Help~ Holiday Open House...

[Kristie Diane]

Hi~ I'm having an open house-warming and need several suggestions for wine and champagne for heavy munchies, italian in nature and for not very experienced guests. Price codes under $20 for the wine, and $30 for the champagne. Help,..party is Sat. 12/11/99.. Thanks Kristie

[Randy Caparoso]

You could continue the Italian theme by getting wines from Italy only.

Italy makes wonderful sparkling wine -- light, refreshingly dry, and wispy, yeasty scented -- called Prosecco (named for the grape used). Top brands, such as Zardetto and Foss Marai, retail for $12 to $15. It's not Champage, but trust me -- it's just as much fun.

For table wines, I'd put out a both light red and a dry white to cover your bases. You could easily find high quality choices from just one brand. For instance, Zenato is one of the top houses in Veneto, and they make both a wonderful Valpolicella for a red, and smooth, gentle Soave (or an even richer, zesty wine called Lugana) for a white. Antinori (Tuscany) has the fine, yet firm red wine called Santa Cristina (and other great variations of Chianti), plus a silky smooth dry white called Galestro. From Umbria, I love Falesco's Merlot as much as their whites, Orvieto and Grechetto. Consult your local wine specialist. If he's good, you should have no problem.

The bonus is that the Italian wines I'm citing -- and many more I haven't mentioned -- can all be purchased for just $9 to $15 a bottle. I'm as fussy a wine drinker as can be, yet any of these wine choices would please (not to mention impress) me immensely if I were attending a party.



[This message has been edited by Randy Caparoso (edited 12-07-1999).]