The Official Patriot's Planet Guide to Wines Worth Drinking

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Hawg73 said:
What I try to do is talk to people and experiment. If I try a wine I really like then I memorize it and recommend it to others. I know you like to cruise and I've found those great for picking the brains of the waiters, many of whom know a lot about wine, but a lot of liquor store managers are great and wine people just like to talk about wine. A lot of better packies will have scores and reviews from Wine Spectator next to the bottles. I like to read those. The more wine I drink the more I appreciate reds, but I still like a few whites with certain meals or when I'm just in the mood to go retro.

I don't like to spend more than 15 bucks for a bottle of wine unless I don't have a choice. This either makes me a cheap bastard without any class or wicked smart. I'm not sure which it is, but I swear you can find wine that is pleasing to many people without dropping tons of cash.

I know many people who drink awful wine i.e., cheapo white zinfandel or two buck chuck and with all due respect I can't drink that stuff. It tastes repulsive to me, but --- to each their own. Somebody might think the same about my choices below, but I've had good luck sharing them with people.

Here are a few of my 15 buck and under specials in a few different categories.

Line 39 Cabernet Sauvignon
Spellbound Petite Syrah
Toasted Head Chardonnay (I love this)
Any Italian Wine made from Sangiovese (red) grapes ( I don't know why. Waiter swore by them and he hasn't been wrong yet, imo )
Chateau St. Michelle whites (I like the chardonnay, but a lot of folks enjoy their pinot grigio)

I mean no disrespect for those that can appreciate more expensive wines, but I've found that, while many are delicious, more often than not I don't find them to be as good a value as the mid-priced stuff I favor.
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Chateau St. Michelle is decent stuff. Local winery here. Also put on some awesome summer concerts, too.

When I worked in Higher Ed, I spent a lot of time out in Wenatchee, where the local CC has a Wine Program. Wenatchee was where I really started to appreciate wine.
 
Claremonster said:
Chateau St. Michelle is decent stuff. Local winery here. Also put on some awesome summer concerts, too.

When I worked in Higher Ed, I spent a lot of time out in Wenatchee, where the local CC has a Wine Program. Wenatchee was where I really started to appreciate wine.
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I once worked with a woman who asked for a wine recommendation and I mentioned Chateau St. Michelle as a good one. Next time I saw her she raved about how good it was. About 15 years later I ran into her and she told me that was still her go-to wine. I felt good about that. She had a great rack.

I think there is a ton of good wine made in the Northwest and Northern Cali and Washington State's are particular favorites.

An acquanitance of mine sold his business and bought a defunct winery in the Russian River Valley outside San Fran, hired a smart wine guy to bring it back and he is just killing it with the pinot noir. An immediate smash sell-out which is rare in the business from what I understand.

I'm not a huge fan of that variety but if anybody sees Ketcham Estates PN then it's worth splurging for. He was getting 35 a bottle last time I bought a half-case.

You could stick exclusively to wines from that part of the country and never run out of good ones to try. We have wineries out here and in upstate NY, but I've yet to have one that really compares to the west for whatever chemical reason makes one wine taste better than another.

I'd like to try Drew Bledsoe's wine. Heard it's very good.
 
Hawg73 said:
I once worked with a woman who asked for a wine recommendation and I mentioned Chateau St. Michelle as a good one. Next time I saw her she raved about how good it was. About 15 years later I ran into her and she told me that was still her go-to wine. I felt good about that. She had a great rack.

I think there is a ton of good wine made in the Northwest and Northern Cali and Washington State's are particular favorites.

An acquanitance of mine sold his business and bought a defunct winery in the Russian River Valley outside San Fran, hired a smart wine guy to bring it back and he is just killing it with the pinot noir. An immediate smash sell-out which is rare in the business from what I understand.

I'm not a huge fan of that variety but if anybody sees Ketcham Estates PN then it's worth splurging for. He was getting 35 a bottle last time I bought a half-case.

You could stick exclusively to wines from that part of the country and never run out of good ones to try. We have wineries out here and in upstate NY, but I've yet to have one that really compares to the west for whatever chemical reason makes one wine taste better than another.

