196 replies to this topic

[zoramargolis]

I've seen it at Rodman's up on Wisconsin at Garrison.

I was there today and checked with Rodman's wine buyer. They used to carry the Chapoutier Belleruche but no longer do. His attitude was that the wine just wasn't that exciting. Although he did point out that Chapoutier is the one negociant who puts braille on the labels. The Rodman's wine guy pointed to what he thought were better, small mom-and-pop wines from Domaine Berthet-Rayne, whose 2006 Cotes du Rhone is $9.99 and 2005 Cairanne is $13.99. They also have a CNDP in the mid-twenties.

I bought a bottle of the Cairanne and will "give it a whirl" to use the famous Gary Vaynerchuk phrase, in the next few days. Across the street from Rodman's, Paul's also had these wines for $1 more. But if you tell Rick that someone is selling a wine cheaper, he'll meet the price, on pretty much anything in the store.

[bioesq]

I was there today and checked with Rodman's wine buyer. They used to carry the Chapoutier Belleruche but no longer do. His attitude was that the wine just wasn't that exciting. Although he did point out that Chapoutier is the one negociant who puts braille on the labels. The Rodman's wine guy pointed to what he thought were better, small mom-and-pop wines from Domaine Berthet-Rayne, whose 2006 Cotes du Rhone is $9.99 and 2005 Cairanne is $13.99. They also have a CNDP in the mid-twenties.

I bought a bottle of the Cairanne and will "give it a whirl" to use the famous Gary Vaynerchuk phrase, in the next few days. Across the street from Rodman's, Paul's also had these wines for $1 more. But if you tell Rick that someone is selling a wine cheaper, he'll meet the price, on pretty much anything in the store.

Many thanks for the Rodman's information. I'll try to get over there early next week and pick up a few bottles of those wines you noted unless, of course, you report back that the Cairanne wasn't a good buy.

Paul's is a remarkable place, and my dad started shopping there in the Fifties. It has become a wonderful outlet under the current owners and, while I miss the late Sonny, who was the driving force and a great character, Rick has done his father proud.

[Wine Guy 23]

BEAUJOLAIS NUVEAU DAY IS COMING!!!! GET YOUR CHEAP FRUITY PALATE IN GEAR

[Mark Slater]

The third Thursday in November is Beaujolais Nouveau day. 2007 hasn't gotten the best reviews so far.

[zoramargolis]

It's pushing the limit in this thread's title, but the 2003 Cotes du Rhone "Bellersuche" from Chapoutier is one of the most delightful reds I've had at any price in quite a long time. It drinks almost like a proper full-bodied Burgundy, with real race and class. $14.99 at Schneider's. If I had a cellar I'd buy cases of this stuff.

I found the 2005 Chapoutier Belleruche today at Wegman's Fairfax store for $10.99. Also, at the Vienna Whole Foods I found 2005 "The Hammer" a California meritage that JPW touted to me recently, for $12.99.

Oh, FYI I finally opened the the 2005 Berthet-Rayne Cairanne and thought it was excellent.

[JeffC]

Just finished a glass of the 2006 Thorn-Clark Shotfire Ridge shiraz. Excellent--rich, but not over the top. May be the best QPR I've had this year, at appx. $14 at Paul's, on Wisconsin.

[Wine Guy 23]

Just finished a glass of the 2006 Thorn-Clark Shotfire Ridge shiraz. Excellent--rich, but not over the top. May be the best QPR I've had this year, at appx. $14 at Paul's, on Wisconsin.

how a bout, smoking loon? j/k
try HOPE WINES from NSW, and W.AUS.

