Vinos for my amigos!

Kyle and I are always on the hunt for a good house wine.  In my book, a house wine is one that you don’t feel bad about opening on a Tuesday night with your Junk Pizza or trotting out in front of guests.  It may not knock it out of the park, but it will not disappoint!  A solid base hit instead of a homerun, as Kyle would say!

House wines also have to have broad appeal in order to be a good “go to”.  For this reason, we tend to avoid overly oaky whites or slap you in the face, tannic reds.  I think a good house wine is like a good dinner guest: it should compliment whatever you’ve got going on in the kitchen without being too loud or opinionated!

In our house, we keep the budget at $20 or less.  It’s a little game we play!  At $50 this is an easy task, at less than $20 there is a fine line between fine wine and vinegar!
 The “paying cash” and “by the case” discounts at our local Spec’s wine store definitely help the cause.  The verdict is still out on whether we are actually saving money…we may or may not in fact drink more wine because we keep it readily available!

Our current picks include a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir that pair well with summer food and HOT Houston weather.

Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley:  This wine screams summer.  It is crisp and citrusy without being overly sweet.  I think it’s great with anything off the grill!

Calera Pinot Noir, Central Coast:  This wine is so very drinkable.  It’s definitely in the California style of pinots which to me are more fruit forward and berry-licious, but it is very subtle and just plain cool.  If this wine were a person, it would definitely be a hip young chef that runs a bad ass food truck!  FYI: Let this one breathe a bit before you enjoy!

Also, I follow this blog for good wine under $20! (The name says it all!)