I'd like to try Drew Bledsoe's wine. Heard it's very good.
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I've only had his DoubleBack Cabernet which is excellent but at close to $100/ it's only for very special occasions. We have a bottle every couple of years the latest being a fitting tribute to the SB win this year to toast the improbable ending. This site is great for buying wines online for direct shipment or to find wines close to you at good prices. http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/double+back+cab+sauv+walla+valley+washington+usa
 
For a surprisingly good (and moderately cheap) riesling, I can thoroughly recommend the Washingtonian "Kung Fu Girl" -- it's on the fruity side so if you prefer a dry riesling it's probably not for you. I like it a lot, though.

For reds, I'll have to draw up a longer post, but I figured I'd get the ball rolling with the Kung Fu Girl. (The guy who makes it used to be a rock-band manager and all his wines have funny names). He has a Syrah named Boom-Boom as well, but I've never tasted it.
 
Hawg73 said:
Toasted Head Chardonnay (I love this)
Chateau St. Michelle whites (I like the chardonnay, but a lot of folks enjoy their pinot grigio)
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When I drink white its Chardonnay. Agree with both these selections

Chateau St. Michelle (Indian Wells) Cab nice too. About 12 bucks here.
 
Hawg73 said:
What I try to do is talk to people and experiment. If I try a wine I really like then I memorize it and recommend it to others. I know you like to cruise and I've found those great for picking the brains of the waiters, many of whom know a lot about wine, but a lot of liquor store managers are great and wine people just like to talk about wine. A lot of better packies will have scores and reviews from Wine Spectator next to the bottles. I like to read those. The more wine I drink the more I appreciate reds, but I still like a few whites with certain meals or when I'm just in the mood to go retro.

I don't like to spend more than 15 bucks for a bottle of wine unless I don't have a choice. This either makes me a cheap bastard without any class or wicked smart. I'm not sure which it is, but I swear you can find wine that is pleasing to many people without dropping tons of cash.

I know many people who drink awful wine i.e., cheapo white zinfandel or two buck chuck and with all due respect I can't drink that stuff. It tastes repulsive to me, but --- to each their own. Somebody might think the same about my choices below, but I've had good luck sharing them with people.

Here are a few of my 15 buck and under specials in a few different categories.

Line 39 Cabernet Sauvignon
Spellbound Petite Syrah
Toasted Head Chardonnay (I love this)
Any Italian Wine made from Sangiovese (red) grapes ( I don't know why. Waiter swore by them and he hasn't been wrong yet, imo )
Chateau St. Michelle whites (I like the chardonnay, but a lot of folks enjoy their pinot grigio)

I mean no disrespect for those that can appreciate more expensive wines, but I've found that, while many are delicious, more often than not I don't find them to be as good a value as the mid-priced stuff I favor.
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Line 39 cab and chateau St Michelle Chardonnay will be sampled tomorrow, plus two others from this thread.
 
AnOldTroll said:
When I drink white its Chardonnay. Agree with both these selections

Chateau St. Michelle (Indian Wells) Cab nice too. About 12 bucks here.
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I 2nd the Chateau St. Michelle, Indian Wells Cabernet.

 
I don't drink wine . Since I was told you don't chug it
 
We drink a lot of Sangiovese. If you are familiar with the very expensive Brunello, it's actually the same grape.

Very hard to find a bad Bordeaux. In my youth I drank a lot of cheap red wine in Paris. For my 60th birthday we spent a week there three years ago. We kept buying cheaper and cheaper Bordeaux in the super market and never got one we didn't like.

Kirkland brand Argentinian Merlot is not bad ( my wife is not fond of it ).

We drink tons of il bastardo Sangiovese. Good everyday wine.

Yellowtail wines are good cheap wines.
 
Dwight Schrute said:
Apothic was a smooth red I hit all night tonite.
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Which one? Dark or Red.
Apothic Dark (red) is a magnificent wine for the value.
Apothic Red is very good but Dark is their better wine for only a few $ more, imo.

Also, I almost always choose Red Bordeauxs and white burgundy wines when I choose from the the classic French varietals.
 
chevss454 said:
Which one? Dark or Red.
Apothic Dark (red) is a magnificent wine for the value.
Apothic Red is very good but Dark is their better wine for only a few $ more, imo.

Also, I almost always choose Red Bordeauxs and white burgundy wines when I choose from the the classic French varietals.
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Just the red. Finished the 2nd bottle. Impressed for $9.99.

I'll definitely hunt for the Dark.
 
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