Any wine lover's out there? I love wine (hence my e mail address) love to talk VINO!?

Question

Just wanted to see what wines others know about and enjoy.

Answer 1

There is infinite variety in the world of wine and beer ... don't stick with the tried and true, there are literally thousands of variations. Life is too short to drink the same thing over and over.

Just for one example, when you get burned out on the prototypical "California style" chardonnay, switch to a white Burgundy. Burgundian chards aren't oaked and show more true varietal flavor. A good entry level appellation (region) within Burgundy is St. Veran (or even Macon). A good St. Veran can be found for under $15.

But there is much life beyond the most well known varietals (Chardonnay and Merlot for example), and even beyond the traditional Eurasian species (Vitis vinifera) from which these varietals come. A different country opens doors to new and unusual grapes (for example, Russia, Greece, Malta and on and on). You may not like these, but you definitely won't know until you take a chance.

A fun thing to do is to try the same grape from different regions in side by side tastings to see the variation in styles. For example, sauvignon blanc from Pessac in Bordeaux versus New Zealand and Chile; Pinot Noir from California, Oregon, Burgundy and New Zealand; Zinfandel from California versus Primitivo from Italy (genetically speaking these are the same grape, which ironically comes from Croatia).

Try a chenin blanc from Vouvray or Anjou or (even better) Savenierres (these are appellations within the Loire Valley). Some grapes, like chenin, are quite tempermental and don't transplant very well outside their homeland and thus chenin from California or South Africa is generally dull, uninspiring wine.

Like sweet wines? Try a Banyuls. This region in SW France near the Spanish border is known for its port-like grenache-based dessert wine. A 375mL bottle can be found for under $20. Grenache ("garnatxa negre" or garnacha in it's Spanish homeland) is one of the most versatile grapes around, as it can be integrated into red blends, vinted on its own as a varietal red, vinted as a dry rose wine, as well as the aforementioned dessert style.

Depending on your budget, try a different TYPE of wine every week / month / how often you can or like. And do the same with serious beers (there is life beyond lager, the only beer style known to most Americans). And if you're so inclined, try at least a couple of serious spirits. Compare for example a good small batch bourbon whiskey (corn-based) with a good single malt scotch whisky (barley-based). Try these in a brandy snifter (the bowl shape will allow you to swirl and smell just as with wines -- you will be surprised at the aromas these spirits have to offer).

The one thing I don't recommend, beyond initially just sampling something, is supporting wineries that grow grapes where they don't belong. If you have to spray the hell out of your vineyard with fungicides to combat humidity, cabernet doesn't belong there for example. Contrast this fact of life in North Carolina with the fact that many California vineyards are by default organic (even if they don't pursue certification) due to fairly arid conditions. And these more natural and often better tasting wines often can be found at a discount to more tourist-oriented copies grown in the Mid-Atlantic.

There is endless discussion on these topics :) That's what makes it interesting.

PS I like Jennifer's idea. Experimenting with making your own opens up even MORE variations. You can try plant materials most commercial wineries would be too afraid to touch because their marketing departments demand chardonnay for the bottom line. Remember, any non-toxic plant material can be fermented. If it has sugars, it can be turned into alcohol.

(Drinking a Belgian "white beer" from Hoegaarden as I write this.)

Answer 2

Yeah, I love wine. It can be an expensive passion. So I took up a new hobby - making my own wine! With a kit of course. My first batch was a Chateau Neuf du Pape style. After it aged about 4 months, it was good. It just keeps getting better - but I don't have many bottles left. My second batch was a sweet summery wine, a green apple flavored Riesling. Its great for parties, my friends loved it. The best thing is that it costs less than $2 a bottle. I have a Cabernet in the fermenter now. It probably won't be drinkable until Christmas.

Answer 3

I love Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay. It took a lot of tasting to find this one.

I recently went wine tasting in Temecula, CA. At the Wilson Creek Winery, one of the owners came out and had a glass of wine with us.

He told us that estate wines are made with grapes from the same vintage, or year. I never knew that.

When you try a new wine, hold you hand over the top of the glass and swirl it. Immediately put your nose IN the glass and smell. The bouquet is intensified, though the flavor tastes the same.

Always hold your wine glass by the stem, so you don't warm up the glass, hence affecting the flavor.

Smelling a cork tells you nothing about the wine. Cork smells like cork with wine. You feel the cork to ensure that the bottle has been stored correctly (laying down).

If you have leftover wine (what's that???), put it in an ice tray and freeze it to cook with later.

Cook with the wines that you like to drink. Your food will taste better, and you can sip while cooking! Stay away from "cooking wines."

Italian and French wines are defined by region, American and Spanish wines are defined by grape type.

Answer 4

I have a few favourites:

R.H. Phillips Toasted Head Chardonnay
Hernder Estates Autumn Collection Riesling
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc

Obviously, I like white wines but I do enjoy sweet wines and especially Icewine - but I'm from Canada. Tonight for dinner I had a glass of Peninsula Ridge 2004 Sauvignon Blanc. Very nice.

Answer 5

HI JAS winelover. I'm a winelover and have been for more than 40 years. I live in the Finger Lakes area of New York State which is a great wine producing area so I feel genuinely blessed. I don't know which are my favorites. There are so many good ones, but I think that wines from the Rhone valley in France are great as well as white Bordeaux, some Chiantis from Italy, Pinot blanc. Cabernet francs. I'm not big on Chardonnays -- too oaky for me although I do love a dry, slightly fruity white. They make them that way in Italy. Hope you get a lot more answers. It's a fun question. Thanks for posting.

Answer 6

Love to talk vino also but I'm going to bed now.
Check out Bernssteakhouse.com.
I work there and we have the largest wine list on the planet.
I've drank wine as far back as 1792 and out of bottles that cost $10,000.
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DRINK CHEAP WINE!!!

Answer 7

I love GOOD wine...and I sure wish I could afford more of it. I also really wish I could take a wine tour in Napa.

My favorite chards are La Crema, Haymon and Hill, BV, Cambria, Kendall Jackson. And, of course, Stag's Leap (but I can only afford it on special occasions).

I am still pretty new to red, but I do love Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel (NO NOT WHITE ZINFANDEL...YUCK!)

I'd love some suggestions on which reds to try.

Answer 8

Luna Da Luna pino grio (white) pino noir (red)

Answer 9

I run a wine cellar. :)