IamA wine consultant. AMA about wine!

What's your favorite beer?

It really depends on the season, but overall I tend to really love porters and anything exceptionally dark or malty. New Holland Dragon's Milk is pretty high up there for me, but I could drink Dark Horse Scotty Karate until the end of time.

Funny you said new Holland, have you ever been there?

Never been sadly. I really need to start making my way outside of Chicago and hit up the bucket list of breweries.

If someone says "bring a bottle of wine!" For like Christmas or Thanksgiving, how do I pick one? I don't drink wine. It's a silly request but it happens several times a year

Thanksgiving wine I'd say is up there with one of the most difficult pairings to make, primarily because it's a table full of competing flavors. You have the turkey (and who knows how its been prepared), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, freaking cranberry sauce, green bean cassarole, parsnips, and those are all big bold flavors. I've really only found one wine that I could go out and say "this goes with all of that." Your best bet for Thanksgiving though, would be something elegent and laid back. A Wilamette or Loire Pinot Noir would be pretty ideal. But something that will lay back and not try to battle the food for attention.

So Christmas though, Zinfandel! Find a big, boozey bottle of velvet-y, fuck-the-snow Zinfandel, save it for dessert in front of the fire, and tell every embarrassing family story you can think of.

Not to steal any thunder from our AMA guest, but as someone who is often asked to bring a bottle of wine to such get-togethers, I like trying to get a fun local wine that I don't think people get to have very much. I live in Maryland, which actually happens to have some very good wineries. Since not everyone likes dry stuff, I'll usually pick a sweet or semi-sweet local wine. If nothing else, the uniqueness makes it seem more thoughtful... at least that's my logic! lol

EDIT: I'm enjoying the conversation this has started with fellow Maryland peeps. Please know, I am not claiming to be an expert! There are plenty I still haven't tried and I'm getting some great new ideas from you guys :-)

Super good answer :)

What's your thoughts on this like this? http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis

After all taste is a very subjective matter to say the least. And also an industry which would be easy for a seller to lie in based on trust in a lot of cases.

I'm actually really loving a lot of these tests that are coming out. I think it's going to do a lot in taking down the pretentious types a lot and show that wine really is a lot more accessable than people are led to believe.

And you're right, taste is exceptionally subective. Wine is a lot like music. I could tell you that I Am the Movie by Motion City Soundtrack is an amazing album, but if you don't like high energy stuff with tons of synthesizers talking about mental struggles, then that recommendation doesn't mean anything to you. When a wine expert says that an ultra tannic Cabernet from Napa is world-class or 100-points, they're using their own palate as the benchmark for that rating. But that doesn't mean you're wrong for completely disagreeing with them.

I personally don't read any wine reviews. I'd much rather taste a wine for myself and know I like it for my own reasons. And when people tell me what they like and why they like it, it makes those wines the best wines in the world for them.

Also, a little devil's advocate. Some variables in that test could be that the palate is extremely sensitive. A big wine up front can ruin how you taste for the rest of the day (think drink a huge IPA and then trying to taste the subtle notes in a Pilsner). Also, taste buds change as you grow older and causes our palate to change along with them.

That being said, I'm glad that reviewers and judges have to take this analysis into consideration.

What region consistently has underpriced wines? I feel like Spain, in general has excellent, underappreciated varietals but I'm hoping for something a little more obscure.

Portugal is always my go to for this. I still can't believe how affordable their wines can be. It might be different in your area, but I feel like I can always find a bottle of nonsensically good Dao for between $10-$15. And Vinho Verde in the summer is the freaking best.

I get migraines from red wine. What type of white wine go with foods normally served with red?

That's an awesome question!

A wine that's aged in Oak would be a really good place to experiment. A rich Chardonnay from California or a Marsanne-Roussanne blend from France would fit that.

Also, a lot of whites from South America (like Torrontes) would work since a lot of the fruit flavors tend to be fairly bold and long lasting on the palate.

Hey, just wanna say: thanks for asking this question! I'm in the same boat and I feel like I get picked on a bit for always choosing whites over reds, despite the fact that reds give me a raging headache.

Heck, white wines are just as good as the reds. I'm giving those folks picking on you a good mental What For.

In your opinion, what's responsible for the attitudes towards wine in the US versus other countries?

It seems like in Europe wine is just viewed as a standard thing to have at dinner, whereas in the US there's this whole elite, moneyed scene around everything wine-related.

Sorry it took a while to get to this one. Had a feeling it'd take me a while to answer it:

I would say for both the answer is tradition. In Europe, wine is meant to be something that goes along with a food. A good thing to keep in mind is that for the longest time water had this problem of flat out murdering people if they drank it. In the world of beer, that's why people invented the Saison: low enough in alcohol you can drink it as a safe replacement for dysentary filled water. So in wine, you have something that filled the same void. Water will more than likely kill you, but wine, unless you drink too much, won't. Plus, once people start to notice how wine can pair with food, it makes it a fantastic tradition.

As for the US, I think a lot of it is this idea that wine is only meant for the wealthy (which is some bullshit). Wine in America really wasn't something that was internationally respected until 1976), so only people of wealth could afford to get the higher end wines from across the ocean. I think that attitude is changing a lot, especially amongst Millenials, so it'll be interesting to see how that all plays out in the coming years.

EDIT u/gangnam_style makes a really good point. Need to get my history a little more straight on Saisons.

Hi, what can you tell us about Canadian wine? Is Canadian Wine well acclaimed internationally? Do you have a particular canadian wine that stuck to you or comes to mind in your favorites?

The first wine I ever actually loved was Canadian: Inniskillen Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

Prior to that bottle, I genuinely thought I hated wine. I really owe my career to Canadian wine.

That being said, the only Canadian wine that I know of being acclaimed internationally would be ice wine. It's genuinely perfect.

What, in your opinion is the biggest misconception the average person has about the wine industry?

That only the wealthy can ever have the opportunity to drink good wine or to learn about wine.

It's a genuine bummer, but the archetype is pretty strong. Lord Moneybag von Douchington is drinking his 1923 Chateau le la Touroule and no one else gets that chance.

But the weird part, a lot of people in that income bracket probably know the least about wine. In my experience, the majority of them know their brand, stick with it, and have no interest in even attempting anything new.

The cool thing about wine, is that its always been meant for everyone, and really anyone can learn about wine.

You say this, so then I ask - how might someone on a $10-$20/bottle budget try a more expensive wine? I enjoy wine, but I don't think I'd ever be able to bring myself to spend serious money on it.

I'd recommend doing a search for wine dsitributors in your area. They usually do portfolio tastings once a year and some even sell tickets to potential customers.

What's your favorite boxed wine?

This is actually driving me crazy because I can picture the box. It was Spanish. They made a red and a white, both were awesomely good....fuck.

If I remember it, I'll put an edit here. Sorry

How often do you get drunk?

It used to be at least once every two weeks, but I can't really bounce back from the hangovers as much as I used to. I try to keep that an incredibly rare event nowadays.

How do I suck less at wine drinking?

I've been to Napa/Sonoma. I've visited several local wineries and am slowly learning that I like super dry reds, I can tell two buck Chuck tastes like rubbing alcohol and I'm currently on an educated guess brand wine kick.

But, when I tasted several samples of incredibly expensive and reserved wines in Sonoma, I couldn't tell the difference between that and my $15 bottles at home. Friends and people around me were talking about the notes that they get on the nose and on the backend, and were genuinely enjoying the experience. I love wine, but not enough to discern it to that level I suppose.

Does my tongue just suck or is there a technique to more fully enjoying the subtlety of wine flavors?

First off, no, your tongue doesn't suck. You give that tongue some props for knowing what it likes!

Tastings of stuff like that can be pretty difficult too. A lot of it is pretty heavily based on your sense of smell. And the screwed up thing with smell is that it's highly suggestive. If someone says they smell leather in the wine, I can guarantee that at least a few other people will suddenly be smelling the same thing. It's not that they're trying to be agreeable, its usually because people know they smell something, but can't pinpoint it. As my boss here says "we're taught to speak, how to read, but we never really get taught how to smell." If they're getting those notes, they're not wrong in smelling them, but it also doesn't make you wrong for not getting them either.

