weeknight wine

[helenas]

What are you drinking with your weeknight dinner?

Our criteria for selection are:

Cheap, around บ

Red, since my husband cannot drink white ( don't ask why);

Food-friendly;

Carried by our local wine stores;

Here is my current list:

Pepperwood Pinot Noir or Syrah 1999, 2000;

Yangarra Valley Merlot 2000;

La Cuvee Mythique 1998/99;

Please, help me to diversify it.

[Varmint]

We've found a very cheap Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that we buy several cases at a time.  Masciarelli is the winery, and it's almost always a dependable, if not exciting, everyday wine.  You can find it almost anywhere from 6 to 7 bucks a bottle, perhaps less.  This is a great value.

One thing nice about this wine is that it is fairly consistent from vintage to vintage.  It'll never knock your socks off, but it won't ever disappoint you, either.

[Ruby]

I enjoy Rosemount (Australia). I've had the Shiraz, and a blend of Cabernet-Merlot and another blend that I can't remember. It's on sale right now at Astor Wines on Astor Place for about ů.99 a bottle.  

[A Balic]

Anything to dull the pain, mostly Cotes de Ventoux at the moment, its a nice peppery red.

[tommy]

cote du rhone is our "everyday" red wine.  NZ sauv blancs (or any other steely non-oaked SV) for whites.  each available for around 10 or 12 dollars.  

although, i'm getting back into zins.  don't know if i'd pair them with much at the table, but they are a fun drinkin wine otherwise.

[helenas]

Any cote du rhone in particular?

I love zins, but as you mentioned, they're hard to match with food, since out weeknight dinners are usually on lighter side. And we also have a tendency to finish the bottle, so with Rancho Zabaco for two, consumed around 11pm, i end up having a headache next morning

[Fat Guy]

Our house wine is Notarpanaro, from Dr. Cosimo Taurino, any vintage we can get. It is by a good margin the most complex, robust red wine I've found at that price point (around ผ at good discount places).

[tommy]

Quote: from Fat Guy on 11:45 am on Feb. 5, 2002

Our house wine is Notarpanaro, from Dr. Cosimo Taurino, any vintage we can get. It is by a good margin the most complex, robust red wine I've found at that price point (around ผ at good discount places).

where is this from?

[Fat Guy]

From Dr. Cosimo Taurino, like I said, dummy.

Actually, it's Italian. Sorry. Apulia, specifically. 85% Negro Amaro, 15% Malvasia Nera.

http://www.winebow.com/italy/puglia/taur_notarpanaro.pdf

[Sandra Levine]

We've enjoyed Coppola Rosso, (Calif.) widely available for about บ bottle.  It's also a mix of grapes, very consistent, good with Italian food.  

[col klink]

I'm a big fan of Cote du Rhone's myself.  My favorite of all time is a Domaine Fond Croze.  It's a nice, well-balanced zesty wine (that's about the best way I can describe it, I really should take some lessons).  The only place in Seattle I can find it though is a little wine shop near my house.  A bottle runs ผ and it's good with almost anything.  I've enjoyed the style so much that I'll pretty much try any Cote du Rhone.

[tommy]

since there was a write-up in the NY Times about it today, and since it's another one of my day-to-day (in fact, favorites outright), i have the obligation to mention the cabernet franc grape.  more specifically, cab franc from the loire valley.  

great values at 10-14 dollars.  great at the table.  wines from Chinon being most notable.

[Ron Johnson]

Good call Tommy.  My faves from Loire are Bourgueil, Chinon, and Menetou Salon, which is pinot, not cabernet franc interestingly.  These are great everyday drinking wines and pair well with an amazing variety of foods.

I also like Cote Du Rhone, generally those imported by Mr. Lynch and of a single village designation such as Sablet.  I also like other cheaper Rhones such as Lirac, La Rosine, and Vin de Amis.

In the summer Cru level Beaujolais slightly chilled is nice, I prefer Moulin a Vent.  Also in warmer weather, I like dry roses such as Tavel and the Bandol rose from Domaine Tempier.

[A Balic]

Does anybody drink St. Veran?

