but suggest you also check at the Lounge.

Enjoy!

I am so lost since my whole life/diet changed.

I happen to be a red wine girl, and I like any decent dry red myself.

You can't really go wrong with a decent champagne or other sparkling wine. Again, talk to a wine merchant.

I doubt we have anything that comes close to a wine merchant here. If you ask, and I have, they just say oh anything is fine. They are mostly just dudes in jeans selling a lot of cheap beer.

I really appreciate your help. I think a good red might be good for them. They do a lot of cooking. I no longer have anything I can cook for myself so I am totally clueless since I can test myself.

Boutique grocery stores and even Costco are good for this. That way you can get specific recommendations for your price range based on what they have in stock.

There's basically 4 different ways you can go for this occasion.

1)Champagne
This is a good way to go if you don't mind spending around $40 which is about the price break for a decent bottle. Bring it chilled so that it can be served if they have an appetizer course.

2) Port or other dessert wine
This is a good choice for people who you know are wine enthusiasts, because chances are they don't have a good stock of it, but do enjoy it when dessert is served with guests.

3 and 4 is either red or white wine. Reds are good with wine enthusiasts, but unless you know their tastes it might be hard to pick one. White wine is a safe bet. Even people who are not big on wine generally like whites. It's hard to go wrong with a decent Chardonnay. Everyone seems to like it and they aren't that expensive.

Be sure to pick something you don't mind drinking yourself, because there's a good chance they will serve it at your dinner.
Edit: Sorry, missed the part where you can't drink it on the first read.

We do not have wine in our grocery stores, only 3.2 beer, and we only have about 10 Wallmarts here and no Costco. It really is the bottom of culture here.

LOL, no problem with the edit, I really won't even be able to eat whatever she cooks but she is trying. This condition is terribly limiting.

Thanks, Port actually sounds interesting. I will check them all out. I just am totally out of my league here.

I appreciate your help.

If not, look for liquor stores that specialize in wine.

wine or liquor stores there. Any wineries nearby? I think there are wineries in pretty much every state, and they can be helpful.

I think if you kept it in the price range of no less than $9.00 - $10.00 you'd be safe. Some brands that are nationally distributed would include Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Manage a Trois, Fetzer, Beringer, Yellow Tail. Most anything in the $15 range will be good and make a stellar statement.

If you want a Sparkling Wine, consider any of the Mumm Napa Valley offerings (around $15.00). Only sparkling wine from Champagne can legally be called Champagne, and it can be pricy. But there are other sparklers that can be a good bet such as Cava (from Spain), or Cremant (any France sparkler not from the Champagne region). Prosecco, commonly associated as an Italian Sprakling wine, is gaining popularity in the U.S. as well. You may find that at Walmart.

Sparkling wine is a great choice -- it pairs with a lot of food and just has certain celebratory flair about it.

I'd suggest a price point closer to $15-$20.

There are some amazing Chilean and Argentinean wines out there, often less than what I'm suggesting. I'm personally fond of the Carmeres and the

My personal favorite for a domestic Champagne that's pretty widely available is Charles Roederer Estates, about $25/bottle. But absolutely, the sparkling wines from Italy or Spain are pretty amazing. I'm very fond of Carmeres and Tempranillos myself.

MuseRider made it clear the buying options were limited. It's unlikely they'd find your imports at Walmart

Chateau Ste. Michelle - either the Brut or Extra Dry, nice economical Columbia Valley wines, available all over the place (and by mail - https://www.ste-michelle.com/shop/michelle)

Or hit a Trader Joes or any liquor store, really and look around for sparkling wines in the $15-20 range. (or higher if you want, but it doesn't really mean better wine)

Other options are Spanish Cavas and Italian Proseccos.

If you want to do real French Champagne you need to spend at least $40 to 50.

good suggestions here...

so I like it when someone brings it.

I've never had a bad bottle of French wine. Hey, they've been making wine for over a thousand years, so you can't go wrong with a bottle of French wine. Pick a decent Bordeaux and you'll be in good shape. And you can get a decent one for under $10.

I'll stick to other countries of origin, unless I'm buying one of my favorite wines from New Mexico.

Actually, what I'm loving about this thread are the different opinions and suggestions.

So much wine, so little time.

Op. If u go American , you can never go wrong with a good Napa wine. Say at least $25-30 range or up would impress most average people. Lots of bigger stores have their picks..but go for one where someone who worked there actually put their name down. Wine ratings help too. Look for over 90

Who needs to spend $30 on a bottle of wine? Like I said, you can get a decent bottle for under $10. Besides French, there are many bargains from South America and Spain these days. And Trader Joe's has plenty of them. As long as you avoid the three buck upchuck.

a difference between "bargain wine" (good wine) and "cheap wine" (bad wine). Many of us equate price to quality - which is wrong. BUT - I think in general it does seem to be true in my humble opinion. I used to drink french white Bordeaux and you could really tell the difference between a $10-20 bottle and a $40 bottle.

Trader Joe's sells a lable La Finca which is very drinkable. They have a Malbec that's decent along with a couple of other varietals. Also, they have a couple Chiantis that sell for around $6 that I enjoy. Next time I go to TJ's I'll make a note of some of my faves and post them.

seen the youtube guy Wine Library? He is a hoot. Especially the brown bag blind tests. I saw one on cabs under $10 one time but didn't seen - but he's got one on Malbec

https://www.youtube.com/user/WineLibraryTV/search?query=brown+bag

Thanks bif !!

Usually they're pretty good - maybe a little pricier than the industrial crap - but they're usually solemnly crafted and they're local. Who can argue with supporting local?

Failing that, can you suspect they're fans of red or white? That can make a difference. Also, how much do you want to spend? $12? $25?

And it won't hurt to bring some nice cheese - maybe a smoked gouda or just a good cheddar - and some apples (granny smith) or crackers. All in all, I think you can make a good showing for under $20.

such as, where are you? What is planned for dinner? What do your friends like? My own go-tos are aggressive Sonoma Valley reds, such as Ridge's zinfandels, but I don't know if you can get them outside of the state. If you want to go foreign, Chile produces some reliable reds, and I'm fond of New Zealand whites, although some people find them flinty.