That being said, rock the $15 Cabernet! One of the hardest things in the world of wine is finding what you like and its pretty awesome that you have. Really, you have a whole world of awesome wines to discover.

Mmmm, wine. One of my favorite things. I've heard that in some taste tests, it was proven that "experts" can't actually tell the difference between a cheaper and more expensive wine if they are mislead as to which one costs more. What are your thoughts on wine tasting experts and price vs. quality?

I really love those tests. One of the stories I always go back to with this is from when I worked at a wine shop years ago. We had a $10 wine (Maryhill Winemakers Red), that I absolutely adored. While most wines in that price you want to drink within the day. With this wine, you could let it open up for a day if you wanted, and it opened up so beautifully. It was really a ridiculous steal.

Around the same week we got that wine in, I was invited to an Australian tasting. The crowd jewel in the collection was a $250 Chardonnay. Now, Australia makes great wine, but they're not exceptionally known for their white wines. There's some great ones, but they're few and far between. So, I was pretty excited to see what $250 of Chardonnay tasted like. In the end, I've tasted $5 bottles that blew it out of the water.

Really, price can be an indicator of quality, but the real arbittor of quality is you and your own palate. I've come to find that all of my favorite wines in the world tend to rest in the $20-$50 range. I've had gorgeous wines above that, but they tend to be really big and loaded with tannin, and it's just not my thing. Plus, I don't have the patience to let a bottle of wine sit for ten years. If it's there, I want to drink it.

As for the experts, its all about seeing what wines they like and seeing if they correllate with your palate. Robert Parker knows his stuff, but that man wants a wine that will destroy all the moisture in his tongue. He wants a wine that'll still be a borderline war crime on your mouth even in twenty years.

So, yeah. Quality is all up to you. In the end, no one is more of a wine expert on what you like than yourself.

I've come to find that all of my favorite wines in the world tend to rest in the $20-$50 range. I've had gorgeous wines above that, but they tend to be really big and loaded with tannin, and it's just not my thing.

What does it mean for wine to be "big"?

A big wine has a lot of tannins. Tannins essentially suck the water out of your mouth and pretty much take over your entire palate. The flavors tend to feel overwhelming and often need a pairing of food to compliment the wine trying to take over your mouth.

Moscato's. Are they scoffed at or thought of as good in some instances? It's become my go-to type for a bit now.

It's a bit of both. Some jerky jerk faces scoff at them for being "just dessert wine," but holy shit if I don't love them. Honestly, it takes a lot of work to make a good moscato and the fact that people get all weird about them really breaks my heart.

How do you like Costco wine? I bought a bottle of it a while ago but haven't had 8 people over to share it yet.

I actually don't have a CostCo card and haven't had a chance to try it. I'd definitely love to though.

I saw a post recently on Reddit by a winemaker frustrated with sommeliers. He/she was explaining how becoming a sommelier level 1 and 2 is fairly easy and that many of them have done the minimum to achieve this rating and therefore don't know too much more than the average wine drinker. Anyway do you share the same thoughts as this person in dealing with sommeliers? Have you ever became frustrated with a sommelier speaking out of his/her butt?

Admittedly, I don't know much about the sommelier process. The classes have always been outside my price range, and while I'd like to try for it one day, financially it's just not a priority.

That being said, I've never actaully been frustrated by a sommelier. I've been really lucky to have been surrounded by really awesome wine folks who get that wine is first and foremost about fun, second about food, third about getting tipsy and fun again, and then maybe a distant fourth about talking the intricacies (which can be fun, but not as much as trying a bottle and watching The Karate Kid 2).

Hi! I've got a filmmaker friend who is currently doing a documentary about the surge of winemakers in the Midwest. What are your thoughts on the new, modern winery techniques and the growth of wine here in the Midwest compared to the more traditional cultures (Napa valley, Europe, etc.) ?

