I almost want to preface this with [OT], even here.

My brother and his wife had (weeks ago) planned a housewarming party for this weekend, which they decided to go ahead with. I wanted to get them a decent wine, since their rack is pretty bare. Unfortunately, my idea of a good 'wine' comes in a six pack.

Any suggestions for a good $30-$40 wine to pick up? They've been drinking Italian stuff lately, but any suggestions would help. I really have no idea.

- Raife

I like the kind made from grapes. The stuff made from peaches and watermellon is ooky.

The cool thing about wine is that most people don't know anything about it. I count myself among them.

It goes without saying that you should stay away from major brands like Sutter Home. When I waited tables at the Harvard Faculty Club, which was kind of faux posh, Mondavi was the house wine. Decent stuff. I tend to try small labels and stick with the ones I like. Here in California, there's a brand called "Barefoot" which is very good considering how cheap it is.

As for the actual type of wine, get something that lots of folks find palatable. Chardonnay for a white and Merlot for a red have a good wide appeal. Not too strong and not too limited to a type of meal. Unless your brother is a connoiseur, you'd be better off buying him three different $10 bottles instead of taking a gamble on one $30 bottle that he might not even appreciate. More inexpensive wines are better so he can sample a variety and perhaps find one he likes.

Just my completely uninformed two cents.

-Tom

If they've been drinking Italian wines, and aren't connoiseurs (and if their wine rack is pretty bare, they probably aren't) there's a couple of inexpensive reds that they'll probably like. A Berringer Merlot and a Rosemont Shiraz are both quite good. Tom's advice is good wrt a Chardonnay, and most California Chardonnays in the $15 and up range are fine. For something that's inexpensive and good and unusual for a lot of folks, find a New Zealand Savignon Blanc - it's a really tasty white, and a good bottle shouldn't be more than about $10 - 15.

Thanks Tom & Jeff. They're not connoiseurs (he was a beer man until being unjustly civilized through marraige). They're mostly just trying things out.

I'll go with a Merlot and a Chardonnay, possibly that Savignon Blanc if they have it. Good tip on variety over expense.

I dunno on the off-wines, Rob. I knew some Germans that brewed (if that's even the word) some mean apple wine.

- Raife

If this catches you in time, consider a Petit Syrah by Bogle, or a Shiraz by Rosemont Estates (Australian Table Wines, not just for rolling over and avoiding anymore) as mentioned above. You should be able to find both for under ten bucks.

For Merlot, I've liked Columbia Crest in the past. It's a good Washington State wine in the same price range.

A good blend, actually, is the lower end Coppola red wine (Coppola Rosso). You can probably find it at around eight bucks and it will please most people just fine.

-Amanpour

"Australian Table Wines, not just for rolling over and avoiding anymore"

A perky bouquet that kicks like a mule and is best used for hand-to-hand combat.

-Andrew

"If this catches you in time,..." [snip]

Show off.

-Tom

Corbett Canyon makes a good chardonnay.

My personal favorite is Geyser Peak "Rose de Cabernet". This is a flavorful red without the aftertaste (tannins).

For a desert wine, Stony Ridge Malvasia. This wine comes with a cake recipe and tastes like liquid honey. AKA "Nectar of the gods".

Where's Ben when you need him? He's a wine snob, he'll know what to get.

I say, just put it in a carafe or something so they can't see the bottle. If they ask what it is, say "a little something I picked up on a friend's reccomendation."

I've noticed that most people, if you don't tell them, will "like" wine that they would claim to hate if they saw the label. =)

"It's Folger's crystals!"

"If this catches you in time..."

Yep, it caught me. Didn't get to the liquor store in time, so I'll go tomorrow morning (er, THIS morning).

The list:
Merlot (whichever of the two has a cooler bottle)
Rosemont Shiraz
Any California Chardonnay (I'll check out Corbett Canyon)

I think three'll be fine.

Thanks again.

- Raife

Um...in spite of the possibility of being called a show off--ahem--I have to chip in a dissenting vote on the Corbett Canyon. In my experience it's been a three dollar wine to avoid. Sorry Groo (though it's nice to have a Dr. Seuss character posting here).

Kendall Jackson is a decent Chard standby. Hogue is a good one. I think Bogle has one too (hard to find though). Meridian is pretty good, and Vichon's Mediterranean Chard. is also pretty good. All hover in the eight to ten dollar range. Keep them cold and no one will be able to tell too much anyway.

