We will be having a potluck dinner for 25 people. I know there are many wine drinkers in this group. Can you suggest a good mix of wine, reds and whites, that we could have on hand that would satisfy our guests. This is obvously very informal - the wine doesn't have to cost a fortune, but I would like most guests to be able to find something they would enjoy. Thank you
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
The good news is that there are countless choices in good quality wines that don't cost a fortune! First, you may want to look at the Wine and Style Guide on my website (vintrinsic.com/wineandstyle). It's a bit difficult to narrow down the suggestions given all the possibilities, but here are some candidates to fill specific taste profiles. The wines I'm listing should cost $15 to $20 retail or less. I am not mentioning specific brands since you may find it frustrating to try to find them in one shop. Ideally, I would suggest you have one wine (1 - 2 bottles) from each white wine group and two wines (2 - 3 bottles apiece) from each red wine group (boost the number of bottles depending on the crowd). Open only one bottle of each wine initially as you never know which wines will be most popular, and you'll have unopened bottles to set aside for later.
STRAIGHTFORWARD DRY WHITES: Pinot Bianco & Soave (Italy), Pinot Blanc & Macon-Villages (France), Gruner Veltliner (Austria), Albarino (delicately scented, Spain)
AROMATIC WHITES: Riesling (Germany, Washington State), Sauvignon Blanc (so many good good value choices from New Zealand, Chile, Bordeaux, California), Torrontes (Argentina, a fun discovery)
RICHER, OAK-MATURED WHITES: Chardonnay (limitless choices!)
YOUTHFUL REDS, NO/LITTLE WOOD: Beaujolais-Villages & Cotes du Rhone (France), Barbera, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, basic Chianti (Italy), Garnacha (Spain)
MEDIUM/FULL-BODIED REDS, SOME BARREL-AGED: Rioja Crianza or Reserva (Spain), Cotes du Rhone-Villages (France), Malbec (Argentina), Pinot Noir (California), Shiraz & Grenache blends (Australia), Cabernet Sauvignon (again, many options in this price range from California, Chile)
I hope you have a successful and enjoyable dinner!
