299138 Sat Nov 06 17:40:23 -0800 2004 12 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1656027 I will be attending a wine and food tasting party next weekend. The hostess will be providing several wines to taste but is also encouraging us to bring a bottle to share. As for criteria, my friends prefer zins and syrahs rather than lighter bodied wines. I want to spend around $20-25 and I have access to several good places to purchase wine. I don't know if she has a region in mind but I don't think she'd get bent out of shape if I showed up with a bottle of wine from the region she has chosen. Usually our event starts out very structured and educational but after a while we get very goofy. Any suggestions are appreciated. Sat Nov 06 17:40:23 -0800 2004 0 Tracy L. 1 1656028 go for an amarone- the brand teschi- is good for that lower price point you mentioned Sat Nov 06 17:45:31 -0800 2004 1656027 0 doc 2 1656093 Tedeschi, particularly the Monte Olme but this is still expensive. Sun Nov 07 20:12:53 -0800 2004 1656028 0 Joe H. 1 1656037 I've always been a big fan of Bruno Nicodemi Montepulciano. Sat Nov 06 19:46:36 -0800 2004 1656027 0 David Z 2 1656039 imho..not a big flavor Sat Nov 06 20:18:45 -0800 2004 1656037 0 dpc 1 1656069 I gather you're talking reds from the zin/sirah bit and I'm a big fan of amarone so I agree with the previous post. The Bastianich family has some interesting wines out there in this price range, too. I'm fond of their Vespa (it's white) but they have a full line from Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Sun Nov 07 10:54:36 -0800 2004 1656027 0 squirrel 1 1656070 I gather you're talking reds from the zin/sirah bit and I'm a big fan of amarone so I agree with the previous post. The Bastianich family has some interesting wines out there in this price range, too. I'm fond of their Vespa (it's white) but they have a full line from Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Sun Nov 07 10:57:09 -0800 2004 1656027 0 squirrel 1 1656111 If you cannot locate an Amarone della Valpolicella in that price range, you might also consider a Ripasso. Paraphrased from the link below: Amarone is made from slightly dehydrated (air dried) grapes giving it a more concentrated structure. Ripasso di Valpolicella is literally re-passed over the lees of an Amarone or Reciota, refermenting, making the wine stronger. Both of these wines I would let breathe a minimum of 30 minutes. Chow4now, AJ Link: http://www.thewinedoctor.com/regionalguides/italy.shtml Mon Nov 08 08:43:07 -0800 2004 1656027 0 Andy Jacob 2 1656163 Thanks, I was searching for some information like this. I'll definitely bookmark this site. Mon Nov 08 15:38:12 -0800 2004 1656111 0 Tracy L. 1 1656162 Thank you, now I need to do some reading, tasting and shopping! Mon Nov 08 15:35:16 -0800 2004 1656027 0 Tracy L. 1 1656237 Italy is a whole universe of wonderful wine. It's hard to make any rec. without knowing the food or regional focus. Amarone is terrific, but a bit outside the mainstream and generally a real bruiser in terms of body and alcohol; hence, not the most versatile wine. You ought to be able to get a very good Riserva Chianti for that money which is absolutely classic Italian wine and very much a food wine as well. You might even be able to get a good Brunello - also Tuscan, but generally more expensive than Chianti. Barbera is a great food wine from the Piedmont. The great wines from there are Barolo and Barbaresco, but hard to do these days for $20. Barbera is the "everyday" wine of the region, though they too can hit $30 from a great producer. If you have a trustworthy retailer, just go and have a conversation. Tue Nov 09 14:17:27 -0800 2004 1656027 0 mrbarolo 2 1656259 Thank you for your advice. I realized it was a tall order when I made my inquiry, but I am lucky that the hostess is very flexible. The wine we bring will most likely be enjoyed after the tasting part is completed while we are enjoying our food, so focusing on one region or another might be irrelvent. Tue Nov 09 17:12:28 -0800 2004 1656237 0 Tracy L. 1 1656414 IMO, the best full-bodied rich Italian red wine you're going to get for $20 to 25 is a Valpolicella... insist on a Ripasso Classico Superiore... you should see those 3 words on the bottle. You won't get a very interesting brunello or barolo for that price range, so stick with a great Valpolicello Classico! Thu Nov 11 01:58:29 -0800 2004 1656027 0 Chicago Mike