Reliable wines to serve at dinners

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These recommendations are mostly terrible. Go to Total Wine and talk to people, or pick out staff picks in your comfortable price point. Find something that is not available at 7-11.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These recommendations are mostly terrible. Go to Total Wine and talk to people, or pick out staff picks in your comfortable price point. Find something that is not available at 7-11.

OK snobby pants, what are your recommendations?

[Anonymous]

There is no "right answer". All I was saying is that if you care about wine quality when hosting its best not to take advice from people who clearly buy wine at CVS and Costco and nowhere else.

There are literally thousands of options.

You want one? Buy an El Coto Rioja in the 2010-2012 range. It is AWESOME. Drinkable but also very complex and tannin rich so it will satisfy people who are wine snobs and those who are not. You gotta look for it, it's not next to the diapers at CVS. But it's also very reasonably priced, usually in the 10-14 range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no "right answer". All I was saying is that if you care about wine quality when hosting its best not to take advice from people who clearly buy wine at CVS and Costco and nowhere else.

There are literally thousands of options.

You want one? Buy an El Coto Rioja in the 2010-2012 range. It is AWESOME. Drinkable but also very complex and tannin rich so it will satisfy people who are wine snobs and those who are not. You gotta look for it, it's not next to the diapers at CVS. But it's also very reasonably priced, usually in the 10-14 range.

See that bolded part? That was really all that was needed. Unless you enjoy being an asshole-- in that case, carry on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no "right answer". All I was saying is that if you care about wine quality when hosting its best not to take advice from people who clearly buy wine at CVS and Costco and nowhere else.

There are literally thousands of options.

You want one? Buy an El Coto Rioja in the 2010-2012 range. It is AWESOME. Drinkable but also very complex and tannin rich so it will satisfy people who are wine snobs and those who are not. You gotta look for it, it's not next to the diapers at CVS. But it's also very reasonably priced, usually in the 10-14 range.

See that bolded part? That was really all that was needed. Unless you enjoy being an asshole-- in that case, carry on.

I am sorry. I am trying to be less of an asshole, genuinely. But I feel like when people are just WRONG and then also do that little eye roll thing at me, I want to emphasize that I am right.

Anyway, we are all works in progress. I honestly feel bad for being a bitch about my post. Carry on.

[Anonymous]

My go-to bottles are, for red, Renieri Invetro (it has a glass cork, which is kind of cool), which costs $12-16 at Total Wine and which everyone always likes. For white, as many others have mentioned, I like sticking with NZ sav blancs. Oyster Bay is OK, but I prefer one called Crossings, which is around $11 at Total Wine. It's the best of the bunch in that price range. In summer I keep roses on hand, too, but obviously that's not needed this time of year.

[Anonymous]

I like to serve Latour, Haut-Brion, or Petrus. For white, Puligny-Montrachet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any Sauvignon blanc from Marlborough should be reliable. Lots of good choices in the $10-$15 range. Oyster Bay, Mussel Bay, Nobilo, etc.

Pinot Noir is a pretty safe red. Not as heavy and spicy as a Malbec or a Syrah, but substantial.

I like Barboursville Pinot Grigio out of Charlottesville a lot. Lots of good Italian Pinot Grigios out on the market though.

I was about to write this exact thing!

[Anonymous]

I agree with the Marques de Caceres Rioja and Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet recommendations. Both very solid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no "right answer". All I was saying is that if you care about wine quality when hosting its best not to take advice from people who clearly buy wine at CVS and Costco and nowhere else.

There are literally thousands of options.

You want one? Buy an El Coto Rioja in the 2010-2012 range. It is AWESOME. Drinkable but also very complex and tannin rich so it will satisfy people who are wine snobs and those who are not. You gotta look for it, it's not next to the diapers at CVS. But it's also very reasonably priced, usually in the 10-14 range.

See that bolded part? That was really all that was needed. Unless you enjoy being an asshole-- in that case, carry on.

I am sorry. I am trying to be less of an asshole, genuinely. But I feel like when people are just WRONG and then also do that little eye roll thing at me, I want to emphasize that I am right.

Anyway, we are all works in progress. I honestly feel bad for being a bitch about my post. Carry on.

Nice deflection! Nobody else in this thread a jerk but you. Despite NOBODY saying "Go to CVS" you said in your comment not once, but twice, that we were all suggesting CVS wines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My go-to bottles are, for red, Renieri Invetro (it has a glass cork, which is kind of cool), which costs $12-16 at Total Wine and which everyone always likes. For white, as many others have mentioned, I like sticking with NZ sav blancs. Oyster Bay is OK, but I prefer one called Crossings, which is around $11 at Total Wine. It's the best of the bunch in that price range. In summer I keep roses on hand, too, but obviously that's not needed this time of year.

Does a corkscrew work on a glass cork? How does one remove a glass cork?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really like alamos Malbec (2014). I'm far from a wine expert, but I keep coming back to it. Usually about $11.

This is what I was going to say. Alamos is consistently good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any Moscato or Riesling. Even non-wine drinkers typically enjoy those.

OP here , whenever I serve Rieslings folk complain they are too sweet.

From my experience a casual wine drinker will prefer a sweeter less dry taste. Much like they would enjoy a tropical fruity cocktail. A more serious wine drinker will prefer a dryer more tart wine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any Moscato or Riesling. Even non-wine drinkers typically enjoy those.

OP here , whenever I serve Rieslings folk complain they are too sweet.

From my experience a casual wine drinker will prefer a sweeter less dry taste. Much like they would enjoy a tropical fruity cocktail. A more serious wine drinker will prefer a dryer more tart wine.

I agree. People who like wine will think Riesling is too sweet. Your person who accepts 2 inches of wine at a dinner party twice a year will love it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no "right answer". All I was saying is that if you care about wine quality when hosting its best not to take advice from people who clearly buy wine at CVS and Costco and nowhere else.

There are literally thousands of options.

You want one? Buy an El Coto Rioja in the 2010-2012 range. It is AWESOME. Drinkable but also very complex and tannin rich so it will satisfy people who are wine snobs and those who are not. You gotta look for it, it's not next to the diapers at CVS. But it's also very reasonably priced, usually in the 10-14 range.

See that bolded part? That was really all that was needed. Unless you enjoy being an asshole-- in that case, carry on.

I am sorry. I am trying to be less of an asshole, genuinely. But I feel like when people are just WRONG and then also do that little eye roll thing at me, I want to emphasize that I am right.

Anyway, we are all works in progress. I honestly feel bad for being a bitch about my post. Carry on.

Nice deflection! Nobody else in this thread a jerk but you. Despite NOBODY saying "Go to CVS" you said in your comment not once, but twice, that we were all suggesting CVS wines.

You guys must be in Virginia - in DC and MD you can't buy wine at CVS (although I think there is one CVS in DC that is allowed to sell wine). In MD you can't even get it at Costco. You guys have the benefit of having Total Wine, it's a great compromise - supermarket style, good prices, and some people who know wine. Go there.