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What would you get?

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by RC, Apr 21, 2014.

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  1. RC

    RC Low-Roller

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    I have a $15 off $50 purchase coupon @ Safeway that is good on beers & wines. They have a decent selection of craft beers @ my corner store, but I'm not sure what kind of wines to add into the purchase. They also offer 10% off for 6 bottles or more of wine.

    I've already got some pretty good ideas for some beer, but does anyone care to help me out with some wine selections? TIA
     
  2. Suekel

    Suekel VIP Whale

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    Boy that is a tough question without knowing what you like - Red, White? Sweet or dry? And what price range per bottle are you comfortable with.

    That being said, if your goal is to stock a bar, I'd say go with a nice Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, another bold red, maybe a Shiraz or a Merlot. I'm a fan of Pinot Grigio during hot weather, but you'll do better with an Italian one which may cost a bit more.

    In general, if you just want a decent everyday wine you don't have to be embarrassed to serve, there are many good options in the $12-$20 range. Stay away from Barefoot and the others you can find at CVS. Not maligning anyone who drinks those, but it's not what I would chose to serve to guests.

    ETA - I recently stumbled across a reasonably priced cab that was quite good - it's called Wente, and to me it tasted like some more expensive cabs I've had.
     
  3. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    A big question also is "where do you live?" We live in wine country and our national chains stock phenomenal local/regional wines -- and the usual stuff, too. I mean, this won't mean much to a lot of folks but we can get Sanford and Alma Rosa at discount at our Albertson's, to name a few.

    Grapes vary mightily and the same grapes grown in different places, turned in to wine by different people, vary mightily.

    Wente. That is one fun golf course. (Come on, it's me, gotta get a golf reference in!)
     
  4. RC

    RC Low-Roller

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    Sorry as I wasn't trying to make this difficult. I filled up a 6 pack container of white & sparkling wines today and will list out all of them tomorrow for your review. I have no idea as to how I really did as I'm still in the discovery phase for these kind of drinks.
     
  5. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    As many cases of Coors that I could get for $50.:beer:
     
  6. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    No worries. What you did is the best way to start learning. :thumbsup:
     
  7. Suekel

    Suekel VIP Whale

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    Absolutely! While I am no wine expert, my ability to choose decent wines has improved over the years by trying different things, figuring out what I like, and basically experimenting. Everyone's tastes are different.

    ken2v, I was in Napa recently and oh boy did I drink some amazing wines! Have you ever had/been to Reguschi? I LOVED that place and their wines. Wish I could buy them here in Texas, but I'm considering ordering some online and paying the shipping. I liked them that much.
     
  8. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Name is familiar but I've never had it. Is Texas a legal ship-to state? If so, maybe join the wine club.

    People ask me often, "Have you been to Winery X?" Really not likely in California. We live in a small town near the coast, kinda off to the side, and we have 20+ wineries right here in this little berg. I'd put the tally at near 50 w/i 10-15 miles. I think the larger Napa AVA pushes 500, maybe? We're in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, and right next to the smaller Sta Rita Hills AVA.

    We mostly key on local, Santa Barbara County wineries. Some have something of a national presence, some are quite tiny. It works for us because we're mostly drawn to Burgundian and Rhone grapes/wines/styles. Though we do pick up Spanish, Italian and Bordeaux styles from the warmer inland areas like Ballard Canyon and Happy Canyon. There's something cool about figuring out what's for Saturday dinner and then being able to just pop down and get something from the vintner, who very well could be working his/her tasting room while alternately tamping down the fermenter.

    Immediately north of us we have Santa Maria, Edna Valley and SLO, then Paso and environs.

    I/we have had some great times in Napa and Sonoma. In fact, I first found wine in the early '80s when I spent a bit of time living in Petaluma.
     
  9. RC

    RC Low-Roller

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    Ok, so here is how I ended up filling my 6 pack carrier. I ended up with 2 bottles of pinot grigio's from Italy(2012 Delle Venezie & a 2012 Dolomiti from Mezzacorna Estate), Starborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand), Lamarca prosecco sparkling wine from Italy, and the other 2 bottles were sparkling wines from CA and I can only think of the name of one of them right now ...Wilson Creek almond flavored

    As you can tell from my post I am still a novice with the wines ...
     
