Wine Tip

[nomullies]

Hey, ever got to try it ?
Another "budget" ($15.95/1.5L) we just tried and LIKED is Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon (also offered as Merlot)
All best and cheers

My wife's fave wine is the Santa Carolina sauvignon blanc. $9 or so and we've been buying it in bulk for years. I've tried others but she always goes back.

[veryold]

My wife's fave wine is the Santa Carolina sauvignon blanc. $9 or so and we've been buying it in bulk for years. I've tried others but she always goes back.

Good stuff
Again, if u haven't already, give SC Red a try.
Cheers !

[Bern]

My best wine tip is, life is too short to drink lousy wine.

A lot of the stuff being mentioned is barely drinkable.

Drink less and buy better wine. The stuff belng mentioned can only pass for tolerable if you have covid.

[Fredk]

My best wine tip is, life is too short to drink lousy wine.

A lot of the stuff being mentioned is barely drinkable.

Drink less and buy better wine. The stuff belng mentioned can only pass for tolerable if you have covid.

Depends how much money you have. If the inexpensive stuff is what your budget affords you, drink that.

I find lots of stuff in the budget category that is quite drinkable.

At times, I find stuff from well known wineries and wine regions over priced. Some people are willing to pay silly money just because of the name on the bottle.

[Bern]

Depends how much money you have. If the inexpensive stuff is what your budget affords you, drink that.

I find lots of stuff in the budget category that is quite drinkable.

At times, I find stuff from well known wineries and wine regions over priced. Some people are willing to pay silly money just because of the name on the bottle.

Nope, bad wine is bad wine. Sure there is overpriced wine but let's call a spade a spade. At $9 a bottle you are buying plonk. If you are drinking a 1.5-litre bottle 2 weeks after you open it it's oxidized and all flavours will be flat. Every now and then a low-priced bottle is released that exceeds the mark. Wolf Blass Yellow label has been riding that for 30 years. That is an overpriced wine that was once fantastic at the price point.

[Fredk]

Nope, bad wine is bad wine. Sure there is overpriced wine but let's call a spade a spade. At $9 a bottle you are buying plonk. If you are drinking a 1.5-litre bottle 2 weeks after you open it it's oxidized and all flavours will be flat. Every now and then a low-priced bottle is released that exceeds the mark. Wolf Blass Yellow label has been riding that for 30 years. That is an overpriced wine that was once fantastic at the price point.

Not all of us can sip Dom Perignon and munch waygu every day of the week. If veryold enjoys his $9 bottle of wine, it is not for us to judge.

[Bern]

Not all of us can sip Dom Perignon and munch waygu every day of the week. If veryold enjoys his $9 bottle of wine, it is not for us to judge.

I did not mention anyone specifically. There have been numerous atrocious bottles mentioned. If the title of the thread is the cheapest wine you can buy thread then we have some winners. I live modestly but I enjoy my good food and drink.

[Bern]

Not all of us can sip Dom Perignon and munch waygu every day of the week. If veryold enjoys his $9 bottle of wine, it is not for us to judge.

BTW a quick search will show I recommended Ridgepoint 4 years ago. They are still great value for the price point because they make small-batch, great wines. As to the Dom and waygu, who's being pretentious now?

I can recommend a dozen proseccos and cavas better than Dom at a quarter of the price.

[Jeffc]

My best wine tip is, life is too short to drink lousy wine.

A lot of the stuff being mentioned is barely drinkable.

Drink less and buy better wine. The stuff belng mentioned can only pass for tolerable if you have covid.

Yeah, well, you know, that’s just like ah, your opinion man, I’ve tried some and liked them. If you don’t fine but everyone’s palate is different. I’ve had expensive bottles and have been unimpressed. No need to dump on people for liking what they like.

[4underthru9]

My best wine tip is, life is too short to drink lousy wine.
A lot of the stuff being mentioned is barely drinkable.
Drink less and buy better wine. The stuff belng mentioned can only pass for tolerable if you have covid.

Your statement is very clear, you just don't understand wine.
Even the top wine experts tell us there are some very fine inexpensive wines to be had.
Not like that cheap crappy Italian Chianti you claim you used to drink out of the barrel when you lived there.
How would you even know what cheap wine taste like now that you're a high and mighty wine snob.
Paying for the label on the bottle not the content in the bottle is not being a wine expert.
We cheapies are the experts because we know value for money.

[Marty Canuck]

Your statement is very clear, you just don't understand wine.
Even the top wine experts tell us there are some very fine inexpensive wines to be had.
Not like that cheap crappy Italian Chianti you claim you used to drink out of the barrel when you lived there.
How would you even know what cheap wine taste like now that you're a high and mighty wine snob.
Paying for the label on the bottle not the content in the bottle is not being a wine expert.
We cheapies are the experts because we know value for money.

I’m going to side with Bern. He didn’t say you had to buy expensive wine. He said life is too short to drink cheap wine, buy better, drink less if your budget is a concern.

