290115 Tue Aug 20 13:05:12 -0700 2002 6 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1573299 Hi all, I need some advice on a gift. I want to give my friends a nice bottle of red wine, something in the $40 range retail. Any ideas? I know *nothing* about wine. Please help! Thanks!!! Tue Aug 20 13:05:12 -0700 2002 0 chilibug 1 1573302 Wide-open field...If you have a wine seller you trust, my best advice would be to consult with him/her. If 100 Chowhounds give you a suggestion, you'll have 100 different (albeit excellent) suggestions, with no guarantee that you can actually lay hands on a given bottle. If you go to your local wine shop, the wine's right there...you might even get a taste. Tue Aug 20 13:22:02 -0700 2002 1573299 0 GG Mora 2 1573306 You're right. Thanks for the advice. I will post on my local board (Boston) to find a good wine seller in the area. Tue Aug 20 13:34:22 -0700 2002 1573302 0 chilibug 1 1573313 I've received gifts of wine from Windsor Vineyards. I know fairly little about wine (I'm learning), but was directed to Windsor by my father. I (and every one of my dinner guests) have consistently enjoyed everything I've opened from them, and their customer service is good. Link: http://www.windsorvineyards.com/ Tue Aug 20 15:25:29 -0700 2002 1573299 0 Caviar 1 1573356 Two thoughts. You can probably find a bottle of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape for around $40 which would be appreciated. For yourself, if there's a Trader Joe's around, you can pick up a couple of bottles of Black Mountain Meritage 2000 for about $5.99 @. Not too complex but very drinkable and as such a pretty good value. Wed Aug 21 10:56:12 -0700 2002 1573299 0 mc michael 2 1573516 mc michael, I went with your suggestion for Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Got a 2000 for $34 at Wine Bottega in Boston's North End. (Store suggestion from folks on the Boston board.) Thanks! Fri Aug 23 09:46:34 -0700 2002 1573356 0 chilibug 3 1573523 There was also some talk about Columbia Crest. As far as their reds go, I've found that it's definitely worth it to pay a buck or two more for the ones with words "Grand Estates" on the label. Hope your friend likes the wine. If he knows wine, he's probably heard of it. Fri Aug 23 11:19:52 -0700 2002 1573516 0 mc michael