Reliable wines to serve at dinners

[Anonymous]

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

What year are you serving now? I'm sitting on a bunch of OWC 2005s but I don't think they're ready. Also I prefer Mouton to Latour but different strokes.

[Anonymous]

Napa Cellars cab is very nice for a grocery store bottle. $18. 13.9% alcohol (low for Napa cab) and fairly mid tannins/body, so it's not as big and juicy as most Napa cabs. Almost an old world style cab, though not much complexity. Great for a dinner party with non-wine snob guests though.

Apothic may be the most awful thing I've ever bought. Just save the $2 and buy yellowtail if your tastebuds will tolerate Apothic. Ugh, it's like a kids Hi-C mixed with a flat Nehi grape and 'aged' on a hot porch for a few days.

[Anonymous]

This time of year, my go-to favorite is Bogle Phantom. But I drive into DC to get it at MacArthur Wine, because it's $10 more per bottle in Maryland. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

La Crema Pinot Noir is a favorite.

[Anonymous]

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



What year are you serving now? I'm sitting on a bunch of OWC 2005s but I don't think they're ready. Also I prefer Mouton to Latour but different strokes.

For the Petrus and Puligny Montrachet, I serve recent vintage. I like them fresh.
For the Latour and Haut-Brion, FIFO. I'm still working through the '61s.

[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.

You are clearly not as much of a wine expert as you'd have us believe. Anyone who's anyone in the wine business loves buying bulk from Costco. The one in DC sells wine and hard liquor.

Yep - I can only convince the Wine Snob in my life to go to Costco because he enjoys browsing the wine!

Is this really true? Maybe I go to the 'wrong' Costco, but I never see anything that I find all that interesting. I mean, the prices are good if you want something like a Kim Crawford Sav blanc (which is pretty reliable) but I rarely see anything on the more pricey end that isn't what I can find at my neighborhood Safeway, etc..

We go to the one in DC. He seems to think that there are good bargains there; not sure about the more pricey stuff! And as a wine geek, well, I guess he would be entertained in the Safeway wine aisle as well. Hmmm maybe I should try that!

[Anonymous]

In general at Costco, if you want a shot at something you're not going to find elsewhere, or a deal on something you'd be proud to serve to wine snobs, look at the stuff in the wood crates. The Kim Crawford deals, and there's nothing wrong with them, are the next aisle or two over, stacked up in cardboard.

You'll find good stuff there too. Nothing wrong with Cline Old Vine Zin or Marques de Caceres Rioja at Costco prices. But the interesting stuff is in FWCs (Facsimile Wood Crates.)

Last time I was at Pentagon City, they had 2010 Latour at $1399.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:La Crema Pinot Noir is a favorite.

Agree with this. They have it at Trader Joes in VA.

[Anonymous]

I second the La Crema Pinot Noir suggestion and any Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough NZ (Matua, Nobilo, Oyster Bay, Cloudy Bay, Kim Crawford ...).

Someone recommended Apothic and DH and I HATED it. Truly terrible wine. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general at Costco, if you want a shot at something you're not going to find elsewhere, or a deal on something you'd be proud to serve to wine snobs, look at the stuff in the wood crates. The Kim Crawford deals, and there's nothing wrong with them, are the next aisle or two over, stacked up in cardboard.

You'll find good stuff there too. Nothing wrong with Cline Old Vine Zin or Marques de Caceres Rioja at Costco prices. But the interesting stuff is in FWCs (Facsimile Wood Crates.)

Last time I was at Pentagon City, they had 2010 Latour at $1399.

PP here -- thanks! I'll keep that in mind the next time I make my way there.

[Anonymous]

I actually prefer Saint Michelle white and Oyster Bay red. 7 deadly Zins is also a fave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I second the La Crema Pinot Noir suggestion and any Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough NZ (Matua, Nobilo, Oyster Bay, Cloudy Bay, Kim Crawford ...).

Someone recommended Apothic and DH and I HATED it. Truly terrible wine. Sorry.

About what? That you're rude or that those of us who like it are now somehow enlightened? If the former, great, if the latter, whatever. Different people have different taste buds. Move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I second the La Crema Pinot Noir suggestion and any Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough NZ (Matua, Nobilo, Oyster Bay, Cloudy Bay, Kim Crawford ...).

Someone recommended Apothic and DH and I HATED it. Truly terrible wine. Sorry.

About what? That you're rude or that those of us who like it are now somehow enlightened? If the former, great, if the latter, whatever. Different people have different taste buds. Move on.

Some people eat pig brains and possum.

Don't serve Apothic Red at a dinner party, just in case some of your guests can tell the difference between filet mignon and roadkill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I second the La Crema Pinot Noir suggestion and any Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough NZ (Matua, Nobilo, Oyster Bay, Cloudy Bay, Kim Crawford ...).

Someone recommended Apothic and DH and I HATED it. Truly terrible wine. Sorry.

About what? That you're rude or that those of us who like it are now somehow enlightened? If the former, great, if the latter, whatever. Different people have different taste buds. Move on.

Some people eat pig brains and possum.

Don't serve Apothic Red at a dinner party, just in case some of your guests can tell the difference between filet mignon and roadkill.

Are you always so rude?