I'm actually pretty excited by it. There's a really kind of bizarre history to the world of Midwest wine, especially surrounding a University of Minnesota professor named Elmer Swenson. He essentially devoted his life to creating grapes that could flourish in the Midwest and become palatable wines.

Now, there is a bit of a way to go. Most Midwest wines I've seen have price points that are a bit much (i.e. a bottle of Loire Pinot Noir might be $15, but a Michigan Pinot Noir would be around $20). Plus, the vines are still comparibly young, so it's going to take some time for the grapes to get to the point of maturity to compete with California, Washington, or Oregon. But it's important to remember that California used to be a joke when it came to wine. Up to twenty years ago you'd have been hard pressed to find a majority of people who'd look favorably on Wilammette Pinot Noir, and now its considered a world class region.

Given time, it has the potential to be pretty good. Also, if you're looking for an example of some really good Midwest wine, Firelands Winery Gewurtraminer is pretty damn impressive and easily the best wine in Ohio.

What's the best bottle of the cheap stuff? As a poor winer, I'm partial to Lucky Duck and Gallo Family, but I could be wrong.

Maryhill Winemaker's Red is excellent. Really anything Maryhill makes is all kinds of top notch. I think it's still out there for around $10.

Hello Dusty

First of really digging the whole, no pretention thing. I'm a young guy from Northern Europe, a student, I enjoy red wine, but I'm in the same boat as Jon Snow when it comes to wine. Besides the fact it's from grapes and I like it, especially with food, I don't really know anything.

Now for my question, if I'm looking for a normal red wine, not too dry that goes well with meat what should I keep my eye out for? Or any tips about wine in general?

Thanks for doing this!

Heya Frentis :)

And let's make you an advanced Jon Snow!

What kind of meat do you have in mind? Are you going to be preparing it with any particular spices?

As for some good not so dry red wines that go awesome with meat, Malbec. A good thing to look for on the label is to make sure it's from Agentina, and even better if it's from Mendoza (which is the predominant region there that grows Malbec). A lot of less expersive wines from France are also perfect for beef an steak. Those wines are very much meant to be drunk the night you buy it and with some good juicy and delicious. Something from Rhone or Loire will quite well with that.

As for tips, really, it's all about practice. Wine is a whole world of information and the more you try new things, the more you begin to find what you love and what you enjoy. Now, if you want to dive in head first, one of the best things you can do is research who are some wine distributors in your area. The larger ones usually put on a yearly showcase of all of their wines and invite people from stores, bars, and restaurants. Some also sell tickets to people who are just interested in wine, and if you hit the right one, you might be able to try up to 150 wines in one day. And definitely keep a wine journal to start out. There's few things more frustrating than finding an obscure wine you really love, only to lose it somewhere in the back of your brain when you get home.

Thank you for your reply, I'm hella saving it. I'm going to buy groceries later, I'll drop by the wine store and see if the have any Malbec and ask if they know anything about showcases for wine tasting. I'll also start writing notes for the different wine I try. I've already lost one, I really enjoyed, that's not happening again.

As for meats I use venison, beef, pork, chicken, anything really. I've been making a lot of stew lately, since I got a bunch of venison from a friend that hunts, also it's easy to freeze and taste pretty damm good. As for spices it's got bay leaf, oregano, thyme, basil, garlic and a bit of rosemary. It's meant to be a hearty stew. So I'm after a wine that's got plenty of taste.

Otherwise I eat quite a lot of beef normally, I use a fair bit of different spices so it doesn't get boring and just to try stuff out. So if you have anything there, I'd love to hear it as well!

Once again thank you, it's super rad!

No worries at all!

And as for venison, Merlot or a Merlot based red blend would be awwwwesomely good. A Cotes du Rhone would be perfect for a stew too. If there's one thing the French do well, its making affordable wine to go with red meat.

What are your thoughts on Virginia Wine? It seems like I see a new winery every time I go for a drive. Anything worth seeking out? Anything to avoid?

