have a question for the wine drinkers

Can someone reccomend a bottle of white and a bottle of red we can buy at a liquor store in port canaveral. We are from Canada and I always have a hard time buying wine when I am in the states because there is such a different selection. For a red I normally would get a Cab, Merlot or Pinot Noir. White, I do not like really sweet although I do enjoy a gewürztraminer. Oh - and I am looking to pay up to about $15 a bottle. Any suggestions?

Can't help with red but for white I like Pinot Grigio - Yellow Tail (usually around $10-$15) it is dry but not oaky like Chardoney

I always look for a german wine, because I know it will be slightly sweet and not too expensive... and I will love it.

I am not a red wine drinker as a rule, but I loved the Black Opal Shiraz. Bon Voyage sells it for $31 dollars, but our local wine store stocks it at $10.

Pinot Grigio is a good, dry white. you can never go wrong with Mondavi (any varital). Coppola has a good Pinot Grigio as well as Ecco Domani.

You can normally find a good selection of Robert Mondavi or Kendall Jackson

Cabernets and Merlots from $10 on up. I've found all to be acceptable.

If there is a store Called Wine & More they have a great selection. :)

If you can find Seven Daughters Red, snatch-it-up. You wont be sorry. We discovered it at a local wine tasting. It sells for around the $15 - $20 range is is a delightful Merlot blend. Google -Seven Daughters wine - for a full description. If you can't find that, then try the Coppola Red Zin.

For white, you should be able to find Clos Du Bois Sauvignon Blanc. We have found it to be the best value for the money in terms of a really enjoyable white.

If you desire to bring on a bottle of bubbly, do try the Barefoot Brut Cuv'ee. It is around the same price range but I swear it tastes like a more $$$ brand. This has now become our "new fav' for Champagne.

Good luck and have a great cruise. :)

Also, Since you sailing on the Dream, they may have a wine tasting. I believe it is around $15 pp. This would be a perfect opportunity to taste a few different wines, get great suggestions on food pairings and ask lots of questions. Just check your Fun Times to see if/when it's offered.

In addition, f you eat at the Steakhouse you can also ask to speak to the Sommelier. He/She will be able to offer a lot of good suggestions. When we sailed on the Legend, we ordered wine by the glass almost every evening with dinner. Yes it was a little pricey this way, but it did give us the opportunity to try some new wines that we may not have normally ordered by the bottle.

If you can find Seven Daughters Red, snatch-it-up. You wont be sorry. We discovered it at a local wine tasting. It sells for around the $15 - $20 range is is a delightful Merlot blend. Google -Seven Daughters wine - for a full description. If you can't find that, then try the Coppola Red Zin.

 

For white, you should be able to find Clos Du Bois Sauvignon Blanc. We have found it to be the best value for the money in terms of a really enjoyable white.

 

If you desire to bring on a bottle of bubbly, do try the Barefoot Brut Cuv'ee. It is around the same price range but I swear it tastes like a more $$$ brand. This has now become our "new fav' for Champagne.

 

 

Good luck and have a great cruise. :)

 

 

...

Agree with Clos Do Bois. Most anything from them is decent for the price.

Another cheap "champagne" I like is Freixenet sparkling wine from Spain. You can get a bottle for $15 or less, and won't be disappointed.

For reds, a decent table wine is Columbia Crest Estate Cab Sauv. You can get it for around $12. It is my utility wine.

I have lots of other recommendations, but wine is so subjective; I gag on anything by Yellowtail, while others love it. IMO, the OP should go to a knowledgeable local wine store and ask for recommendations and try it before your trip. This way, you will know. Personally, I am not going to go through all that trouble of carting wine around for a $10 bottle, so I splurge and get something great to enjoy in the MDR or steakhouse for half of what they would charge on board, if they even sold it.

I love my Cabs smoky without oaks and tannins. If you want a bargain Cab that tastes good, try Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a California wine and I've found it in all the FL ports I have sailed from. Probably around $9/bottle.

