I'll answer the recent question about "house wines" via the earlier thread
on it.

Mark Lipton > in
news:<FCEgd.545824$8_6.346919@attbi_s04>...
> Hello, All. As I recently promised in another thread, I feel that
> it's time once again to find out what our various afw contributors
> are using as their everyday (house) wine. By this term, I mean
> inexpensive wine(s) that you buy by the case or half-case and
> might open with a casual meal or use for cooking. ...


More info on Larose-Trintaudon is below. But first: This is a good
question for a wine forum, I think. Here are some current wines I can
answer with. I don't quite think of them as "everyday" because they have
character, and they don't get used every day. (Also, "everyday" ought in
principle to be a good bulk or jug wine as found in Europe, I think:
something sound but simple -- and preferably well below US $10 per bottle.)

- 2001 Malbec, Dolium, Mendoza (Argentina). Red of the dark, generous
school, dark berry fruit, soft tannin. US $10.80 in August 2004 at an
importer-retailer in my region, www.france-wine.com .

- 1999 Josef Rosch Trittenheimer Apotheke Spätlese (a Mosel Riesling).
When on the market, early 2001 I think, it was on sale circa $10 at a local
importer-retailer, Dee Vine Wines of San Francisco (www.dvw.com). I got
some extra as "house Riesling" and am glad I did. Dee Vine continues to
import premium German producers such as Rosch, Loosen, Basserman-Jordan,
etc. Recently I got some of the 2003 Rosch Leiwener Klostergarten Kabinett
at $14 -- beautifully structured, versatile, full of flavor, durable. (So
maybe I will answer the same question with that wine, in 2008 or 2009.)

- Random vintages of Ch. Larose-Trintaudon from the 1990s. (At one point,
February 2004, the Trader Joe's retail chain was dumping its 1999 Ch. L-T,
first $10 a bottle, then $6. 1999 is a fairly young vintage now.)


A little more on Chteau Larose-Trintaudon, "the largest estate in the
Médoc" and a quality moderately-priced Bordeaux for decades -- the one
with the dark-red label. In case anyone missed them, re-posted below are
comments from this newsgroup (or its direct predecessor) in earlier years.
Note the trouble in spelling "Trintaudon."


Charles Hunt, 22-Apr-85:
Newsgroups: net.wines

Right now, there are dozens of fine bordeaux available ... For small
estates (called "petit chateaux"), there are many available for <= $6;
I personally recommend: La Tour de By, Fourcas Hosten, Fourcas
Dupree, Greysac, Larose Trantadon, de Pez, Ormes de Pez, Marbuzet,
Haut Marbuzet, Phelan Segur, Carbonnieux, Smith Haute Lafitte,
Plagnac, Bel-Air, ... they all have a "Chateau" before the name to
impress your friends, but are mostly really just farms.


Stephen P Pope, 28 Feb 86:
Subject: Cheap Bordeaux

I would like to add a few -- Ch. Larose Trintadoun, Ch. Le Crock,
and Ch. Potensac.


From: Charles Hunt, 3 Mar 86:
Subject: Cheap Bordeaux

I forgot about Larose Trintadon (Haut Medoc). I agree that it's an
excellent Bordeaux for a modest price (the '78 is unreal... if you
can find it).

This chateau is owned by the firm which runs Marques de Caceres
in the Rioja-Alta of Spain. The similarities in style (despite the
differing grape varieties) is not coincidence. For a fun experience
(when you have somebody over for dinner), try a side-by-side
comparison of the 1981 Marques-de-Caceres Red with a '79 or '81
Larose-Trintadon. It makes it quite evident what a real bargain the
Rioja is at only about 5 bucks per jug.

[Note: Ownership changed in 1986. -- MH 4/05]