Barboursville Winery is definitely worth checking out, if anything just for their Pinot Grigio. Plus, you get to see Montecello.

As for what to avoid, I really don't know. I'd love to check out a bunch of the newer wine regions popping up in America, and Virginia is very high on my list.

Do you like SWEET BERRY WINE?

Yes. Yes I do.

Okay i got a question that is probably not about wine...If i can't drink wine, what other "light" alchogolic drink except beer would you recommend?

Hmm, if we're defining light as in "under 20% alcohol" there's always the beautiful wonder that is mead. Honey wine invented drank a lot by the vikings to cap off a hard of kicking the shit out whoever they found that day. It can be very syrup-py, but some can also be really well balanced.

I'm also very fond of Plum Wine and various other fruit based wines. That really only works if you just can't have grapes. Not so much if you can't have fruit.

Aside from all of that, I'd look into sake. There's a lot of bad sake out there and I know my first experience with it was somewhere between god awful and I just drank a bottle of peroxide. But quite a lot of it can also be elegeant and smooth and so easy to drink. The hard part is finding someone who really knows their sake.

EDIT: For history

What wine, in your opinion, goes best with chicken fingers and Mac n cheese?

Are we talking both of them together or as seperate meals?

Is just fingers: I had a French Sauvignon Blanc last week with some fried chicken that was pretty good.

Mac & Cheese: I'd go with a super laid back Pinot Noir. Something that'll let the cheese powder do its thing and not try to fight it. That'd be a losing battle for any beverage.

Can you recommend a decent Pinot Noir for under $20? My wife keeps bringing home swill. EDIT: Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Montoya Pinot Noir is one of my favorite under $20 Pinots. Meiomi is also pretty steller and is available nationwide (I think). Also, if you just want to drink pure elegeance, Jigsaw Pinot Noir is awesome.

Would you rather drink Thunderbird, Cisco or the blue MD 20/20 with the 'Bling' chain on the label?

Ooooh, fuck. I mean, the one time I had MD things got...squidgy. After that I was a Boone's Farm undergrad through and through. Get some Blue Hawaiian or the neon green stuff and I was a happy camper on the way to a sugar fueled hangover.

What is your opinion of Georgian wines?

I know this might be odd to ask, but I'm assuming you mean the country over the American state.

If we're talking the country, I feel like I had a Georgian wine about five years ago, but the bottle had not been taken care of at all and the wine was very cooked.

I'd definitely love to try some though. I feel like eastern European wine is looked down upon or ignored for no good reason at all. Istria, Croatia is actually one of my top five wine regions.

I like rosé wine. Am I wrong?

Also, our press here in the UK often do stories about the great wine we've started making. I'm wondering if it's just nationalistic nepotism. Have you ever tasted any decent British wines?

Not at all wrong! I'll never understand the disdain for rose at all. My best guess is when people think rose they think White Zinfandel and it's all downhill from there. But when the heat gets up there, but isn't a humid sweat bath, roses are perfect!

I've actually never had British wines. I've heard for quite some time that Britain has some vineyards, but I've yet to see a bottle of it over here in Chicago.

Ultra side note, when I think the words British and wine, this comes to mind immediately.

So, those people who know everything about wine (you know, the ones who taste it and can tell you everything about it) are those people legit, or do they just BS it all?

I'm not a complete expert on that sort of thing, so I can only offer my personal opinion.

I've seen people who are wine experts who can pinpoint the grapes in a wine, but I don't think I've ever met someone who can guess with 100% accuracy every single time. Now, that's not to say that there are people who can, but I find it pretty hard to believe. There's thousands of grapes in the world and aside from Oz Clarke, I doubt there's anyone who could say what every single one of them tastes like. But there are legit experts on the subject, but always be wary of someone who claims that they literally know every single thing about wine. I've been lucky with most of these questions, but if anyone asks me to name all the wine regions of Italy, I'm boned.

What would a good beginner wine or types to look out for, for someone who has only extremely casually drank wine and found most of them to be way too bitter or odd tasting?

