If you are a wine snob....

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PP's who say thank them graciously, then stash it and serve what you were planning. (Unless it's backyard casual with a big drink tub anyway, you can toss it in there and let people drink what they like.)

I have a separate rack for wine I wouldn't serve or drink. I cook with it, make sangria, take it to my inlaws who like it, etc.

[Anonymous]

Did it ever occur to this group that sometimes people don't know much about wine. When someone brings me a gift, I am happy and gracious. Get a grip.

Of course there are people who don't know much about wine, and of course we love them and are thrilled to have their company. So yes we're happy, and of course we're gracious. Then we still serve the good stuff (as we want our guests to enjoy it), and set the yellowtail aside for a private time (and use) for us.

Ignore the previous angry poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are bringing Charles Shaw or Yellowtail or Barefoot, they aren't wine drinkers and won't drink whatever you serve anyway. They're just doing it to be polite. Serve what you had planned, thank them for their wine and then just throw it out.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'd rather not drink my wine from a bag or a box, unless I'm short of cash.

[Anonymous]

Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

[Anonymous]

PP here. Please forgive my typos in my last post, I am on my iphone and forgot to proofread!

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty picky about my wine, but I love Charles Shaw's Shiraz. It's better than 90% of wines under $15. I don't drink white wine, but I buy their white wine for cooking too.

[Anonymous]

Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

Your best bet is California chardonnay. It's still America's most popular wine. There are wine snobs (including me) who got tired of it and went through an ABC ("anything but Chardonnay") phase, but most people like it, it's very versatile, and very easy to find. If the hostess isn't into Chardonnay, she'll still have no problem serving it to guests, or find an occasion to make an exception to her chardonnay rule.

Chardonnays that are reliable, easy to find, and in your 20-30 range or lower: Sonoma-Cutrer, Simi, Acacia, Chalone, Chateau St. Jean, Dry Creek, Ferrari-Carrano, Kenwood, Kunde, Geyser Peak, Wente. On the cheaper end, Dynamite, Estancia, Fetzer, Folie a Deux, Greg Norman.

For red, don't feel you have to bring a cabernet. Many people think so, but cabernet is expensive--a lot of the $20 ones are blah (though some are good), and cheap ones are going to be darn hard to find. If you must have one, Worthy is good, $25-30, and not that hard to find. It's the second wine of Axios, a high-end (some would say cult) cabernet. On the cheaper end, Dynamite is reliable.

Instead, go for an Argentine Malbec -- Catena is a good one and easy to find. (They also have a good cabernet.) Or a zinfandel. Reliable zins are Seghesio, Ridge, Rosenblum, Dry Creek, Frog's Leap, or Ravenswood (but not the entry-level $11 "vintner's blend"). A fun and a little cheaper one is Plungerhead. Cline makes an affordable one.

Wines to avoid: Anything under $10 (there are exceptions, but ...), anything with a cute name or an animal on the label (yellowtail, little penguin), anything that is available in magnum (1.5 L size) at the grocery or convenience store, generally anything that is stacked in boxes near the cash register.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

You have to buy that bottle somewhere in person, won't you? Go to Total wine or even Trader Joe's if you are in VA, and ask the store employee. Better yet, go to a small, non-chain wine shop and they will be able to help you choose a good wine based on the season, their specials, and the personality of your hosts.
Ignore the PP or at least take her post for what it's worth - an opinion of one person with unknown credentials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

Not sure where you are in the DC area, but if you are close, you should try Schneider's of Capital Hill. It's walking distance to Union Station. The store has everything in every price range, and the best part is the have incredible staff there to help you. You don't have to know anything about wine. You can just tell them the price range and if you know, some things you like in a wine (you don't have to know the technical terms either) and red or white and they will find you a good one. It doesn't matter the price range I give them either (sometimes $10-12), they always come up with a good one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

Your best bet is California chardonnay. It's still America's most popular wine. There are wine snobs (including me) who got tired of it and went through an ABC ("anything but Chardonnay") phase, but most people like it, it's very versatile, and very easy to find. If the hostess isn't into Chardonnay, she'll still have no problem serving it to guests, or find an occasion to make an exception to her chardonnay rule.

Chardonnays that are reliable, easy to find, and in your 20-30 range or lower: Sonoma-Cutrer, Simi, Acacia, Chalone, Chateau St. Jean, Dry Creek, Ferrari-Carrano, Kenwood, Kunde, Geyser Peak, Wente. On the cheaper end, Dynamite, Estancia, Fetzer, Folie a Deux, Greg Norman.

