Another Help-with-this-List Thread: Business Dinner in Boston @Bricco

A few dollars more, but another possibility:
2020 Pinot Nero, “Red Angel of the Moon Light”, Jermann

Haven’t had it, but a generally good producer.

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2020 Montepulciano di Abruzzo Riserva, “Trinita”, Marchesi de Cordano, Abruzzo

Maybe too much wood still but not horribly overpriced.

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Kind of depends on how many bottles you will need. If just one or two, the choice is more important. If several, order two or three different, and the table will make its choice. In this situation I would put myself in the hands of the somm, or whoever their wine person is, and not lose sleep over it :slight_smile:

I have failed to make myself clear here, maybe. I like being the wine person. I am proud to be the wine chooser, and delighted when my choices land. I want to do a good job because it pleases me (and hopefully others) to do so. I would be terribly disappointed in myself if I abdicated responsibility. I’m not losing sleep, I am preparing.

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Wouldn’t it just be a lot easier to invite them to your house, roast a pig or two, and pull some wine from your cellar?

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Since it’s your team, I say get the oakiest wine on the list. If anyone likes it, fire them. :wink:

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That would be ideal, if I could get them all to come to Philadelphia! Unfortunately, as “my team,” in this case, means “the team I am on,” rather than “the team I run,” I don’t get to decide.

Just making the point that the wine person there probably knows the list, and the wines, better than anyone here.

2021 Barolo, Mauro Molino, Piemonte

Cheap, too young but good.

ouch. I’d be curious to try the Caggiano Fiano but they sure don’t give you a lot to work with on the reds. The Monsanto is good thinking. Maybe Allegrini Valpolicella if you want to bring the cost down.

I agree that 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva, Monsanto, Toscana is the clear choice. If you really must average down the cost, 2022 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, “Aida”, Marchesi de Cordano, Abruzzo is reasonable, but it would be nicer to go with 2020 Montepulciano di Abruzzo Riserva, “Trinita”, Marchesi de Cordano, Abruzzo.

Or my favorite, which is, “I always have to choose the wine, and restaurant lists make me queasy, so how about if the rest of you step up and vote to drink what you like the most.” BUT make sure that you give them a budget, because those prices are ridiculous, even mid-level.

But if you insist, the only rational choice is to follow my mother’s lead when she was given a budget to buy the food for a school cookout - throw in some of your own money to blow the budget, but tell no one, because I find nothing on the red wine list in your price range that you would like and the average wine drinker would find “good.” I mean, The Prisoner is $120.

My only pick in your range is Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, “Tre”, Brancaia, Toscana at $65, which is too young but people might like, but I have not had that blend, or the Monsanto Chianti for $84, which I had 15 years ago at the winery and it was OK, but subtract a few points for drinking it in situ.

Or you could choose the Barbera, Toso, Piemonte at $60. I know nothing about the producer or the specific wine, but Barbera usually has a soft presentation that “civilians” like. It’s the kind of thing I have ordered at bank staff dinners after an annual stockholders’ meeting when I got a similar request to be the wine-chooser and it would have looked bad to go for anything higher end.

I, the ‘wine guy of the friend group,’ who was gifted and quickly regifted the magnum of Orin Swift Abstract for my friend’s Halloween party, feel seen here

In your place, which I’ve been, other than the Monsanto, I’d buy a crowd pleasing red and personally drink the Soave Classico Foscarini by Inama.

When trying to save money on an Italian wine lists, there usually a drinkable white for a reasonable price.

Haven’t tried that particular wine, but I like the producer I like Soave.