I almost always recommend that people start out with a Malbec from Agentina (ideally the region of Mendoza) or Tempranillo from Spain (ideally from La Mancha). Both are pretty laid back and calm wines. Not very bitter and definitely not odd. I kind of want to recommend Zinfandel too, since that one is a lot more about being lush and velvet-ty.

I am from the UK and I was wondering, what are your favourite european wines? What do you look for in a 'good' wine? What is the best way to improve your wine tasting?

I do absolutely love Languedoc, and love Norello Mascalese from Mt. Etna, but the oddest answer I probably have is Istria, Croatia. There something about the red wines there that just knock my socks right off. Specifically a grape called Teran/Terrano. There's just something soft and subtle and elegeant about it that just makes my day always (which would definitely what I'd answer when I'm looking for a good wine for myself).

The best way to improve your wine tasting is also the most fun way, practice. Drink as much new wine as you can. Try some odd sounding grapes from places that might not make much sense. Is it a red wine from Thailand? Heck, give it a go! Really, the best way to exercise your palate is to experience as much wine as you can.

how long does white wine last after you have opened it?

Usually about two days. It can maybe go three, but just depends how picky you are.

What is your opinion on wine decanter? Should we use them? I've only ever tasted a difference when I put wine in a mixer for several minutes to show my friends that a decanter is not useful except for decoration. What do you think?

I think a decanter is useful for two occasions:

• You have a super huge red wine that needs to breathe or its going to ruin dinner
• Decoration

Really, they're best used for huge Cabernet or red blends, but are really only needed for wines that are meant to be aged or are naturally over-tannic.

Finally an expert. Why is it that I can not get New Vegas to work on my system with wine?

Have you tried upgrading your wine to Windows 10?

If that doesn't work, I'd recommend sending a missive to the Caesar for an even more accurate idea of what is needed. I'll send my best man now. He'll be there in two days, so long as he's not shot and left for dead in the desert.

What do you think of dessert wines? They don't seem to be very popular for home consumption. Does your in-home parties client cater for that?

We do actually. I don't know why some wine people have this dismissive attitude towards dessert wine, but its so freaking delicious and we adore it all here. We actually are planning out a brunch themed party that is involving quite a bit of sweet wine. Probably one of my favorites we have right now is the Domaine du Tariquet Premiere Grives. Its like a ginger-y sweet bit of amazing. Actually goes really well with Thai and coconut based curries too.

When people ask me for a book recommendation, I ask them to tell me about other books they like. So I'd like to tell you about my favorite wines and ask for your suggestions on other wines to taste:

Red Wine: Haut Medoc. I will choose a good Haut Medoc over any other French Red, and happily pay far less per bottle. What reds from other parts of the world should I consider?

White Wine: Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. I love the crisp minerality, and the price is usually quite good too. I will gladly drink Sancerre or Pouilly-Fuisse, but getting a good bottle of that in the US is hard. What other whites should I be looking at?

Red: California Merlot, a Super Tuscan from Italy would be pretty stellar too, especially this one and especially if it's with food, and some big Portuguese red wines

White: I'm thinking a lot of Spanish whites for this. Albarino is pretty fantastic, but if you can find a Macabeo/Xerel-lo blend (the grapes they use to make Cava) in a still version, I think you'd adore it. Also, Vinho Verde from Portugal for days. Clear minerality and so freaking perfect during the summer

What are your thoughts on wine tasting?

I love it. Also, going to assume you mean whats the way someone should taste.

There's four things to hit when tasting a wine: see, smell, sip, savor. See is pretty straight forward (red or white, dark or light). Smell involves swirling the glass and smelling the wine. You try to pinpoint any smells you recognize (which is highly subjective from person to person) and will help you taste the wine. Sip, you take a small taste and see what you notice up front. Savor, a bigger sip and see what it does to the rest of your palate.

If you're at a large tasting, then you spit. If its smaller or a party or you know everyone there, then swallow.

Hey there I'm interested in some decent but not extravagant Italian wines from the Piedmont region. Do you have any personal recommendations in the $40-$60 range for Nebbiolo's?

