Recommendations for California wine please

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

taxlady

Chef Extraordinaire
Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Sep 13, 2010
Messages
32,435
Location
near Montreal, Quebec
My sister will be visiting me this coming week. She will be coming from Orange County, California. She asked what kind of wine I would like for her to bring. She doesn't know much about wine and I know next to nothing about California wines.

I would love to have some suggestions along with a bit of a description and ball park price.
 
My sister will be visiting me this coming week. She will be coming from Orange County, California. She asked what kind of wine I would like for her to bring. She doesn't know much about wine and I know next to nothing about California wines.

I would love to have some suggestions along with a bit of a description and ball park price.

You could start here. It should impress her and hopefully not empty her purse. A side benefit is the education you will get.

http://winejudging.com/medal-winners/

Do let us know how impressed she is. :angel
 
Last edited:
I don't know much about good California wines either Taxy - when I buy a bottle it's usually "Barefoot" or something similar to that. :)

I did a little search and Food and Wine listed some very nice sounding CA wines, for $20 or less. I imagine they'd be available down in SoCal where your sister is. How fun for you two that she's coming to visit!

$20 AND UNDER
2002 Cellar No. 8 ($11) Winemaker Paul Rydquist imbues this modestly priced North Coast Cabernet, made at Sonoma's historic Asti Winery, with loads of sweet black currant and vanilla oak flavors.
2004 Hahn Estates ($12) Winemaker Adam LaZarre sources two Paso Robles vineyards and one in the Santa Lucia Highlands for this chewy, generous Central Coast Cabernet. It's straightforward and juicy, with spicy hints of French oak backing the sweet black fruit.
2003 Hayman & Hill Napa Valley ($14) Dennis Hill, winemaker for Blackstone, and his winemaking partner David Hayman source great fruit from throughout California's premier wine regions for this new project. Their '03 Napa Cabernet is full of rich blackberry and spice notes.
2003 Geyser Peak Alexander Valley ($18) With 220 acres of vineyards in Sonoma's Alexander Valley, Geyser Peak winemaker Mick Schroeter can be ruthlessly selective about which grapes go into this firm, cassis-rich Cabernet. Aging in American oak barrels gives it additional notes of cedar and chocolate.
2002 Benziger Family Winery ($19) Dense black cherry flavor and green peppercorn notes define this substantial red, made from fruit sourced from low-yielding benchland and mountain Sonoma County vineyards.

The Buyer's Guide to 75 of the Best California Wines | Food & Wine
 
Last edited:
The staff at the wine store would be helpful, she could ask them for recommendations. There are oftentimes tags with stars on them explaining the flavors and how good they are.

You girls will have a blast, no matter what wines she brings! And you can always mix up some margaritas as a backup!
 
Last edited:
Thanks ladies. Yeah, I usually just drink nice tasting plonk. One of the few things I know about wine is that I don't want any merlot grapes in anything I'm going to drink.

I should have mentioned, extra points for organic wine. It also helps if it travels well, since it will have to go in her suitcase.
 
The staff at the wine store would be helpful, she could ask them for recommendations. There are oftentimes tags with stars on them explaining the flavors and how good they are.

You girls will have a blast, no matter what wines she brings! And you can always mix up some margaritas as a backup!
See, she has no idea what I like and she doesn't have time to start asking. I want to give her a list of a few wines so the chance of finding something at the first store she tries is pretty good.

Yeah, it will be great to see her. She probably won't want any alcohol. She never developed a taste for it. She will have a little on occasion.
 
Do you like red or white? My favorite is Pinot Grigio. It's a light and refreshing white wine, and I've never had a bad one from anywhere.
 
Something about great minds, Cheryl! I do like a thick, syrupy red on occasion, but they're few and far between, and with a wine newbie, it would be hard to describe and find.

Maybe Steve Kroll could weigh in, he's our wine guy.
 
Last edited:
That's my favorite too, Dawg. I don't care as much for the reds.

Do you like red or white? My favorite is Pinot Grigio. It's a light and refreshing white wine, and I've never had a bad one from anywhere.
Yes. :rolleyes: :LOL: I like pink wine too.

Do they make Pinot Grigio in Calif.? Isn't that an Italian wine? Well, I'll add it to the list since it now has two recommendations.
 
Yes. :rolleyes: :LOL: I like pink wine too.

Do they make Pinot Grigio in Calif.? Isn't that an Italian wine? Well, I'll add it to the list since it now has two recommendations.

I like this one - it's made in CA, and can be found for about $10/bottle in most CA supermarkets. :)

Pinot Grigio | Best Pinot Grigio Wine


edited - I don't know as it's "the best", that's just how the link came out. haha
 
Last edited:
Like Dawg said, maybe we can nudge Steve Kroll out of hiding for just this thread. Would not surprise me if he has a whole lot of info about California wines.

Since you don't see your sis too often, I bet you guys will have a lot of fun even if you were drinking Kool-aide. ;)

Cheryl, did you notice that the article was published in April, 2004? :ermm: I bet if any of those wines are still available they won't be sold at those prices. :LOL:
 
Oh, sheesh, CG - I never even noticed the date! Thanks for noticing that. Yeah, pretty sure those aren't today's prices! :LOL:
 
A maker from Cali, Sea Glass. Chateau St. Michelle is a little further north in Washington.
 
Thanks ladies. Yeah, I usually just drink nice tasting plonk. One of the few things I know about wine is that I don't want any merlot grapes in anything I'm going to drink.

I should have mentioned, extra points for organic wine. It also helps if it travels well, since it will have to go in her suitcase.

Plonk made me think of Rumpole of the Bailey!

Rumpole was always talking about plonk, Chateau Thames Embankment, £2-a-bottleclaret, so I set out to find an American version of Claret.

I found this Francis Coppola, Diamond Collection, 2010 Black Label Claret, not bad!

Keep in mind I know nothing about wine, I just drink what tastes good to me! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

bottle_claret.png
 
Last edited:
Plonk made me think of Rumpole of the Bailey!

Rumpole was always talking about plonk, Chateau Thames Embankment, £2-a-bottleclaret, so I set out to find an American version of Claret.

I found this Francis Coppola, Diamond Collection, 2010 Black Label Claret, not bad!

Keep in mind I know nothing about wine, I just drink what tastes good to me! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

bottle_claret.png


My brother knows Francis Coppola, and toured his winery. He thought the Coppola wines were very good.
 
Plonk made me think of Rumpole of the Bailey!

Rumpole was always talking about plonk, Chateau Thames Embankment, £2-a-bottleclaret, so I set out to find an American version of Claret.

I found this Francis Coppola, Diamond Collection, 2010 Black Label Claret, not bad!

Keep in mind I know nothing about wine, I just drink what tastes good to me! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

bottle_claret.png



I really like this wine. I've been drinking it for years. It's consistently good.
 
"Rompole of the Bailey" reminded me of something I might ask her to bring, Rompope. Stirling brought some back from California and it was very nice. I don't know if that is considered liqueur or hard liquor.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom