wine help (again)

djmom · Post by **djmom** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:03 pm

Ok, need help from the pros. I have not had good luck at all from where I have gone to shop.

We are having an Oktoberfest party next week....it is extremely silly because we don't call it Okoberfest, we call it (our last name)fest...which is a German last name and it is funny.

It was so funny, a new Korean family who moved here thought it was a real festival!

So we had it for the first time last year and we wore German outfits and our guests thought it was hilarious, we had a ball. German music, the works.

We supplied the food (brats, smoked pork loin, potato salad, etc...) dark beer and wine. And then everyone was told to bring their favorite autumn or German beer for "das giant beer tub".

But last year I had German wines, they completely and totally sucked. I had 3 kinds, 2 riesling and liebframilch (or however you spell it- I really should have tasted that ahead of time) and one red (cant remember what) and even the "dry" -ha ha -riesling tasted like syrup it was so sweet.

They were so horrible. So for this year I went to a wine shop and tried another dry rielsling that was recommended, it was too sweet. Even the red they suggested was sweet-

I am not a wine expert AT ALL, so if I say it was bad, it was BAD.

So I need suggestions of wine that would go at least "ok" with the same menu. A red and a white. I don't care if they are German. I just want them to be very drinkable. A well name (but not too well) helpful for my wine snob friends. We are having 15 families (I have lost my mind)so I need to keep the cost down. But not to the point that no one wants to drink it.

I will kill myself if I am stuck with a boat load of crappy riesling again. We don't let alcohol go to waste around here, but it took a hell of a long time to drink that.

Any help much appreciated!

djmom · Post by **djmom** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:04 pm

price- ideally $10 a bottle, would be thrilled if lower, will go up to $12-13. Prices here tend to be a little lower (maybe $1 lower) than most areas.

Heather · Post by **Heather** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:36 pm

Maybe this is cheating a little, but why not get some wines you like and cover the label with a homemade label "yourlastnamefest" 2009. I may get slammed here, but I've never found a good inexpensive German wine. Have fun, it sounds like a blast. lol re:Korean family.

theshopper3 · Post by **theshopper3** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:02 pm

djmom,

I know this may be a long shot but maybe look for "Black Tower". It is a German Wine & very popular here in Canada & our home town, which is a big German community.

It is obviosly in a black bottle. It comes in both White & Red.

WE are lucky & have the benefit I guess, of having Wine stores that can give you advise.

Gemucklikit

We have a huge Oktoberfest celebration in our city for 10 days starting Oct 9, with beer tents & the whole works.

The Shopper

cbrund1079 · Post by **cbrund1079** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:07 pm

Clos Du Bois chardonnay comes in super sized bottle around $22 for double size bottle. Chateau St Michelle Chardonnay and Kendall Jackson Chardonnay are good too and not too expensive.

promoguy · Post by **promoguy** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:52 pm

Liebfraumilch never, never, never.

Now there are some very nice rieslings and some gewurtztraumieners that although a bit on the 'sweet' side, are very good. You've got to look in the $15.00 to $18.00 range.

If you like a more dry German wine try a Mosel/Rhine wine. German reds don't quite make it.

I guess the bottom line is that German whites are a bit more on the sweet side than your chardonnays if that is what you are most used to.

Do a google for german ratings. Anything with a spatlese on the label should do you well.

promoguy · Post by **promoguy** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:55 pm

Just to add that wines from the Ruedesheim area very nice.

But remember nothing that says liebfraumilch nor as I think about it anything that says scharwartzerkatz.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:12 pm

I have done my fair share of drinking German wines at home (German father) and in Germany and all those memories make me shudder. Yuck, yuck, yuck! Too sweet.

I have had good German wines in high end restaurants and the price matched the quality.

I love the item about covering the labels with homemade ones.

For large groups, I get Citra, which is $9.99 for the big bottle in the PA stores. It is a blend (dry white) and popular with my drink-wine-only-at-a-party riends as well as the true wine-os. After two glasses, no one can tell the difference in quality.

Another option is a box-o-wine. I know, I know but I am a recent convert to Bota Chardonnay when I have a crowd. On sale, I can get it for $15 and it works get for a party, no one has to handle bottles.

djmom · Post by **djmom** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:44 pm

love the idea re. making the label. sooooo funny! got to do it! you guys are great!

and thanks for the recommendations also!

Heather · Post by **Heather** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:00 pm

oh good! Am I invited then? I live in Huntersville, although moving to Pinehurst next Monday - yikes, I spend way too much time here and too little packing!

jmq · Post by **jmq** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:08 pm

The Zeller Schwarze Katz or “black cat wine” is drier and is not that bad.

P.S. have the Korean family bring some Kimchi (yum!) and give it a fake german name!

RickG · Post by **RickG** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:29 pm

jmq wrote:P.S. have the Korean family bring some Kimchi (yum!) and give it a fake german name!

It's not Kimchi, it's Sharferkraut!

Cheers, RickG

soxfan22 · Post by **soxfan22** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:52 pm

cbrund1079 wrote:Clos Du Bois chardonnay comes in super sized bottle around $22 for double size bottle. Chateau St Michelle Chardonnay and Kendall Jackson Chardonnay are good too and not too expensive.

I would agree with all of the above (well, only in that my mother in law likes them...I am not a chard drinker)...

Also, I would suggest going with a Pinot Noir for the red (I'm not a white drinker, so can't help you there). The problem is, it will be difficult to get a decent Pinot in the $10.00 range. I probably go through a bottle/week (do I have a problem?), and usually stay in the $15.00 - $20.00 range. Oh, and for me, Pinot is very versitile...Riesling is very sweet, too sweet for me...Pinot is a fairly dry red, drier than cab...Oh, and I don't care what you say...I'm not drinkin' and *f'ing merlot!!! My favorite line from the movie "Sideways"...If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and check it out.

A few of my favorites (all pinot's):

Hangtime
Toasted Head
Sterling (cheaper...usually can be had for $13)
Cloudnine (Oregon Pinot - Oregon Pinot's are VERY nice)

Have fun - sounds like a great *festival*!!

djmom · Post by **djmom** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:38 am

Heather wrote:oh good! Am I invited then? I live in Huntersville, although moving to Pinehurst next Monday - yikes, I spend way too much time here and too little packing!

Sorry, Heather- gotta live in the neighborhood. It is the only way I can keep the numbers down and not offend my other friends.

Plus, no driving home after (my last name)fest!

Sox, if you are wondering about a bottle a week-well you better just call the guys in the white suits to come get me now.

(I like Pinot Noir too- not sure if I want to spend that on this crowd.)

loria · Post by **loria** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:48 am

anakena --a chilean sauvignon blanc (or really anyof the chilean sauv's--they are all quite drinkable and very reasonably priced)

usvi-on-line

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wine help (again)

wine help (again)