Save Water, Drink Wine
Anyone who knows me knows that I love wine, but that wasn't always the case -- when I met my (now) husband in 2006 I had just turned 21 and didn't drink much. As we got to know each other I discovered this worldly, older man (he was 25) drank wine. With his ex-girlfriend. A lot.
Well, if she could drink wine, I could drink wine. If they had that in common, we could have that in common. Lucky for me, we were living just outside of Dallas and it was almost time for Grapefest in Grapevine, TX. What better way to learn to love wine then by trying dozens of varietals under a big white tent with the man of your dream? Done and done - I was sold, wine was for me.
Throughout the years we've done wine tasting classes, explored Napa, and spent a lot of quality time at our local Total Wine store. We're like this (I'm crossing my fingers). Seriously though, when you have twins and no family in the area, you spend a lot of time at your house with not a lot to do. Movies/DVR and wine become your go-to date night's in. Because of this we have put together a list of our favorite wines in each price range.
I love to go to Total Wine when they put out one of their fantastic coupons - 15% off your wine purchase of six bottles or more or something similar. I am also very much in love with their new order ahead option- It gives me more time to explore the various wines and also filter for what I'm looking for (type, location, ranking, etc). And without further ado, here's what you can typically find in our carts - there is a lot of dry reds, but I have included a few whites:
Every Day Wines ($10-$20)
Weekends Wines ($20-$35)
Special Occasion Wines ($35-$50)
Splurges!
Well, if she could drink wine, I could drink wine. If they had that in common, we could have that in common. Lucky for me, we were living just outside of Dallas and it was almost time for Grapefest in Grapevine, TX. What better way to learn to love wine then by trying dozens of varietals under a big white tent with the man of your dream? Done and done - I was sold, wine was for me.
Throughout the years we've done wine tasting classes, explored Napa, and spent a lot of quality time at our local Total Wine store. We're like this (I'm crossing my fingers). Seriously though, when you have twins and no family in the area, you spend a lot of time at your house with not a lot to do. Movies/DVR and wine become your go-to date night's in. Because of this we have put together a list of our favorite wines in each price range.
I love to go to Total Wine when they put out one of their fantastic coupons - 15% off your wine purchase of six bottles or more or something similar. I am also very much in love with their new order ahead option- It gives me more time to explore the various wines and also filter for what I'm looking for (type, location, ranking, etc). And without further ado, here's what you can typically find in our carts - there is a lot of dry reds, but I have included a few whites:
Every Day Wines ($10-$20)
- Confidencial Red Blend - this baby scores a 92 from Wine Enthusiast and won our friends and family blind taste test (2019 Edition); at $11.99 +/- per bottle (North Carolina Friends, I think this is $8.99 for you!), it's a STEAL!
- Bogle Essential Red - Since I can get this in PA this is one of my go-to's for a cheap bottle that tastes great
- Kicker Kane Cabernet (Sonoma or Alexander) - Another brand I'm obsessed with, they have three or four price points and they all taste great, in fact I think their cheapest bottle scores the highest!
- Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend
- Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier
- Kim Crawford Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc
- Michael David Cabernet Freakshow
Weekends Wines ($20-$35)
- Olema Cabernet
- Decoy Zinfandel (you may be able to find this for under $20 during sales/depending on location)
- Beran Zin Sonoma
- Napa Cellars Zinfandel or Cabernet
- Treana Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles - we bought this one on a whim and fell in love. It's a new go-to for sushi nights (our favorite sushi place is a BYO - lucky us!)
Special Occasion Wines ($35-$50)
- Ridge Zin Geyserville - Ridge make a whole bunch of different varietals, including a lot of blends and we have loved each one we have tried. We received this one as a gift from a house guest and it was delicious
- Frank Family Zinfandel
Splurges!
- Frank Family Cabernet Napa - you really can't go wrong with any Frank Family, but their Cab is amazing. Absolutely Amazing. A great splurge (Typically $55 per bottle)
- Del Dotto - if you are are willing to buy directly from the winery, Del Dotto is one of our long-standing faves. They have a variety of price points (plus shipping) and you'll certainly find something that hits the spot.
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