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(45 posts)

Wine..

Started 3 years ago by beachdrivegirl
Latest reply from WSratsinacage

beachdrivegirl
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I love to try new wines but I do not like to spend over $8 or so on a bottle...what do people like out there???

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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MAD HOUSEWIFE! Best wines under $8. the cab and the chardonnay are great.

Posted 3 years ago #
Zenguy
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Post and Pine is a great wine for about five bucks.

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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BDG - did you ever call Melia with Wine Shop at Home? I think I sent you her info. I am paying about $30/ month for some fairly decent wines - and it\'s always so nice when they come in via FedEx.

Posted 3 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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I was waiting till i had more friends available maybe i will just host a party @ work ... where do you get mad housewife and post & pine.

Posted 3 years ago #
thriftwaygirl
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I really like \"Our Daily Red\". Very nice red table wine for about 7.50

Edited for an addition: AND it\'s NSA organic.

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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I just picked up some Mad Housewife Chardonnay at that little mini-mart on California and Andover. They have it at T-way too, but likely more $$.

Definitely host a party- I did and it was lots of fun. I am actually going to another WS@H party on Wednesday!

Posted 3 years ago #
Bayou
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Oooh, wine thread! I only drink reds so that is what I can recommend. TJ\'s has a great selection of under $10. One of my favs is a tempranillo/garnacha blend for around $6. I don\'t remember the name of it but it has a wax stamp similar to marker\'s mark on the neck of the bottle. They also have \"Calina\" brand wines that are very inexpensive (around $7) and tasty. Red guitar is about $9 (Thriftway) and is lighter than most reds that I prefer but oh so yummy.

If you up your price point a bit, a couple other favs are:

http://www.northwest-wine.com/Saviah-Cellars-The-Jack-Red.html

http://www.madeinoregon.com/detail.aspx?ID=852&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=Froogle_df&utm_campaign=Froogle

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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it\'s a little pricier at $11, but House Red from The Magnificent Wine Company is my new fave. It goes with everything, but is especially good with Toby\'s Tofu Pate on toast...

Posted 3 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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I think with all of these new wines to try .. i am going to be a major lush all this wknd.

and its not that i wont spend more than $8... i jsut like to try to keep it to that. :)

Posted 3 years ago #
Zenguy
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Post and pine is available at QFC and used to be at Safeway but have not seen it in a while there.

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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beachdrivegirl: I\'m curious as to how you arrived at $8. Is that just an arbitrary price point that you think a bottle of wine is worth to you? The reason I ask is that I\'ve tried a lot of wines below the $10 price point and most often I find it (at least in the US) in the realm of the lesser of evils. But if you were willing to get your head around the idea of spending $16-18 for a bottle of wine or even $35 you could really find some wonderful Washington State wines that really taste amazing.

Posted 3 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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Well great question. I have been spending $16-25 and enjoy them so much; however, i was just looking @ ways to save money and was thinking that wine would be a great way... so, i have been trying to find some wines for less than $9/10 a bottle and so far the ones I have purchased I have not been overly impressed with.. so i figured i would ask for suggestions.. but who knows maybe i will learn that i am just going to have to spend more on my wine. :)

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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BDG another good bang for the buck is Black Box wines. Yes, it\'s boxed wine- but it\'s actually really good! A box contains the equivalent of 3 bottles and costs about $20. More and more wineries are turning to alternative packaging such as boxes...

Posted 3 years ago #
Zenguy
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You can buy Pine and Post from Precept direct too.
http://www.preceptbrands.com/wines/PinePost.asp

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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West Seattle Wine Cellars has a section of under $10 wines under their tasting bar with an ever-changing selection.

My personal fave is Excelcior Paddock Shiraz from South Africa ($8). Love it so much I ended up ordering a case. It\'s dark and complex, not oaky, and easy to drink on its own. I was recently very surprised to discover that it complements chocolate cake wonderfully.

Posted 3 years ago #
Bayou
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Mmmm, that sounds lovely squareeyes!

Posted 3 years ago #
RainyDay1235
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You can\'t go wrong with any wine from PEPPERWOOD GROVE. Always on sale for $6.99 or less at the grocery. The Pinot Noir and the Viognier are my faves! :)

Posted 3 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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Thanks for all the posts! and yes I shoudl try to black box wines i know my mom has started to drink those herself!

Posted 3 years ago #
guidosmom
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I love Costco\'s blend of Shiraz, I believe 2006. I forget how much it is, but not a lot. Maybe $12? Also love Papio\'s chardonnay for around $6. I always thought it would be fun to hold a wine tasting where everyone has to bring a bottle for under a certain price (like $8).

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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beachdrivegirl: I tend to be a fan of Washington State (especially Walla Walla) wines and think we\'re extremely lucky to live in the same state with such epic wineries. With that said, many of those wineries charge premium prices for their wines because they are so good.