Remember when Fuzion came out, from Argentina I believe, many flocked to it because it tasted OK and was about $8 per bottle. But the reason there was a cheap wine that tasted OK is that chemists figured out what to add to bad wine to make it taste acceptable. So on the cheap stuff that tastes good your putting a little chemical party in you at the same time.

There are lots of non-pricey options for a decent wine that won’t break the bank and aren’t chemically engineered to taste palatable.

[Jeffc]

I’m going to side with Bern. He didn’t say you had to buy expensive wine. He said life is too short to drink cheap wine, buy better, drink less if your budget is a concern.

Remember when Fuzion came out, from Argentina I believe, many flocked to it because it tasted OK and was about $8 per bottle. But the reason there was a cheap wine that tasted OK is that chemists figured out what to add to bad wine to make it taste acceptable. So on the cheap stuff that tastes good your putting a little chemical party in you at the same time.

There are lots of non-pricey options for a decent wine that won’t break the bank and aren’t chemically engineered to taste palatable.

but if you can't tell the difference or if you like a "cheap" wine, who the f&*% cares? My theory is buy the cheapest bottle you like. I don't drink a ton these days, trying to limit it to weekends only, but it's not a huge priority for me in terms of buying a more expensive bottle that will pretty much taste the same as a $9 bottle to me.

[Marty Canuck]

but if you can't tell the difference or if you like a "cheap" wine, who the f&*% cares? My theory is buy the cheapest bottle you like. I don't drink a ton these days, trying to limit it to weekends only, but it's not a huge priority for me in terms of buying a more expensive bottle that will pretty much taste the same as a $9 bottle to me.

Absolutely buy to your taste. Taste in wine progresses though. Stuff my wife and I loved when we were first married we recoil in horror at now. I certainly don’t buy many $50 bottles (though there is a $70 one I love and there are some in that high range I will also buy for a treat from time to time). But our target range is around $17-20 for something nowadays and that includes many very decent Niagara products.

Likewise if the lowest price is the deciding factor in your wine choice, then you might only be drinking to get drunk and not to enjoy the wine for its character.

We’re buying from The Small Winemakers Collection these days. They seek out small wineries from many countries. They provide very detailed tasting notes and even the history of the wines, wineries and varieties they offer. Wines range from $15 on the lower end of what they offer but they also have pricey wines for those who really want to appreciate what an amazing wine can be. You do have to buy by the case from them but they also offer mixed cases with 3 bottles each of 4 different wines too.

[Jeffc]

Absolutely buy to your taste. Taste in wine progresses though. Stuff my wife and I loved when we were first married we recoil in horror at now. I certainly don’t buy many $50 bottles (though there is a $70 one I love and there are some in that high range I will also buy for a treat from time to time). But our target range is around $17-20 for something nowadays and that includes many very decent Niagara products.

Likewise if the lowest price is the deciding factor in your wine choice, then you might only be drinking to get drunk and not to enjoy the wine for its character.

We’re buying from The Small Winemakers Collection these days. They seek out small wineries from many countries. They provide very detailed tasting notes and even the history of the wines, wineries and varieties they offer. Wines range from $15 on the lower end of what they offer but they also have pricey wines for those who really want to appreciate what an amazing wine can be. You do have to buy by the case from them but they also offer mixed cases with 3 bottles each of 4 different wines too.

Arrgh. I drink because I like the taste. I don't care much about character. I read wine reviews and to be honest, they make me laugh. And the whole paring this red wine with this dish just makes me laugh as well.

Deep purple colour. Aromas of rich dark currants, nectarine skins, gushing blackberry, but lots of fragrant tobacco, rich soil, white flowers, smashed minerals and metal. Medium-bodied and saucy but racy acidity stabilises the wine nicely with the robust tannins. Deep red currants and ripe cherries, laden with mocha, loamy soil, charred herbs, pencil shavings, roasted hazelnut. Dense like characters that make it perfect for cellaring, however it is drinkable straight away once you expose it to the earth’s atmosphere.

Not everyone is fanatical about it or cares that much. I like wine, I drink it. The $9 bottles I enjoy just as much as the $15 bottles I used to buy.

[Weirfan]

Nope, bad wine is bad wine. Sure there is overpriced wine but let's call a spade a spade. At $9 a bottle you are buying plonk. If you are drinking a 1.5-litre bottle 2 weeks after you open it it's oxidized and all flavours will be flat. Every now and then a low-priced bottle is released that exceeds the mark. Wolf Blass Yellow label has been riding that for 30 years. That is an overpriced wine that was once fantastic at the price point.

After 48 hours I won't drink an open bottle any longer, the taste has changed so much for the worse. I will , however use it for cooking.

I recently did some braised lamb shanks in red wine using a low priced ($15) bottle of cab sab that was given to me but when I opened it, not something that I liked.

I am far from a wine snob and live very modestly but wine is one thing that I will research and search out decent ones. I've found a few over the years in the $15 range but the majority of the ones I like and buy are $17-$29

these two opened since Christmas were decent, the French one is a very flavourful red and goto fav of mine , great value at $15.95.