Wines for just drinking anytime with no food

[Wine2nite]

Hello
I would like to know what wines I could just set down and drink a few glasses of with out having any food with it. I probably won't spend more than 10.00 on a bottle and probably will buy it at the grocery store that has tons of wines to choose from. Also tell me what you think of these Brands of wines: Vendange Wine, Beringer Wines, Woodbridge Wines,Fetzer wines, Glen Ellen wines, Inglenook Wines, Livingston Cellars, Riunite Wine, E&J Gallo Twin Valley wine,Sutter wines,Turning Leaf wines.???
Hope to hear from someone on this.
Thank you Wine2nite

[Innkeeper]

Of what you are choosing from would go with a Fetzer "Valley Oaks" Cabernet Sauvigon. My personal preference, though, would be one of the Fighting Australian Shiraz' that run under $10. Am sure the store that sells the choices you list would also have two or three of these: McGuigan, Jacob's Creek, Lindemans Bin 50, and for a blend, Rosemount Estate Grenache-Shiraz.

[wondersofwine]

I enjoy the Fetzer Gewurztraminer by itself as well as with foods. The Australian recommendations make a lot of sense too.

[mrdutton]

Alice White 2000 Shiraz, Australia. Not a bad quaff for less than $7.00 a bottle.

[mrdutton]

Up the scale a bit to about $13.00 a bottle and you have VanRuitan-Taylor 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon - Syrah Blend, California.

A very nice, quaffable wine.

Might I suggest, though, that you at least have some munchies to go with your wine. Cheese, pepperoni, summer sausage, beef sausage, maybe some pate and other such stuff.

It is, in my humble opinion, a shame to drink just wine. Food and wine deserve each other's company!!

[Tannin]

Yellow Tail Shiraz is a good daily drinker @ 5 or 6 bucks a bottle....
I had a Monaci Primitivo last night @ 10 bucks, very impressive but not widely available.
Anything from Buckeleys is a good value, esp. the Shiraz and Cab/Shiraz blend, both around 10 bucks.

[Drew]

Pepperwood Grove and Cline are two producers that make nice wines at under $10. Also the Southern Rhone produces very approachable wines in your price range eg. Parallel 45 and La Veille Ferme.

Drew

[Wine2nite]

So What you all are saying is that all of the Brand names of wines are good ones and I can't go wrong with them??? I will look for the wines you all have told me about. Thank you

[wondersofwine]

No, that's not what I was saying. I, and I think others, were trying to suggest some wines that might be enjoyable without food. I don't know how you feel about slightly sweet white wines but I also enjoy some German rieslings at the Kabinett or Spatlese level as a stand-alone beverage perhaps in the late afternoon or before bed.
You CAN go wrong with some of the grocery store brands. They may be too tannic or too acidic to be enjoyed without food or too blah and too bland to be enjoyed period. Try som of the above suggested wines and do further experimenting of your own. In time you will discover which wines suit you--both as standalone wines and as accompaniments to food.


[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 02-05-2002).]

[mrdutton]

We did not even come CLOSE to mentioning ALL of the types of wines from all of the various wineries around the world.

We barely scratched the surface. But as stated above, we gave you some inexpensive wines that have the potential to go well without food.

(Even though I would recommend that you always have wine with some kind of food.)

[Wine2nite]

Ok I will write the ones you all have told me about. All the brands that I have asked about are the ones I have already tried and most of them I choose the Zinfandel's and one Cabernet Sauvignon and one Livingston Red Rose and Riunte D'Ore and this one I don't know if I have it right but here it goes,its Schmitt Sohne-Riesling 2000 Mosel-Soar Ruwer it was in a Blue Bottle. hOpe I wrote it down right. Thanks again

[txkajun]

wine2nite-- the riesling is great alone! I love that one! And the bottle is pretty too!

But really, that riesling got me wanting to try every riesling out there.

tk

omigosh! Did I just offer someone wine advice from my OWN experience? Freaky!

[Wine2nite]

Ok thanks for the info and I would like to Thank everyone else helping me with this wine stuff. Thank you

[Bucko]

I'm with WOW, except I move up a notch -- I like to sit and sip on German Auslese. Devine.

[wondersofwine]

Well, I certainly wouldn't turn down an Auslese Riesling but that's upping the price from grocery store levels.

[Bucko]

You haven't seen the selections at our favorite grocery......