A JUG OF WINE

"Jug" wine has probably done more to promote the idea of wine as an everyday drink for the table than anything else in this country. We are indeed blessed in having an enormous wine-producing area in the hot valleys of California that can deliver to us a cornucopia of grapes for making into inexpensive table wines. And in fact, the quality level of this American "Vin ordinaire" is generally superior to that of most European countries. On the  other hand, much of the "Chablis," "Burgundy" and "Rhine" wine sold is pretty dull stuff. Not awful, just dull. A good jug wine should be fresh and fruity, "cleanly" made, with no peculiar or chemical odors. It should be balanced in sweetness and tartness. It should not be too heavy or harsh but should not taste like water either. It should be able to accompany food and is should be pleasant enough that you can drink more than one glass. Sadly, there are a number of California jug wines that do not meet these criteria. Some are possessed of a ghastly sweetness that will cloy the least discriminating of palates. Some are so earthy and vegetal that you wonder who put the cabbage and dill in them. Some taste unripe, some like cleanser. It's sad, especially because for some people this is their only experience of wine and having tried one of these they decide that wine is not for them. But there are some decent jugs out there, put out by California's enormous wineries. "Chablis" usually designates a fairly (though not totally) dry white wine-some nice examples are: Gallo Chablis Blanc (a reliable old timer). "Rhine" wine is almost always sweeter, sometimes quite sweet, with varying degrees of fruit. Almaden Mountain and Carlo Rossi are decent examples for those who like that style. "Burgundy" is red wine that can be in any of a wide variety of styles, from sweet and dull to dry and herbal. Almaden Mountain Burgundy and Gallo Hearty Burgundy are a good example in the sweeter, softer style. One would think that varietal jugs, named after single grape types, would be superior wines, but that isn't necessarily the case.The blends are often superior and less expensive. There are also some "premium" jug wines-in the same large-bottle format, but selling for a dollar or two more. Often these wines, made by wineries that also produce premium varietal wines, and are considerably better than the standard jugs. Robert Mondavi, Parducci and Fetzer are some good names to look for. There is a definite role for jug wine. We don't always want, nor can we afford to open a nice bottle of wine for every meal. Often just a simple glass of wine to relax with is just what we need. So, sure, keep a bottle of red and white on hand if you like-it's always useful for pouring into the pot, in any case.