(Boone's came out with a "party punch" in a box when I was in college. Great mixer. Resulted in throwing furniture into a forested ravine in the pouring rain from the third floor of a building. Good times.)
(Sorry I ain't accultured enough to contribute to the main thrust of this here thread, but I await anxiously for someone to name a good wine that comes in a jug.)
[Bonny Doon costs here in Germany about 12$ in supermarkets and 19$ at wine merchants.]
My favorite wine from Banrock Station in Australia doesn't have a cool label, but it's good -- and the winery is active in nature preservation, as well. Their website even has awesome nature sounds to go along with it! I recommend the shiraz/cabernet.
http://www.banrockstation.com.au
Ok, so look at Covey Run, from Washington State. Not in a jug, but bottles are moderate, should they get to your local. This kind of estimation is difficult, as most of us want to spend little and get a wine that has some layers of taste sensation, and not sear our esophaguses. I did have some jug white that was drinkable lately, hah, forgot what it was. Will post back here next time I notice a decent one.
Washington State is not far away from me, here in California. Of course California has ultimo wines. I just don't have an ultimo wallet. But..you can probably get Spanish wine or italian wine cheaper than we do...
d'Artagnan -- there were two that came right after BF... Lancer's, in the ceramic bottle, and one from Portugal... the bottle was longnecked, round and squatty, with a landscape on the label... but I don't remember the name... ring a bell?
lancer's.... a piquant symbol of my aunt nan, who died at age 100 a couple of years ago. She always brought bottles of Lancer's to the Thanksgiving festivities, and we all always opened them, but as the years went by, fewer and fewer wanted a glass of Lancer's.... Now, I wouldn't mind at all having one of the jugs for the memories.
Quote:..you can probably get Spanish wine or italian wine cheaper than we do...
Sadly, what you get four five dollars in the U.S. is not the same as what you get for five dollars in Spain or Italy...
There was Mateus, Wy, also from Portugal, I believe. I'm still trying to think of another, though. Sparkling, it was. We thought we highly sophisticated when we drank it...
The hottest selling wine in the US right now is known as "Two Buck Chuck" aka "Charles Shaw". Sold only at Trader Joes, it retails for $1.99/bottle on the west coast and $2.99 on the east.
The name "Charles Shaw" came from the no longer existing winery of the same name. The name was purchased by the Bronco Group who bottles the stuff under the Charles Shaw label.
Scared to try it? I can tell you, it's not great, but it's not bad either. You can't beat it for the price. I believe there are only three varietals, Chardonnay, Cab, and Merlot. They are all soft with just a hint of the varietal.
Sadly, Ontario does not have any $2.00 wines, but our government has benevolently allowed a few bottles of Portuguese, Spanish and Italian wines to come in under $10.
I've read about Two Buck Chuck. I don't have a Trader Joe's nearby or I'd splurge on a bottle to try it...
I guess some folks drive up to Trader Joe's and fill their trucks with the stuff...
The cheapest Californian wines here cost about 3 dollars, German from 1.50 onwards = the bottle, label and cork are the only thing you pay :wink:
I live directly across the street from a Trader Joe's. Because I live in a frickin' dry town, they don't sell that stuff.
Slappy, there are dry towns in Massachusetts? I thought that only happens in the South. My condolences, dude...
Boston is still dry? You have to head on over to the packy for spirits?
Stupid blue laws.
No, Boston itself isn't dry. I actually live in a soccermomville countryish SUV populated suburb outside Boston...my town is dry. But I'm on the border of another town, so there's a liquor store about 1 mile away, and I'm pretty close to the city.
Well, that's one thing I like about the liberalness of CA, the only time you can't buy booze is from 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM. And you can get it just about anywhere, liquor store, grocery store, drugstore, 7-11....
I was in Michigan recently and went to buy some liquor at 11:45 AM on a Sunday. They took it away from me and said state law prevents them from selling it before noon. Unreal.
In Ohio the only place you can get stuff stronger than wine is at a state run liquor store. These places are a throwback in time. Nothing on the walls, just shelves lined with bottle of limited selection. The workers stare at you like you're some sort of drugged out freak while you shop. Totally bizarre.
Anyone care to comment on Ohio's stupid liquor laws?
