# Grocery store wine recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** wine\ **Created:** [April 7, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097 "2007-04-07T13:35:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spiral\_Stairs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Spiral\_Stairs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiral_Stairs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/1 "2007-04-07T13:35:30Z")
I’m more of a wino than an oenophile. I enjoy wine immensely, but am pretty inarticulate when it comes to describing what I like or what I taste, and I know little about selecting a vintage or vineyard. On top of that, I rarely have the time or inclination to go to an actual wine shop and hash out a rational wine-buying decision with an expert. I buy most of my wine in the grocery store, where I always see a pretty consistent range of winemakers represented. (E.g., Jacob’s Creek; Rosemount; various animal-themed wines; G. Duboeuf; Kendall-Jackson; Bogle; Coppola …) But no one there is going to help me pick a wine. I would like to put this question to the wine afficionados: Can you recommend any consistently good wines or winemakers that I am likely to find at my local Safeway? I like virtually all red wines, especially smooth, non-tannic ones, and many dry whites. Not a fan of overt sweetness. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/2 "2007-04-07T13:41:16Z")
I find Coppola’s Classico Rosso to be a steal, usually priced $9-$11. I buy it by the case and everyone who has it remarks on how much they like it. I would try that if you can get it. Ravenswood Zinfindel is always a good buy. Can’t say I love Yellow Tail wines, but their reserve wine is usually priced $2-3 above the regular and is pretty decent (Shiraz or Pinot). Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/3 "2007-04-07T16:16:07Z")
The top 30 ‘table brands’ list was just released. You’ll probably have good luck with most of the brands on it. [See here.](http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070405005502&newsLang=en) ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/4 "2007-04-07T20:48:22Z")
I like both the Bogle and Coppola Zinfandel, and I agree with friend phungi on the Ravenswood Zin ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/5 "2007-04-07T22:40:05Z")
I like Clos du Bois for a chardonnay. I can usually get it for around $9. They do a more expensive one, but I never see it at the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/6 "2007-04-07T23:22:50Z")
Give the Black Opal Shiraz a try. it seems to be readily available and I like it much better then the Yellow Tail. Around here it’s priced at about $9.00 ---
**Author:** ![Spiral\_Stairs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Spiral\_Stairs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiral_Stairs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/7 "2007-04-07T23:59:08Z")
**Phungi** and **Longhair75** : Funny, a trip to the grocery store yesterday (before I posted this thread) resulted in a bottle of Ravenswood Zinfandel. We had it last night and enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/8 "2007-04-08T01:18:21Z")
Another raised hand for Ravenswood Zinfandel. It actually seems to have declined in price where I live, since I discovered it a few years ago. A good inexpensive wine, medium-dry, very drinkable either with food or as I prefer it: as a meal in itself. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/9 "2007-04-08T02:36:12Z")
Peter Vella’s box of Delicious Red is shockingly good for a box of wine under 10 bucks. A friend brought a box to our housewarming party and bullied us into trying it. We are never without. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2007, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/10 "2007-04-08T04:00:37Z")
I was actually about to recommend Franzia as a joke, but you say Peter Vella’s Delicious Red is actually good. I will hunt it down and try it. As much as I like wine I am on a bit of a budget, so box wines are not below me. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/11 "2007-04-09T00:12:56Z")
\ As a native of Pennsylvania, I never quite adjusted to the sight of alcoholic beverages in grocery stores and convenience stores, despite having lived in New York for four years. \ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/12 "2007-04-09T00:17:56Z")
One of my favorite grocery store wines is Gallo Hearty Burgundy. A great wine with pizza or hamburgers. Lots of flavor with no pretentions of greatness. This is wine for those days you feel like working for it. **Risha** , as a native Californian, it weirds me out whenever I visit a state that says I **can’t** buy booze at the local grocery store. How dare they! ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/13 "2007-04-09T00:27:54Z")
Never bought wine at a grocery store, or anywhere else. (Don’t like wine. So why I’m fascinated by wine threads, I’m not sure). Anyway, I was at the grocery store recently, and they had a REALLY good price on some sparkling fruit juice. Since I love that sort of stuff, I bought 6 bottles. Obviously, they look kinda like wine bottles. Cashier says “I’ll need to see your driver’s license”. I looked at him kind of funny, and reached for my wallet. Cashier “It’s a joke, I’m kidding” I roll my eyes, and keep reaching for the wallet. Cashier assures me again that he’s joking, as I dig for a card in my wallet. I explain, patiently, that I’m not looking for my driver’s license, I’m looking for my store loyalty card–and my plastic of choice to pay for the groceries. I was kind of irked with him. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/14 "2007-04-09T19:39:34Z")
[QUOTE=Spiral Stairs] I enjoy wine immensely, but am pretty inarticulate when it comes to describing what I like or what I taste, and I know little about selecting a vintage or vineyard. [/QUOTE] Describes me fairly well. I love to try different wines, have developed a sense of what I like and what I don’t like, read a lot about them, but can’t seem to describe what it is that appeals to me. I’ve been lurking in the Wine Club thread, but I really don’t have much to offer, and everything to learn. So, given that, this may be like the blind leading the blind… [QUOTE=Spiral Stairs] …where I always see a pretty consistent range of winemakers represented. (E.g., Jacob’s Creek; Rosemount; various animal-themed wines; G. Duboeuf; Kendall-Jackson; Bogle; Coppola …) But no one there is going to help me pick a wine. … I like virtually all red wines, especially smooth, non-tannic ones, and many dry whites. Not a fan of overt sweetness. [/QUOTE] Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz made Wine Spectator’s 2006 Top 100 list of exciting wines, FWIW. I’m not a real fan of their ordinary shiraz, but the Reserve is supposed to be quite a bit better, and somewhat hard to find after making the list. Peter Lehmann makes a very respectable Barossa Shiraz, don’t know if it is readily available. Okay, I’m a shameless shiraz fan. And I was very pleasantly surprised at the Ravenswood Vintner’s Reserve Shiraz; I considered it to be a great bargain and very smooth. I am a big fan of the Bogle Petit Syrah (also a great bargain), although I don’t think it qualifies as non-tannic. It has a lot of character, though. Oddly enough, in a lot of wine stores it seems to be the only Petit Syrah they have. Not that that’s a bad thing… And from the list linked by **psycat90** above: The La Crema Pinot Noir is very good and seems to be readily available in almost all of the stores I visit. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-wine-recommendations/399097/15 "2007-04-09T19:51:13Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] I like Clos du Bois for a chardonnay. [/QUOTE] Same here, comparable to the Simi but for several bucks less. Sebastiani make a nice, inexpensive cabernet. Menage a Trois, a Foie A Deux zinfandel meritage, is one many of us here have really come to appreciate and it’s just under/around the 10 buck range.