It's Friday night and you just finished a long week of work. The desire to go out on the town has narrowly been eclipsed by changing into sweatpants and curling up on the couch for a good movie. Maybe you quickly throw a steak on the grill or pick up the phone for delivery. Either way... easy. Now what to drink? You've certainly earned a few glasses of wine but maybe this isn't the time to dust off your prized gem in the cellar. Right now you need a good, reliable, comforting glass of wine. It doesn't matter if you have a fillet on the grill or Chinese food at your doorstep, we're not looking for the ultimate pairing. This is your house, your rules, and your tried and true house wine.
A good house wine will be appropriate for a dinner party with friends, your parents are in town, or that random Tuesday night when a good friend drops by to catch up. You should be excited to pop the cork and share the bottle, but certainly not hesitant that the wine is too expensive for the occasion. The idea of house wine has probably been tainted by restaurants serving the cheapest possible wine that they can pass off and serve by the glass. I'm not saying that a house wine should be crazy expensive either though. There's a time for celebration wines that you've been saving, just like there's a time for inexpensive discovery wines that you're curious to try. This your house wine that speaks to your personality and says something about what you like to drink.
If you have ever traveled through Europe you'll know that wine prices are much cheaper than here in North America. A local taverna or bistro might only serve two wines, red or white, and that's because that's what their family has been making from their vines out back for centuries. Of course we think it's the best wine ever and the price is usually pennies compared to what we're used to paying. The family snickers at our excitement and doesn't see what all the fuss is about. We're eager to buy the wine by the barrel and show off our latest discovery to our friends. Of course, the wine isn't for sale. Why would they want to turn a profit on a hobby that's been in the family for as long as they can remember? It's not about money, it's tradition. They learned from their parents how to tend to the vines and they'll teach their kids the same. The truth is that the wine probably isn't earth shattering in the first place but how can you discount the beautiful atmosphere and people you shared it with? When the old man returns from the cellar and smiles with pride as he pours a few glasses from an unlabeled bottle of his family's hard work and tradition, that's a true house wine.
Whether hosting people at your home or even working in a restaurant, you should be proud to serve the house wine. If you wouldn't be happy drinking a glass yourself, why serve it in the first place? We're not talking about the perfect pairing, 100 pointer, epiphany wine. We're talking about a solid, everyday, go on and pour me a glass of that, kind of wine. Yes, the wine should be inexpensive, but that doesn't mean cheap or compromising. And since most of us don't have the resources or plot of land in our backyard to make the wine ourselves, that hard work comes in the form of tasting and discovery. I know, i know, it's tough work. But seriously, do your homework and try different grapes, regions and producers until you find the right one. Push your wine merchants or wholesalers to bring in exciting finds and values from around the world. Now, a $10 bottle of Bordeaux or Burgundy probably isn't the best option here because these regions are dominated by rare collectibles and some of the priciest wines you can find. Sometimes if a wine looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Try the Rhone Valley in France, or Veneto in Italy, or even Rioja in Spain where there are still a number of good values to be found. There are plenty of gems out there just waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.
We all know which wines make the cut for the cellar or wine fridge, but the guitar shaped wine rack in the living room that you accidentally won at a silent auction, now that's for your everyday house wine. Each time I open a bottle I hope that I share the same glimmer of excitement and pride that the old man in the French countryside has when he pours another bottle of his family's legacy. The one advantage that we have is that we're not tied down to just one wine. Mix it up! Change your house wine with the seasons, your mood, and even your own taste. The bottle that you enjoyed when you started learning about wine probably isn't the same as your favourite today. Those one-off prized bottles that you've been saving for years may be the best wine you've ever had, or it could disappoint. That's part of the risk with wine, and we love it. Our tried and true house wine though, never lets me down and always puts a smile on my face. Whatever the price of your house wine or wherever it comes from, just remember that life's too short to drink bad wine.
My Current Favourite House Wines
Red
2011 Delas Crozes-Hermitage, "Les Launes", Rhone Valley, France
2009 Muga Rioja Reserva, Rioja, Spain
White
2013 Alselmi San Vincenzo, Veneto, Italy
2012, Sauvignon Blanc, Henri Bourgeois, "Petit Bourgeois", Loire Valley, France
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