[zoramargolis]

Last night I opened a bottle of Cameron Hughes Lot 35 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville District. Purchased at Costco for $12.99. Apparently, due to the glut of cabernet grapes planted in Napa Valley, some high end Napa producers have been cutting back on some of their vineyard contracts. This is a grower-made wine from grapes that used to go into a high-end Napa cab. It would be extremely interesting to find out which one--Cameron Hughes is a negociant who put his label on the wine, and the wine rep who was selling it didn't know and said he wouldn't say if he did know. I know that Heitz is in Yountville, though it could be any winery in Napa, which isn't that big an area. In any case, this is a well-made wine with structure and complexity, that tastes like a MUCH more expensive wine--an excellent qpr, if you like California cabernet (and I know that there are a lot of you who do not). There's also a Lot 39 2005 Barossa Shiraz for sale for $11.99, which I haven't yet tasted, and a Spanish grenache rosé that I passed on because 100% grenache rosé invariably tastes like bubble-gum to me.

[DaveBVI]

The third Thursday in November is Beaujolais Nouveau day. 2007 hasn't gotten the best reviews so far.

I'm almost afraid to wager a guess, but I think that with the Dollar so weak vs. the Euro, some of these Jammy Gems might be MORE than $15/bottle....

[zoramargolis]

A friend just called to tell me that she had gone to Pearson's and found the Penfold's Koonunga Shiraz/Cab for $5.99 a bottle. She bought a case and got a 10% discount. She was drinking some and thought it was delicious, and plans to go back for more. Think I might mosey over there tomorrow and get me some. I usually pay more than that for wine I boil for marinades.

[legant]

Woo hoo! I just received a $100 AmEx gift card… with explicit instructions to use it towards wine or liquor. I’d like to get a half case of wine.

I’m looking for either a selection of varietals or a single wine. [Last year I splurged on the Avondale rose. It was gone – both at home and at Ace Beverage – before I knew it.]

Suggestions?

[zoramargolis]

Woo hoo! I just received a $100 AmEx gift card… with explicit instructions to use it towards wine or liquor. I’d like to get a half case of wine.

I’m looking for either a selection of varietals or a single wine. [Last year I splurged on the Avondale rose. It was gone – both at home and at Ace Beverage – before I knew it.]

Suggestions?

Why not take it over to Ace, and let Joe guide your selections? You'll get good advice and more bang for your buck as a fellow DR.com-unist.

[DPop]

Just finished a glass of the 2006 Thorn-Clark Shotfire Ridge shiraz. Excellent--rich, but not over the top. May be the best QPR I've had this year, at appx. $14 at Paul's, on Wisconsin.

Really love this wine at this price point. It's not going to knock your socks off in any way, but given some air and paired up with short ribs or the like it is a crowd pleaser.

WF has it for around $17 a bottle, which is still a helluva a bargain when you consider other undrinkable wines that go for around the same price....

[zoramargolis]

Really love this wine at this price point. It's not going to knock your socks off in any way, but given some air and paired up with short ribs or the like it is a crowd pleaser.

WF has it for around $17 a bottle, which is still a helluva a bargain when you consider other undrinkable wines that go for around the same price....

Costco is selling it for less than that--$13.99 if memory serves, which it often does not these days. But definitely less than $17. The Norton Reserve Malbec is very nice for the price at Costco, as well, if you like full-bodied, plummy red wines, as I now and again do.

[youngfood]

Mark West Pinot Noir (2006) $12 at WFs in Glover Park. Black and Red Cherry notes with a lingering finish. Hard to find drinkable pinot at this price range, but this fits the bill pretty well. Poste serves this by the glass.

[JPW]

Mark West Pinot Noir (2006) $12 at WFs in Glover Park. Black and Red Cherry notes with a lingering finish. Hard to find drinkable pinot at this price range, but this fits the bill pretty well. Poste serves this by the glass.

As does Ray's the Classics

[zoramargolis]

These days I'm enjoying the 2005 Flavium Crianza Bierzo 100% Mencia. I read about this wine region and grape in the NY Times.
http://www.nytimes.c...ing/31wine.html
Any time that Eric Asimov praises an unfamiliar wine region as exuberantly as he recommended this one, I keep an eye out. While he doesn't specifically mention this bottling, the wine is mouthfilling with dried cherry, spice and dark fruits and a hint of leather in the finish. Really nice wine with food for $9.99 at Whole Foods Tenley and Glover Park. (It was $11.99 at Magruder's.) There's a pen and ink drawing of a Renaissance dandy holding up a wine glass on a buff over gold label.

edited to add: currently on sale at Paul's in Friendship Heights for $8.99.

