I imagine its a little pedestrian, nothing brilliant, but she prefers the Aussie merlots.
YMMV

[Archae]

14. There's this $2 a bottle stuff.

Saw this on "20/20" last night.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/Business/two_buck_chuck_controversy_040109-1.html

[ScrewyRabbit]

19. This stuff is actually GREAT for the price

As a basic table wine, it works, and for the price you can't beat it.

[eyesroll]

29. Two Buck Chuck (actually $2.99 in IL) Cab is awful.

My dad sent a bottle back home with me. Ick, ick, ick.

Perhaps the other varieties are better.

[supernova]

16. Currently enjoying Ravenswood reds

of the California reds. Merlot and Cab are terrific. Got a bottle of Zin but haven't opened that yet.

[WillyBrandt]

17. Is Prosecco sparkling wine any good?

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. I like it very much!

Better than champagne (or sparkling wine, which is just champagne not made in Champagne).

Mionetto is the brand we like, and what I get about 90% of the time I want something sparkling.

Prosecco also makes cocktails and mixed drinks better than champagne/sparkling wine, like bellinis and French 75s and Mimosas, etc.

[Kellanved]

24. no

IMHO prosecco is overpriced lemonade. It's a hyped B-quality wine far inferior to a good Cremant or even a German Sekt.

Edit: and don't forget Cava.

[WillyBrandt]

28. SEKT! That's right...

Ich mag' was zum Trinken...

What is a good German Sekt?

[Kellanved]

35. Menger Krug

-Schloss Vau
-Rheinhessischer Winzersekt (directly from the vintager);
-Rheinhessischer roter Winzersekt (red sparkling wine; best bought from the vintager as well).
-Graeger the sparkling crow .

If everything fails: Rotkäppchen extra trocken Flaschengärung; Mumm extra dry or Henkel trocken (in dire emergencies).

[WillyBrandt]

36. Voll supper!

Thanks... I'll look into them!

[EXE619K]

37. Furst von Metternich

I think it's made by the same people at Schloss Johannisberg.
Awesome Riesling Sekt!

[WillyBrandt]

38. Do you know where you buy Sekt in the US?

Online that is?

[Kellanved]

52. I've searched

and frankly: too expensive. An excellent Sekt sells for less than €10 in Europe, the US sellers want more than $22 for an acceptable one. That's simply too much.

[Kellanved]

40. Fürst von Meckernicht ?

:evilgrin:
That's one of the acceptable ones, like Henkel.

[WillyBrandt]

20. If you want a great Vodka: Try Hangar One Mandarin Orange

This is a new, weird one that just came out. Really fantastic. I like it better than Grey Goose, even. It's a bit hard to find, but highly, highly recommended

[Whitacre D_WI]

21. The best wines for you are the ones you like.

That said, there are objective qualities to wine as well -- that is, is the damn stuff made right?

Here goes: if you like Zin ("California Red Zinfandel" is redundant, because a) anything called "Zinfandel" is almost certain to come from CA, and b) Zinfandel is red. "White Zinfandel" is urine), I suggest any producer whose name starts with an "R."

Renwood Old Vines is available for under $20, and there are a couple of single-vineyard Rosenblum zins in the $15 range. Ridge and Ravenswood tend to be a bit more expensive (though Ravanswood has a non-vintage "vintners blend" that is quite good for around $10).

Next, look outside the US. Italy's Primitivo is genetically the same grape as Zinfandel, and is quite inexpensive. A-Mano is a very good producer, at $10 a bottle.

Then expand beyond Zin. France's southern Rhone valley is an excellent source for value-priced wines that are still very good. A good Cotes-du-Rhone will run you less than $12 (I recommend Guigal, Jaboulet, and Louis Bernard for low-priced quality). There are also unclassified regions in the southern Rhone and Languedoc area that produce excellent wine: try "La Vielle Ferme," which retails for around $7. You will be amazed at the quality/price ratio.