For red, don't feel you have to bring a cabernet. Many people think so, but cabernet is expensive--a lot of the $20 ones are blah (though some are good), and cheap ones are going to be darn hard to find. If you must have one, Worthy is good, $25-30, and not that hard to find. It's the second wine of Axios, a high-end (some would say cult) cabernet. On the cheaper end, Dynamite is reliable.

Instead, go for an Argentine Malbec -- Catena is a good one and easy to find. (They also have a good cabernet.) Or a zinfandel. Reliable zins are Seghesio, Ridge, Rosenblum, Dry Creek, Frog's Leap, or Ravenswood (but not the entry-level $11 "vintner's blend"). A fun and a little cheaper one is Plungerhead. Cline makes an affordable one.

Wines to avoid: Anything under $10 (there are exceptions, but ...), anything with a cute name or an animal on the label (yellowtail, little penguin), anything that is available in magnum (1.5 L size) at the grocery or convenience store, generally anything that is stacked in boxes near the cash register.

No one I know drinks Chardonnay, ymmv.

OP, if it were a potluck I would put it out with everything else. If a dinner party I save it for later, then re-gift to someone who doesn't mind cheap wine, or use it for sangria for my book club.

[Anonymous]

You shouldn't cook with wine you aren't willing to drink, said Julia Child....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

Your best bet is California chardonnay. It's still America's most popular wine. There are wine snobs (including me) who got tired of it and went through an ABC ("anything but Chardonnay") phase, but most people like it, it's very versatile, and very easy to find. If the hostess isn't into Chardonnay, she'll still have no problem serving it to guests, or find an occasion to make an exception to her chardonnay rule.

Chardonnays that are reliable, easy to find, and in your 20-30 range or lower: Sonoma-Cutrer, Simi, Acacia, Chalone, Chateau St. Jean, Dry Creek, Ferrari-Carrano, Kenwood, Kunde, Geyser Peak, Wente. On the cheaper end, Dynamite, Estancia, Fetzer, Folie a Deux, Greg Norman.

For red, don't feel you have to bring a cabernet. Many people think so, but cabernet is expensive--a lot of the $20 ones are blah (though some are good), and cheap ones are going to be darn hard to find. If you must have one, Worthy is good, $25-30, and not that hard to find. It's the second wine of Axios, a high-end (some would say cult) cabernet. On the cheaper end, Dynamite is reliable.

Instead, go for an Argentine Malbec -- Catena is a good one and easy to find. (They also have a good cabernet.) Or a zinfandel. Reliable zins are Seghesio, Ridge, Rosenblum, Dry Creek, Frog's Leap, or Ravenswood (but not the entry-level $11 "vintner's blend"). A fun and a little cheaper one is Plungerhead. Cline makes an affordable one.

Wines to avoid: Anything under $10 (there are exceptions, but ...), anything with a cute name or an animal on the label (yellowtail, little penguin), anything that is available in magnum (1.5 L size) at the grocery or convenience store, generally anything that is stacked in boxes near the cash register.

No one I know drinks Chardonnay, ymmv.

OP, if it were a potluck I would put it out with everything else. If a dinner party I save it for later, then re-gift to someone who doesn't mind cheap wine, or use it for sangria for my book club.

Was out in Napa and Chardonnay is popular again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could those of you who know wine recommend a 20-30 bottle of good wine to bring as a hotess gift? Or under $20? I dint drink eine, always have to adk for a recommendation at the store. But a couple of ideas might help thise if us who struggle wih this dulemma and run the risk of bringing sn "undrinkable" wine!

You have to buy that bottle somewhere in person, won't you? Go to Total wine or even Trader Joe's if you are in VA, and ask the store employee. Better yet, go to a small, non-chain wine shop and they will be able to help you choose a good wine based on the season, their specials, and the personality of your hosts.
Ignore the PP or at least take her post for what it's worth - an opinion of one person with unknown credentials.

I agree, except about the advice you might receive at Total. (They are heavily invested in their own labels.) Your local wine shop will know what is drinking well, which wine would suit the occasion, and some specific good values.

Yellowtail is hardly 'undrinkable'. It's noted for its price point and can be one-dimensional. Shaw is super cheap. I suspect a number of "snobs" would declare Yellowtail 'delicious' if it had an obscure label on the bottle with a $30 price tag. OP is reacting to well-known inexpensive wines. A store employee can help you avoid choosing wines who have these reputations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if it were a potluck I would put it out with everything else. If a dinner party I save it for later, then re-gift to someone who doesn't mind cheap wine, or use it for sangria for my book club.

2 Buck Chuck is not regiftable, nor is any widely available inexpensive wine.