The Wine Thread

Eyashusa_sl said:

You could do this at almost any restaurant. I don't think Italian restaurants necessarily carry a higher level of house wine.

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That's true. I've never thought about ordering wine at anything other than Italian restaurants, though. Do people really order wine at places like TGI Friday's, Red Lobster, and Buffalo Wild Wings?

*Edit* Although, thinking about it, I don't think most places like the ones mention above actually have "house" wines. They just have a small selection of cheapo brands that you can find everywhere. Every Italian place I've eaten at has had a special house wine that you most likely won't find outside that restaurant (and which is usually a blend).

That specific list of restaurants aren't particularly in the same category as an "Italian Restaurant". Atleast not in regards to my patronship.

Even olive garden is a bit more "upscale" than the ones you've listed.

I'd imagine any restaurant mid-tier (olive garden) and up would be a decent wine place regardless of it's genre.

I've ordered plenty of glasses of wine at mid-tier+ burger spots (especially if I'm getting something with aged cheese and/or mushrooms) **Usually a Pinot Noir house selection at this particular spot**

Edit: Red Lobster is bottom-mid-tier out here, and serve somewhat decent wines, selection probably varies due to franchise region.

French restaurant. House wine
Italian restaurant. House wine
Seafood restaurant. House wine
Burger place. Beer or Whiskey (I prefer Rye with my burgers)
American Bistro (think Tavern style). House wine
Mexican restaurant. Spicy margarita
Asian cuisine. Sake or specialty fruit smoothie/tea drinks
Indian restaurant. Water, just give me water please
One of those shitty chains Vitality mentioned. Whatever is on special, cuz you're obviously slumming it

Khane_sl said:

French restaurant. House wine
Italian restaurant. House wine
Seafood restaurant. House wine
Burger place. Beer or Whiskey (I prefer Rye with my burgers)
American Bistro (think Tavern style). House wine
Mexican restaurant. Spicy margarita
Asian cuisine. Sake or specialty fruit smoothie/tea drinks
Indian restaurant. Water, just give me water please
One of those shitty chains Vitality mentioned. Whatever is on special, cuz you're obviously slumming it

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I agree with this list.

+nets for the Indian remark (can't +nets you, would if I could)

I live directly across the street from a Chili's, so I often find myself catching a healthy buzz there. I constantly see people ordering wine, both for their table and while seated at the bar.

Chili's is basically the only chain like that (tavern style, mass produced. So 99, Ruby Tuesday, Applebee's, etc) that has food that is even close to edible. It's the best of the shitty bunch.

Hey I never said anything about food. I just go there to get bombed, watch sports and have awkward conversations with the regulars. I can walk home afterwards.

The tannic acid flavor shit always bothered me in wine, I'm not a cork sniffer by any means, but the merlot grape is smooth and has very little tannic crap. My go to is this : smooth and tasty, although all red wines taste the same to me, i can notice a high tannic content, this one does not have much.



Edit, it's not the grape. It's an additive, my bad.

There was a bar I used to go to where this 60 year old dude had a little desk lamp he brought and would plug it in at the bar and read a book while drinking red wine

i guess the preconceived notion of drinking wine instead of beer gives you cred, Hipsters, hipster everywhere. My self i just enjoy the bouquet of a good mild red. Shits the day after included.

I don't think hipsters drink wine. Well I guess they do but they opt for mead instead of grape wine.

Personally I like wine with dinner because the only beers I drink are IPA and they fill me up and expand me out too much that I feel uncomfortable after dinner.

Real hipsters drink scotch.

Vitality_sl said:

Real hipsters drink scotch.

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Scotch, wine and craft beer are all on the hipsters liquor store list

Azeth_sl said:

Scotch, wine and craft beer are all on the liquor list of anyone with even a modicum of good taste

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Fixed that. But I thought hipsters drank PBR, not craft beer. Pretty sure hipsters drink PBR.

Lack of comments about wine here! I am really getting into the hobby (habit) and have built my cellar up to ~ 150bottles. Huge fan of Pinot Noir (CA, Burgundy, Oregon... in that order most of the time but have a few Grand Cru Burgundies set down for a few years), Nebbiolo (Barbaresco, Barolo) and love me some Sangiovese (Brunello, Chianti, etc).

If you know what style you like I can usually give you a good recommendation in each price range, but beware some varietals suck at reasonable prices. Probably much more red than white in general, whites are pretty meh outside of Chardonay.

If you want a drinkable wine that doesn't break the bank, my go to is an Old Vine Zinfindel from Lodi or Dry Creek areas. If it is hot try and find a Provance (Dry) Rose, preferably from Tavel.

I find the best value for wines is Costco, they have great buyers and some really good wines at reasonable prices.

Pinot is awesome, the problem is it doesn't usually show well under 25-30$. Try a Siduri Sonoma County at ~ 22-24$, that is the best value expression of what Pinot can be. You can also look for a Borgogne but that is going to be a crapshoot.

Start with a good wine then breakout the cheapshit stuff when you are too buzzed to tell the difference.