Wine anybody??

consider a rioja from spain, or shiraz from australia.......look for bottles in the $15-20 range

 

I found this. Big image!
Whatever you buy make sure it is at the very least above $10. Cheap wines are not worth the savings.

Spoiler

 

Cheap and sweet, you say? Barefoot brand is just that. Will probably be half the cost of any other cheap wine recommended.

Moscato (red/white/pink) and Reisling.

Is it a really good wine? No, obviously not. But it's the best dirt cheap wine brand.

 

That chart was pretty good. I don't like wines when they get too sweet, but one that is fairly inexpensive that is supposed to be good (but it's too sweet for my tastes) is Menage a Trois Red.

It's a blend. Some blends are incredible, and some are horrible.

If you are getting a single varietal they might all be different. For instance not all Cabs will taste the same. A lot will depend on where the grape is from, what year it is and factors like that.

I generally like big bodied reds. Though there are some whites I'll drink and enjoy especially in the summer time.

There are also plenty of lighter reds that I also like.

Try a few Petit Syrahs.

Cabernet Sauvignons can be really jammy and sweet too.

Also remember wines will taste different when paired with food. I think if you are just starting out getting into wine, don't worry about the food pairing. Just find a wine that you like and drink it.

Zinfandel's might fit what you're looking for as well.

Inexpensive wines that I think are still pretty good are 337 and Avalon. Either of those are probably around the $7-12 range. They are cheap, but actually really good (to my taste). These are my every day wines. The ones that I drink with most of my meals. On Weekends and special occasions, I'll open up some of the pricier bottles, but those are my favorite everyday wines.

Enjoy. I love wine. I went on a wine trip earlier this summer. I go a few times a year, and never have a bad time.

I wish you the best.

If you want to spend a little more you can try Justin Isosceles is good. The others from Justin are sweeter, so you might like them more. They are good wines, but they will be a little pricier.

Stag's Leap is worth trying too. Their Cabernet Sauvignon's are usually good, and sometimes a little on the sweet side for my tastes. But it could be more expensive than what you're looking for.

If you can find Calcarius, try and get ahold of Moose. It's good and also sweet.

 

Do not trust any bottle of wine you can not unscrew.

 

I think like 2.5 years ago the Mrs and I did what you and yours are doing now. Wasted a ton of money on wines we didn't really like, at least not anymore than any other (cheaper) wine.

Found some gems though. Every once in a while you'll find a Specs employee who's really educated on wines and they can be helpful, but most of them just try to sell you whatever their featured wines are.

Eventually we gave up trying to be wine folk and went back to hard liquor. Then gave up alcohol altogether when the wife got with child and then the baby arrived.

Point is... I hope someone here can give some great recommendations! But even so, you'll likely buy some you end up not enjoying.

 

I always use Lambrusco to convert non-red wine drinkers. The carbonation makes it a little bit more approachable, and it's a great pair with pasta and pizza. Just make sure you go for a decent bottle, since the really cheap brands are so sweet that they're closer to soda than wine.

 

Malbec is where it's at with some good steak.

 

I go to Trader Joe's and buy the cheap stuff. I usually get the Black Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, which is around $5.99 a bottle.

 

If you want a grapey wine, you should start with a Mogen David Concorde or Manaschewitz Concorde; Sweet(almost sugary), juicy and a very easy entry into red wines.

Moscatos for white. Dubonnet or a Menage a Trois are red blends that you might prefer as well. There are also some Texas Sweet Reds by Llano and Twin springs that are on the sweeter side but get you into more a 'real' red wine.

Those would be my suggestions to begin with and as you can more accustomed to them, you find a very acquired taste for deeper, dryer reds. Wines a taste that takes time to get acquainted with but you wont regret it.

 

Carlo Rossi. You're welcome. Bonus you can use the jug as an adult piggy bank. Again, you're welcome.

 

Cupcake Moscato is not bad... About 11-12 bucks and you can have an idea on white wine and go from there....

 

If you're wanting wine to enjoy the actual taste, you need to spend some money on quality wine. Maybe try some winery's.

I like wine because it doesn't leave me full. I like my beer, but it sucks the energy out of me. If you're paying under $20.00 a bottle, you may as well go with the $4-$8 bottle.

 

May I suggest a fine bottle of MD 20-20. Comes in a variety of flavored hues, and packs a mild yet pungently savory flavor. It is also very affordable.

 

At the grocery store, I wouldn't touch a wine bottle under $15 min. A lot of crap products out there.