[jparrott]

Speaking of Mencia...Hacienda Sael "tinto mencia", D.O. Bierzo, 2007, imported by Country Vintner and the princely sum of $7.49 at the Gainesville Wegmans. Bright fruit, rich, with plenty of tannin and acid, but fine-grained. Slurpable and pretty good with food too. Impressive for the price. Unwooded. Only drawback--closed with a cork.

[JPW]

Only drawback--closed with a cork.

snob

[Waitman]

One thing I don't do as often as I should is just point and click and order a case from Wine Library. I'm sure some of the wine professionals in the crew would disapprove, but who doesn't need to have a case of "one of Portugal's hottest 90 Pt. Values" for $9/bottle, case price?

the prose in the e-mails can get a little breathless:

"The best part about it might be the price though. Wine Enthusiast lists the suggested price at $28 - We are just $17.98 per bottle on sale! That's $6 less than the next best price in the country right now!

"Big Time Vintage: The 2005 vintage as a whole for Douro Valley Reds in Portugal stands at 93-95 Points by the Wine Spectator!! This is an example of the quality of wine you can find here ... for under $18!!!

"Big Time Press: Last year, Wine Spectator scored this 92 Points. This year, the Wine Enthusiast is first to rave with a 90 Point score. From one of the top producers in Portugal, this is a steal! "

But, if you're like me and need to find a decent bottle of wine in the $10 range to go with dinner -- and aren't walking by Ace, C-W or wherever on the way home, it's a pretty nice way to lay in stocks of solid quaffing plonk at a very nice price. And, since they send out e-mails every four hours or so, it's easy to build a varied, inexpensive cellar. ("Yeah, I'm running low on RP 90 Montepulciano D'abruzzo [or, as I call it, quality spaghetti wine] 'for just$13.98 a bottle on sale!,' send me a case.")





BTW, C-W has some decent stuff if you're on their e-mail list, too, at a (sometimes substantially) higher price.

[zoramargolis]

One thing I don't do as often as I should is just point and click and order a case from Wine Library. I'm sure some of the wine professionals in the crew would disapprove, but who doesn't need to have a case of "one of Portugal's hottest 90 Pt. Values" for $9/bottle, case price?

the prose in the e-mails can get a little breathless:

"The best part about it might be the price though. Wine Enthusiast lists the suggested price at $28 - We are just $17.98 per bottle on sale! That's $6 less than the next best price in the country right now!

"Big Time Vintage: The 2005 vintage as a whole for Douro Valley Reds in Portugal stands at 93-95 Points by the Wine Spectator!! This is an example of the quality of wine you can find here ... for under $18!!!

"Big Time Press: Last year, Wine Spectator scored this 92 Points. This year, the Wine Enthusiast is first to rave with a 90 Point score. From one of the top producers in Portugal, this is a steal! "

But, if you're like me and need to find a decent bottle of wine in the $10 range to go with dinner -- and aren't walking by Ace, C-W or wherever on the way home, it's a pretty nice way to lay in stocks of solid quaffing plonk at a very nice price. And, since they send out e-mails every four hours or so, it's easy to build a varied, inexpensive cellar. ("Yeah, I'm running low on RP 90 Montepulciano D'abruzzo [or, as I call it, quality spaghetti wine] 'for just$13.98 a bottle on sale!,' send me a case.")

IMO, the biggest problem with buying bargain wine from Wine Library is that they tack on a shipping price that adds about $25 to each shipment--and that is to 6-bottle shipments as well as cases. I have gotten burned by their breathless prose, too, and ended up buying futures of a 2005 Cotes de Blaye that I've since seen at MacArthur for considerably cheaper than I ended up paying for 6 bottles when the shipping costs are factored in. And I don't love it. So, caveat emptor is the watchword. I have vowed only to buy when they have free shipping deals.

