wine choices

[SoNotFun]

Just got back last week, and while the wine selections are good, the prices are horrendous. Even if you have to check an extra bag, you will save a fortune if you bring your own wine, even if it's just cheapie table wines. We brought 2 reds, 1 white, 1 rose, 1 bubbly & a bottle of Armagnac and I am so glad we did! Also a wonderful way to make friends (especially with a bottle of higher-end liquor which the bartenders will happily stash behind the bar for you).
While the Armagnac we brought was a hit, next time I will definitely bring a bourbon or American rye. Jack Daniels & Jim Beam are not real whiskeys in my book

[BeantownNewbs]

I think it's fun to share stuff that you bring...I don't pay for checked bags, so I'll bring a drink suitcase.

We're allowed 6 litres for 4 nights, so that's 4 bottles of red for dinners (2 litres), maybe a bottle of a nice single malt, and...maybe a bottle of a 20 year old tawny...

I got a magnum of Asti Spumante as a gift recently...that might be a fun bottle to bring out to the jacuzzi on the first night!

[SoNotFun]

I think it's fun to share stuff that you bring...I don't pay for checked bags, so I'll bring a drink suitcase.

We're allowed 6 litres for 4 nights, so that's 4 bottles of red for dinners (2 litres), maybe a bottle of a nice single malt, and...maybe a bottle of a 20 year old tawny...

I got a magnum of Asti Spumante as a gift recently...that might be a fun bottle to bring out to the jacuzzi on the first night!

We also don't pay for checked bags & had a suitcase devoted exclusively to our booze! We busted out a bottle of Domaine Chandon Tete de Cuvee at the Jacuzzi one night in honor of a couple we met who were honeymooning-- definitely agree that a shared bottle of bubbly at the Jacuzzi = sheer magic!

[BeantownNewbs]

I think it's fun to share stuff that you bring...I don't pay for checked bags, so I'll bring a drink suitcase.

We're allowed 6 litres for 4 nights, so that's 4 bottles of red for dinners (2 litres), maybe a bottle of a nice single malt, and...maybe a bottle of a 20 year old tawny...

I got a magnum of Asti Spumante as a gift recently...that might be a fun bottle to bring out to the jacuzzi on the first night!

We also don't pay for checked bags & had a suitcase devoted exclusively to our booze! We busted out a bottle of Domaine Chandon Tete de Cuvee at the Jacuzzi one night in honor of a couple we met who were honeymooning-- definitely agree that a shared bottle of bubbly at the Jacuzzi = sheer magic!

I suspect the Italian Asti is better than what they are serving for sparkling wine and big bottles are always fun!

[SoNotFun]

They house bubbly is a cava. Nice and dry, but a little acidic for my taste. And yes the big bottles are always fun-- wish we were gonna be there when you crack it open!

[BeantownNewbs]

They house bubbly is a cava. Nice and dry, but a little acidic for my taste. And yes the big bottles are always fun-- wish we were gonna be there when you crack it open!

Of course, we could just shake it up and spray everyone...I've never done that!

[Talisker]

From a separate thread, it seems that Cassis (blackcurrent liqueur) is available. I've used cassis to make the vilest wines drinkable. So, if the house wines are really that bad, a shot of cassis in a glass of white will make you a Kir. In red, the drink is a Communard. A Communard will almost make you believe you are drinking a nice oak-aged red.

[BeantownNewbs]

From a separate thread, it seems that Cassis (blackcurrent liqueur) is available. I've used cassis to make the vilest wines drinkable. So, if the house wines are really that bad, a shot of cassis in a glass of white will make you a Kir. In red, the drink is a Communard. A Communard will almost make you believe you are drinking a nice oak-aged red.

Or, with champagne or sparkling wine = Kir Royale (do they serve the Mexican sparkling wine for free as part of the AI package?).

[eddieandjojo]

From a separate thread, it seems that Cassis (blackcurrent liqueur) is available. I've used cassis to make the vilest wines drinkable. So, if the house wines are really that bad, a shot of cassis in a glass of white will make you a Kir. In red, the drink is a Communard. A Communard will almost make you believe you are drinking a nice oak-aged red.

Or, with champagne or sparkling wine = Kir Royale (do they serve the Mexican sparkling wine for free as part of the AI package?).

Yes, we drink the sparkling wine all the time at Desire.

[Scamp&Cabanaboy]

I think it's fun to share stuff that you bring...I don't pay for checked bags, so I'll bring a drink suitcase.

We're allowed 6 litres for 4 nights, so that's 4 bottles of red for dinners (2 litres), maybe a bottle of a nice single malt, and...maybe a bottle of a 20 year old tawny...

I got a magnum of Asti Spumante as a gift recently...that might be a fun bottle to bring out to the jacuzzi on the first night!

We also don't pay for checked bags & had a suitcase devoted exclusively to our booze! We busted out a bottle of Domaine Chandon Tete de Cuvee at the Jacuzzi one night in honor of a couple we met who were honeymooning-- definitely agree that a shared bottle of bubbly at the Jacuzzi = sheer magic!

So for those of you that bring your own liquor and wine, would love to hear any special tricks for packing the suitcase to prevent breakage. I wouldn't mind bringing a couple bottles of wine and some liquor brands that the resort doesn't stock but I don't want to end up with broken bottles and ruined clothes in the suitcase upon arrival.

[Gemini Rose]

I once heard to put inflatable kids arm floaties around the bottle and then add air. I've never tried it. I would definately then put it inside at least one zip lock bag.

[CokeMann]

So for those of you that bring your own liquor and wine, would love to hear any special tricks for packing the suitcase to prevent breakage. I wouldn't mind bringing a couple bottles of wine and some liquor brands that the resort doesn't stock but I don't want to end up with broken bottles and ruined clothes in the suitcase upon arrival.

WineSkins !

[2muchentropy]

So for those of you that bring your own liquor and wine, would love to hear any special tricks for packing the suitcase to prevent breakage. I wouldn't mind bringing a couple bottles of wine and some liquor brands that the resort doesn't stock but I don't want to end up with broken bottles and ruined clothes in the suitcase upon arrival.

We've probably carried somewhere near 1,000 bottles in our years of traveling and still haven't lost one.(Knock on wood big-time)

What we've always done is take a plastic grocery bag and put one bottle in it.

Get all the air out of it and tape it around the neck. This is a safety thing in case the bottle does break--all of the glass should be contained.

Next you take the wrapped bottle and roll it up in bubble wrap, the kind with the small bubbles. We just save those small bubble wrap sheets from all the packages/shipments we get over time b/c we know we're going to use them for this purpose. About 3 times wrapped around is enough to give the bottle good padding and remember that the bottles themselves are usually pretty strong.

After that we usually wrap the bottles in some clothing just to add more cushion. We average 4-5 bottles per bag, more and the weight goes up so fast its hard to put other necessities in there, though we have packed smaller bags with 6-7 bottles wrapped in a yoga mat that also had no problem getting to Cancun safely.

Wineskins are good too, but because we always have free bubble wrap and free grocery bags we have never needed to make the investment.

[winederful2]

Question.... So if u want to bring some champagne for Valentines day.....how do u chill it for dinner?

[CokeMann]

Question.... So if u want to bring some champagne for Valentines day.....how do u chill it for dinner?

Just ask the staff for an ice bucket and they will oblige or put it in your in-room mini fridge to cool