Cheap but good red wine

[kap]

Not much of a drinker to begin with especially with my genetically low alcohol tolerance/absorbability. Hence, I must be very careful. Four years ago, a good friend introduced me to wine drinking. I started out with TJ's Two Buck Chuck. It was all right for a short while. Then two weeks ago, an acquaintance had me tried Columbia Crest Cabernet-Merlot. That is much more pleasant for my taste. Has anyone here had this brand?

[OWC Jamie]

[freeradical]

I use two buck chuck to deglaze pans after sauteing or roasting meats. It's also okay to use for other cooking purposes, but I never drink it.

[gregmcm]

Columbia Crest is one of the premier wineries in the pacific northwest. All of their products are quite good...according to my palette ;-)

Other less expensive options are Australian reds, Syrah's. Little Penguin is a favorite - $7.00 a bottle in PA. A bit bolder than the Cab-Merlot. Another is Blackstones Merlot ($10-$13). Discovered it in 2002 and each year they've maintained their consistency. Explore, there are a lot of nice affordable wines out there.

G

[Don C]

We recently discovered Bohemian Highway wine. Don't have enough experience with it to recommend it yet, but in the setting where we were it was quite nice. Run about $6 a bottle in one store here.

[BigGuynRusty]

[quote kap]Not much of a drinker to begin with especially with my genetically low alcohol tolerance/absorbability. Wow!
Honestly, never heard of that, please explain.

BGnR

[freeradical]

[quote BigGuynRusty][quote kap]Not much of a drinker to begin with especially with my genetically low alcohol tolerance/absorbability. Wow!
Honestly, never heard of that, please explain.

BGnR
You've never heard of this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction

[kap]

[quote freeradical][quote BigGuynRusty][quote kap]Not much of a drinker to begin with especially with my genetically low alcohol tolerance/absorbability. Wow!
Honestly, never heard of that, please explain.

BGnR
You've never heard of this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction
You got it! Thanks freeradical!

[OWC Jamie]

genetic predisposition and phenotyping is Counseling 101 material.

[BigGuynRusty]

Cool!
Why drink at all then?

BGnR