Originally they were the least-expensive wines bought in bulk and poured by-the-glass at a hefty profit margin in restaurants. Many house wines nowadays reflect pride of the chef, sommelier, or restaurateur and a commitment to quality. These wines say something about the establishment.
Do you have a “house wine” at your home? A wine on-hand, chilled and ready to pour when friends drop by. Your go-to wine? A wine of good value, reasonably priced yet still somewhat unique, special. A wine that isn’t on every supermarket shelf, but still handily available. An enjoyable wine that is equally suitable on the patio or at the dinner table paired with classic foods…
Our Current House Wine
Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc Belleruche 2009 M. Chapoutier
Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc is made predominantly from Grenache Blanc with its herbaceous, apple and pear aromas. Smaller amounts of Clairette and Bourboulenc balance the wine. The Bourboulenc grape gives Belleruche Blanc its sprightly acidity, which pairs wonderfully with salads dressed with vinaigrette and lemony seafood dishes. Grilled fish and goat cheese with sliced pears are also stellar pairings. $10.79/bottle after the 10% off on 6-bottle discount.
Braille embossed on the labels.
Established in 1808 in France’s Rhone region, Maison Chapoutier has been passed from father to son to grandson. All of their wine labels have been embossed in Braille since 1996.
Maurice de la Sizeranne (1857 – 1917) President of the Association of the Blind in France and owner of the famous La Sizeranne vineyard in Hermitage, was blind since age 9. He was the inventor of the first version of abbreviated Braille. M. Chapoutier’s trademark pays tribute to this man while making sure their wines are accessible to people who are blind. The Braille label provides the following information: M. Chapoutier, Appellation, Name of the Wine, Vintage, Color.
Wines with Signature, the expression of M. Chapoutier taste. A will to avoid developing a “typical taste” or set style. One the contrary, a permanent objective to work on differences in tastes, to bring out the specific tastes provided by each local terrior and wine. This is how we cold sum up the Chapoutier Estate quest, which has been present on the Rhone Valley since 1808.
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Try a Boutari Moshofilero white and Boutari Agiorgitiko red….both affordable and delicious (Greek of course)!
Great post. My house wine? Red is Two Buck Chuck. Really, that Shiraz, for the price, you really cannot beat it. For white we are really enjoying a Vino Verde from Portugal, Quinta de Aveleda, it’s $10 a bottle and delicious
Perfect for summer weather, my go to wine is Conundrum. It’s an exotic blend of white grapes. Lots of fruit to be a good cocktail wine but creamy enough to stand up to a summer meal of grilled swordfish. Great post, LL.
You really got me thinking about house wines now. That’s a really good point about always having it at hand – high quality, yet affordable. Thank you for sharing yours! I’m so glad I’m going wine tasting soon! Also, beautiful photos, like always.
We do in fact have house wines, and they aren’t available anywhere but at our house. That’s because we make them ourselves. I am drinking some 2009 Viognier right now!
I like your house wine selection. That is an extremely versatile wine that should make quite a few people smile when they are socializing with you and your friends.
Jason