If you\'re a fan of big, fruity, inky black Syrahs and Cabernets as I am, maybe on one of those splurge occasions you might try something from Amavi or Va Piano (up there in the 30-something price point) or even a Pepperbridge if your budget allows.

I hear constantly that there are some great bargains coming out of Argentina but I\'ve tasted a lot and can\'t find any I like. South Australia does have some real gems, especially wines from the Barossa Valley. Mitolo\'s Jester (at around $15) is a nice gateway drug to its bigger and more expensive siblings (like the Mitolo G.A.M.). The new crop Mollydooker is about to hit shelves in a couple of weeks and their shiraz (what the Aussie\'s call syrah) named \"The Boxer\" consistently rates 90+ points from Robert Parker but is only around $16-19 a bottle...a tremendous bargain.

I hate to steer you off the peninsula, but Esquin in SoDo and Pete\'s in Eastlake are excellent sources of great wines at all price points with knowledgeable and helpful staff who can steer you toward some great choices in your price range.

Posted 3 years ago #
jbar
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VA PIANO!!CJ--one our our favorites -- one of the guys that works at the winery in Walla Walla used to live in West Seattle. We belong to the estate club and look forward to our shipments! Definitely NOT in the $8 range, but super super yummy. Don\'t mean to hijack the bargain wine thread with an expensive recommendation, but it\'s worth it. I think that Bear carrie\'s it at WSC.

Posted 3 years ago #
Anonymous
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Spoiler for those with expensive tastes. Blind taste tests of 6000 subjects show individuals who are UN-aware of the price do not derive more enjoyment from more expensive wine.

Complete analysis here:
http://www.wine-economics.org/workingpapers/AAWE_WP16.pdf

So BDG - enjoy your $8 wine.

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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jbar: You must mean Ryan Crane. Yeah, he\'s a great guy as are the owners Justin and Liz Wylie. They\'ve only been producing wines for a few years now but they\'re definitely on the right track. I sort of stumbled upon them while I was in the neighborhood for a private tour of Norm McKibben\'s Pepperbridge. I think I\'ve seen their wines available at the Admiral Metropolitan Market too.

Posted 3 years ago #
JanS
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some of my favorite wines are from the Bainbridge Winery on Bainbridge island. They grow the grapes there, bottle it there, and...the catch...you can only buy it there. The Pinot Noir is a bit pricey...but yummy...the rest are somewhere around the $15 mark. Yes, they deal mainly in whites and I\'m a red mostly drinker. But these whites are extremely good..so go for a ferry ride sometime :)

http://www.bainbridgevineyards.com/index.htm

Posted 3 years ago #
thriftwaygirl
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Just thought of another one...

Badger Mountain Chardonnay $9

Posted 3 years ago #
barb
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JT, I had heard that same thing, so go with what you like, not what is most expensive.

Posted 3 years ago #
swthistle
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My Favs are Bogle Merlot or Red Diamond Merlot everyday drinking wine usually under 8 bucks Safeway or the Q

Posted 3 years ago #
GenHillOne
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Added bonus - Badger Mountain is organic!

Posted 3 years ago #
squareeyes
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What it is that you like about the wines you\'re recommending? Since all our palates are different it\'s very helpful in deciding what to try. I\'m not talking \"leather, spice, grass...\" my palate is just not that refined. Fruity, sweet, dry, oak, raisin, best with food, drink on its own, that sort of thing.

Posted 3 years ago #
Bonnie
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I\'d hit Trader Joe\'s and pick up whatever is under $8. 9 times out of 10 it is good.

Posted 3 years ago #
barb
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my favorite wine store, is The Wine Outlet, one shop on 1st and the other on 15th. Not only do they have pretty knowledgeable and friendly people working there, they also have a variety of priced wines. They also have periodic roasts, the last one was salmon, they have also had pig roasts and oyster roasts.

Posted 3 years ago #
Anonymous
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BDG- Yay, one of my favorite topics!!

You definitely have to try Voga. It comes in a little differently shaped bottle, it is from Italy, sold at Target and it\'s around $9.

You can either get Voga red wine, which is a blend, or the white, which is Pinot Grigio.

It is, without a doubt, my favorite wine (both the red and white).

Posted 3 years ago #
JenV
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who is hungry? all this talk about wine...so here is a recipe for a really great wine sauce! And remember, if you\'re gonna cook with it, it\'d better be drinkable as well.

*Quick Red Wine Sauce w/ Mustard & Thyme*

Now if you want even a pan sauce that takes less time but still adds flavor to what you are preparing, this is a good one. Notice I reduced the amount of liquid by half to reduce the reduction time.

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup chicken stock
* 1/4 cup red wine
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 Tablespoon. unsalted butter
* 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

After sautÃ©ing properly, remove meat or chicken from the pan leaving the residual fat that it was cooked in. Add the chicken stock and red wine and reduce over high heat by half (1/4 cup). Whisk in the butter, mustard, thyme and serve.

