Wine recommendation for dinner with GF's parents

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you who actually know something about Wine would be able to give me a few recommendations. I am going to dinner with my Girlfriends parents tonight, and would like to bring something. Wine is an easy, yet appreciated item to bring. I know nothing about wine.

We are having Lemon Roasted Chicken made in a crock pot (don’t know if that matters). I live in Ontario, work close to a pretty big LCBO store so while it won’t have all wines, it does have a lot. I am looking to spend $20 or so. So what do I get? Red? White? Thanks.

2

You would probably want a relatively crisp white. A Chardonnay or a Sav Blanc, possibly a Riesling.

3

He’s probably looking for a specific brand name. As someone who almost never buys wine, I wouldn’t have any idea which of a dozen different Chardonnay’s on the shelf in front of me would be “relatively crisp”.

4

Screw that. They’ve gone through a lot of trouble to cook dinner, and presumably have picked a nice beverage (alcoholic or not) to go with it.

I think wine is a wonderful idea, but buy them something they can enjoy later, not something specifically for dinner.

I’ve been buying Tempranillos a lot lately. I like the flavor a lot - a full bodied red from Spain.

5

A brand name would be helpful, but any information will be of use. If I can go to the LCBO and tell them I am looking for “a relatively crisp white” even though I have no idea what that means, they should be able to help. Wine types are helpful as well. I really am very ignorant about wine, so any and all help would be of use. Thanks.

6

You have enough info there to talk to an employee at the LC, they are usually quite informed as to wine choices based on price, meal, etc.

7

I do, and I did. Thank you for all of the suggestions.

8

Chardonnay is a good suggestion, but I think a pinot gris (grigio) would also work. When I buy wine I try to get something with a regional designation; for California wines I look for a region within the state, i.e., Napa Valley or Sonoma County rather than just California. I know it sounds silly to assume that the wine will be better just because the grapes used to make it had the good luck to be grown in the same region, but I usually do find those wines to be better.

If you buy Italian wine, look for ‘Dinominazione d’Origine Controlata e Garantita’ (DOGC), which means the wine is regional, or if you’re buying French, look for ‘Appellation Controlee’ which means the same thing. The labels of better French wines usually also provide a narrower regional marker, for example Pouilly-Fuisse in addition to Bourgogne (Burgundy).

I think Spanish wines have a similar system of regional designations.