Wine

[RunDownHouse]

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Tell them the clerk mentioned how it's "smooth yet complex, it tastes like [whisper] velvet panties."

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If this made me laugh at work, it will definitely make the date laugh. At you. Its almost like something out of a sitcom or an Anthony Michael Hall movie.

[JordanIB]

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I really like Rombauer Merlot, you will find some 2002 around for about $30.

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You should never really have to pay $30 for a good bottle of wine.

You can easily get for $15 what you'll get for $30.

[jon_1van]

I live in DC and there is a store called something like "wine seller (cellars?)"

It specializes in good but cheapish bottles of wine.

I might see if a store like that exists.

[jaydub]

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I really like Rombauer Merlot, you will find some 2002 around for about $30.

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You should never really have to pay $30 for a good bottle of wine.

You can easily get for $15 what you'll get for $30.

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That is wrong. I want a good french bordeaux, point me to a $15 bottle.

[djoyce003]

chicks like white generally...so that's what i'd take.....It all depends on what you want to spend.

I wouldn't take sauvignon blanc for pasta...i'd probably take a pinot grigio or a chardonnay. Belvedere Russian River Valley Chardonnay is like liquid butter and it's only about $17 a bottle...try that.

[NoRiverRats]

With Pesto you need a lighter wine, some American chardonnays will be way too heavy, too much oak, with big buttery taste. Try a dry Riesling, should go very well. Some of the best from a price-quality perspective are made in Australia, in the Clare Valley. If you really must have Chardonnay, look for an un-oaked one - wine merchant will point you in the right direction.

And to the poster who asked for a good Bordeaux around $15, look for a 2000 Chateau Grossombre, should be in that range.

[pokerdirty]

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Dinner is pasta w/ pesto

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Looks like you need a white. Just go to your local wine shop, tell him what you are having, and tell him your price range, and he should be able to help you out.

[Macedon]

If you are having pasta it is a good idea to get a light italian wine. Try a Chianti Reserve. Antinori is one of the most popular Chianti makers, but there are plenty of others.

Francis Ford Coppola also makes an excellent red wine out of California. The price is ridiculously low but the quality is very good. Try that.

If you can't find any of these bottles (which is hard to imagine), go with something from Chile or Argentina.

Concha Y Toro makes some fabulous low cost Chilean wines.
And the Shiraz wines out of Australia are excellent.

[noir]

Trust me:

Silvio Jermann, Collio, Italy


Pinot Bianco IGT Venezia Giulia
Pinot Grigio IGT Venezia Giulia

Next level and worth it:

Vintage Tunina IGT Venezia Giulia

All of the Jermann wines are excellent and those first two will work really well with pesto. The Tunina is simply a great wine.

And if it means anything to you, I'm a former wine director.

[Clarkmeister]

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You can easily get for $15 what you'll get for $30.

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This is clearly false. You can definitely get some excellent wines for under $15, but you have to be really picky. Go to winespectator.com and see what % of 90+ wines are $15 or less. It's not high.