[tommy]

Quote: from ron johnson on 11:36 am on Feb. 6, 2002

Good call Tommy.  My faves from Loire are Bourgueil, Chinon, and Menetou Salon, which is pinot, not cabernet franc interestingly.  These are great everyday drinking wines and pair well with an amazing variety of foods.

ron, if you haven't already, and if you can, you may want to pick up the NY Times today.  the article is actually on Long Island's cabernet franc.  if you don't have experience with them you should.  they are a bit "bigger" than their loire counterparts, but very good wines that make nice use of the grape.

[Ron Johnson]

Tommy, I read that article.  Do you agree with the descriptions of the wines listed in that article? In other words, are they accurate?  A few sounded worth trying for the price.  What are your particular favorite LI cab franc producers?

[tommy]

Quote: from ron johnson on 3:42 pm on Feb. 6, 2002

Tommy, I read that article.  Do you agree with the descriptions of the wines listed in that article? In other words, are they accurate?  A few sounded worth trying for the price.  What are your particular favorite LI cab franc producers?

sounded accurate as far as my experience goes.  the wines listed are generally the ones i seek.  pelligrini, hargrave, etc.  all similar stylistically speaking.  also, the comment about CA putting out some cab francs, but those being laden with oak, is accurate in my experience.  i don't waste my time trying CA cab francs (with the exception of the two name producer that they mention, which is fat fat fat, and a bit pricey...fat is not always a good thing, but it's interesting in this application).  I don't recall Bidell from LI being mentioned, but they make a nice cab franc.

the problem with LI wines is that they are very difficult to come by outside of LI and any further west than NYC.  

Zoe in soho(NYC) has been known to have one or two on their list, as well as the Tasting Room (NYC).  Tabla (NYC) as well.   i've also seen a LI wine at Restaurant Above, in the times square hilton.  i believe it was a cab franc.

interestingly enough, LI seems more about style than varietal.  i suppose not much unlike france.  a wine predominately merlot from LI will have similar characteristics as one predominately cab franc.

by the by, LI does a good job with their whites as well, staying away from oak and making some relatively exciting steely, acidic, and slightly herbaceous chenin blanc and SB.  even their chards are drinkable!

but don't tell anyone. ;)

[Bux]

Everyone's been drinking red, I see.

Some whites we've been drinking at the bottom edge include:

Domaine de Pouy from Gascony, as low as $5.50

Chateau Bonnet from Entre-Deux-Mers, probably about $6

Schlumberger and Sparr Pinot Blancs from Alsace, about $7.50

Macon-Lugny, Les Charmes, about $7

Casa Lapostelle, Sauvignon Blanc, about $7

Basa from Rueda, for a terrific price from Sherry-Lehman $5.50?

Reds are often Cote du Rhones, Langudocs or Vaucluse.

A really great buy was Jean-Luc Colombo's Les Abeilles CDR for $7

We've had Domaine des Moulins from Georges Duboeuf for under $6

Domaine des Tours, VDP de Vaucluse, was $7

Currently have Saint Gervais, Syrah, CDR - $7.50

and Dominique Rocher CDR $9

Rocher's wine maker is a British guy we met last winter. Rocher's CDR-Villages (Cairanne) sells for $14 at Garnet in Manahttan, We just had a bottle this evening and thought it was a real buy.

Speaking about Loire wines, David Lillie was a guy who was recommended to me for advice on Loire wines when he was at Garnet. He has his own small shop on Chambers Street which I just found about a week ago. The selection is small, but seems well chosen. I don't know if his prices can compete with Garnet, but he had some interesting Loire reds as well as whites. http://chambersstwines.com

[Steve Plotnicki]

Helena - I'm not very good on wines under $10, But between $10-$20 Here are a few that end up on my kitchen table.

Domaine Mordoree Lirac Reine des Bois

Roger Perrin Reserve Speciale

Domaine Aphillanthes

Domaine Gramenon

Aphillanthes and Gramenon also make wines that are a bit more expensive too, like the low-mid 20's depending on where you buy them. But their better wines will age for 7-10 years and offer great value for the money. There are a number of others that are good and can be had right around $20 like Domaine Cayron Gigondas or the Cote de Rhone from Domaine Santa Duc, it's just that I don't drink them that often so hesitate putting them on the A list. But they really deserve to belong there.

