Wine Dummy Needs Help, Please!

[CCSullivan]

Happy holidays, everyone!

My brother is big into wine and I'd like to get him something really special for his Christmas & birthday this year (he was a december baby). I'm thinking I can spend about $75 - $100. I've been on wine.com, and they have some wine collections in that price range, but we're talking six bottles of all one variety (some, even all one vineyard) and I'm not sure this'd be all that much fun for one guy & his wife to sample.

They also have some "party pack" collections that come with cheapo glasses or wine charms or recipe cards... I dunno, I think I'd rather spend the money on the wine, ya know?

So I'd like to buy John a nice bottle of pretty good red wine, like in the $40 - $60 price range. Bold, complex flavors. Something wow or lush.

And then one or two additional bottles in the $10 - $20 price range. Maybe Chianti or a spanish wine or something else that'd be interesting and fun to try. Something unique would be best, like a grape blend or an up-and-coming vineyard. Then again, a more "everyday" variety might also be nice, cause then John will be able to find it locally if he really enjoys it. So I guess the field is wide open on this one.

Any ideas? John tends to drink reds in cold weather so I figure that's what I'll stick with. Also, someone on another forum recommended Garagiste in Seattle, but they won't ship to NJ (where I'll be having the wine delivered because neither my state nor John's allows wine shipments, argh!). So I guess I'm stuck with wine. com.


I really appreciate the sound advice & input from the educated palates on this forum! Thank you very much & I look forward to hearing your opinions!

Thanks again,

Carolyn

[Innkeeper]

Hi Carolyn, and welcome to the Wine Board. Agree with your decision to just go with one or two good ones. The options are endless. My suggestion would be to go to www.tobinjames.com (Don's worry about NJ). They have several excellent red wines including three super red dessert wines that I have tried all of.

However, I would recommend the following (and surely others will make their own): 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, "James Gang Reserve", $28; and 200 Syrah, "Rock-n-Roll", $18. That with S&H will run you around $50.



[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 12-04-2002).]

[hotwine]

If you're a member of Costco, and can manage shipping arrangements yourself, they have the 1999 Ch. Lynch-Bages Bordeaux for $36.49, about 30 bucks less than anywhere else. I've dropped a few one-ton hints on wife that a few gross of those would be mighty nice.

[Innkeeper]

Looks like you got a lot of good advice over at WLDG too!

[CCSullivan]

You know it! I *love* how the internet is full of people who know their stuff, and are so cool about sharing it with those of us who need help.

Thanks so much for the input here today! I am writing everything down & searching vintages on google to see if one review or another strikes me as something my brother would particularly like. My brother & sister are in on the gift now, by the way, so I have about $150 to play with, putting together a nice collection of wines for John to sample.

I'm thinking we'll get a $75ish bottle, and one in the $40 range, one in the $20 range and/or then a "bargain wine" pick under $10, if possible.

So, any additional recommendations or personal favorites will be eagerly scooped up!

Thanks again!!!

[CCSullivan]

Oh my! It was called to my attention on the Wine Lover's Forum (where I also asked this question) that I should mention I would like to buy John wines for drinking now, as opposed to putting in a cellar.

Thanks!