[Waitman]

IMO, the biggest problem with buying bargain wine from Wine Library is that they tack on a shipping price that adds about $25 to each shipment--and that is to 6-bottle shipments as well as cases. I have gotten burned by their breathless prose, too, and ended up buying futures of a 2005 Cotes de Blaye that I've since seen at MacArthur for considerably cheaper than I ended up paying for 6 bottles when the shipping costs are factored in. And I don't love it. So, caveat emptor is the watchword. I have vowed only to buy when they have free shipping deals.

Yeah -- shipping is key, and case discounts can vary. I also tend to Google their offers to see what the competition is offering.

[cjsadler]

One thing I don't do as often as I should is just point and click and order a case from Wine Library. I'm sure some of the wine professionals in the crew would disapprove, but who doesn't need to have a case of "one of Portugal's hottest 90 Pt. Values" for $9/bottle, case price?

You don't even have to order a case to get free shipping and the same price. I wish you wouldn't have reminded me about that link, as I just ordered up a few bottles of the muscadet that's on offer today (I have no place to store any more wine).

[Waitman]

You don't even have to order a case to get free shipping and the same price. I wish you wouldn't have reminded me about that link, as I just ordered up a few bottles of the muscadet that's on offer today (I have no place to store any more wine).

I will come to your house and help you clear storage space.

[mdt]

One thing I don't do as often as I should is just point and click and order a case from Wine Library. I'm sure some of the wine professionals in the crew would disapprove, but who doesn't need to have a case of "one of Portugal's hottest 90 Pt. Values" for $9/bottle, case price?

the prose in the e-mails can get a little breathless:

"The best part about it might be the price though. Wine Enthusiast lists the suggested price at $28 - We are just $17.98 per bottle on sale! That's $6 less than the next best price in the country right now!

"Big Time Vintage: The 2005 vintage as a whole for Douro Valley Reds in Portugal stands at 93-95 Points by the Wine Spectator!! This is an example of the quality of wine you can find here ... for under $18!!!

"Big Time Press: Last year, Wine Spectator scored this 92 Points. This year, the Wine Enthusiast is first to rave with a 90 Point score. From one of the top producers in Portugal, this is a steal! "

But, if you're like me and need to find a decent bottle of wine in the $10 range to go with dinner -- and aren't walking by Ace, C-W or wherever on the way home, it's a pretty nice way to lay in stocks of solid quaffing plonk at a very nice price. And, since they send out e-mails every four hours or so, it's easy to build a varied, inexpensive cellar. ("Yeah, I'm running low on RP 90 Montepulciano D'abruzzo [or, as I call it, quality spaghetti wine] 'for just$13.98 a bottle on sale!,' send me a case.")





BTW, C-W has some decent stuff if you're on their e-mail list, too, at a (sometimes substantially) higher price.

I use the email list from Arrowine for the same thing. Just picked up a case of 2005 Château Chabiran for $11/btl. It is drinking quite nicely right now too.

[zoramargolis]

I use the email list from Arrowine for the same thing. Just picked up a case of 2005 Château Chabiran for $11/btl. It is drinking quite nicely right now too.

I've gotten some great deals from the Arrowine e-mail program.

Also, Rick at Paul's in Friendship Heights has told me that he'll try to match the price at Wine Library for wine he's able to get.

[zoramargolis]

On sale at Whole Foods Tenleytown today:
$3.99 ("regular price $9.99")
2004 Domaine Calvel Corbieres Cuvee Pascal
45% Carignan 30% Syrah 20% Grenache 5% Mourvedre
Simple flavors of dark berry fruit, soft tannins, low acidity
Nothing fabulous, but was perfectly adequate with spaghetti.
At that price--a decent wine for everyday drinking, a party or for cooking.

[Bimbo]

Winelibrary.com is doing a free shipping deal on 100 or so wines, until 9 AM Monday. Since I'm not well-versed in wine (I just drink it and hope it's good) I don't know if any of the ones that are $15 or less are decent, but thought I'd mention it.

[Waitman]

It's not a bad idea to be on the Calvert-Woodley e-mail list. There are a lot of things like "end of bin" sales where you get premium wines for a third to half of their former prices, as well as notification of their regular sales which range from mundane to exceptional.

