Wine Help

[Anonymous]

I do not drink at all but am hosting a book club and would like to have a few bottles available. The meeting is in the evening so I will be serving light fare-cheese, fruit, a dip or two with chips, something chocolate etc I am going to TJs to pick up food and while I am there would like to buy some wine, any specific suggestions? I think I should have 4 bottles on hand-there are 6-8 members TIA

[Anonymous]

I don't buy wine at Trader Joe's. I only go to Total Wine, WF or Wegmans because they have the selection and expertise.

Try Spanish or Georgian reds. Chilean or NZ for whites and maybe some Cali rose.

[Anonymous]

Malbec fo red, pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc for whites.

Price doesn't ensure quality; you can get a perfectly fine bottle of wine in the $10-$15 range.

[Anonymous]

I like the Dark Horse Chardonnay & Cabernet at TJ. I've had good luck with the folks there making good recommendations, too. I've never had any luck at all with the Total Wine people, but the Wegman's folks are really knowledgeable. And I drink a lot of wine and know what to ask for/how to describe my preferences.

[Anonymous]

I think your best bet is a place that can recommend wine and cheese that will pair well. The cheese recommendation is as important as the wine. Whole Foods is very good at this. (Assuming you can't get into the city to go to a specialty shop like Calvert Woodley, Cork, or Rodman's.) TJ's isn't going to have the cheese selection. And some of their wines are good, but some really aren't.

Don't do a cabernet. Not everyone likes something that big and tannic. I'd go with one pinot noir for people who like light-bodied (Mark West is a good one), and one either Zinfandel or a Spanish Rioja--they're medium-bodied, versatile, and more interesting than merlot. They'll match with either a blue cheese or a good dark chocolate. Marques de Caceres or LAN are good Riojas; for a Zinfandel do something that starts with "R" -- Ridge, Ravenswood, or Rosenblum.

You've got to have at least one chardonnay. So many people (esp. women) like them. I think sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio are both awfully light for evening, and some people don't like sauv. blanc. You might try two different chardonnays--one that's oaky, buttery, and sweet (like Kendall Jackson), and one that's un-oaked and more minerally, in the French style. It would be an interesting contrast. Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay is good (in the Australian section), or a Louis Jadot Macon-Villages or Pouilly-Fuisse. (These are both all-chardonnay wines from Burgundy, but they're very different than California Chardonnay.)

If you don't want to do two chardonnays, a white that's easy to find, very versatile, and really lovable is Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier.

Nice cheese board accompaniments are fig jam, grapes, almonds, and sliced baguette rounds. The bread section will slice it for you--so easy.