Recommend a Wine For Me to Bring to Dinner

[Brian278]

If it were me, I'd probably pick up a Montes Alpha Cab Sauv for around $16, or some Rosso di Montalcino for $20-25. Both are wines I love that most people would enjoy. I like the Champagne idea as well, and don't rule out the idea of dessert wine or even a desertif like Lemoncello. I doubt they have different after dinner drink already planned, and most people would appreciate you introducing them to something they've never tried (assuming they aren't particularly cultured).

 

[contactme_11]

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

I like the champagne suggestion. Champagne makes any occassion special. Some of the newer rose champagnes / sparkling wines would be a nice option.

I was thinking about bringing a bottle of champagne in addition to the wine

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by Dragon

+1 Champagne...excellent suggestion!
Agreed, but I didn't think it would fit in the budget. Most decent bottles start at $30. You could just do what an old friend of mine does, which is to bring a nice bottle of Tequila and a bag of limes to every party he goes to.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by iammatt

+1. We almost never serve wine that people bring over. Sometimes we try to serve it the next time they come, if we can remember.

If you want to bring somethng they will use, bring Champagne and open it for aperitifs.

I agree -- but this is not bringing wine for a dinner party, this is bringing wine for the GF. I think its implied that they'll be drinking it, unless she's very sophisticated about that sort of thing, ie. a critic.

rambo, the Carmenere is pretty distinctive like a Merlot, but with a little more fruit and a little less tannin, yet it has some backbone, unlike some of the Aussie Shirazes. Idler described the Tavel pretty well -- the idea was to pick a sweeter rose (the d'Anjou) and a drier rose (the Tavel) depending on the OP and his GF's taste.

~ Huntsman

 

[contactme_11]

Actually if you read my original post the wine was not for my girlfriend (she actually seldom ever drinks), rather it was for a dinner her friend invited us to. Thanks for all the help guys, I ended up bringing a red, and a champange.

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by contactme_11

Actually if you read my original post the wine was not for my girlfriend (she actually seldom ever drinks), rather it was for a dinner her friend invited us to. Thanks for all the help guys, I ended up bringing a red, and a champange.
Good call. I actually like the variety route because some are way too picky about what they drink.

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by rambo

Agreed, but I didn't think it would fit in the budget. Most decent bottles start at $30.

You could just do what an old friend of mine does, which is to bring a nice bottle of Tequila and a bag of limes to every party he goes to.

You don't need "Champagne" for a bubbly start to the evening. You can get a nice Proseco, or a bottle of Gruet (NM sparkler) for $12 - 13...

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by romafan

You don't need "Champagne" for a bubbly start to the evening. You can get a nice Proseco, or a bottle of Gruet (NM sparkler) for $12 - 13...

Make sure you know your crowd before you bust out the Proseco. I tried bringing it to a party of non-wino's and they looked at it like I'd picked it up at the duty free shop on the way in from Naples. Their looks said "Why's he bringing us cheap Italian champagne". I don't think most people know what Proseco actually is. Cheap champagne probably.