Recommendations needed for a good supermarket bought red table wine please?

satfrat · « **on:** 18 Dec 2010, 10:06 pm »

I've got an 82 year old neighbor who drinks what she loves, 2 gallons of Carlo Rossi Rhine white wine a week. Her doctor recommended she try a glass of red wine per day. We've tried the Carlo Rossi & Gallo Burgandy along with a few other purple grape red wines and she hates them all. I don't drink wine nor do I have any knowledge of the stuff. She's so old that she can't remember the names of the red table wines that she use to actually enjoy. So I told her I'd ask the guys for recommendations that I might be able to find at Hannafords that might finally tickle her palate. She hates dry and she hates sweet,,, and that's all I've got.

Help?

Cheers,
Robin

JuanR · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Dec 2010, 10:31 pm »

La Crema ,cabernet, easy to find in any supermarket.

raindance · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Dec 2010, 10:38 pm »

Graham Beck Railroad Red.

Jazzman53 · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Dec 2010, 10:41 pm »

Pino Nior is a great light red wine and Le Crema Pino Nior is my personal favorite but kinda pricey for non-special occasions. Many less expensive Pino's are good too, though.

srb · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Dec 2010, 10:50 pm »

Quote from: Jazzman53 on 18 Dec 2010, 10:41 pm

Pino Nior is a great light red wine and Le Crema Pino Nior is my personal favorite but kinda pricey for non-special occasions. Many less expensive Pino's are good too, though.

No budget was given, just that it could be sourced at Hannafords, but based on trying the Carlo Rossi and Gallo Burgundy, I would guess cost is a factor. I also gather that the red wine is only replacing one of the daily glasses of white wine (or in addition to?), which is a good thing, because 2 gallons of wine per week is 7 glasses per day! Go Grandma!

Steve

Turk · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Dec 2010, 11:00 pm »

How about Italian Lambrusco? Slightly sweet, inexpensive, and readily available.

satfrat · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 12:04 am »

Quote from: srb on 18 Dec 2010, 10:50 pm

No budget was given, just that it could be sourced at Hannafords, but based on trying the Carlo Rossi and Gallo Burgundy, I would guess cost is a factor. I also gather that the red wine is only replacing one of the daily glasses of white wine (or in addition to?), which is a good thing, because 2 gallons of wine per week is 7 glasses per day! Go Grandma!

Steve

Cost is an issue but she's only having 1 glass of red before she gets into the white. Poor lady can't do much of anything other than have her afternoon sippy wine and 2 cartons of cigs a week. I'm really the only thing keeping her out of the nursing home. But she's great neighbor as she's always got a tv on day or night so I can crank my system 5am in the morning w/o disturbing her.

So it looks like maybe I should be looking for a Pino Nior type wine. Never heard of the stuff.

Her white wine goes for $12 a gallon. The reds I've been getting running $8-$9 a half gallon so I'm looking at around +/- $10 a bottle. I would say for her, every day is a special occasion as it's a constant stuggle for her but she's too stubborn to ask for help.

I'll be writing down all these choices and try running them by her to see if any of the names jars a brain cell or 2.

Cheers,
Robin

satfrat · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 12:20 am »

Here's a 2006 picture of Ellie when she could still stand fairly good. She couldn't go outside now w/o a wheelchair even then but she can still get around her home with a walker,,, barely.

Cheers,
Robin

newzooreview · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 12:51 am »

Quote from: satfrat on 19 Dec 2010, 12:20 am

Here's a 2006 picture of Ellie when she could still stand fairly good. She couldn't go outside now w/o a wheelchair even then but she can still get around her home with a walker,,, barely.

Try the Toasted Head Untamed Red. It's readily available in supermarkets, and it's enjoyable on its own or with a meal. It doesn't suffer from the overly oaked taste like a lot of supermarket wine such as La Crema (I've only had their Charonnay, and it's horrificly cloying). The Untamed Red is a real, honest, flavorful red, not the weird off-balance kind of nasty cheap stuff you often find at the grocery store.

It may take a few tries, though. If she's really into white wine that's a bit sweet, you could also try a big, fruit-rich red like a lot of South American Malbec's.

Here's a thought--drop by a good local wine shop and tell them what she's drinking now and maybe they can recommend a red that would be approachable for her. Try two or three, and if she finds one she likes you can buy her a case. If you don't have to live with what's available at the typical supermarket you can get some really good options in the $10/bottle range. If she does internet then she can re-order from a place like WineLibrary.com (excellent site with very very good video reviews) rather than relying on the 90% dross at the supermarket.

