Which Wine?

[mpm1987]

Hi all.

Looking for a bit of help, and advice. I need to buy some nice wine.

I've been told they like Spanish, Portugese, and New World? Wines.

Looking for spend around £8- £10 a bottle, both white and red.

Can you point me in the direction of places to buy, or what to look for?

Sorry it's a bit vague, I'm not a wine drinker myself.

[buckline]

Opinion will be divided on this but for my simple palette you cannot beat Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, or a very cold Picpoul (Tesco finest is a great example). For a red i would go for a new world Pinot Noir as it tends to please everyone and doesn't contain shed loads of tanin.

A definite no no is oaked Chardonnay. I have never found any bottle even remotely drinkable.

[sherman]

White - Marlbourgh Savigion blanc from New Zealan

White - French picpoul. Its generally made just north of the spanish border in the langedoc region so almost spanish.

Red - Spanish Rqioja reserva. It should have a wire mesh round the bottle.

Red- Argentinian Malbec

Picpoul is also a good shout. Not quite as sharp as Sav blanc but still has all the flavour.

[Simon Brooks]

Have recently been buying wine from Noble Green Wines and have stumbled upon a couple of rather nice wines, which thankfully happen to be one red one white

http://www.noblegreenwines.co.uk/southern-lights-s...

http://www.noblegreenwines.co.uk/product.aspx?Code...

Both very enjoyable and easy on the pocket

[rdjohn]

Does what food they are drinking it with not matter?

[sherman]

The way the OP post reads he just wants some nice wine for some friends. It doesnt state that they are being drunk with food. He sounds like he wants something better than blossom hill but just needs some guideance.

[Dan_1981]

The Tesco Finest Picpoul is really good - we're not massive wine fans or anything but sampled loads and had it at our wedding - received many compliments on it from several wine "fans"

[BoRED S2upid]

Lidl. Don't give it to them in a carrier bag though and see if they can tell where it came from.

[VTECMatt]

Try an Albarino, great white wine from Northern Spain.

[lauda]

This may give some useful suggestions:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/11601...

Not a lot of new world in there but they should all be pretty high quality.

[tedmus]

The Vignobles Rousselet Pinot Noir from Aldi is excellent for the price, the Malbec from the same label isn't too bad either, both under £4.50.

[CAPP0]

sherman said:

Red - Spanish Rqioja reserva. It should have a wire mesh round the bottle.

Red- Argentinian Malbec

Can't go far wrong with a good rioja reserva. Notwithstanding supermarket "special offers", Tesco were recently doing an allegedly-£12.99 bottle of El Pinsapo Reserva at £6. I stocked up, it is bloody lovely. Waiting for them to drop it again!

I love a Malbec too although they do tend to be higher abv, and for some reason it always gives me a raging headache so I have to avoid it, sadly.

[Don]

mpm1987 said:

Hi all.

Looking for a bit of help, and advice. I need to buy some nice wine.

I've been told they like Spanish, Portugese, and New World? Wines.

Looking for spend around £8- £10 a bottle, both white and red.

Can you point me in the direction of places to buy, or what to look for?

Sorry it's a bit vague, I'm not a wine drinker myself.

That's way too vague - and I want to help!

How many bottles do you need and what is your budget!?

What will be eaten with the wine? Could be nothing could be a meal?

Is it a gift of a bottle?

Is it a gift of a case of wine (12 bottles) so you don't know what might be eaten with it?

???

I could tell you about loads of wines I know that are superb but if they're too expensive or wouldn't go with the food, or suit the occasion it's silly hard to know where to start!

[Cheese Mechanic]

For reds, seek out a nice Beaujolais, Louis Jadot is a good bet. Also, Yalumba Organic Shiraz is a great tipple.

For a white, Then, Puklavec and friends Sauvignon Blanc is a great zesty tangy treat, especially with spicy food.

Another good quaffer is Cave de Lugny Chardonnay, Mâcon-Villages a white burgundy, an alternative being a decent Gavi if you see one, cannot tend to go wrong with them light , like a Grigio but more flavoursome.

All avalibale from Waitros and worth every penny

[mpm1987]

Don said:

That's way too vague - and I want to help!

How many bottles do you need and what is your budget!?

What will be eaten with the wine? Could be nothing could be a meal?

Is it a gift of a bottle?

Is it a gift of a case of wine (12 bottles) so you don't know what might be eaten with it?

???

I could tell you about loads of wines I know that are superb but if they're too expensive or wouldn't go with the food, or suit the occasion it's silly hard to know where to start!

Hi Don.

Ideally around £50 -£70 in total, 6 - 10 bottles would be nice

Meals will vary as its a gift, so fish and meat. A variation of both,

I don't really have much more information than that I'm afraid.

Thanks for all the responses so far!

[Don]

Cool. So the budget is around £11 a bottle for a half-case of six wines.

Meals will vary so get three red and three white unless you know the gift is going to someone who only drinks one colour.

I'll try and post some recommendations this evening but you could do a lot worse than to go to Majestic and buy a full case and keep half.

[oddman]

This

http://www.majestic.co.uk/Finca-Carelio-Tempranill...

Is incredible. Like a Rioja with the volume turned up

[Baryonyx]

buckline said:

Opinion will be divided on this but for my simple palette you cannot beat Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, or a very cold Picpoul (Tesco finest is a great example). For a red i would go for a new world Pinot Noir as it tends to please everyone and doesn't contain shed loads of tanin.

A definite no no is oaked Chardonnay. I have never found any bottle even remotely drinkable.

Can you even still buy oaked Chardonnay? I've had some good 'new' Chardonnays that are devoid of the heavy, vanilla perfumed sweetness of the formerly trendy oaked Chardonnay, but I couldn't name one that is still for sale.

[maxxy5]

If you're after a maker that's in the supermarkets, Cono Sur (Chilean) is usually quite good and about that price.

[Cheese Mechanic]

Baryonyx said:

Can you even still buy oaked Chardonnay? I've had some good 'new' Chardonnays that are devoid of the heavy, vanilla perfumed sweetness of the formerly trendy oaked Chardonnay, but I couldn't name one that is still for sale.

Indeed you can

https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/productdetail....

https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/productdetail....

https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/productdetail....

P/S If not a member and you like wine, joining is a very good move.