For The Love Of Port

I know we've discussed Port and Madeira ... but I'd love to know what your favorite everyday table wine is. Even if not everyday, something reasonably priced that you have 5-10+ times a year. Tastes may change but over the years you stick by this one ...

For me, it is Ridge Geyserville


How about you?

For me, the Fontanafredda Barbera is tough to beat at around $10.

Ridge Vineyards* for me too...pretty much anything from them, but specifically Geyserville, Monte Bello, Jimsomare ATP wines, and their second label Cab's. I can generally get them with age at auction for good prices and they are quite tasty.


*disclaimer: a very good and long time friend of mine works there. But I've enjoyed them even before he worked there.

It used to be something from Concha Y Toro, as my wife is half Argentine and we of course supported the home team. Then we started going to California once a year in conjunction with a conference and bought such a variety each time that there was no longer a "go to" wine. Then my wife found she could no longer drink as much red wine as she would like, further eliminating the "go to" wine. Other than Port, the most of anything I've bought in the last year is Gazela Vinho Verde.

I don't drink wine (other than dessert wine), but my wife's favorite is Fransican Oakville Estates. Or at least it was... I buy her so many different wines now that I'm not sure she could really name just one favorite.

My "Go to" everyday wine would be something from Rosenthal. The 2003 Cab is very interesting and the 2001 isn't quite as layered, but it is still a nice solid everyday wine. The 1997 is sublime, but not exactly an everyday wine - there are only a couple of cases left of that bad boy.

Just about any Cotes du Rhone, though my favorite is Coudoulet de Beaucastel.

White - Chateau St. Jean Sonoma County Chardonnay
Sparkling - Argyle vintage Brut
Red - Siduri Pinot (one of their appellation wines - depends on the year - Sonoma County, Russian River, or Santa Lucia Highlands)

My "go to's" of recent that are worth mentioning...

Udaca 1989 Dao Reserva "Adro da Se" - Great deal, but probably not in most liquor stores...

Symington's Altano (2002 I think)

Quinta de Aveleda Vinho Verde - It's summer weather!

In red wine Mestizaje from Bodegas Mustiguillo (V.T. Terrerazo) and Finca Sandoval from Bodegas Finca Sandoval (D.O. Manchuela), the second one is a bit more expensive.
And in wite wine Basa from Cia. de Vinos Telmo Rodroguez (D.O. Rueda) and Terras Gaudas from Bodegas Terras Gaudas (Rias Baixas).

J. J. Prum reisling, usually kabinett or spatlese. I prefer auslese with Korean or Thai food. For my taste, reisling is a lot more versatile than red wine.

2006 Quinta dos Grilos vinho tinto from the Dao region.

Trimbach Frederic Emile.

Anything Italian, red, and made north of Rome.

I like Sangioveses, Barolos (and other Nebbiolos), Corvinas, Barberas, and even some of the "Internationals" with varietals like Merlot. What I can't abide is pure Cabernet Sauvignon; it just lacks something for me -- blends well, though. Southern Italians taste thin to me, and French wines are just too complicated to bother to learn when there are plenty of North Italian Reds that I haven't tasted yet.

My "go to" wine is Sauvignon Blanc. My experience is there are few bottles I buy of Sauvignon Blanc that disappoint me. Additionally, I commonly buy bottles of Sutter Home Sauvigon Blanc for $4.99/bottle that are entirely satisfying. This is a wine I'll open, drink, keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, have another glass, and find it still pretty satisfying as a sipping wine. For example, I'll have a glass of this while cooking on a Saturday afternoon. I will match a Sauvignon Blanc to some foods -- paesto pasta, fetuccini al freddo with shrimp, for example -- but mostly I drink it by itself before dinner. When it comes to most of the food I cook and eat I'm more picky and there is less a "go to" wine involved than a very specific wine I like to drink with a particular dish. For example, I like to serve reserve bottlings of Alsatian gewurztraminer -- slight but distinct residual sugar -- with a pork-based pate en croute that I prepare. With venison roast, Chateauneuf-du-pape. With venison loin steaks, a light, fruity pinot noir. Likewise with most other dishes I cook. But the Sauvignon Blanc shows up a lot in my refrigerator. Also, unless the dish I'm cooking is very particular, I will often use the Sauvignon Blanc for cooking when a dish calls for "white wine" in the sauce. Of course, if the dish is a little more particular -- trout braised with riesling gets Alsatian riesling for example -- then maybe I'll sacrifice a bit of the dinner wine for the dish. I don't tend to drink red wines by themselves, as they usually seem a little austere to me without the accompaniement of food.