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[shpankey]

My wife and I would like to start having a glass or two of red wine at night for dinner. I know there is a ton to know about wines, and we of course know nothing.

Can anyone recommend a good (for beginners) red wine for dinner? Not to expensive. We'd like to find a good 'bang for the buck' type of wine where we get a fairly good wine for not too much money. Any such thing?

Also, any wines we should avoid?

 

[Guileless]

Try Yello Tail Shiraz. Inexpensive but good with food. Nothing fancy and widely available.

Avoid merlot in general and any other red with high alcohol content (over 13.5%). It's warm and oaked to death. Smothers the food unless you're eating prime rib.

 

[distantmantra]

My wife and I would like to start having a glass or two of red wine at night for dinner. I know there is a ton to know about wines, and we of course know nothing.

Can anyone recommend a good (for beginners) red wine for dinner? Not to expensive. We'd like to find a good 'bang for the buck' type of wine where we get a fairly good wine for not too much money. Any such thing?

Also, any wines we should avoid?

Our favorite red wine is a Pinot Noir from Davis Bynum in Sonoma, CA ($25 or so a bottle), but a good bang for your buck red wine in my opinion is Yellow Tail Shiraz, you can get a bottle for $5-$6.

No matter what people may say, stay far far away from Two Buck Chuck (Charles Shaw) at Trader Joes, yes its $3, but there is a reason it's $3.

 

[Saurus]

No matter what people may say, stay far far away from Two Buck Chuck (Charles Shaw) at Trader Joes, yes its $3, but there is a reason it's $3.

The Charles Shaw Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon isn't too bad...I'd buy that over Yellow Tail. My favorite red wine (that isn't too pricey) is Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz. You can pick that up from anywhere to $6-$8 a bottle.

 

[shpankey]

Cool, thnx for the tips. What about 'breathing'? How long etc.?

 

[MmmBeef]

Don't be afraid to get to know the wine buyers at the grocery store you frequent. I'm fairly ignorant about wines and I've learned a ton just talking to people. Once they get to know you and your tastes they can make some good recommendations. Also, try and take advantage of any tastings that they are holding.

My wife and I tend to have a glass of wine after dinner rather than with so we do enjoy a glass of merlot now and then. With dinner we've been enjoying an $8 Il Pino Chianti.

 

[shpankey]

Thanks everyone. So far, my list is...

Yello Tail Shiraz you can get a bottle for $5-$6.
Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz from anywhere to $6-$8 a bottle.
Pinot Noir from Davis Bynum in Sonoma, CA ($25 or so a bottle)

Also, how long should we let it breath before drinking, for optimal taste, or whatever?

 

[Vark]

Thanks everyone. So far, my list is...

Yello Tail Shiraz you can get a bottle for $5-$6.
Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz from anywhere to $6-$8 a bottle.
Pinot Noir from Davis Bynum in Sonoma, CA ($25 or so a bottle)

Also, how long should we let it breath before drinking, for optimal taste, or whatever?

Depends if you're going to bother with a decanter.. For lower end wines it almost doesn't matter, just make sure you have a wide wine glass, pour maybe 1/3rd to 1/2 of the glass and let it set for a few minutes (5 is usually good).

Personally I enjoy letting a wine open up, tasting it before its had a chance to breath and periodiocally tasting every few minutes and watch it mature.


http://www.darioush.com/cgi-bin/wines/wines.cgi?act=specs&item=1113341511&choice=

this is probably my all time favorite bottle, it can get pricey but its worth it.

Oddly enough there's a wine out there, I think its just called Two Buck Chuck. Despite its name / appearance, its actually a very good red.

 

[shpankey]

Well, we got the Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz ($6.99)

Couldn't find any of the others.

I just opened it and gave it a quick sample taste right after opening it. Kind of tasted weird. Not sure if I like it yet.

I'm leaving the bottle open now for awhile to breath [though I still don't know for how long I should do this (?)]. Then I will follow the instructions on pouring 1/3 a glass and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Hopefull after all of this it will be better.

I really want to try the Pinot Noir from Davis Bynum in Sonoma, CA. But alas.

P.S. What's a decanter?

