Decent red...

[AB]

Need some advice on a decent red to buy for someone who enjoys red wine but is by no means a 'wine buff'

Something a bit more special than a supermarket £5 bottle.

Not wanting to spend a fortune but open to ideas and recommendations.

[V8mate]

Grab a bottle of Crozes Hermitage in the £12-£15 range.

[Mobile Chicane]

What's the budget? What wines do they generally like?

[taldo50]

i find most of the 'penfolds' range of reds lovely, iirc about 10 quid a bottle.

[AB]

Under £30 was my thinking so should leave my plenty of options - no idea what he drinks normally to be honest. Not much to work with, sorry.

[bridgdav]

A good French and an Italian can be had for under £30..

Cover your bases.

French
Chateau Neuf
Bordeaux

Italian
Barolo
Amarone

In a nice presentation box, would go down a treat.
Also get your hands on a Wine Wheel. Very handy for occasions like this and a great addition to your friends library. Will show you have put at least a bit of thought into it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Cuisine-Wheel-Apprec...

[smiller]

Yup.

A good Valpolicella Amarone is a real eye-opener to your average Wolf Blass imbiber (i.e. me.....).

Top stuff.

Expect to pay at least 20 quid for a half decent one.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Slightly off the beaten aussi plonk trail

Chateau Musar - Lebanese and really rather different.

[juice]

Go decent American something like a Zinfandel in about the 15-20 quid range, something like a Clos du Val.

[prand]

Hi All,

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Pinot Noir! A bit more subtle than the spice and muscle of a Cotes Du Rhone, and suitable for lighter meals of summer.

You could have a great Californian (Derbes from Russian River Valley for instance) or New Zealand (Marlborough) Pinot like, or a lovely smoky Nuits Saint George from Burgundy.

[SVX]

A shout here for a decent bottle of Rioja Reserva (2000 was an exceptional year if you can find one).

[Bullett]

Or a Pinotage - Always South African and a bit off the track. Go to somewhere like Laithwaites for advice, they are pretty good and you can often taste what you are buying.


Personally I'd avoid any CNduPap under £25 a bottle.

[thehawk]

An Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir from NZ, superb wine.

[escargot]

For something a bit different, you could get him a bottle of Château Musar. I had a '99 the other night and it was refreshingly different from the normal Bordeaux & Burgundies I normally imbibe.

It'll only rush you about £15 too.

[krallicious]

prand said:

Hi All,

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Pinot Noir! A bit more subtle than the spice and muscle of a Cotes Du Rhone, and suitable for lighter meals of summer.

You could have a great Californian (Derbes from Russian River Valley for instance) or New Zealand (Marlborough) Pinot like, or a lovely smoky Nuits Saint George from Burgundy.

Ah, Pinot. I adore this stuff. The French Pinots, I find, are a little underwhelming with the best coming from the Nappa Valley or Oregon. New Zealand do some good examples but are sometimes a little overpowering with regards to their alcohol content. Zinfandel is also good. Try one from the EOS winery.

[Nicholas Blair]

Have you tried any Tempus Two stuff ? It's Australian and really good.

Try and get your hands on some if it. They do a great Merlot

[anonymous-user]

At that price range a New Zealand Pinot Noit is hard to beat! try a Cloudy Bay if you can find one if not the various ranges from Villa Maria are superb.

[navier_stokes]

bridgdav said:

A good French and an Italian can be had for under £30..

Cover your bases.

French
Chateau Neuf
Bordeaux

Italian
Barolo
Amarone

In a nice presentation box, would go down a treat.
Also get your hands on a Wine Wheel. Very handy for occasions like this and a great addition to your friends library. Will show you have put at least a bit of thought into it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Cuisine-Wheel-Apprec...

I'd add a decent Chianti Classico, Brunello, Barbaresco and Vino Nobile Montipulciano to the Italian list

In fact one of my favourite reds (if you can find it) is the Poliziano Vino Nobile Montipulciano... should come a tenner under budget too.

[escargot]

drivin_me_nuts said:

Slightly off the beaten aussi plonk trail

Chateau Musar - Lebanese and really rather different.

great minds

[merseyboy]

AB said:

Need some advice on a decent red to buy for someone who enjoys red wine but is by no means a 'wine buff'

Something a bit more special than a supermarket £5 bottle.

Not wanting to spend a fortune but open to ideas and recommendations.

For £10 you can get the amazing 2005 Syrah, Reserva, Vina Falernia, Elqui Valley from Chile