Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Are you a wine person? As you can tell by my blog name, I would have considered myself a cocktail person until this summer. I do love red wine, but that is mostly in the cooler months. It just doesn’t seem as summer or warm weather appropriate to me!
Well, I have been embracing the ease and the deliciousness of wine this summer.
I have to tell you that I pretty much stopped drinking all whites except for champagne or prosecco because I thought they were all headache inducing.
I have found that really isn’t the case. I have been picking slightly more expensive wines and I really think that makes all the difference. That and that I am not picking the super sweet wines.
Here are my favorites:
Red blends
Pinot Noir
Prosecco – My favorite brand is La Marca
Pinot Grigio
Chablis – new and very surprising to me!
Rosé
Here are the places I normally shop for my wine:
Trader Joe’s – easy to navigate and the employees are so helpful
Costco – my friend recently told me to shop their wine selection and I have been pleasantly surprised!
Kroger – I know the wine shop manager and he is very helpful, plus I get fuel points with my Kroger card
Total Wine – So big that it can be overwhelming!
I am also trying to take pictures so that I remember what I like.
This was really good and recommended by the Kroger wine shop manager:
This is the famous Cheese Gal on IG recommendation and I love it – from Trader Joe’s:
This is great for a mimosa because of the screwtop from Trader Joe’s:
And, don’t sleep on the now $5 Buck Chuck ($4.99) – I thought this pinot grigio was really decent!
I think I like all Apothic wines. This one is so good and summery! I am currently saving this for the right moment!
This was really too sweet for me, but if that is what you are looking for you might enjoy it. It’s very inexpensive, too:
I used to find it very hard to spend more than $10 a bottle, but now I am up to $16! Ha!
Are you a wine drinker? Do you have any favorite brands? I’m here for the recs!
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
I love wine especially white wines. Thanks for all the great suggestions.
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Let me know if you have any for me to try! Thank you!
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I do like wine and I never pay more than $15 or $16 for a bottle! I’m the only one drinking it in our house. If my husband liked it too it might be something I’d spend more on. Good post Amy!!
xo,
Kellyann
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Same! Yeah, I am the only one, as well. Let me know if you have any I should try!
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I don’t consider myself a wine person at all. I hate the way that it makes me feel! I will spend a tiny bit more on it, just to try and see if this one will be different. The Stella Rose I mentioned is like $!2, and while I do like that and enjoy a glass occasionally, I very rarely drink any. I either forget, or I feel too full from dinner and coffee. I not really one to drink wine with a meal. My sister loves rose, but I’m not a fan of the ones I’ve tried. It looks like you’ve found some good ones that you’ve enjoyed this summer!
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Same! I do not like wine or alcohol with food so for me I like to drink it by itself. I am strictly water with food!
I love mimosas and a chilled glass of wine and usually just stop at one. If you want to, try spending a bit more like $16 and see what you think.
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I like to buy all different types/brands. Usually under $15 though. I like fruit-infused but I’ve found the alcohol content is super low in some of those so I might as well just drink juice. There’s a local winery that I used to support until I realized their wine was just bleh. It’s just sweet with no real flavor.
I love cold white wine. I do like to make spritzers with club soda or sparkling water.
Pinot grigio and sauv blanc are my go-tos.
Red wine is not my thing. I don’t know that it gives me a headache but it just makes me feel gross. I don’t like the flavor.
I do make ranch water or gin and tonics pretty often too. Basically anything with lime.
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Yeah – I don’t like the ones that have little alcohol content bc I think they are the ones that are just too sweet?
I need to play around with more spritzers.
Love pinot grigio and need to try more sauv blancs.
Lime is great! My skinny marg is very limey!
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I love wine! My favorite white is Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay. Pinot Noir is Russian River and Silver Oak for a cabernet. These are higher than $16 but I love all 3 and highly recommend trying one. We haven’t been drinking as many cocktails this summer but I do love a French 75. So refreshing! Cheers!
