skip to main content

What other reds should I try?

14 years ago

Joined GW not too long and have been mostly lurking in Home Dec and am happy to have come across this forum too!

I usually drink red wine and like pinot noir, malbec and merlot so far. Did not care for a few cabarnet sauvignons that I've had. I'd appreciate any recommendations for other red wines to try. (preferably in the $10-$15 range)

TIA

Comments (6)

coffeehaus
14 years ago
I'll take a stab at this question, although many others on this forum are more qualified to answer.
Remember that an experience with a given varietal may be influenced by other factors, such as what food you consume with the wine. Did you drink the Cab alone, or with food? In general, I don't consider Cab a wine to just drink without food.
I like (red) Zinfandel and Syrah/Shiraz. Marietta Old Vines is usually a consistent choice in your price range. Cline is another good choice. These are both California wineries. For Shiraz, look to Australia...lots of choices and reasonably priced.
Recently, I've come to enjoy Pinotage from South Africa's Stellenbosch region. What I've had has been slightly smoky in character with berry-like flavors, and goes well with hearty dishes.
That should get you started. I hope some others chime in.
mmh1
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the info Coffeehaus! When several days went by without a response, I posted over on the cooking forum and got quite a few responses there.
Related Discussions
what other flowers should i grow with oriental lilies? I prefer
Q
Comments (2)
Well lets see: Marigolds Zinnias Nasturtiums Coleus Dianthus Scabiosa Coreopsis dwarf daylilies Snapdragons California poppies African daisies sedum euphorbias verbenas the list goes on and on. Go to your local nursery and pick something you like that will grow in your area. If I could grow them, I'd grow the beautiful sand verbenas that grow so well in southern California.
...See More
Testing the durability on natural stone - what should I try?
Q
Comments (4)
We have honed travertine in two bathrooms (in one bathroom, the tile has a bit more sheen than the other, but it is honed, not polished travertine). We've gotten etch marks in both bathrooms. When that happens, I take a green scrub sponge (sometimes dampened, sometimes dry if I’m lazy) and lightly “buff” away the etch mark. It works on the honed travertine, but don’t think it would do the trick on shiny, polished stone. Test it out on a sample tile or inconspicuous area first, to be sure you don’t create a bigger problem area. I learned that trick here on GW. :)
...See More
I'll try this again. What should I do with that orange brick?
Q
Comments (39)
I limewashed the brick using 1 quart of Romabio Bianco White. Let me tell ya, I used every last bit. A quart should cover 100 sq. feet of brick. I had 87 sq. feet. I really like the limewash because it's not just one solid block of white brick, the kind of look paint would give. The limewashed brick is more variegated. I had planned on spraying off some of the limewash, but after I applied it, I liked the look and just left it "as is." I really like how it turned out. Thank you, everyone for your help!
...See More
red oak should i even try to match kitchen to great room?
Q
Comments (4)
Your certainly could install additional red oak and refinish the existing floors at the same time for a uniform finish. It would take a good flooring finisher to make it work. I agree that it would look strange to install different widths of boards. I've got hardwood in my kitchen. I always thought that I would like wood in the kitchen. This is the second house with wood and I really don't think it looks all that good or wears all that well. I would suggest some kind of tile. I love natural black slate. It wears like iron and goes with a lot of different styles from a bunch of my old Victorian homes to mid-century modern. I like using a dark charcoal grout with it. Don't remove real wood to replace with luxury vinyl. It's a good product, but there is greater value in the real thing when you go to sell.
...See More
rosesinny
14 years ago
You should try a lot. CA doesn't do very good cabs or merlots in your price range, so I'm not surprised that you didn't like them. I suppose there are a few around now that there is such a grape glut, but you're better off looking elsewhere at that range. CA has nice whites in that range and a few different varieties that may be of interest.

There are 2 other threads you can look at.

"Cheap wine, or wine snobs (long)" in which I tried to address that question, and then there's another called "what's your favorite cheap wine".

Lots of responses in those. You might want to keep in mind the difference between making wine on an industrial or a smaller scale. One way to think about it is to imagine that things like Yellow Tail or Two Buck Chuck or many of the Gallo or Kendall Jackson wines are made like Wonder Bread as opposed to the guy in the bakery down the street who rolls out his dough by hand. I suppose it can be consumed, but I'm not sure why.

There's a lot of good wine out and you don't need to pay a lot of money for it. For reds, CA seems to do a lot better once you pass the $15 mark. It's unfortunate, because I'd like to support the home team, but perhaps part of it is that in Europe a lot of families have owned vineyards for many generations so they don't have to amortize recent expenditures.

Cheers!
mmh1
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for your reply, rosesinny. I realize that I have lots to learn and will try to do some reading as I continue to sample more wines. (It certainly doesn't help that DH does not drink wine.)
Two reasonably priced wines that I like are Castle Rock Pinot Noir and Alamos Malbec. I mention these two because I'm not sure how to properly describe them. I noticed in one of the posts that you sell wine(Manhattan?)and would love more info since I live nearby. Can I e-mail you?
rosesinny
14 years ago
Sorry for responding so late. Of course you can email. I'm even having the owner of an Argentine winery in town in a few weeks - we sell his wine so I'm taking him to some clients. Next couple days there's a guy in town who makes some of the great wines in Spain. I don't sell his wine but I drink it!

I hope my earlier resp didn't come off as snide, because I hate that, but if you're buying, this is the time to be a customer! Importers are clearing out wine, distributors are clearing it out, and there's a glut of juice that's getting put into less expensive wines. Plenty of really great deals out there and probably for the next year or two because of the way the business works.

Cheers.
PRO
Roxie Paone
14 years ago
I just tried a Carmenere from Chile. Calina 08 Reserva. Where I live it goes for 8.50, or try Kaiken Malbec from
Mendoza/Argentina sells for 9.50

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES 5 Decor Trends to Try — and 5 to Rethink

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Some style trends are worth jumping onboard. Others you may want to let fade from your memory

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Northern Cardinals in the Snow, and Other Red Birds

By Habitat Network

Brilliant crimson feathers make these friends stand out in a crowd

COLOR 12 Tried-and-True Paint Colors for Your Walls

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Discover one pro designer's time-tested favorite paint colors for kitchens, baths, bedrooms and more

COLOR Ready to Try Something New? Houzz Guides to Color for Your Kitchen

By Vanessa Brunner

If only mixing up a kitchen color palette were as easy as mixing batter. Here’s help for choosing wall, cabinet, island and backsplash hues

COLOR 9 Fun Ceiling Colors to Try Right Now

By Jennifer Ott Design

Go bold overhead for a touch of intimacy or a punch of energy

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Try Blue Bells for Blooms in Dry Soil

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

This shrub’s violet-blue flowers and silvery foliage brighten low-water gardens all year long

DECORATING GUIDES 28 Decorating Moves to Try This Month

By Natasha Saroca

Treat your interiors to a pick-me-up with these quick and cheerful decorating tricks

HOUSEKEEPING 10 Problems Your House May Be Trying to Show You

By Mitchell Parker

Ignore some of these signs and you may end up with major issues. We tell you which are normal and which are cause for concern

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Try Penstemon Digitalis for Showy White Blooms

By Pollination Press LLC

Bees gather nectar from this North American native while you’ll appreciate its unthirsty nature and soil tolerance

MOST POPULAR Must-Try Color Combo: White With Warm Off-White

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Avoid going too traditional and too clean by introducing an off-white palette that brings a touch of warmth and elegance

Sponsored