Wine is the ultimate last minute gift, but how do you that what you grab off the shelf won’t taste like Larry King’s socks? Pick the cutest label? Ohh, look, here’s one with cute puppies on it! No. Dr.Vino of Dr. Vino’s Wine Blog put together a list just for you. We don’t know Dr. Vino personally, but he knows a hell of a lot more about wine than we do, so we’re going to trust him. A few of Dr. Vino’s picks, all under $20:
wine
![“American” Wine Might Be Only 75% USA](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/winetable.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
“American” Wine Might Be Only 75% USA
According to regulations, wines labeled “American” need to be made with at least 75% American grapes. So what? Apparently a lot of “corporate” wineries are taking advantage of this law and importing tons and tons of the foreign stuff—imports are up 229% this year alone. From Decanter: “One industry insider said that the Ceres-based Wine Group in the Central Valley, which sells Franzia wines, was one example of a winery that used imported wine in its blends.” This behavior is causing an uproar among American wine growers.
![Wine to Bring for Thanksgiving](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/winepair.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Wine to Bring for Thanksgiving
So you’re going over to someone’s house for Thanksgiving, and you don’t want to be a bum. Bring wine! But…what kind of wine?
![Red Wine Is Still Good For You](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/redwine1.jpg?w=180&h=135&crop=1)
Red Wine Is Still Good For You
It’s hard to keep up with what’s good for you and what’s not. Currently, red wine is still good for you. Got it?
![Disneyworld Won’t Let You Get Drunk](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/mmbw1-03.jpg?w=213&h=160&crop=1)
Disneyworld Won’t Let You Get Drunk
For grumpy parents who take Disney’s particular brand of hallucinogenic chipperism as a soul-curdling annoyance, there’s only one way to get through a vacation at Disneyworld: drunk out of your gourd.
![Trader Joe’s NYC Sets Cork Pop Date](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/tradethewine.jpg?w=150&h=200&crop=1)
Trader Joe’s NYC Sets Cork Pop Date
Hark the herald and sing the angels, the Manhattan Trader Joe’s announced a date, via hand-drawn sign, per usual, for its wine shop to open. April 10th. Gotham City street beat reporter Bucky Turco writes that’s, “5 days before tax day. Who said Trader Joe’s weren’t savvy marketers.”
![I’m Hungover. Also, Michigan Wine Wholesalers](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/hungover-thumb.jpg?w=200&h=150&crop=1)
I’m Hungover. Also, Michigan Wine Wholesalers
John Brownlee here. As you can tell from the alcohol-oriented nature of the last two posts, I’m a tad hungover this morning. You know, when I moved to Ireland, got a job and called in sick for the first time, I was surprised to note that my boss instantly assumed that I had “gotten a dirty glass” the night before (no one in Ireland ever gets drunk or hungover: the most that ever happens is that our systems react unfavorably to the dust at the bottom of our twelfth pint of Guinness) and that, furthermore, being drunk was a perfectly acceptable excuse in the Irish business world for calling out sick that day.