Inexpensive wines at Coop, Denner etc.

Food & Drink, Events and Entertainment
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I love Primitivo. The grape may be similar but the product is worlds apart.

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re UC Davis did a genetic study and confirmed that zinfandel is primitivo; They aren't cousins as is commonly thought. I think the significant differences in the finished products accentuate old vs new world winemaking.

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The nature of wines depends on various factors as the sort of grapes, the ground (terroir), the methods employed, etc. No, it is not old vs new world. Many "new world" wines are rather heavier and stronger than their origins in the "old world". The point is that if you take a particular sort of wine to another world region the outcome will be different even if you use the same procedures as at home, due to terroir, climate and other factors. This is what Mr Zumoberhaus in San Francisco tried to explain to me. Sorry that I did not understand all things in question, as his knowledge and experience was ways above mine.

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I over the years had the opportunity to talk with winegrowers, and not just once but fairly often, when thanking them for the information they thank(ed) me for my input to them. I know quite a lot, but still I am not an expert, and sometimes even realize to have been wrong on this or that. I for example never expected Primitivo and Zinfandel to be related. But I am not surprised at all. It just confirms things I in the past found sounding exotic.

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re all zin under $10 is a disaster, probably due to the aforementioned labor involvement. The grape bunches ripen unevenly and it takes a lot of fiddling to get only the grapes which are ready. I'd speculate that corners are cut on the low-priced stuff. Under $10, Italian primitivo seems to pull ahead although it's still not great. Both become pretty good and much more consistent at $14 or so.

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A) Primitivo : I often got Primitivo wines for less than CHF 6.-- and they were delicious. It does not depend on the price, but on a variety of other factors

B) Zinfandel : the problem with all relatively sweet wines is the storage. I once on holidays had a Zinfandel in MyrtleBeach and found it too sweet for my taste but excellent in regard to fruitiness. So that I doubt whether Zinfandel imported into Europe is handled the right way.

C) Zinfandel and those sweet Mosel wines are successful marketwise. So that there quite obviously is a rich market for that stuff.

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So, just as I said somewhere above, wine always is subject to personal taste and that tastes differ to me is a nice thing. How boring would it be if everybody loved the same !

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Dôle, which is is a blend of mainly Pinot Noir and Gamay - if you are looking for red wine, and if you mean Swiss, try! It's made in Valais. There are a few kinds of them, find the one you like more! Enjoy!

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In the US, there is Zinfandel and White Zinfandel. Zinfandel is identical to Primitivo. Of course, different wineries have their own style, so there may be a large difference between a Sicilian Primitivo and a CA Zin...but I love them both. However, a CA White Zinfandel is a pink, sweet disaster. Do not confuse the two.

fduvall

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Dôle is good, but generally a bit strong and heavy. That too many Wallis winegrowers go for quantity instead of quality is deplorable but fact. And that many of them even grow grapes on hillsides facing northwards is scandalous. I once on a visit to the Sion Air Show had the car parked below a vineyard facing absolutely exactly northward! I then on Monday told another employee about this. He was (is) the son of a Valais winegrower and so the same evening informed his father. The man already in the next morning drove to Sion and checked up and confirmed that I was exactly right. He had gone their with a compass and then advised the Valais/Wallis winegrower association. And within a week, two bottles for me and two for another colleague of supreme Dôle arrived, as a proof that Valais winegrowers can indeed produce good wines ! Cheers to Mr Gillioz Senior !

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sweeshymeeshy, we have a winner! I have Las Flores Rioja here and it's the best 10CHF wine I've had so far in Switzerland. Thanks for that.

Oscarsmum, I also have the one with the little plastic bull attached. Located it yesterday. Have not tried yet.

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Cuvée Mythique (orange label with owl on) - a French assemblage from Coop is fantastique!!

It is normally around 12 Fr, but tastes like much more...!!

Otherwise, I would give Coop a wide berth and get to know a decent local wine merchant.

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Agree. The more expensive Los Vascos (Les Dix or something similar) is very good. I have been very pleased with it. From memory in the CHf 16-18 range (on sale or regular price?).

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Ok I am by my own admission a bit of a wine neanderthal, but I DO know what I like, and I have found two very good "cheapie" wines lately, one from co-op and one from Denner. I am a fan of French wines, not too strong but not too weak, I enjoy a mellow flavour that isn't heavy-going like many Italian and Chiiean wines i'e had.

So, here are the two that iI can post here to reccommend...

This wine I likes right away, it's relatively weak and watery tasting but still retains a nice subtle flavour, it's the type you can get through a bottle of almost without realising it, it's a light wine that goes with anything in my opinion.

However I also then found this one...

This one REALLY hits the spot, it's one of the nicest wines i've had while in Switzerland, and that includes those i've had at bars and restaurants. It's the happy medium for my tastes, a really light and smooth flavour but none of the wateriness of the previous wine. I'll be getting it regularly from now on, and really reccommend it.

EDIT - Hmm pics no worky, weird.

EDIT EDIT - Ahh that's better.

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Just had a bottle of Sangre de Toro (the one with the plastic bull) and contrary to my earlier post when I raved about it...I'm afraid to say this bottle wasn't so good. Must have been a bad grape....

And by the way when I say 'Just had a bottle..' I don't mean I JUST had a bottle. Even for me that's pretty good going!

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Wines in Denner are cheaper and better by average than in Co-op. But do not forget that there are many small independents who have a limited range of excellent wines, often at very favourable prices. Or you can go to Jelmoli and Globus department store and go into the food department downstairs. The wine choice there is quite remarkable. And St. Annahof (Co-op City) at Bahnhofstrasse in Zürich in regard to wines is far above the usual Co-op outlets

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No, sorry, wrong. Often repeated by self-professed ecologists and foodies it's just not true. Shipping goods on huge container ships is by far the most ecological and economical way to transport goods and far better than small local farmers transporting their food/wines by truck. There are tons of other factors to consider but generally spoken it's perfectly fine to drink Brazilian coffee and drink Australian wine. That said I like the white wines from the Vaud region, some of them are really good and below 10.-

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May be... but how do you think the products get from the Port to your shop?? Ah... there you go, already added that extra mileage there. Ant that's only the tip of the iceberg....

I have abstained from wine for a while... I just hate it when I get the "red-wine-tongue"... might be a good idea for the next bbq though..

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I wonder is this the first one Richdog suggested a wine with the black label and the rose on it?

Anyway this is one I buy from COOP Pronto, which are open longer hours than Denner. Its French, Shiraz maybe, from the label it looks like it might be nasty but its very drinkable and I reckon a bargin.

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@herc82: A study from the ETH has duly taken that into account, the mileage a ton of food makes on a container ship is next to 0. And then it's transported by huge lorries to a Coop distribution center where all the food lands. Still better eco balance for the transportation at least than small farmers transporting it by themselves.

I'm not saying of course that cross-continental transportation is really eco-friendly in all cases, just saying that the opposite, as stated by Operagirl, isn't necessarily true and even mostly wrong. According to that same study the only reason why you shouldn't eat Spanish tomatoes when seasonal Swiss tomatoes are available is the higher usage of water and chemicals there... Whatever, just saying that things like that have to be properly calculated and researched.

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Are you actually trying to convince me that shipping wine from Australia is better for the planet than buying from the guy 5km down the road? Give me a break. You really believe our waters and planet are better off being polluted by ships journeying thousands of miles than by a few trucks travelling between Zurich and Bern (especially with Switzerland strict emissions laws)? I'd like to see the facts which back up that particular claim.

And by the way, I am not a self-professed ecologist, but I do reserve the right as a consumer with lots of buying power to make informed and conscious decisions. Having money means carrying responsibility and decisions made with our money affect our communities reaching the whole world. I honestly find it hilarious that a few cynics (who believe nothing they do makes a difference anyway, so why bother?) derive joy from pooping all over those efforts. Our planet is a living thing, and it is extremely arrogant of humankind to believe that we have any sort of real control or power over it. Once the planet has taken enough abuse, it will "rebalance" itself violently just like your body would if you ate something poisonous. Basta. We've seen that more and more over the last years.

In general, people do the best they can, and are most of the time open to having their minds changed - as I am - through convincing arguments rather than name-calling. So, please - prove me wrong. I'm open.

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Are my pics still showing? Think I had a problem with the hosting and while I can see them on my computer, i'm not sure it its just cached or not...

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"For red in Switzerland check out wines from the Wallis/Valais region. "

I especially like Cornalin but I don't remember how much it costs.

I also like the Tores one with the plastic bull hanging off it.

I do a lot of my wine shopping at Aligro! There is a good portuguese white (green) wine called Gato something Vinho Verde.

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For red wine in Switzerland you can go for wines from the Bündner Herrschaft (Bündner Rheintal), from Aargau or from Schaffhausen (incl Stein am Rhein), but also for wines from Zurich.

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And for some really good Rosé go accross the border to places like Konstanz and purchase a Spätburgunder Weissherbst !

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Denner has the 2007 Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Cab. Sauvingon on special this week for CHF 8.95 rather than CHF 12.95.

This is a reasonable drinking wine, especially if you are planning a BBQ or party with a group of friends.

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Can we have pictures of the labels - I hate to admit it but I ́m usually swayed by a pretty label Also - I can remember the pictures whereas the names I seem to forget (especially after a few drinks......)

I've also heard that the bigger the dimple in the bottom the better the wine

Its sun is over the yard arm so I suppose I can go have a glass now