The first one that comes to mind is the Franco Molino Barolo. We sell it for $42, so depending on where you live, it might be different (we also ship wines too).

That being said, we have a wine very similar to Nebbiolo called Elio Grasso Barbera d'Alba that's ridonkulously good and sells for about $30.

How essential is it to let a three year old bottle of cabernet sauvignon breathe? I cant tell the difference. Also, if you have any northern california/southern oregon favorites, I'm all ears...er...eyes

Hmm, usually a couple of hours at most, maybe even less depending on how big and tannic it is. Something like The Prisoner can take up to six hours if you wanted. But some cabernet is actually fine to drink the moment you open it right up.

And the ones I'd hit immediately if I was out there:

• Forlorn Hope
• De Arie
• Meiomi (a bit mainstream, but I love their stuff)
• Andrew Rich Wines

What is a good cheaper new world alternative to a good 1er Meursault? Have never found a california chard that wasn't over oaked.

Hope Estates Chardonnay out of Australia is awesome. True Myth out of California is also super good.

And good news for you as well, the over oaking fad has been dying for the past five years. Chardonnay took a huge hit after the butter bubble popped and people are oving back a lot to stainless steel and concrete fermination.

What are some good cheap wines available for beginners? Less than $30 range?

I know I've given this answer a lot, but if you're starting out in wine, its not a bad idea to start off with a Malbec or a Tempranillo. Both have qualities that can be fairly easy to pinpoint why you like them or why you don't. Plus, about 95% of them are all under $30.

I HATE wine (taste like vinegar to me) but my gf wants to start having a glass of wine at night and knows nothing about wine. Is there something out there that we can drink?

I'd start out with a Malbec or Tempranillo. Both are usually pretty affordable for daily drinking and on the milder end of the red wine spectrum. If she ends up liking those (or not liking those), you can start to explore into other areas.

Also, if she doesn't like those, feel free to message me on here and we might be able to figure out something more in her palate. :)

This is perfect. I have a couple friends in town this weekend and we all enjoy wine so I am having s little blind tasting challenge. We will have a bottle in each of the $5, $15ish, $30ish, 60ish, and $200ish range. I have bottles in the middle ranges but I need to know what you consider to be the best of the 5 and 200 ranges? I know there aren't great wines for $5 per bottle but if I find a higher quality one it will make the challenge tougher for all of us. Any suggestions would be appreciated or if the whole idea is dumb I would be open to suggestions on a better game for wine night.

For the $5: Columbia Crest Two Vines would be a pretty good fit. A part of me is also wants to say to just fuck with them and throw in a Charles Shaw.

For the $200: I have that would be hard to find maybe and one that'll be easier. The hard one would be really any of the wines from Bond Estates. The St. Eden though is probably my favorite and the one that's probably going to be drinkable. Most wines in that price range are meant to be aged for a fairly long time and drinking them immediately might end up tasting pretty awful. Oh, and as for the easier one to find Opus One tastes ridiculously good.

Hope that helps :)

Hi Dusty.

Have you ever been to Italy? I am going in July for two weeks, and I plan on drinking as many different wines there as possible, but I was curious if you know what I should look for. I will be in Termoli, a day trip to a mountain town in the Abruzzo region, a week going town-to-town on the Amalfi coast, and a day or two in Rome.

So freaking jealous beyond words! I've never been and I'd lose all my money shipping cases back to Chicago if I did.

I'd honestly say, just hit all the wineries you can. We get a lot of great wines imported here to the states, but time-and-time again, I always hear how the tiny little family winery hidden at the end of the road blows all the others out of the water.

When homebrewing, how long would the wine last? I'd prefer not to get equipment for formally bottling...

I've been interested in getting into it, but haven't pulled the trigger on getting the basic equipment and trying out a batch. I don't really want to guzzle/trash 5 gallons of wine in a week if it's going to go bad... haha.

Other tips or thoughts?

Sorry, I actually don't know much about homebrewing wine. /: