I am looking for some suggestions of inexpensive red wines to go with
red pasta sauce and whole wheat spaghetti.

I usually add 3/4 head (6-8 cloves) of fresh minced garlic, 1/2 fresh
onion, and 2-3 tbsp of olive oil with some Prego Roasted Garlic pasta
sauce. I like to save some of the garlic until the sauce is done
because I enjoy a slight taste of raw garlic.

The wine that seems to go the best is Santa Cristina Sangiovese.
Bella Sera Sangiovese starts out okay but its aftertaste does not seem
to be able to keep up with the sauce. I have tried some cabernets:
Vina Tarapaca Maipo Valley, Mondavi Private Selection, Bealieu
Vineyard Napa Valley. The Tarapaca was good, the Mondavi was okay,
and the BV was a little bit overpowering.

Does any one have any suggestions? If you can't tell already, I am a
student on a budget and would prefer to stay under $15 per bottle.

Thanks in advance!

"Remons into Remonade" > wrote in message
om...
> I am looking for some suggestions of inexpensive red wines to go with
> red pasta sauce and whole wheat spaghetti.
>
> I usually add 3/4 head (6-8 cloves) of fresh minced garlic, 1/2 fresh
> onion, and 2-3 tbsp of olive oil with some Prego Roasted Garlic pasta
> sauce. I like to save some of the garlic until the sauce is done
> because I enjoy a slight taste of raw garlic.
>
> The wine that seems to go the best is Santa Cristina Sangiovese.
> Bella Sera Sangiovese starts out okay but its aftertaste does not seem
> to be able to keep up with the sauce. I have tried some cabernets:
> Vina Tarapaca Maipo Valley, Mondavi Private Selection, Bealieu
> Vineyard Napa Valley. The Tarapaca was good, the Mondavi was okay,
> and the BV was a little bit overpowering.
>
> Does any one have any suggestions? If you can't tell already, I am a
> student on a budget and would prefer to stay under $15 per bottle.

With Italian dishes in red sauce it's probably best to stick with red
Italian wines. There are lots of good Chiantis on the market in the under
$15 range, and Italy has had a run of at least six good, consecutive
vintages (concluding with 2000 IIRC). Trader Joe's has the 2000 Villa
Orsini for $5, and it's quite drinkable. The 1999 is a bit better, but I
think it's all gone.

Tom S

In article >, "Tom S"
> writes:

>With Italian dishes in red sauce it's probably best to stick with red
>Italian wines. There are lots of good Chiantis on the market in the under
>$15 range,

That's my general attitude, also. Although a good acidic white can do well with
tomato sauce (especially if using fresh tomatoes). But OP wants red, anyway.

If you like the Santa Christina, you might also try some other Tuscan
Sangiovese-based wines like Monte Antico. For a little more ($10-12) you can
get Chianti Classicos like San Felice or Viticcio.

Lots of folks like the Falesco Vitiano (Umbria), I have generally found it a
little soft/low-acid for tomato sauce.

Another option might be Barbera.

Some other general areas to try might include grenache-based wines from
Languedoc or Rhone valley, or possibly Spain (Borsao and Vina Alarba are 2
names to try).

Slightly unusual suggestion- try the Cline California Zinfandel or Syrah. Both
tend to have a little more acidic zip than most inexpensive CA red wines. I'd
stay away from most Cabernets or Merlots, beyond acidity issues I don't think
flavor profiles tend to match well with red sauce.


Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

(Remons into Remonade) wrote in message . com>...
> I am looking for some suggestions of inexpensive red wines to go with
> red pasta sauce and whole wheat spaghetti.
>
> Does any one have any suggestions? If you can't tell already, I am a
> student on a budget and would prefer to stay under $15 per bottle.
>
> Thanks in advance!

I've always been a fan of Barbera with red sauce. You can still find
a few in the $10-$15 range. Anything from northern Italy from 2000 or
2001 in your price range is worth trying. Some big name producers -
Corino, Parusso, Manzone - have been available in the $12-$15 range
around here (Boston), but with the decline of the dollar the days of
"cheap Italian red" are numbered. (You might also try a Dolcetto from
the same producers)

Peter

"Tom S" > wrote in message . com>...
> "Remons into Remonade" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I am looking for some suggestions of inexpensive red wines to go with
> > red pasta sauce and whole wheat spaghetti.
> >

>
>
I recommend a decent Zinfandel, not too expensive, like the Cline Ancient Vines.

Marc

Dale Williams wrote:
> In article >, "Tom S"
> > writes:
<snip>
> If you like the Santa Christina, you might also try some other Tuscan
> Sangiovese-based wines like Monte Antico. For a little more ($10-12) you can
> get Chianti Classicos like San Felice or Viticcio.
I like the Santa Cristina but it might be fun to try the (generally available
in my area) Monte Antico. Thanks for the suggestion.
<snip>
> Slightly unusual suggestion- try the Cline California Zinfandel or Syrah. Both
> tend to have a little more acidic zip than most inexpensive CA red wines. I'd
> stay away from most Cabernets or Merlots, beyond acidity issues I don't think
> flavor profiles tend to match well with red sauce.
We're having an red Italian dish tonight. Went to the cellar to get a bottle of
Santa Cristina ... and it was all gone! :-(
I was in a crisis until you and Marc Branch suggested a Zin. I have some bottles
of Cline Ancient Vines Zin going "way back" to 1997. Might be a good night to
pop a cork on one of those.

Cheers,
Dick

amnspam (Dale Williams) wrote in message >...
> In article >, "Tom S"
> > writes:
>

>
> Slightly unusual suggestion- try the Cline California Zinfandel or Syrah.
>
>
> Dale
>
> Dale Williams
> Drop "damnspam" to reply

Never tried the Cline Zinfandel before, so I tried it last night (not
with tomato sauce, but a chicken dish with tomatoes and kalamata
olives...) Very nice, not as in-your-face sweet as some Zins. And
only $8.59 at my favorite nearby wine shop! Thanks for the
suggestion!

Cherie

Hi,
try may be Terrilogio Rosso di toscana.has the same blend like the S.
Cristina plus about 10% Cabernet i think.It should not retail for more then
$10.