-Amanpour

"Kendall Jackson is a decent Chard standby."

Show off.

-Tom

My Choices:

Dark: Guiness Stout.
White: Hacker-Pschorr Weiss (appropriately named for computer geeks).
Cubs Games: Old Style. Note: Must be accompanied by Sammy Sosa 'tater, blown lead, and a Ball Park Frank ("They Plump When You Cook 'Em!") BELCH!

"Show off."

Meanie.

-Amanpour

Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve is a rip-off. It is the leftovers from their other wines. They jack the price up because of the name.

Try Chalone Chard. Excellent. A little cheaper is the Coppola Chard. Very user-friendly.

I remember getting completely lambasted off a $6 bottle of port. Absolutely heinous. It tasted good for the first three glasses or so. Then it was just a matter of "God please, let this bottle end."

Wait a minute... you were assaulted verbally or violently by a bottle of port? Also, if you remember it you didn't drink enough of it.

On topic, I recommend Raife get his brother a fine single malt scotch (or Irish equivalent), clap his brother on the shoulder (or chuck him there if you're one who "chucks") and tell him to be a man.

-Andrew

Since there's still some discussion here, I figured a debriefing was in order.

Here's what I gave them:

1. Rosemont Shiraz
2. Berringer Merlot (won the bottle contest, though it did come down to the label. I preferred the more conservative Berringer label to the flashier, diagonal Columbia Crest).
3. Kendall Jackson Chardonnay (they were out of Hogue, which was also on Supertanker's e-list, and my brain couldn't hold any more wine names as it was).

Mission Accomplished, and bonus points for bringing the Dreamcast, 4 controllers, and Virtua Tennis.

hido:"Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve is a rip-off. It is the leftovers from their other wines. They jack the price up because of the name."

I don't think $9 is really jacked up, I can barely eat for that these days. If they don't like it, they just won't buy it for themselves.

Jason:"Dark: Guiness Stout.
White: Hacker-Pschorr Weiss (appropriately named for computer geeks)."

Guinness is good, I have some in the fridge right now. Hacker-Pschorr is also good, and Paulaner makes some decent stuff as well. I prefer a Mexican beer with Mexican food (probably a psychological thing), and Miller for American. Unfortunately, most big-name American beer tastes like water with a yellow crayon in it.

Bub:"... clap his brother on the shoulder (or chuck him there if you're one who "chucks") and tell him to be a man."

Oh, I think kicking his ass in Virtua Tennis was enough.

- Raife

"Where's Ben when you need him? He's a wine snob, he'll know what to get."

I'm hardly a snob about it. I just like wine.

Just about any Australian Shiraz is bound to be good. I honestly don't know how they do it, but the overall quality there is astounding. I've recently been partial to Thomas Mitchell shiraz: it's affordable and consistently good. Seaview (another Australian) makes a fine chardonnay. I like Rosemount's wines (the Balmoral syrah/shiraz or whatever you want to call it is excellent), but they've gone up in price quite a bit over the past five years.

California has some of the best red wines in the world (sorry, France), but no longer the most affordable. Caymus, Dominus, and Silver Oaks are my picks there, but those are "special occaision" wines. Not priced for every day use.

If you want great values, stay away from the Big Guns (cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay) and look to less trendy varietals such as merlot and riesling. I absolutely love riesling--more than chardonnay, actually--and it tends to be pretty cheap. Hogue has a Johannisberg Riesling that sells for about $8 a bottle, and it's great. Spanish Riojas are another source for great values. Try a bottle of Bodegas Monteccilo Rioja Reserva (I think it's about $14 or $15) and tell me that it's not every bit as good as that $50 cab.

"I've noticed that most people, if you don't tell them, will "like" wine that they would claim to hate if they saw the label."

That's true of all things, though. Why do you think so many people love Jerry Suckheimer films and drink Budweiser and Coors? Most people don't drink a lot of wine, so they have little basis for comparison. I could certainly tell you whether or not I was drinking Folgers crystals (because let's be honest: Folgers coffee tastes like yak puke), because I drink a lot of coffee. If you handed me a glass of MGD and told me it was Stella Artois, I'd know that you had lied before I even tasted it. If you gave me a glass of Gallo Hearty Red "Burgundy" (an odd name, since the wine is actually neither hearty nor Burgundy, although it is red) and told me that it was an Hermitage, I think anyone who likes wine enough to drink it on a fairly regular basis would know better.