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I am not a big fan of Chardonnay but I do like Chablis which I have been told is unoaked and similar? Ok – maybe I will in the fall? I have wanted to try a French 75!
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This was fun to read. BIG wine fan here- love Cabs and Red Blends throughout the year except for summer (most of the time)- love a good Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand especially with seafood. Love a good buttery Chardonnay and also a fan of Roses and Sparkling Wines/Champagne 🙂
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I am trying to taste some Sauv Blancs! Good tip!
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I switch out my wines too – white during warmer months, red during colder temps.
I think Total wine is overwhelming too. We have one and I think I’ve only been there twice
I used to try to stick to around $10-12, but have found $16-18 to be worth it. At Kroger, I like to see what’s on sale and will spend more (like $18-20) if the wine is actually a $25 bottle or whatever
My TJ continues to have the Cheese girl wine and I like it.
I’m usually a Pinot Grigio girl but this summer have tried some Sauvignon Blancs. I really don’t drink many cocktails. My go to is usually wine I guess.
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Cocktails can be really high in calories. Good tip about the Kroger sales! I will do that. I am trying Sauvignon Blanc this summer and I did find that I like Pinot gris too!
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I am not a wine drinker, and, believe me, I’ve tried. I keep expecting it to taste like cranberry juice! I should just buy the cranberry juice and drink it in wine glasses! I don’t know what it is about wine that turns me off. I do like a good cocktail, though!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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Not everyone is and really I would always choose a cocktail over wine until this summer.
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I know you like to do grocery pickup. I do wine pick up at total wine in Brentwood, TN. I order it online and buy a case-usually Pinot Grigio, Sauv Blanc and Rose. A case saves 20% and lasts me about 2-3 months. Love that they bring it out and put it in my car. It also keeps me from impulse buying if I don’t go in. I used to buy one or two when I went to TJs or Publix, but doing it this way seems to save me money. My favorite Pinot is Kris. It has a green hand on the label and is around $12. Less with the case discount! I also really like Chateau St. Michelle dry reisling. It’s $9 and very good, not sweet at all.
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That is genius! I have seen the spaces for pick up. I will look for those two. If I end up knowing what I like down the road, maybe I can do pick up. Thank you! Cheers!
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I am a wine snob. and I am ok admitting it. I love a good cold crisp sauvignon blanc. Kim Crawford is not expensive and is a great sauv blanc. Justin has a good Sauv blanc too as does Rombauer. My second fave is Rombauer Zin. We belong to their Zin wine club and bottles range from $35-$75 for some reserve zinfandels. But man they are so delicious. I also love a good Pinot Noir. I dont believe you have to pay alot for good wine. But I also think some of the, best wines come from California.
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PS…I would never ever drink a sweet wine. No way to Rose. Just not my cup of wine. lol
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Rose is actually dry!
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Rosé
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I do know I love wine from Lodi, CA!
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I know rose is dry. I think it is gross, right along side any sweet wine. And who ever thought making a wine slushy was a good idea, should be jailed immediately LOL I said what I said!
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We will have to agree to disagree because I have had some good ones. I probably enjoy a bourbon one more.
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My very favorite red is by Salt of the Earth- Moscato Rubino. They make whites too, but I’ve never tried that. But the red is absolutely delicious and about $20 a bottle.
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Is that super sweet?
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I recently dusted off all the bottles in my liquor cabinet and have started on a cocktail adventure. First was a daiquiri for National Daiquiri Day. Tomorrow will be a frozen margarita for National Tequila Day!
As for wine, Tuesday is National Wine & Cheese Day. I only have two choices from what I have on hand, a tiny bottle of Stella Rosa Rosso or a regular size bottle of Francis Coppola Pinot Noir. I’ll probably go with the Stella Rosa since I’ve never had it before. I have had the Coppola wines before and they’ve always been good so I can recommend them.
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Oh, how fun! Also, it’s great to use up what you have!
I like Stella Rosa. Pinot Noir seems more fall to me, but with the right food – just right! Make sure you chill the Stella – I think?
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Nicely written with beautiful pictures. Very informative too.
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