ebartender Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Me and the wife are not wine drinkers but we are going to an Italian BYOB this weekend and we are planning on bringing a bottle of wine with us. Any suggestions? Red vs. White? I'm not looking to break the bank but I don't mind spending up to around $40 for the bottle. I know absolutely nothing about wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 amarone is one of my favorites.. they usually start around $30-40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Brunello's a good choice. It's basically the same grape/wine as a Chianti, but it's aged longer. Regardless tho, just ask the wine specialist at your local shop as they're happy to talk wine I'm not so sure that Brunello is a good choice in this case. Some Brunellos have a significant earthy/leathery/pine needle "taste" that may not be appreciated by evryone, particularly novices. You can pick this up for about $20: 2006 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I'm not so sure that Brunello is a good choice in this case. Some Brunellos have a significant earthy/leathery/pine needle "taste" that may not be appreciated by evryone, particularly novices. You can pick this up for about $20: 2006 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva a nice bottle. Very drinkable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 ebartender, you might do fine just heading to the wine store and buying a bottle from a vineyard you have heard of at a price point that you want to spend. Most people will oohh and aahh at those bottles and be none the wiser. Some Mondavi/ Kendall Jackson/ Atlas/ Jacob's Creek/ Shafer /William Hill, etc. People will recognize the name and then think of it as good stuff because it has name recognition. Oh, and don't choose merlot. While IMO merlot just gets a bad rap stemming from some Seinfeld episode, or some such thing...people will still stick their noses up at it for a lack of knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WashingtonD Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 http://www.napacabs.com/Monte-Antico-2006-Toscana-P6377.aspx Monte Antico Toscana 2006 - Widely available right now, I can find it at 4 liquor stores in a 15 mile radius from my house. Should be 12.95 to 8.95 a bottle...great, great great drinking wine, very smooth, great flavors, not super challenging to the palette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 and your name is ebartender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 The hardest part about making suggestions here is that I have no idea where you live and what's around. There are likely some mainstream ones (and I agree that both the Nippozanno and Monte Antico are fine choices) that are there in all markets. That said, you don't want this to turn into some wild goose chase, heading all over town looking for something we told you here. Also, unless you live in the middle of nowhere, there's likely some cool and off the beaten path ones. Do a yahoo search on wine shops and you'll probably find some that have been rated by the local geeks. Pick the one that seems the most down to earth and real and put yourself in their hands. Ask them exactly what you're asking us and they'll find something on the shelf right then and there that most likely, is just what you're looking for. Honestly, I think this is the best advice I can give and is typically what I tell friends who call me with the same question if they're in markets other than mine. Oh, and I have to disagree with the Brunello call. The really good ones cost way more than $40 and they take a long time to age. I would certainly go Chianti over that. Also look into a well made Barbera. In the last 20 years or so, they've started making them more seriously rather than into forgettable plonk. Right now, for $15-$20, you can get a really, really cool one. Lastly, there's absolutely no need to spend any more than $25, especially if you're not wine drinkers. You can get something plenty cool without laying out a ton of cash. Just stay away from the really fancy stuff (Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, Amarone). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 (edited) I second the Barbera recommendation. Edited April 12, 2010 by twiley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 and your name is ebartender? Where I used to tend bar there wasn't many wine orders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 Where I used to tend bar there wasn't many wine orders. Thanks for all of the advice. I'll post after the dinner to let you know how it turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundaynfl Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Going a different direction, you may want to bring an Italian dessert wine... Moscato maybe?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted April 17, 2010 Author Share Posted April 17, 2010 I wound up bringing a bottle of Yellow Tail Pinot Noir and Mondavi Merlot. I enjoyed the Pinot. If any of you are in the Philly area and looking for a good meal I would highly recommend Modo Mio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundaynfl Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 I wound up bringing a bottle of Yellow Tail Pinot Noir and Mondavi Merlot. I enjoyed the Pinot. If any of you are in the Philly area and looking for a good meal I would highly recommend Modo Mio. Yellow Tail and Mondavi are two of my favorite Italians!! Can't believe we all overlooked them! Glad you enjoyed them... did you try/like anything else that the others brought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 I wound up bringing a bottle of Yellow Tail Pinot Noir and Mondavi Merlot. I enjoyed the Pinot. If any of you are in the Philly area and looking for a good meal I would highly recommend Modo Mio. that sure doesnt sound Italian at all . . . but I hope you enjoyed your dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted April 17, 2010 Author Share Posted April 17, 2010 that sure doesnt sound Italian at all . . . but I hope you enjoyed your dinner. I wasn't necessarily looking for Italian wine. Someone brought a Cabernet and a Syriah (sp?). I liked them too. Dinner was great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 I wasn't necessarily looking for Italian wine. Someone brought a Cabernet and a Syriah (sp?). I liked them too. Dinner was great! My bag . . . when I read in your post "going to an Italian BYOB" I assumed it was Italian wine . . . . I am a big Syrah fan personally . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I wasn't necessarily looking for Italian wine. Well, Oh-I-do is "an Italian BYOB" then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share Posted April 19, 2010 Well, Oh-I-do is "an Italian BYOB" then? An Italian restaurant that is BYOB. Doesn't mean you must bring an Italian wine, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 An Italian restaurant that is BYOB. Doesn't mean you must bring an Italian wine, correct? I missed that the first time. If a restaurant has a specific cuisine, I will almost invariably get a wine produced in the country of origin. I do this predominantly to vary my wine drinking experience and to get out of my domestic comfort zone. Just personal preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I missed that the first time. If a restaurant has a specific cuisine, I will almost invariably get a wine produced in the country of origin. I do this predominantly to vary my wine drinking experience and to get out of my domestic comfort zone. Just personal preference. I assumed that an "Italian BYOB" was some kind of party. Didn't realize it was a restaurant or I would have made some different suggestions myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I missed that the first time. If a restaurant has a specific cuisine, I will almost invariably get a wine produced in the country of origin. I do this predominantly to vary my wine drinking experience and to get out of my domestic comfort zone. Just personal preference. + 1 "If it grows together, then it goes together." Goos rule of thumb for wine regions and cuisine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I assumed that an "Italian BYOB" was some kind of party. Didn't realize it was a restaurant or I would have made some different suggestions myself. That's how I saw it. Though I still would have suggested an Italian wine regardless. I mean, why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 That's how I saw it. Though I still would have suggested an Italian wine regardless. I mean, why not? I explained why I (if I didn't know much of anything about wine) would make the kinds of selections I recommended earlier in the thread. I was thinking party....and that there might be some people that liked to pretend to know something. If this were just for my own consumption at dinner I would take a completely different outlook. I would have grabbed a nice Barolo out of my rack, or perhaps a bottle of Toscana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I explained why I (if I didn't know much of anything about wine) would make the kinds of selections I recommended earlier in the thread. I was thinking party....and that there might be some people that liked to pretend to know something. If this were just for my own consumption at dinner I would take a completely different outlook. I would have grabbed a nice Barolo out of my rack, or perhaps a bottle of Toscana. My point was simply that, well besides agreeing with you that I thought this was a wine party where everyone was supposed to bring an Italian wine, that I still would have suggested an Italian wine had I known he was simply joining some friends at an Italian restaurant that was BYOB. I wasn't intending to question your thoughts or suggestions on the matter. In fact, the only reason why I even bothered quoting your post was because of the first sentence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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