It might also be worth investing in some low-mid $20 wines that will age well. 1998 Chateauneuf-du-Papes are excellent and wines like Clos Mont Olivet and Les Cailloux cost $23-$28 and will last 10-15 years. And 1998 and 1999 wines from St. Joseph are lovely. Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage is terrific in both years and around $20 and will age gracefully. If you bought a few cases of these wines and forgot about them for 10 years, you would be a most happy person when you finally open a bottle

If you want a white wine and you can convince your husband, Domaine Pepiere Muscadet wins hands down. The 2000 vintage is available now and sells for around $11 a bottle. Another white wine that is really nice and elegant is Schiopetto Collio Pinot Bianco. It should go in the high teens.

I don't know if you have one but, it's worth investing in a medium size wine cooler. Especially if you are going to lay wines down for aging.

[Bux]

around $20 like Domaine Cayron Gigondas

Wine prices can vary tremendously. Sometimes it's worth paying another 10% not to shop at the cheapest store if you can get convenience or good advice, but I've seen this Gigondas going for $20.99, $30.99 and some point inbetween. All in Manhattan.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Bux-I buy most of my wine in Europe and self import them into the U.S. By that I mean I have an importer bring them into the country for me. So I see many prices at source or from European wholesalers or brokers. There are a number of Chateauneufs that can cost around $30 here that will cost you 90ff, or I guess that is $14 at the winery. Some of the wines I wrote up like Gramenon and Aphilannthes can cost between $7 and $14 there, and the same wines can be $15-$30 here. Or I was just at the Marche au Vin in Ampuis 3 weeks ago and Jamet Cote Rotie was $20. It can cost $55 here.

I think that Domaine Cayron is something like $14 or $16 at the winery. It's too bad we are stuck with this 3 tier system.

[Bux]

It's too bad we are stuck with this 3 tier system.

In more ways than one. How much of a hassle is it to import the wine? Someone once suggested they could put me in touch with an importer and the price per bottle or case didn't seem that excessive, even at the range from which I normally drink, but I suspect there are other fees and charges along the way and I suppose some wineries have exclusive importers. Then again, if you're buying in Europe, it shouldn't be a breach of that contract. I guess the question is how would one arrange shipping of just a few cases from different places.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Bux- $6 to $7 a bottle and that gets it cleared through the 3 tiers. It will also include their picking your wine up from wherever you bought it in the U.K. or France. It really only makes it worth it when you get to the $30 level. Also, you usually need to buy at least 1/2 case quantities because the brokers with the good prices are selling wholesale though sometimes they will sell ones and twos. Sometimes the savings are quite considerable. On a wine like Tignanello which can cost $75 here, that can be bought in Italy for $40 so your perspective as to what level you drink at starts to change. As for legalities, New York I believe is a single souce state and I'm pretty certain that the single source laws apply to people who are reselling wine. Individuals have the right to import for their own personal use. You know you don't even need an importer to clear wine for you. You can have it shipped here and you can clear it yourself through customs as long as the wine is for your own personal use. You do what they call an informal entry (whatever that is,) but it entails filling out all these state forms listing the wines and paying the various excise taxes that the feds and state charge for wine. I've never done it but the cost comes down to something like $20 odd a case.

[Bux]

Having once, albeit relatively in my youth, been saddled with clearing through customs, a large crate of my sister's personal belongings that arrived in Newark, I've been scarred for life and hardly had a nice word for my sister for at least a year. Let's not dwell on that alternative.

At the moment this is idle curiosity. Don't feel to obligated to answer in detail. My question is about the NYS tier system. NYS looks the other way when you arrive with your belongings on flight from France or California, but if I'm not mistaken, anything you have sent has to go through a licensed distributor and  retailer. Does it not? I assume part of the cost is having that covered.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Bux-The $6-$7 cost gets your wine cleared by all applicable state and federal agencys, pays any taxes or duty, and includes delivery into a warehouse in NYC. It costs slightly more to get it delivered to your home.