And then graduate to Syrah. The Aussies call it Shiraz, and there is a lot of good Shiraz available for under $15; it is a VERY accessible wine for a Zinfandel lover.

But the true home of Syrah is the northern Rhone. Cote Rotie and Hermitage are among the finest (and most expensive, if you consider Chapoutier's Hermitages and Guigal's Cote Roties) wines in the world. Look outisde the boundaries of Hermitage, however, and you're in a region called "Crozes-Hermitage." 100% Syrah wines that can be very, very good. I suggest the Crozes-Hermitages of Jaboulet and Guigal.

The next thing to remember is vintages. I suggest you take a quick trip over to http://www.winespectator.com and take a look at their vintage charts. Vintage is more important in Europe than in CA or Australia (due to the volataile climate), but it really does matter: in a poor vintage, even the best (and most expensive) producers make poor-to-middling wines; in a great vintage (1998 in the southern Rhone, 1999 in the north), even the cheapest producers can make outstanding wine.

Happy drinking!

[WillyBrandt]

26. Thanks!

An excellent response!

[baldguy]

22. Talk to your wine merchant.

If the wine shop is worth anything, its for the information they have. You can get many good - even great - wines for $10-$15. If you like CA Zin, try some Merlots too. Go up the coast for Pinot Nior from Washington and Oregon. Cali also has a great variety of Cabernets. You can also try similar styles from France, Italy, Australia and South Africa - depending on your preferenes.

And that's what's important - YOUR PREFERENCE. If ask a wine sellor for a good bottle of wine, and the first thing he shows you is the Ch. Mouton Rothschild - go somewhere else.

And, once you become comfortable with the reds, there are a whole lot of whites to try!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

27. Good Inexpensive Red and White Wines

I highly recommend checking out some French reds from Corbieres, the Languedoc and the Rhone. I can get them at my local wine store for under $12. 1998 was a good year for Cotes Du Rhone.

Some Italian Reds are relatively inexpensive as well. I like reds made from the Sangiovese grape, as well as Chiantis. The region Montepulciano also produces some good wines, but again, you usually have to try several vineyards before finding one you adore.

I have also had some EXCELLENT wines from Chile and Argentina lately. Trader Joe's carries some very inexpensive ones that are quite good.

On edit: my favorite inexpensive whites are White Burgundys.

[alwynsw]

30. The very best wines are the wines you like.

Price is immaterial. If it tastes like dog pee to you at $300.00 per bottle it's a waste. If it tastes like ambrosia and has a screw cap nad sells for 2 bucks a gallon, it's a good wine.

In short, if it suits you and your guests, it's good. If it doesn't, it's bad. Your tastes will change over time.

Don't be pretentious. Follow your own tastes. I like a rare steak, my wife likes medium. analogy made.

[DemNoir]

31. An excellent beginners book

Is "The Wine Avenger" by Willie Gluckstern. It is short, to the point, and filled with common sense advice.Take about 3 hours to read it and you will sound like an expert.

[Rabrrrrrr]

33. Another good one called "How to Taste Wine"

don't know the author, since the book has gone to Japan, but it's a quite helpful beginner-style book, but with lots of excellent stuff that's also appropriate for the seasoned taster.

[EXE619K]

39. Wines from down-under are of good value....

Hot climate wines are easy to enjoy, but the over-abundance of fruit kinda turns me off...it's too simple. It's kinda like too much Yquem(okay, so who really believes that?).

I'm a Pinot fan myself so:

1. any of the Cote d'Or....esp. Leroy d'Auvenay "Bourgogne" if yar lucky, some stores might have it on sale for about 20 bucks.

2. Assmanshauser Hollenberg (Staatliches Weinguter)....German Rhein Pinot...about 20 bucks....excellent wines.

But, I heard recently that our wine industry is taking a huge hit from cheap Aussie and S. American wines. If you feel that it's a patriotic duty to buy our own:

Hogue and Columbia Crest is always a safe bet!