But, the reason for posting today is their sale on eight "must tries" culled from a Robert Parker list of 85 wines under $25. I think I might pick up a bottle or three of the Bobby Parker (who is also a badass bluesman, by the way) 89 point Picpoul de Pinet 'cause it's only $6.99 and 'cause it's a cool name to say.

But, the real reason I'm posting is alert all you outdoorspersons to the "camper's special" Alain Jaume et Fils Cotes du Rhone reserve wine-in-a-box: $33.99 for three liters and perfect for state parks, rock festivals and other places where glass would be inconvenient and/or attract the attention of the authorities. I expect to be the only swell at the “Pickin’ in Parsons” Celebration this weekend to be sipping a Bobby Parker 90 from their tin cup, next to the campfire. I will post a report.

[youngfood]

I think I might pick up a bottle or three of the Bobby Parker (who is also a badass bluesman, by the way) 89 point Picpoul de Pinet 'cause it's only $6.99 and 'cause it's a cool name to say.

I love that bottle! Have been drinking it all summer long with my crabcakes and other shellfish. Whole Foods has been listing it around $7.99 most of the summer and I think it's probably my favorite under $8 bottle, and one of my favorite summer whites period. Reminds me of Muscadet, but I gather Picpoul is the grape

[zoramargolis]

For pinot noir fans on a budget, I can recommend Costco's 2008 Kirkland Russian River Pinot Noir (100% Sonoma County grapes). At $13 price point, you are unlikely to find much with this much finesse, complexity and structure. Yeah, you might not want to put a bottle with a Kirkland label on the table at a dinner party, but for every day drinking this is a no-brainer. It just appeared at the Pentagon City Costco (wasn't there last week), and I'm going to go back for more.

[cjsadler]

Some of you know of Steve Edmunds and the excellent Edmunds St. John winery, noted for syrah and red and white Rhone blends. He makes wine in a more elegant style, using virtually no new wood, a lot of 500L barrels (larger than the fashionable 225 and 300L most of the modernistes use), etc. I've been drinking his syrahs and blends since the 1993 vintage, and aside from his occasional forays into pinot gris, any Edmunds St. John wine at a decent price is a near-automatic buy.

Unfortunately, the Pax-heads of the world (goop! wood! now!) have relegated classicists like Edmunds too close to the scrap-heap for comfort. For that and other reasons, Steve has chosen to declassify his 2002 syrah (from four top-notch vineyards--Durell, Bassetti, Parmalee-Hill, and Wylie-Fenaughty) and bottle it all as one blend--"The Shadow." Those single-vineyard bottlings go for $40 and up at retail these days. This is less. Much less. Much much less.

"The Shadow" is drinking nicely right now. Wish I still had a couple more bottles left, but I think that was the last one.

[JPW]

"The Shadow" is drinking nicely right now. Wish I still had a couple more bottles left, but I think that was the last one.

Really? I drained my last couple of bottles some time last winter and thought that they were pretty much on their last legs.

[DonRocks]

Looking for an inexpensive wine find? Here's an awesome one: Click!

I just picked up my mixed case - for $99.98 - and am loving the 2006 Rouge. Ed Addis is my favorite local importer right now, and if the whites and roses are even remotely of this quality, I've got myself 12 terrific bottles of wine for less than $8.50 a bottle!

Call Cecile's sooner, rather than later. Ask for Carrie, and tell her Don Rockwell sent you (she knows who I am, and she's working tonight). There's nothing in this for me at all other than sharing a great deal that I stumbled across today.

Cheers,
Rocks.

[mdt]

Some here.

[Sthitch]

2006 Domaine Sainte-Eugenie Corbieres another delicious Bobby Kacher wine - how on earth does he make money selling such wines so cheap? The Reserve is only a dollar or two more and out of this world.

[cjsadler]

2006 Domaine Sainte-Eugenie Corbieres another delicious Bobby Kacher wine - how on earth does he make money selling such wines so cheap? The Reserve is only a dollar or two more and out of this world.

Love those two wines-- total steals.