 

[distantmantra]

Well, we got the Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz ($6.99)

Couldn't find any of the others.

I just opened it and gave it a quick sample taste right after opening it. Kind of tasted weird. Not sure if I like it yet.

I'm leaving the bottle open now for awhile to breath [though I still don't know for how long I should do this (?)]. Then I will follow the instructions on pouring 1/3 a glass and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Hopefull after all of this it will be better.

I really want to try the Pinot Noir from Davis Bynum in Sonoma, CA. But alas.

Shiraz has a slight peppery kick to it, but I prefer to a plain old Cab Sauv.

My fiance and I spent a weekend in Sonoma/Napa with her parents back in April and blew about $350 on wine at various wineries (15 bottles or so, should last a long time as we're not big wine drinkers). If you want, Davis Bynum has a website:

http://www.davisbynum.com/

 

[Malakhov]

Cabernet-sauvignon Wolf Blass Yellow Label Australia 2003

It's cheap (16$ CAD or so a bottle, don't know about the states) and it's great.

 

[shpankey]

This stuff tastes like I'm drinking cologne. It supposed to be like that?

 

[nitewulf]

Try Yello Tail Shiraz. Inexpensive but good with food. Nothing fancy and widely available.

yep, beginner red wine is yellowtail shiraz. also try their cabarnet sauvignon.
also try some > $10 chianti from time to time. a good rule of thumb is to check how deep the bottom of the bottle is...if its flat, its crap, bulk wine. if its goes in deep...it'll be decent to good.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

for interests sakes shpankey, do the bottle shops there carry any Australian or New Zealand Wines? Nicest one I have ever tasted is the coonawara (sp?) wineries 2001 shiraz. It's a really tasty aussie wine.

When I was in the states, the guy we stayed with said "stay away from yellow tail, it's piss" take that for what you will, we didn't buy any.

 

[Comfort_Eagle]

Honestly i would stay away from anything yellow tail. Ive never found their stuff to be that good.

For decent price look for a bottle of Dunnewood Cabernet Sauvignon. I think its around $12-$14 a bottle.

But actually im more of a white wine drinker so im probably not the best person to ask.

 

[Saurus]

This stuff tastes like I'm drinking cologne. It supposed to be like that?

:lol No, not really... For some people red wine is an acquired taste. Maybe you should start with some Merlots and work your way up?

 

[Saurus]

Some of our favorite merlots are Coppola, Monterra and Glass Mountain. Have fun experimenting!

 

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

You don't need to let it breath or nothin'. Just unscrew the cap and you're ready to go.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

This stuff tastes like I'm drinking cologne. It supposed to be like that?

All red wines taste like that. Welcome to life.

It's like beer. You can hate on it the first few times you drink it and be a pussy, or you can get used to it and eventually love it.

 

[Bluecondor]

If you like red wine, you've got to try French wine. It is absolutely fantastic.

I am a huge fan of French red wine, especially Bourdeaux, which is fabulous.

If you want to try a good Bourdeaux, look for 2000 Bourdeauxs, since 2000 was an amazing year for weather in France. The 2000 Bourdeauxs are sweet, but full, and go really well with cheese, bread, red meat dishes and pasta.

Here are a few of my favorite 2000 Bourdeauxs, and their price in Pennsylvania (which is a fascist police state when it comes to the sale of alcohol - so I am guessing you might be able to get a better price where you live):

- 2000 Chateau de Paillet-Quancard (this is a fantstic wine, that we were buying for $12 a bottle in PA just a few months ago). It has a really soft and unique taste, and may be my favorite French red wine.

- 2000 Chateau Baleste (Buzet). I picked this up in France, for somewhere between $10-$15. It really goes down smoothly.

- 2000 Chateau Rocher Bellevue Figeac. This is a little more expensive, probably somewhere between $20-$25, mostly because it is a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. Saint Emilion is arguably the best wine region in all of France, and its wines (especially the grand crus) are amazing.

And - one of the most common off-the-shelf French red wines, Mouton Cadet, was really good in 2000. Last year, we were drinking a bottle of 2000 Mouton Cadet every other week or so. 2000 Mouton is getting harder to find, but you can probably still find the occasional bottle for $10, $15 tops.