DEAN LEADS THE WAY!

[terrya]

41. Spend a couple of extra bucks and get Kendall-Jackson wines

Kendall-Jackson wines cost about $17 -18, but are very good wines.

[stopbush]

42. Here's a good resource

www.winespectator.com

They review wines in all price ranges from round the world.

[DBoon]

44. problem with Wine Spectator

If they give something a high rating (esp. "best bargain") it immediately vanishes from all the wine shops. Many people just buy to the Spectator.

[EXE619K]

46. Besides....

Marvin Shanken is a GOP Thug!




DEAN LEADS THE WAY!

[MercutioATC]

45. For $15-$17, Coppola Diamond Series Zinfandel is excellent...

Make sure it's the Diamond Series (burgundy label) and not the $10/bottle Rosso.

[Divernan]

48. Fat Bastard! No, not you - that's the name of the wine.

It was a real hit at my house over the holidays, and I just bought four more bottles today. It's a French chardonnay (white) from Thierry and Guy (12% alcohol) and it's amazingly only about $10 a bottle. Other longer term, but more expensive favorites are French wines from Louis Jadot like Pinot Noir Bourgogne (red); or from B&G (Barton & Guestier: Chateauneuf-du-Pape (red from southeastern France, north of Avignon, on the left bank of the Rhone River-this wine has good aging potential) or Pouilly-Fuisse (white Chardonay from Southern Burgundy). For special occasions, or oftener if you can afford it, French champagne of course. My SO and I had a lot of fun a couple of summers ago doing extensive taste testing of different champagnes. The winner was Veuve Cliquot.

I don't think you should limit yourself to $10 bottles. You can get some acceptable, and sometimes good wines for $10 but why ignore the great wines? I'm referring to the $20-$40 a bottle price range. But the best wine I ever had was a French white burgundy which went for $400 a bottle. A wealthy friend of a friend took three of us to dinner and we had two bottles with our meal. Before I tasted it, I was thinking scornfully that one could feed a family for a month for the cost of one bottle (this was 1985). Then I tasted it. It was fantastic - sort of floated down my throat and the phrase "ambrosia of the gods" replaced the "feed a family for a week". Everyone should drink like the gods once in their life time. I was told the reason it was so expensive was that there was a very small area in Beaune which produced the grapes used for this wine, so the limited number of cases was bid up at time of sale every year. Actually it was so terrific that I didn't drink any other wines for a long time because they would have been so disappointing by comparison.

[Aristus]

51. If a good simple table wine is all you need, you can't do better than

a California Red Zine. Simple, nice character, pleasant finish, and easy on the pocketbook. Also, wines from areas not previously known for production are getting raves. I'll second the motion for the good Australian Shiraz, and I've had some Chilean wines to die for. Good hunting!

[Kellanved]

53. probably impossible to find in the US

So count this as a vanity response:

Huster Organic wines: excellent German wines : http://www.weingut-huster.de
and my favourite Assmanshäuser red from the Hessian State Vineyards.

http://staatsweingueterhessen.de/domaeneAssmannshausen/ (the Eagle is pre-Nazi)

My French favourite wine is Bourgogne Haute Côtes de Beaune red. We used to import it ouselves, as it's really cheap at the vintager's cooperative in Beaune.

[Snow]

54. You want to go to Trader Joe's

looks like they're in your neighborhood
http://www.traderjoes.com/locations/all.locations.pdf

and their flyers are pretty informative about wines. They're the only place that sells 2-buck-chucks - whic I drink all the time and like for my regular slosh-down-with-supper glass.
http://www.traderjoes.com/

[Kellanved]

55. OK

Probably a good choice, but don't hype it too much; the wines at the German parent comapany, Aldi, had an excellent name too, but after a few years more wine was sold than produced - someone must have faked the bottles.