Posted 3 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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sounds delicous..now i have great wines to try and great food for the wknd! Thank you everyone!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
JayDee
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OK, I swigged enough swill to be able to offer a great bottle of wine. My first observation is that many single-grape Washington wines are first expensive (>$15 bucks) and not very complex. My latest favorite is a Columbia Crest Two Vines selection: Vineyard 10 Red Wine. It has a great mouthfeel and is jammy and rich tasting, like it has butter in it. It is a mix of Syrah Sangovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, and is $5.88 at Safeway, and $7.50ish at MM (Natch). I find that many of the Columbia Valley/Yakima reds coming out as second labels are good. Read Paul Gregutt\'s article from this week--a rare acknowledgment that we all don\'t drink $40 bottles of wine.

Posted 3 years ago #
JayDee
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/wineadviser/2008125098_winecol20.html

Posted 3 years ago #
Max
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Speaking of Gregutt, if you like off-dry white wines (which can be very nice this time of year!) he recommended 2006 Snoqualmie Winemakerâ€™s Select Riesling a while back. Remarkably elegant at the price - you should be able to pick it up for about $6.
Trader Joe\'s does get some good stuff, but it is hit or miss. If I see a wine that looks interesting, I buy a bottle to try and then go back if I like it and buy more to stuff under the basement stairs.
Be sure to try the wine with a meal. A lot of wine nowadays is made to taste good when swigged (swug?) but does not play nice with a meal. It used to be that European wines were more likely to be good with food, but even they are now playing the fruit-forward, easy-to-drink, waggly-puppy wine game. Still, overall, I would be inclined to take a chance on a cheap French or Italian wine sooner than an American or Australian.
Sorry not to have more specific recommendations. Most of the wine I have bought recently breaks the $8 barrier.

Posted 3 years ago #
Amz
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Lately I\'ve been getting Tisdale\'s Cab Sav, which is on sale at QFC for $3.99 - the perfect price imo for those of us who buy often. :)

QFC also carries Sweet Pea apple wine for $4.99 - if you like Rieslings you\'ll probably like this.

Posted 3 years ago #
grr
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BeachDriveGirl...no doubt..up your pirce a LITTLE, and the jump in quality is amazing.
-
I HIGHLY recommend you go down to West Seattle Cellars on California and talk to Jan or Tom (or Bear if he\'s there). There is an -entire selection- of wine right in front of the tasting counter that are all EXCEPTIONAL wines, and all under $15 for the most part. You won\'t go wrong with ANYTHING you pick from there! Tell them what you like, and they\'ll point you in the right direction. It\'s an amazing place.

-and free wine tastings EVERY thursday night. :))))))
-

Posted 3 years ago #
Magpie
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I like WS Cellars, too. They gave me a great deal on the wine (there was much of it) for my daugher\'s wedding and really good advice.

I have been using Amazon Fresh lately and they have good wine selections under $8 that can be delivered for free to your home. I received my order today and they have a Black Swan Shiraz that I really like for $6.14 a bottle. Plus, right now, no sales tax!! They also have a Big Fat Llama Cab/Sauvignon for $5.49. In WS, they currently have a promo that if you place your first order, you get a bag of produce (mine was sensational), no sales tax and no delivery charge for orders over $50 with a 1 hour window or over $25 with predawn on your porch. The discount code is NWSP3408..a good opportunity to try them out and SAVE some money (my produce bag had Mann\'s pea pods, carrots, red peppers, tomoatoes and more probably close to $15 worth)
And no, I don\'t work for them..I should start a thread I HEART Amazon Fresh....The no sales tax also save me several dollars.

Posted 3 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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I will have to check out WS Wine cellars.. especially on a Thursday night b/c honestly who can turn down a tasting. :)

Posted 3 years ago #
jbar
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When you need some bubbly, Trader Joe\'s carries a Cremant (which is sparkling white, but doesn\'t get to be called champagne as it\'s not from there) that\'s less than $10 a bottle that is super yummy and a fantastic bargain. Look for the bright yellow label. They don\'t always carry it, so when I see it, I stock up. They also carry a good prosecco, which is the perfect summer evening treat!

Posted 3 years ago #
MargL
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White Center Albertson\'s has 2 grocery carts full of discount wine in their frozen food aisle - where they usually sell their discount/discontinued/damaged merchandise. Saw a few bottles for $8 and below but didn\'t look too hard \'cause I\'m not much of a drinker. :-)

Posted 3 years ago #
WSratsinacage
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Merlot, Cab, and Chard. from Columbia Crest Two Vines $5.99 on sale and Grand Estates, $7.99 on sale, are sometimes tasty and less than $8.00. Columbia winery merlot has been really good and is close to $8. BV from CA does make some ok affordable reds. My faves are WA reds Ste Michelle, Januik, Novelty Hill, DiStefano, etc.

Posted 3 years ago #