Red Wine

The Bogle Old Vine Zin is yummy. For the money, Coppola Rosso can't be beat as a red table wine. If you see it at Sam's or Costco, buy it by the case.
 
A little vineyard on Spring Mountain, until recently, named S. Anderson (purchased and renamed) produces a magnificent Claret for about $25. Also, California, though overpriced, does produce some quality wines. I would also look into scoring a bottle of Frog's Leap 2001 Cab if you can get it for close to $30. I tend to think it exceeds the 90 rating given to it by Wine Spectator. Simi's 2001 offering is fabulous as well (if you can still get it - I think 2002's are rolling out now) for just about $14. There are certainly better Cab's than Simi, but the price is had to argue with. I personally like the Syrah and Mouvedre varietals. They are slightly sweeter on the tongue than the Cabernet and have, as a class, been underrated for years.
 
1990txgirl - Those are actually some of the last of the best that I accumulated a while back. When my wife was pregnant with our first I initiated a buy and hold a bottle a week policy for the duration of her pregnancy. Thankfully at the time I was doing this I was good friends with Antoinette at Twin Liquors downtown. She thought my idea was WONDERFUL for the wife and did more than her fair share of suggesting and giving me amazingly steep discounts. My days of buying cases of Ridge Lytton Springs are for the most part over. As now I spend more of my dollars on silly stuff like kids soccer gear, college funding and other stuff that seems a bit more important than stocking up a ton of vino. I tend to have spurts where I drop some cash and hold the vino. But I used to have a pretty impressive collection for a regular slob.

I will also say one other thing about holding and cellaring wine, don't hold it too long!!!! It sucks to hold something past it's prime knowing you could have drank it two years ago and it would have honestly tasted better....
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Well horn4life, I just want you come back and tell us about that 94 Quintessa--the mother of all Quintessas. *bowing in homage*
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We're trying to find a bottle ourselves, and even Quintessa says it's no longer available.

That was a great idea you had for collecting wine--if we ever have kids, I might have to steal it.
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Sorry Baboso, for some reason Coppola Rosso has always stuck in my memory as something I didn't like. It just seemed so bland, at least when I tried it although they might have gotten better. They age it in those massive steel drums instead of wood I believe. I always stop at Coppola when I go to Napa because they have really beautiful grounds. I'll try it again. Maybe they've gotten better.

My favorite table red is Beaujolais.
 
Bringing this thread back to the top simply because I want to.

Call it administrator's priviledge.
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And I'll add to it soon. Just still working.
 
I didn't read the posts, since I need to be in bed. I gotta get up at about 3:15 am or so to get ready to head to the airport for a flight. Hands down the two best cheap wines are as follows. My gfs family loves wines and they are big time drinkers. The first bottle is something that especially like. The second bottle is something my gf and I like a lot too. Both are under $8 at Specs.

VINO DE EYZAGUIRRE CABERNET 2001 (Chile)
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We call it "The Bag Wine"

TWO BROTHERS BIG TATTOO RED 2003 (Chile)
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I will read the thread later and maybe add some others that we like if they aren't already on here. I know BV is another favortie along with Mondavi. All the reds we like are cabernets.

Shoot, the links don't work. Just go to specsonline.com and look up the names.
 
I don't know the name, but a friend of the family was given a case of kosher white wine that can only be ordered by the case from Specs

I was so sweet that it reminded me of the ice wines from Canada and Europe-- I would like to get my hands on more some day. Actually, Louis owes me the name.
 
at $13.55 at Costco I think that Peter Lihmann'ss "Clancy's" is the best buy presently on the market. it's a meritage, and it's frigging awesome. I think it scored a 90 or so with Wine Spectator.

I also would put Ravenswood Shiraz into the 'best buy" category as I was buying that for like $7.50 at HEB for a while. For a good drinkable that won't bust a budget it's a damn fine purchase.

I too have and never will be big on Merlot, but I like the Zins, Pinots and Cabs as well as the Shiraz.
 