[zoramargolis]

Good stuff tomorrow--from Arrowine's email today:

Saturday Door-Buster Sale: Don't Miss This!

2007 Chapelle St. Arnoux Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes
Reg. $9.99
Door Buster Sale price: Only $7.99 per bottle by the case (12)
(Sale price on solid cases only. No further discounts.)
Sale is Saturday only while supplies last (80 cases available)
In store sales only (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders)

This old vine ("Vieilles Vignes") Cotes du Rhone cuvee is a blend of 80% grenache, 15% syrah, and 5% mourvèdre.

[ol_ironstomach]

One of the pairings Volt is currently using is a darkly fruity 2007 Cesanese del Piglio, from Cantine Volpetti. 100% Cesanese, a grape I'm not familiar with but which apparently is peculiar to the region outside of Rome and may be an ancient native varietal. Many of the online reviews for other Cesanese wines note an initial unpleasant funk, but we didn't experience that with this particular wine even though it was poured from the bottle. Aged in French barriques (no indication of old vs new), but it didn't strike me as a barrique bomb. Not structured for aging, but drinking great right now. Online sources indicate $10-12/btl.

The importer is Springfield-based Siema Wines, again whom I know little about.

[jparrott]

Hmmboy in the Eve thread.

And your local store, facing competition from Total Wine and the web, is likely working on a 20-25% mark up, not the 60+% you claim .

I'd love to know where this "local store" is that is working on a 20-25% markup.

[ol_ironstomach]

It's a bit over the price ceiling for this thread, but I have to give a shout out to the 2009 Gunderloch "Diva" Riesling Spätlese (imported by Rudi Wiest) that we drank by the glass at Town House, a $17 bottle that has no business being this freaking delicious right now. No idea how much is attributable to the 2009 vintage and how much to the skilled hands of winemaker Fritz Hasselbach, but I'd down cases of this at that price. Handily trumps the bargain St Urbans-Hof I've had, although I haven't tried the latter's '09 yet.

[zoramargolis]

Every bottle of wine at the new Georgetown Safeway (I know, I know) is on sale for 30% off. If you buy 6 bottles (mix and match with anything on the shelves) you get an additional 10% off. Mostly typical supermarket plonk, naturally, but also a fair number of gems in among them, and a glassed-in cellar room that I didn't even go in. I got a Felino Viña Cobos malbec, a Ch. Pesquie Terrases CDR and a couple of other goodies, then filled out the 6-pack with a couple of cooking wines for $6 a bottle and got 40% off the lot, which made the good bottles real deals.

[goodeats]

Every bottle of wine at the new Georgetown Safeway (I know, I know) is on sale for 30% off. If you buy 6 bottles (mix and match with anything on the shelves) you get an additional 10% off. Mostly typical supermarket plonk, naturally, but also a fair number of gems in among them, and a glassed-in cellar room that I didn't even go in. I got a Felino Viña Cobos malbec, a Ch. Pesquie Terrases CDR and a couple of other goodies, then filled out the 6-pack with a couple of cooking wines for $6 a bottle and got 40% off the lot, which made the good bottles real deals.

This is probably running at all the Safeways, as I came across the same bargain at the Safeway across from Pupatella at George Mason Drive & Wilson Blvd. (stopped by after a really wonderful dinner with the little man at Pupatella). Sorry to digress, but it was nice to finally try a Norton grape red wine (Horton) for a mere $10.5 after the 30% sale, so, yes, there are definite gems. I think I might go back and try Zora's suggestions. (Any other reds you'd recommend, Zora?)

[zoramargolis]

This is probably running at all the Safeways, as I came across the same bargain at the Safeway across from Pupatella at George Mason Drive & Wilson Blvd. (stopped by after a really wonderful dinner with the little man at Pupatella). Sorry to digress, but it was nice to finally try a Norton grape red wine (Horton) for a mere $10.5 after the 30% sale, so, yes, there are definite gems. I think I might go back and try Zora's suggestions. (Any other reds you'd recommend, Zora?)

