Using
bargain wines is often preferable for occasions when it would be unwise
to to invest a large amount of money in expensive wine. Do you really
want to use top-notch red wine for making sangria or for serving up at
parties, when friends have already had enough to drink? No, I didn't
think so! Drinking Bargain Wines Blended wine is usually cheaper and a
reasonable bet in terms of drinkability. As a general rule, Chilean
blends are the cheapest option, although it's often worth paying that
little bit extra for Australian blends. In fact, a number of Australian
producers market two excellent blends at the lower end of the price
spectrum, one white and one red. The red is a blend of cabernet
sauvignon and shiraz and the white consists of semillon and chardonnay.
Buy bargain wines for these uses
Keep an eye out for these grape combinations, if you're after a
bargain! Another winner at the cheaper end of the market is Spanish
Rioja (both red and white). As Rioja is usually less fruity than the
previously mentioned blends it is generally better for serving with
food, rather than drinking on its own.
Other Uses of Bargain
Wines:
Sangria - If you're making sangria, you need red quaffing wine - and
lots of it. As sangria is made from red wine, sugar, fruit juice and
spirits, the quality of the red wine becomes largely secondary. This is
where boxed wines come into their own. Buy large boxes that are
relatively cheap - no one will notice! Be sure to purchase reasonable
quality fruit juice and don't go for the absolute cheapest wine as you
may live to regret it, the following morning!
Large Parties and
Receptions -When serving wine to a large party, cost is obviously
important.
Rules for buying bargain wines
As a rule, boxed whites are generally more palatable
than boxed reds, so if want to trim costs, anywhere, buying cheaper
white wine may be a safer option. A great way to improve boxed red wine
is to add a reasonable quality bottle of red wine. Provided that you
choose the correct bottle of red, this can make an impressive
difference to the taste. Of course, you do need some suitable decanters
or serving carafes and a little patience to pull this one off,
successfully. Finally, choose your nibbles wisely. Plain potato chips
will do little to help you disguise a poor wine.
Instead opt for a selection of cheeses, as they will enhance the flavor of even the cheapest of wines.
Since Neil Best first pondered the question, Who made the first wine anyway?
he's been recording his findings at http://www.goodglug.com Find
about your favorite wine regions, wine recipes, and speciality wines along
with how it's made and how best to store it for maximum
enjoymentneilbest@rocketmail.com
