wines
 

Hey all,
I wanted to buy myself and my boyfriend a nice wine for our anniversary (which happens during his fraternity formal). I know NOTHING about the subject. Any ideas? Any wines that taste good and fairly inexpensive???

Thanks!

Well... give us a little something to go with here. Do you like red or white?

Re: wines
 

Usually you buy a wine that goes with the meal. I'm assuming that since it's his formal, it wouldn't be too much of a problem finding out what the meal is (red meat, etc.). There are a lot of good wines even below $20 and most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference unless they drink wine a lot.

Since wines get rated by so many different sources, I recommend going to a wine or liquor store to look around. Usually they have the ratings above each bottle. And remember to pick something that accentuates the meal and doesn't clash with it.

-Rudey

I hadn't planned on drinking it with the meal itself. Later that night we're going to have time for us to just sit chill/talk together.

I thought about going with a bottle of champagne, but he said something about wines, so thats what I wanted to get him.

I've heard that white wine is sweeter...is that true?

Sorry, I know I sound like a bumbling idiot, I've just never done the wine thing before! Thanks for the help.

No I don't think I would say white wine is sweeter. But from the way it sounds, you'd really enjoy a dessert wine. I have had some really good dessert wines that come from the Golan region. They're sweeter and often times you can get them in these packages with really fine chocolates. IF this is what you're interested in then I can give you some recommendation.

-Rudey
--Out for the night

I personally prefer California Reds with two of my favorite vineyards being Barnwood and Alexander Valley. The Cabernets in both are excellent, Barnwood also has a good merlot.

I'd go to a wine store and ask the people who work there, that's what I do when I buy my wine. They'll give good recommendations within your price range.

If you've never had a dessert wine, try it before you buy it. They can be very very sweet and that's not to everyone's liking.

yay! thanks for the advice everyone...

Rudey, a few names for dessert wines would be nice... thanks!

I dig anything from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Amazing vineyard. Havent had anyof their stuff I didnt like.

Perhaps you should try a Merlot for the occasion, you can pick up a great one for under 20-30 dollars, and definitely my favorite type - that, or Boone's Country, both solid choices.

Australian wines are excellent and Chilean reds are excellent value for your money as well.

I personally am a white zin girl myself, merlot and some chardonnays give me heartburn. I like Turning Leaf, and some others. My roomies like Carlo Rossi merlot and red wines... Earnest and Gallo, Sutter Home, and Inglebrook are cheap and good, but I wouldn't recommend the last one.
Haven't had Boone's Country, but have had Boone's Farm, which I don't think they should even call wine, lol... anything with a screw top and bubbles (not champagne) isn't wine. :rolleyes:

check out fat bastard!
 

Seriously, Fat Bastard makes a nice shiraz that as I remember isn't too pricey. Shiraz is always on of my favorites and works well if you're looking for a nice red that's a little different. And who can resist a Fat Bastard? (Sorry, I just thought the name was too funny.)

www.fatbastard.com

Since it's your anniversay and a nice occaision, stay away from anything with a screw top, corks are the best.

I personally like Cotes du Rhone red wine from France. They have a nice finish and you can buy a bottle for under $20, except for the Chateauneuf-du-pape wines which are a little more expensive.

If you like White wine, my favorite is the Aligote white wine from Burgundy in France. It has a nice fruity taste and I don't remember it being too expensive.

Any employee at a wine store should be trained to help you out, don't be afraid to ask.

Some of my faves, w/ approx. prices....
1. Ravenswood California Zinfandel 1999, but 2000 is ok too. About 12 bucks
2. Ravenswood Merlot 1999 if you can find it...about the same price
3. Beringer White Zinfandel...about 6 bucks...try the 99 or 00
4. Jest Red....about 15 bucks...you'll probably find it in a wine specialty shop
5. any Australian Shiraz...it packs a punch but wow is it good

I'm not much of a white wine person so I can't really recommend anything. Good luck!!!

Coppola vineyard make some great wines - untraditional in the sense that they blend a variety of tastes for their own creations. 'Bianco' is a full-bodied white that is great for sipping over conversation (and since you serve it chilled it's perfect for a warm night. and it goes for about $8.99.
Clos Du Bois is my all time fave - the Chardonnay is about $10 and the Merlot is about $16.

Also think about a blush or a white zin. instead of a dessert wine, because like amycat412 said, they can be very sweet (I'm not really a fan).

Make sure if you choose a red you let it breathe (uncork it a few minutes before pouring) for a fuller taste.

The Coppola Merlot is very good, About $25.00 I think...

I would also recommend a Shiraz (red from Australia)- My favorite. Right now Jacob's Creek is about $15.00 (and has a pretty good rating) or I prefer Penfold's which is about $15-25. With Penfold's you can get also get what I call a "Shiraz blend" basically it also has other grapes like Cabernay or Merlot. It makes it a little mellower I think.

If you're looking for a dessert wine you could try a port (very sweet - for sipping), vintage port is better in my opinion. I cannot suggest a brand you should go to a local wine shop and they can help you.

If you want a nice, sweet dessert wine, you might want to try a good Reisling... delish!

You could always take a day trip to Huber Winery in Indiana (I think its 25 minutes from downtown Louisville) and do some wine tasting, where you can actually learn the difference between wines and tastes. Or maybe there are other wine tasting events in the area.

If you ever venture into Southern Illinois, there are several fun wineries there and the wine is really good. I prefer it much more than store brands.

Apple wines are also wonderful, as are other fruit wines.

GO GREEK!

Greek wine is yummy. It comes it cafters.

Anything in a box is definitely the way to go.

Franzia, anyone? :)

When searching for a wine that is not really great but not bad either... it's cheap... and you don't have to worry about it going bad.. Well boxed wine is just good like that.

Not something I'm going to swirl in my glass and comment about the "aroma" though...

Meridian merlot is a favorite of mine. It has a slight buttery aftertaste, and it's very smooth. The price usually falls around $15.

it's all in the geography
 

Here's a good rule of thumb: wines will usually taste differently according to where they are from. The classic way to divide it up is Old World (Europe) vs. New World (Cali, Austrailia, Chile, etc).

In my experience I've found that New World wines are sweeter (they harvest the grapes at a riper time) and less complicated (that's a soil issue). The one exception would be German wines which are usually *very* sweet. Some of them nearly taste like juice. Personally I like Old World wines but that's just me. They have a more complex flavor and I feel like I'm getting more out of it.

So if you are having a meal with big flavors get a red wine that has a full body (you should be able to ask the clerk about that). A Bourdeax -- i'm probably spelling that wrong -- would be a good bet. Shiraz (or Shiray) is generally considered a dessert wine as it's a bit lighter and sweeter.

If you're just sitting with each other and you want a nice wine that you can drink by itself, I'd recommend the Les Jamelles Merlot. It's a great French table wine that isn't expensive at all (I buy it for about 8.99) and tastes great.

Good luck and happy anniversary.