  10. RC

    RC Low-Roller

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    I hear you as I almost did something like that starting with a 12 pack of Stella that was on sale for $12.99 before the extra discount was taken off. I thought heck I can buy that beer anytime ... I'm going to expand my range a little bit with some wine.

    Do you drink the banquet beer or do you prefer Coors light? I'd go for the regular Coors myself ...
     
  11. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    Most definitely Banquet. When I'm on the tables in Vegas, I generally stick to Coors Light, otherwise, the real Banquet.

    I can actually remember back in the '70's bringing cases of Coors Banquet home from Las Vegas in carryon. It was not available on the East Coast at that time.
     
  12. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Prosecco, it's not just for breakfast anymore. lol We always have bottles ready in the chiller, just in case. Some great values out there for a very drinkable style.

    I think a lot of people get into wine through Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio.

    I'm a huge Sauv Blanc fan, always have been. It's pretty easy to make a good one without a lot of fuss or bother; it's not Pinot.

    Wilson Creek sells the s*it out of that almond bubbly. I mean it just flows out of there.

    Wine can get rather an obsession, not unlike Vegas. We've long been fans but living in the midst of it we've kinda spun it up a bit. What's amazing is how you get accustomed to price creep in what you'll drink as a table or everyday wine. lol

    TJs and Costco can be very good friends. Experiment. It's a great way to go grab $6, $8, $10 bottles and be light years ahead of Two-Buck Chuck-like stuff, as you figure out red/white, varietals, locations. And that extra 10% off six-hauls from Safeway/Albertson's/Von's -- particularly when it's already discounted -- is a godsend, too. Once you figure out that, yes, you like, say, Pinot from Whereverville or a Chablis-styled Chardonnay, then you can take the occasional flyer on a more expensive wine to really see where it can go.
     
  13. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    For an everyday white, the Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc (actually a sauvignon blanc) is widely available at Safeway for $9-11. It is a great value, accessible to wine novices, and won't offend wine snobs. A great choice in your situation, but sounds like you have made your selections.

    Ken is right, the wine inventory at Safeway is very regional. It varies widely based on the availability of wines with small distribution as well as the appetite of the local clientele for higher priced wines. His Safeway is going to have a lot of boutique wines which are not distributed nationally. You will find a lot of $50-100+ wines at Vons (owned by Safeway) in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach which fly off the shelf in those areas but would hardly move in Fresno or Bakersfield.

    I think of all the grocery chains Safeway is the only one (at least in CA) that does a good job managing their wine inventory and pricing competitively.
     
  14. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    danky, think you'll love this:

    We stopped at a gas station/mini-mart in King City a while back. King City. Did I mention it was King City? The place was loaded with some higher-end stuff. I'm talking Stag's Leap, Heitz, Opus, Ridge. I've never seen so many bottles north of $100 in a gas station. Hell, I've never before seen one bottle at that price at a gas station.

    Ferrari-Carano is one reason we opted for Silver Legacy as our Reno home port; well, not home port but where we usually stay. The F-C folks have a stake in the house and they pour F-C in the casino.

    Let me put in a plug for Albertson's. Or at least the ones around here.
     
  15. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    We stopped at a gas station/mini-mart in King City a while back. King City. Did I mention it was King City? The place was loaded with some higher-end stuff. I'm talking Stag's Leap, Heitz, Opus, Ridge. I've never seen so many bottles north of $100 in a gas station. Hell, I've never before seen one bottle at that price at a gas station.

    I do love it, but how long was that stuff sitting there in King City?!?

    Maybe not so long, with people heading back to the Bay Area these days after their wine tasting in Paso...
     
  16. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    And for some reason they pour Ferrari Carano chard and cab like water in the Mirage and Bellagio VIP check in, and have for some time...
     
  17. RC

    RC Low-Roller

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    Thank you Mr Breeze for your service to our country. I can assure you that if we ever meet up in Vegas that you will never pay for either a Coors banquet or light beer in Vegas. I consider Sam Adams as the best tasting lite beer out there. Our discussion here in this thread reminds me of a friend that I had back in OH who had had lost all of his hearing on one side due to this time as a gunner during the Vietnam conflict.
     
  18. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Guess it's that F-C/MGM Resorts association.
     
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