Wein & Co. & the Bargain Bin

Recently, I was at the Naschmarkt, getting some cooking supplies/ingredients, when I saw a big, fat red sign in the window of Wein & Co. (a chain liqueur store in Vienna) which read: 50% OFF SUMMER CLEARANCE! Which lured me in, and I'm glad it did: I got 3 interesting wines for under 20 euros. Now, unfortunately, Wein & Co. has a reputation for me...and not a very good one.

Here's why:

1) I despise chain stores.
2) This is the very place I got that quite disgusting rose mentioned in this post.
3) The prices seem overly inflated for tourists and the like.
4) Being unable to afford expensive, quality wine, I normally just stake out one or two of my tried-and-true brands sold at the grocery store where I shop.
5) Being the consummate bargain hunter, I look at price tag first.

But, being the consummate bargain hunter, I am also lured by getting something for less that sticker price. And, with 50% off nice wines, I can start to afford them! From this expedition, I found: a Portuguese wine, a California wine, and a French wine.

More to come...once they've been "taste tested"...

Hochriegl Frizzante Acht

According to the bottle, the Hochriegl Frizzante Acht is a Viennese traditon. To me, it just tasted like any other sparkling wine.

I have not had incredible luck finding good wine in Vienna. In Austria, yes. In Vienna, no. I think back to a bottle of rosé I bought from Wein & Co. the first time I was in Vienna four years ago. It was terrible...though, to be fair, it followed a very good Kékfrancos (the one mentioned in this post, though not the titular Kékfrancos) bought in Budapest and accompanied by too many Mozartkugeln. From which the inevitable happened: one of us got sick, and both of us swore off Austrian wine.

Not a fair judgment to be sure. Personally, I have enjoyed many an Austrian wine since, and will continue to do so. But, as far as prosecco goes, it's a better bet to stick with the Italian varieties. I can honestly say I've had very good sparkling wine in  Italy - and, limited by budget, it's been 100% cheap-ass prosecco. Keep this in mind, friends:

V.C.'s Rules to Follow when Purchasing a Wine in Austria:
1. Austria is great for a Grüner Veltliner, a Zweigelt or sometimes a Blaufränkisch.
2. In Vienna, you will be gouged for French wines. Instead, buy Austrian.
3. Austria is really close to Italy, so Italian wines are cheaper than French ones. But not as cheap as Austrian.
4. Always buy Italian prosecco, even if it's not on sale.
5. When given the choice between a sale-priced French wine and an Italian wine, it's your call.
6. Similar to French wines, American wines are insanely overpriced. Something you could get at Festival Foods for $5 in Wisconsin (i.e. Turning Leaf) is priced roughly at €12. Just because it's imported.
7. Cheap is fine. Cheap-ass might get you in trouble*.

*For example, stay away from anything in a 2 liter plastic bottle, no matter how appealing the price may be.

Reasons to Love Wine

OK, so, for anyone interested, I will now delineate why I love wine:

1) It gets you drunk.

2) Good wine is sooooooo yummy, I have no idea how to explain the sensation to someone who doesn't like wine. If you don't like wine, sorry, we can't be friends.

3) Grapes. I love grapes. I love raisins. I love wine. 'Nuff said. Ask my mom.

4) You can be a total snob about wine and be completely justified. Name one other aspect of life where this is appropriate. Can you?

5) Wine is grown in many wonderful regions of the world. Including Austria. I want to visit them all.

6) Food and wine go well together. I am a total foodie.

7) Wine is fine by itself. I love wine.

8) See my Facebook profile.