One final word - don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you that 2001 or 2002 "tastes the same" as 2000. Naturally, French red wines from any year will always be good wines, simply because France (and, more specifically, regions in France) places such high standards on their vineyards. But - the great weather in 2000 gave the 2000 Bourdeauxs a unique taste that is really something that you can learn to enjoy.

 

[Saurus]

One final word - don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you that 2001 or 2002 "tastes the same" as 2000. Naturally, French red wines from any year will always be good wines, simply because France (and, more specifically, regions in France) places such high standards on their vineyards. But - the great weather in 2000 gave the 2000 Bourdeauxs a unique taste that is really something that you can learn to enjoy.

I found a store a little out of my way that still has the Lindemans Shiraz from 2000. I'll still drive the extra miles to pick that up over the 2001-2003.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Guys, stop posting serious responses here. The original poster obviously thought red wine tasted like candy.

 

[aoi tsuki]

i'm hardly a wine drinker, but i find Yellowtail to be overrated, especially in their reds. It has no aroma, it's extremely bitter, and fairly flat, compared to other wines in it's price range. It all comes down to personal tastes, but while i can like bitterness in coffee or beer, i can't stand it in wine. i can't recall the other wines i've tasted at the same price that were better, but i've got to agree on the Bourdeaux recommendation.

 

[Bluecondor]

I found a store a little out of my way that still has the Lindemans Shiraz from 2000. I'll still drive the extra miles to pick that up over the 2001-2003.

I'm not familiar with Lindemans, is that Californian or Australian?

Either way - I'm not sure what the weather was like in Cali or in Australia wine country in 2000, so, the 2000 rule may not apply here. 2000 was an amazing year for weather in France, particularly in the Bourdeaux region.

Do any of you who like Cali or Australian reds have any insight on which recent years were the best for these regions?

I am also a fan of Chilean red wine, although I don't know much about the specific wines and their various merits.....

 

[Fix]

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2001 Cabernet-sauvignon. Do it.

 

[shpankey]

It's like beer. You can hate on it the first few times you drink it and be a pussy, or you can get used to it and eventually love it.

Guys, stop posting serious responses here. The original poster obviously thought red wine tasted like candy.

I think you need to calm down a little. :lol How about you spare us all the bravado. Drinking anything will not make you a man or even somehow a more macho man.

We did enjoy our wine that night... which tended to taste better as the night wore on. Perhaps for breathing, perhaps from just us. Regardless... you seem to have some serious self image "man" issues. :lol Either that or mentally still have the maturity of a 13 year old boy trying to feel more manly.

Anyhow, on subject... our plan is to keep sampling the wines suggested in this thread.. and just having fun tasting the different types and enjoying ourselves. We are trying to order the Pinot Noir from Davis Bynum listed early on. And when we get some more lose money, the 2002 Darioush Signature Cabernet Sauvignon that was suggested.

 

[miyuru]

You probably can't go wrong with Wolf Blass, most people love that stuff.

Apart from that, I'd recommend Chapoutier or something from Chateau de la Gardine.

 

[Malakhov]

You probably can't go wrong with Wolf Blass, most people love that stuff.

Apart from that, I'd recommend Chapoutier or something from Chateau de la Gardine.

Exactly why I recommended it, it's like a whoring wine, everyone loves it!

 

[ChennehCis]

Beaujolais Nouveau is pretty popular red wine, inexpensive too.

 

[DJ Sl4m]

My wife and I would like to start having a glass or two of red wine at night for dinner. I know there is a ton to know about wines, and we of course know nothing.

Can anyone recommend a good (for beginners) red wine for dinner? Not to expensive. We'd like to find a good 'bang for the buck' type of wine where we get a fairly good wine for not too much money. Any such thing?

Also, any wines we should avoid?

Are you looking for something that's really dry, sweet, rich etc etc ?

If I were drinking a wine to go with a meal & wanted a full flavor & richness to go with it,(which had to be red) I'd go with a sauvignon blanc, otherwise I always choose merlot.

 

[boutrosinit]

Valpolicella - Italian Red
Chateau Mussar - Lebanese Red and also White
Tamada - Georgian sex-wine


My faves. None other matter