Good luck. Maybe you'll find something new that you like in the process!

satfrat · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 01:04 am »

She hates sweet and she hates dry wines,,, but she loves to bitch at me so she'll probably be having a field day when I do the shopping for her next wednesday.

It's the price I pay for my music (and for her too I guess).

Cheers,
Robin

davidrs · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 01:39 am »

Robin,

Why not try one of the boxed wines. Black Box usually gets good reviews, and you can find a lighter red in the offerings.

Around here they go for $15 - $20 for a 3L box (= 4 bottles). And they usually have mail-in rebates on offer, to bring the cost down for your neighbor.

Easy to use, unless she is a thumb challenged drinker!

And much better than the jugs of Rossi, though I can't say I've tried one of those since college.

-david.

low.pfile · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 01:57 am »

Cheers to Ellie!

How about Coppolo's Rosso (Table Red) She may get a kick out of it coming from the famed director's vineyard.

I see it in Safeway supermarket all the time. Many of Coppola's wines are good.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 02:06 am »

Quote

Poor lady can't do much of anything other than have her afternoon sippy wine and 2 cartons of cigs a week.

Wow....2 cartons a week....that would cost her close to $200.00 in N.Y.

Turk mentioned Lambrusco....she might like that...

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa050907.phtml

Chill a Cella...

satfrat · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 02:14 am »

Quote from: davidrs on 19 Dec 2010, 01:39 am

Robin,

Why not try one of the boxed wines. Black Box usually gets good reviews, and you can find a lighter red in the offerings.

Around here they go for $15 - $20 for a 3L box (= 4 bottles). And they usually have mail-in rebates on offer, to bring the cost down for your neighbor.

Easy to use, unless she is a thumb challenged drinker!

And much better than the jugs of Rossi, though I can't say I've tried one of those since college.

-david.

David, the fingers on Ellie's hand are bent backwards and she can hardly even make a fist. She has no strength in them and is limited with what she can handle. Opening anything is a struggle. But thanks for your suggestion.

Cheers,
Robin

satfrat · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 02:15 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 19 Dec 2010, 02:06 am

Wow....2 cartons a week....that would cost her close to $200.00 in N.Y.

Turk mentioned Lambrusco....she might like that...

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa050907.phtml

Chill a Cella...

I get her butts for her Chris, much cheaper.

A soft red wine,,,, now that sounds very promising and the price is more than right.

rodge827 · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 02:23 am »

Robin,
If you can get to a Trader Joes the Charles Shaw or 2 Buck Chuck wines are pretty good for the price.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Shaw_wine

Chris

satfrat · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 02:43 am »

Quote from: rodge827 on 19 Dec 2010, 02:23 am

Robin,
If you can get to a Trader Joes the Charles Shaw or 2 Buck Chuck wines are pretty good for the price.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Shaw_wine

Chris

While I doubt that label would be available here in Vermont supermarkets, consider it on the list Chris.

tabrink · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 03:32 am »

Black Box Cab or Mal beck for that quantity!
Black Box Cabernet is a great everyday table wine.
Award winning and very affordable.

bregez · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 03:38 am »

Quote from: satfrat on 19 Dec 2010, 02:14 am

David, the fingers on Ellie's hand are bent backwards and she can hardly even make a fist. She has no strength in them and is limited with what she can handle. Opening anything is a struggle. But thanks for your suggestion.

Cheers,
Robin

The "Franzia" line of boxed wine has a 1/4 turn valve with a 3/4" round knob. You could make an adapter for the knob (think piece of wood with a set screw) to make it easy to open. Prior to the first glass, one must punch through the perforated box and retrieve the valve, this may pose a problem. How is she pouring those gallon jugs of Carlo Rossi!!!

Tyson · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Dec 2010, 03:56 am »

If she likes dry white wine, then a good Chianti is my rec. If she likes more fruity white wines, then a Cabernet or a Merlot should work. I've had good luck with the "Black Box" boxed wine - it's 4 bottles worth for $20 or so, and it never goes bad because it uses a vacuum seal that collapses as you dispense it. Black Box isn't the pinnacle of the box wines, but it's good for the money. I like that more of the "serious" winemakers are going to the box rather than the traditional glass, for environmental reasons (plus it's cheaper!).