A good cheap Red Zin is Frog's Leap. It can be had for 18-22. Murphy - Goode "Liar's Dice" Red Zin is another good value at 13-16. Rosenblum Zinfandel “Richard Sauret Vineyard” - $12-18 a bottle. Amazing last year (92 WS) and good this year.

If you can find a Chandon Pinot Menier anywhere that is an outstanding wine. It is generally in the 30 range.

Other higher end reds that I Iike are:

Italian - Brunello do Montelcino - $38-$250
- Sassacai - $175-$400
- Any red from Piedmont

Another one that I like lately is the Silver Oak Cabernet 1999 Napa. It is pretty pricey, but I like it a lot. The 2000 Napa was not as good to me. In fact I think the 2000 Silver Oak Alexander Valley is better than the Napa Valley.

Here is a link to the Chandon Pinot - a very unique red. Pinot Menuier
 
The Black Chook, Austrailan Shiraz/Viogner is a good Aussie wine. It's 95% Shiraz, but the Viogner adds a little extra something to it. I think this is under $15 a bottle.

Benton Lane, Oregon Pinot Noir is good as well. Central Market has it for under $20 and it is sold at Eddie V's for around $100 (I assumed a 3X markup, not a 5X+ markup).

Tatone, Montepulciano D' Abruzzo 2000 (Italian), Terra D'Aligi is a fantastic wine in my opinion for about $25.
 
MY favorite wine is Jordan Cabernet... I used to drink this during the summer a lot (bottles were around $100-150 in NYC bars and I was never paying)...

You can find it at Central Market or GVM for around $50 a bottle.
 
Picked up a 2002 Bouchard et Fils "La Vignee" Pinot Noir from Specs for $8.50. Very, very good wine. And a GREAT wine for under $10.
 
I agree with the Silver Oak being overrated opinion. It's just a bottle that folks have latched on to and easily recognizable name.

I will list a couple other bottles I buy and drink in the sub $20 price range. All prices are COSTCO based.
Dyanamite Cab I think it's North Coast usually about $17
St Francis "old Vine" Zin now down to about $16 World market puts it on sale occasionally for non-Costco buyers.
Seghesio Zinfindel- It was mind blowing at $11.50 when costco had it priced WAY too low. Even at $15 it's a good Zin buy.

I will usually give alomst any of the old vine Zins a try, but obviously some are much better than others. I like nearly anything from Carneros for some reason as well.
 
for everyday drinking...try Liberty School Cabernet...usually under $11.00 at Spec's and tastes like its 3 or 4 times the price...If you wan't to spend some money, go get a bottle of Arietta, any year; its a really good meritage. A little inbetween that is Caymus - i know its cheesy tourist wine but for $50.00 a bottle its almost always good.
 
Ravenswood ICON.

It runs about 14 bucks at CM, which is the only place i can ever find it.

It is a varietal of Syrah, Grenache, and Mouverdre (sp?)
 
I used to be quite fond of Liberty School's cab, dating back to pre-1999. But IMO, that was the last of the quality vintages for the label that far exceeded the price tag. They have lately taken on a more Zinfandel appearance and taste (not that there is anything wrong with that) and have lost a bit of their luster.

Spec's has had a hard time moving the 1999 Belvedere Cab, which I have made my new everyday wine. It drinks beautifully, it hails from a great vintage, and it is only $14 and change. Mind the crystalization of the sugar that didn't get converted to alcohol during fermentation (just throw it into a decanter).

All in all, I can't recommend this enough at $14!!!
 
I know Pinot Noirs are the hot wine right now, but I still enjoy a big cab, or a bordeaux style meritage like Quintessa. If you like the bigger wines, try a Super Tuscan sometime as well.

A good bordeaux is heavenly. And the king of the Pinots is the French Burgundy, which I recommend if you are on a Sideways bender.

I like a good Zin sometimes, but I tend to prefer tannin over fruit in a wine. Shiraz is similar to the Zin, and there are some very good ones.

The main thing I learned with wine is - taste a lot of it and don't get hung up on labels or price points. Some of the best wines I have had were less than $40 a bottle. Some of the most disappointing were over $200.

Find out what you like and then find something else. And get glasses that match the wine you are drinking - it does make a difference.
 
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