The list below is what I like to think of as the anti Robert Mondavi Reserve Merlot. The categories are general wine options that I have only rarely been disappointed by. All the wines can be found for under ten bucks and are almost always carried by any local liquor store. I am partial to red wine so if anyone has thoughts on white wine options please let me know.

Australian Shiraz (syrah):

If u are not a wine snob yet I guarantee u will like Australian Shiraz. Think dark fruit and sweet oak, these guys are so fleshy and soft that I have seen wine stores telling customers if they like American Merlot to try Australian Syrah. Shiraz is the same grape as Syrah.

Any S. African Blend

South African wines bring out the funk. Musty aromas with dark fruit and lot unusual character versus the house blends from other corners of the world. Expect hints of tar, leather and meat to accompany the usual fruit and tannin.

Any Argentinian Malbec

Malbec, once a blending grape in France has officially held its own in Argentina for the last five years. Killer bottles of wine can be found for under ten bucks. I like the Argentinean Cabs for under ten bucks as well, but Malbecs will be fleshier, more fruit per increment of tannin and be more of a crowd pleaser.

Any Italian White Wine. (preferably grapes never heard of)

For the record, I love red wine more than white wine and with a white wine my main concern is for it to be able to accompany dinner rather than have on its own. With that said I find Italian white wines to take care of business more than other white wines because:

1.) Hardly any oak is used meaning u can actually taste the grape. (Many Chardonnay producers will oak their grape juice in thick oak meaning u get a butter like cotton candy quality as opposed to the acidic fruit filled aroma often associated with white wine)

2.) The wines were designed with food in mind. Italian wine is created with less overt fruit and structure so that the meal comes first then the wine.

3.) Italian white wines tend to be made with grapes u have never heard of. Pinot Grigio aside (I never understood why Pinot Grigio is planted all over the world while Orvieto and other white grapes have been neglected) you will be forced to try a new grape.

4.) It looks classy when u open an Italian wine with dinner.

Nero D’avola from Sicily

Sicily has been the home of jug wine until five years ago. Now u can buy the Nero D’avola wines for a reasonable price and they will be hard to not like. I tend to get a dark chocolate type aroma with coffee and other dense flavors. Big wine with not too sophisticated of a tale means if u like Syrah, Zin’s and Petite Syrah’s than u should give this southern Italian grape a try.

Anything Spanish

The Spanish government continues to subsidize wine producers (like how they subsidize Real Madrid) and even with the US Dollar going to hell u can still find serious bargains. When I first started drinking wine I found most Spanish wines to be dry with not much flavor. Now I love them and rave about the “old world” style for half the price of Italy and France. If u are intrigued by Spain I would begin to get comfortable with the warm weather grapes of Tempranillo, Grenache, Abarino, Syrah and Monestrall (Mouvedre).




Anyone have anything to add??