| Author | Message | ||
     amandacat Citizen Username: Amandacat Post Number: 279 Registered: 8-2001  |
Can anyone recommend a nice bottle of wine to give as a gift along with a gift certificate to a BYO restaurant serving "innovative French" cuisine? Looking to spend around $20/$30 for the wine, hope that's enough to get them a good enough bottle they won't be ashamed to hand over to their waiter -- screw tops need not apply. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2093 Registered: 5-2001  |
Eric Asimov of the NYT said boxed wine is the way to go now. | ||
| Hank Zona Citizen Username: Hankzona Post Number: 803 Registered: 3-2002 |
First choice..a good sparkling wine..you can get a non-vintage champagne, like Veuve Cliquot or others, or a good CA sparkling wine, for under $30 (at the right winestore of course). For whites in that price range, a nice white burgundy (which is 100% chardonnay) from France or a red burgundy from France (which is 100% pinot noir and often a fine match for fall menus). Other whites to try..Alsatian pinot gris, goes with a variety of foods. Another red to try...rhone or rhone style wines -- syrah/shiraz, a good cote du rhone village like Beaucastel's offering. You have alot of leeway with the $20-30 range. Do you know what they like to drink? Do they like certain wine regions? And as for screwtops..pretty soon, alot of wines will go to screwtops. Cheaper and less spoilage than real cork. I think the New Zealand wine council in fact voted to by a certain date go solely to screwtops. After thinking it over, go with a good champagne or sparkling wine...if you're shopping locally, go to the Wine Library for the best local prices. You'll most likely have to pay signficantly more for the same bottles of sparkling wine in town unfortunately. Ask the guys at the Wine Library what they'd suggest in the $30 or under category. The Cliquot will be one of the ones available. And noone should be ashamed of handing over any bottle of wine in a restaurant if it's something they enjoy..well maybe unless its white zinfandel.  | ||
| Yossarian Citizen Username: Yossarian Post Number: 40 Registered: 8-2003 |
Try Frei Brothers. They make a merlot and cab. Both are quite good for under $20. I'm no connoisseur, but I like wine, and when a store has it, I buy Frei Brother. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2094 Registered: 5-2001 |
Fat Bastard makes a good shiraz, however, it's French wine. (Had to say it, all the bartenders do) | ||
| vor Citizen Username: Vor Post Number: 62 Registered: 9-2003 |
French Cuisine deserves French wine Chateau de Pommard, about $30 at Wine Library If you won't buy French you can never miss with a Jordan (Sonoma) Cab | ||
| 1-2many Citizen Username: Wbg69 Post Number: 445 Registered: 6-2002 |
for a big juicy red, try Amarone. I like Zenato or Pellegrino labels. I do NOT like Cesare - it's cheaper, so its tempting, but it's cheaper for a reason. Actually, Zenato makes a ripassa valpolicella (red) that is GREAT, and around $18. for whites, I like Australian savignon blancs - a "house level" is Selaks, around $12, so maybe not quite nice enough for a gift. also like Zenato Lugana. same price point. Vouvray is also nice. Coppola makes a nice wine, and has "blue label" or other higher-end varieties, for around $20. | ||
| Hank Zona Citizen Username: Hankzona Post Number: 804 Registered: 3-2002 |
Zenato also makes a nice pinot grigio...Frei Brothers makes a very good pinot noir. 1-2..I think you mean New Zealand sauvignon blancs..I agree with you..overall the best example of the varietal on the market. amandacat..you might consider getting them two $15 bottles of wine, one red, one white, instead of one bottle. Amerones are big and strong and tasty...usually 15% or so alcohol...made from sun-drying the Valpolicella grape then squeezing it so you get a more intensified wine..it might overwhelm some more subtle foods but is good for heavier fare. | ||
| Dave Ross Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 5456 Registered: 4-1998  |
Cloudy Bay. Yum. | ||
| Hank Zona Citizen Username: Hankzona Post Number: 805 Registered: 3-2002 |
good choice Dave...probably the first well known NZ sauvignon blanc to hit our shores, but its also crept up in price every year and there are a number of other good ones for less money. | ||
| 1-2many Citizen Username: Wbg69 Post Number: 447 Registered: 6-2002 |
and to follow up Hank Zona's onophilic remarks: the Ripassa is almost a semi-Amarone - it is passed over the sun-dried grape, so it is more intense as well, though not as intense as Amarone. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2095 Registered: 5-2001 |
I love you guys! | ||
| Hank Zona Citizen Username: Hankzona Post Number: 806 Registered: 3-2002 |
cheers, 1-2 mem..what can I say, except, my cellar is now padlocked since you moved into the neighborhood. | ||
| xavier67 Citizen Username: Xavier67 Post Number: 272 Registered: 6-2002 |
French cuisine deserves a nice French bottling. "Innovative French cuisine" sounds like it would be lighter than traditional French fare, so if your friends are into it, I second Hank Zona's champagne recommendation. Personally, I find Veuve Cliquot to be a tad on the heavy, toasty side. Lighter, more elegant choices are Pommery (widely available) or Tattinger (also widely available). Pommery also makes really nice rose champagne, though you'll have to pay around $35-$40. If your friends are not into bubblies, then I recommend a nice bottle of red Burgundy (Chat. de Pommard would be a good choice, fuller body than most Burgundies), although it's such a hit or miss with red Burgundies that you have to choose carefully among various vintages out on the market right now. If you find a 1996 or 1999 vintage, go with that. If your friends are into whites, then I recommend a Chablis, more steeley and minerally than other white Burgundies. Verget, Dauvissaut, and Morot all make nice Chablis. And yes, by all means, go to The Wine Library. Or Gary's in Chatham. They are by far the best wine stores in our area. | ||
| amandacat Citizen Username: Amandacat Post Number: 280 Registered: 8-2001 |
WOW! Thanks for all the feedback, guys. Who knew there were so many drunks -- I mean wine enthusiasts -- on MOL? As for your suggestions, they all sound quite promising -- I'm tempted to try many of them myself. For this particular gift, I don't know these people's wine tastes that well, so I'd rather err on the side of drinkability -- nothing that's too much of an acquired tase. I do think French is the way to go, and I'm inclined to go red -- I'm a huge fan of the bubbly, especially Veuve Cliquot, but when it comes to fine fall/winter dining red just sounds right to me. Cozy, somehow. I'll check out the Wine Library or Gary's (which has cheaper prices?), see if they have a 1996 or 1999 Chateau de Pommard Burgundy in my price range. Any other suggestions for specific labels / varieties / vintages? | ||
| campbell29 Citizen Username: Campbell29 Post Number: 45 Registered: 4-2002 |
Schug Pinot Noir - not too fruity, not too dry, and it goes with everything. Available at the Wine Library - I think about $20. its super | ||
| amandacat Citizen Username: Amandacat Post Number: 281 Registered: 8-2001 |
Is it French? | ||
| campbell29 Citizen Username: Campbell29 Post Number: 47 Registered: 4-2002 |
No, I think it is from Oregon or Washington. | ||
| Hank Zona Citizen Username: Hankzona Post Number: 808 Registered: 3-2002 |
Never had the Schug but if it is domestic and not from CA, good chance its from Oregon. Oregon makes an excellent range of pinot noir and pinit gris. Finding a reasonably priced and worthy pinot noir, whether it's domestic or from Burgundy, is one of the true challenges for wine drinkers. And actually I just looked up Schug and it is from CA, from the Carneros region which is in Sonoma right near the bottom of Napa and an appelation that is known for some good pinot noir. Saintsbury and Domaine Carneros (owned by Taittinger) are two that come to mind from the area and make good pinot noir. Domaine Carneros also makes good domestic sparkling wine, which uses pinot noir as one of its principal grapes. | ||
| Maplewoody Citizen Username: Maplewoody Post Number: 332 Registered: 5-2001 |
I like the Ana Pamu pinot noir from California. Got it at the Wine store up behind Essex Green in West Orange.... |