You are right about the sale being at all Safeways that sell wine, but my small neighborhood store has minimal shelf space devoted to wine, and the new humongous Georgetown Safeway has a very large section, and also, apparently, has given the department managers of the wine and cheese shops the ability to bring in products that aren't found in typical Safeways. A few unexpected ones that caught my eye that I didn't buy (that I can remember) were Two Hands Gnarly Dudes, D'Arenberg shiraz-viognier, Kermit Lynch cotes-du-rhone. For under-$15 I also bought Cono Sur (Chile) Vision single vyd pinot noir, Celler Capçanis (Spain) Mas Donis. I also saw Susanna Balbo (Argentina) crios malbec, which is reliably good. Sorry, there were many good bottles there among the dross, but the old short-term memory ain't so great anymore.

[Barbara]

Every bottle of wine at the new Georgetown Safeway (I know, I know) is on sale for 30% off. If you buy 6 bottles (mix and match with anything on the shelves) you get an additional 10% off. Mostly typical supermarket plonk, naturally, but also a fair number of gems in among them, and a glassed-in cellar room that I didn't even go in. I got a Felino Viña Cobos malbec

Zora, do you know how much you paid for this? I went up to my local Safeway today and looked at the wine. I didn't see anything special at all--just the usual ocean of Yellow Tail and Barefoot--and thought that the original prices might have been a bit high. So, on the way home, I stopped at AB Liquors and checked out some prices. Yup, the original prices were higher on some things than at the liquor store.

The sale lasts until March 1; so, there is plenty of time to get to Georgetown to look for bargains.

[zoramargolis]

[/b]
Zora, do you know how much you paid for this? I went up to my local Safeway today and looked at the wine. I didn't see anything special at all--just the usual ocean of Yellow Tail and Barefoot--and thought that the original prices might have been a bit high. So, on the way home, I stopped at AB Liquors and checked out some prices. Yup, the original prices were higher on some things than at the liquor store.

The sale lasts until March 1; so, there is plenty of time to get to Georgetown to look for bargains.

I can't recall the price of the malbec after the 40% discount--I just know that I've paid closer to $20 for that wine at MacArthur. And you are right about Safeway's base price being higher than other places--they use the "suggested retail" and then discount from there. Many other places just put a lower price on the bottle from the git-go.

[Barbara]

The first wine dinner Dame Edna and I ever attended was at Corduroy back in 2005 (?). We missed out by a hair attending the first big blow-out DR.com tasting dinner at Restaurant Eve, so this was our compensation. The wines were provided by R. Stuart & Co. and an Irish lady was in attendance as their representative. She talked about how they came up with the name "Big Fire," but I can't remember the details of that. We found the wines just lovely, of course, and paired with Tom Power's food just wonderfully. However, we choked on the price list that was handed out after dinner was over. Way over what we would normally pay for wine.

Fast forward to 2011 and what do I see at my local Harris Teeter? "Big Fire" Pinot Noir from Oregon, on sale for around $18--with a screwtop, no less. I bought a couple of bottles and went home and Googled the company. From their website, I deduced that they were, indeed, the same company who supplied the wines at that dinner and that the Irish lady is named "Trish" which also rings some bells. So, when I went to the Georgetown Safeway to get some Fellino Malbec in their sale, I was equally surprised to see the Big Fire Pinot Noir also there.

The Safeway had been out of the Fellino for a couple of weeks , but I was still able to find some really good deals. I wound up paying around 12-13 bucks for the Big Fire and am thinking it would be worth my while to rent a Zip car and buy a year's worth of wine before the sale ends on March 2.

My question for the wine geeks among us: how does a small, seemingly exclusive, winery start producing wines that show up in supermarkets (although NOT the Safeway on Columbia Road)? Not that I'm ungrateful, you understand, just curious. BTW, the Georgetown Safeway has Henckel Trocken for about 8 bucks and change. This is what we served at our wedding and paid around $11 per bottle after buying a case in 1990. Call me a troglodyte, but I have always just loved that stuff. And, for under $9 a bottle, I will gladly buy out the entire production--except that I have no place to store it.