We are heading up to Indy for Christmas by way of a friend of my wife's who lives in Cincinatti. Gonna stop overnight. I wish to bring a housewarming gift (they just finished a major renovation) and I know they are wine drinkers. I don't know what type wine they prefer. I am thinking of a NC wine that they couldn't otherwise get. Right now I am leaning towards a red rather than white and I figure something a little lighter/sweeter since that is what most folks would prefer anyway. Not looking for a specific recommdation, just when I go to the wine shop what taste should I ask for?
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David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment. -
Our favorite "reds" are Merlots. You might also try a Cabernet Sauvignon. Don't give them Mogen David... David.
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LOML and I always enjoy a Bacco or Shirez(sp?). They are a little dryer but both are nice reds.From the "deep south" part of Canada
Richard in Smithville
http://richardspensandthings.blogspot.com/Comment
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If they are wine drinkers, then you should in no way consider a NC wine. They might get a good chuckle, but will never open it - DAMHIKT!
Get a chardonnay from Napa Valley for the "lighter/sweeter" thing you're looking for. Spend at least $15.
JRJRComment
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The reds tend to keep better. If they're "into" wines, odds are good that they'll favor a drier more complex wine that the average person.Happiness is sort of like wetting your pants....everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.
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I am very fond of the Oregon pinots...Comment
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Aside from the comments slaggin' on North Carolina wines
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Duplin Winery makes wines with some (not all) indigenous North Carolina grapes. Good stuff! But - warning: if it says "sweet" - it really IS!
Is it comparable to a $300 a bottle French wine? An emphatic "NO."
(But then most California and French wines don't quite measure up to that, either!)
Scott
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You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. -- Frank Zappa
http://macbournes.comComment
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David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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I drink 4 oz. of red wine "every day". Faithfullly I have the 4 oz. of that magnificent Lake Country Red at $6.99 a bottle.
No more of that rancid "Thunderbirdf" at a quarter twice ($.50 a quart) as the military days.. no sireee... bob!
I hate wine and it taste like crap but... recommended with exercise by my cardiologist to help lower LDL cholestrol. Been below 65 count on LDL since I started drinking it. Well... the diet may have a bit to do with also.
So.... Lake Country Red for cholestrol and better take someone else's reccomendation on a brand for a gift.
Did I mention I hate wine?....
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I'm not sure what they'll stock in North Carolina or what your friends like but here are a couple of specific suggestions:
Wines made from Shiraz or Zinfandel grapes have a lot of flavor. Don't know whether they grow these varieties in North Carolina but they do like hot weather. If you can find it, Montevina (California winemaker) makes very nice wines at a very reasonable prices. We really like these and we can buy them for $15/bottle or less.
For whites, most people like Chardonnays. Reislings and Gewurtztraminers are sweeter and appeal to some, but not all.
We prefer red wines in winter and whites in summer only because whites need to be chilled while reds should never be chilled.
As for the Napa Valley, they make nice wines but there are plenty of other places in California (foothills, Central Coast), Australia, Chile, Spain and South Africa that make nice wines too. In fact, we live only two hours from the Napa Valley and never go there to taste any more.
Don't judge the quality solely by price. Most wines under $5 are worthless but wines in the $15-25 range can be better than the more expensive stuff, in our opinion.Comment
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Red wine does keep longer, whites like chardonay should be consumed within a year or two for the best flavor. My personal choice is Michael Pozan Cab from Napa or Alexander Valley. Usually$10-15 at Beverages and More. Great wine for the price. Tastes more like a Merlot than a Cab.
RAGS
Raggy and Me in San Felipe
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for a non-desert wine, stop by Harris Teeter, and look for the Biltmore label, take them a Cab or a Merlot
Or take them a case of Duplin, and explain that it is a dessert wine, extremely fruity and very sweet.
Duplin is not bad, when it is presented for what it is, a dessert wine to be enjoyed with a simple cheese, and maybe some other sweet fruitsIt's Like I've always said, it's amazing what an agnostic can't do if he dosent know whether he believes in anything or not
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Dan in Harrisburg, NCComment
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How about trying this brand out: Old Fart Wine. My father-in-law (younger than you) used to drink it and liked it. I just like the name. And this doesn't help the original question at all.I drink 4 oz. of red wine "every day". Faithfullly I have the 4 oz. of that magnificent Lake Country Red at $6.99 a bottle.
No more of that rancid "Thunderbirdf" at a quarter twice ($.50 a quart) as the military days.. no sireee... bob!
I hate wine and it taste like crap but... recommended with exercise by my cardiologist to help lower LDL cholestrol. Been below 65 count on LDL since I started drinking it. Well... the diet may have a bit to do with also.
So.... Lake Country Red for cholestrol and better take someone else's reccomendation on a brand for a gift.
Did I mention I hate wine?....
It's all in good fun.
JimComment
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A few months ago I read an article in Forbes Magazine about Charles Shaw wines. You can find them at Trader Joe's which happens to have a store in Indianapolis. My daughter visited over Thanksgiving and brought bottles of their Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were very good. You can buy a case of it and mix different varieties. The next time I am Indy, I plan to pick up a case or two.
For the naysayers, No comments unless you have actually tried it. Just do a Google search on it and you'll find more information than you can read. It is known as "Two buck Chuck." Do the Google search on "Two Buck Chuck" before commenting!
BobComment
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