In San Diego, I buy it by the six pack for $5.40/bottle and serve it to my wine snob friends and they love it.

Another fun, delicious wine is Menage a Trois, a very smooth drinking blend.

And I agree with Optiron that Kendell Jackson is a good choice in either red or white.

I've recently become a bit partial to Rosemount Shiraz and love just about any Riesling.

Smoking Loon is good, too.

We like Rex Goliath Pinot Noir and Menage Trois Red.

I like the Sterling Wines

I love my Cabs smoky without oaks and tannins. If you want a bargain Cab that tastes good, try Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a California wine and I've found it in all the FL ports I have sailed from. Probably around $9/bottle.

 

In San Diego, I buy it by the six pack for $5.40/bottle and serve it to my wine snob friends and they love it.

 

Another fun, delicious wine is Menage a Trois, a very smooth drinking blend.

 

And I agree with Optiron that Kendell Jackson is a good choice in either red or white.

I like all the above as well, as well as Bogle, Clos du Bois and Robert Mondavi, Kendall Jackson, all around the 10-13 range where I live for any variety of wines. I like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir is my favorite red, while I do like some of the red mixes, like a shiraz/cab.

I can help with white. If you like German white wines Riesling from the line Relax is great. You have a little bit dry taste but still a little fruit essence.

Or Sauvignon Blanc which is crisp like a Pinot Grigio but has a little more bite.

Hahn for a great cabernet and Butterfield Station for a chardonnay. Can't go wrong for around ten bucks a bottle.

Can't help with red but for white I like Pinot Grigio - Yellow Tail (usually around $10-$15) it is dry but not oaky like Chardoney

And for a non-oaky Chardonnay I drink Woodbridge Chardonnay (I pay $13.99 for a 1.5L here at home, so a 750mil bottle is probably around $9 or so) I only drink white wine and usually Chardonnay so I also like Barefoot, Sutter Home and not so much Yellow Tail, but all of those brands are also good for a Pinot Grigio and another good Pinot that my sister drinks a lot is Cavet.

We like Rex Goliath Pinot Noir and Menage Trois Red.

I love, love love Menage Trois red also!!! It's a red blend...

Wow!!! Thanks for all the great suggestions. I can't wait to go buy some and try them out.

My favourite (cheap) Pinot Noirs:

Mirassou ($8 - $10)

Estancia ($11 - $13)

Cycles Gladiator ($11 - $13)

Candoni ($13 -$17)

Mirassou and Estancia are both available on Carnival ships (for about 3 times the usual price, of course;):rolleyes:).

I am not a red wine drinker as a rule, but I loved the Black Opal Shiraz. Bon Voyage sells it for $31 dollars, but our local wine store stocks it at $10.

Ditto on this one - I l-o-v-e Shiraz, and this one is really good, had a glass every night pre dinner during my last cruise. Also give The Little Penguin a try, another $10 Shiraz that is quite tasty. I'm a big fan of Rex Goliath Merlot as well.

Can't help with the white wine, sorry.

Another vote for Ménage à Trois. They have red, white and rosé varieties (all blends) and we like them all.

http://www.menageatroiswines.com/

This is a fun thread. I'm going to try some of the suggestions.

My DH is a lover of the Barefoot Chardonnay also.

I can't help with the whites. I like Barefoot Wines either the Merlot or Shiraz. They are usually about $10 and they give back to the communities. They are partnered with surfrider.org which helps reclaim beaches. Their website is http://www.barefootwine.com

You can't go wrong with anything from Sterling Vineyards or BV. I also likeMirassou Merlot.

I send the vote for Rosemount Estate Shiraz. Good wine at a good price.

Someone else mentioned it earlier, but I'll put another plug in for it:

Coppola Pinot Grigio is an excellent dry white, and the ABC liquor stores in Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach usually stock it.

For a blended red around $20 I really love their Coppola Diamond Claret, but if you're bothering to carry on wine, you should splurge a little on a nice vintage