Wine recommendation?

Question

I love pinot noir and am always drinking estancia. However, its getting harder and harder to come by. Any recommendations? Or any other red wines I may like? I am so stuck on pinot noir. I tried one shiraz, I hatesd it. Have tried two merlots, hated one, loved the other. I need to get outside my box!

Answer 1

estancia is becoming harder to find b/c they had a bad crop a few years back so it's hard to find now but it will pick up again. clos du bois makes a good merlot (try a sample at any nice restaurant) and acacia pinot noir is EXCELLENT but a bit more expensive at $25 or so a bottle.

if you like full bodied wines like a pinot noir you could try a cabernet which is significantly heavier than a merlot but not a far stretch from the noir that you love.

here's a link that i have used before and it can give you small descriptions of each of the bottles and it gives you a variety of price points so you won't feel pressured to spend more than you want to. also, don't worry about being "stuck on" pinot noir...there's nothing wrong with finding what you like and sticking with it. i'm a riesling and pinot grigio drinker myself and you couldn't GIVE me a glass of anything else...that's just my pallete and i like to stick with what works.

http://www.finewinehouse.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=218

Answer 2

Pinot Noir is not such a bad box to be stuck in. Pinot is by far my favorite grape. If you like Estancia try Bearboat, Schug, Claiborne & Churchill, Ramsay or Cosentino Pinot Noir, they are all $20 or under and are similar to Estancia. As much as i like pinot it's nice to drink other wines too. Try a good red zinfandel or a big fat Cabernet. There are some great Italian reds. Try some Barbera or perhaps a Dolcetto. Try something from Spain like a Rioja or Ribera del duero...tempernillo is the grape and it's delicious. I know you will have a lot of fun outside of the box but don't forget your Pinots!!!!

Answer 3

It sounds like you're into the big, rich California style of Pinot Noir. If you can get your hands on the Cakebread Cellars Pinots, either the one from Anderson Valley or from Carneros, I think you'll be pleased.

Alternatively, if you would like to try a more elegant style, closer to the Burgundian style of Pinot, try Domaine Serene's Yamhill Cuvee Pinot Noir from Oregon. That's always been a favourite of mine.

Somewhere in between those two styles is the Pinot from Yering Station in Australia. It's definitely new world in style but it also has elegance. If you were tasting it blind, you would think it was a young Burgundy. Good price too, at around $25.

Answer 4

Try a Chateauneuf du Pape.....it's a Rhone Valley wine and has an awesome blend of grapes. The main grape varietal is Grenache but it is mixed with Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse.
If you like Pinot then you should go to the mother of California Pinots....namely French Burgundy. You cannot go wrong with a Pommard or a nice Cote d'or wine like Rully, Mercurey, Givry, Montagny.
Or try a Syrah, although it's related to the Aussie Shiraz it's alot different in flavor.
CHEERS!

Answer 5

Since you like cheap pinot, try Gallo of Sonoma. For $10.00 or so, you can't beat it.
If you want to try something similar, try a Beaujolais. Georges Dubœuf is a good choice, as is Louis Jadot. Both have wines in the $10.00 range.
Salud!

Answer 6

I would recommend a wine tasting trip where you can visit wineries and sample many different wines. It's a fun and easy way to taste many wines you wouldn't normally taste and discover some new wines that you enjoy.

If you live in California, learn about wineries in your area at this site: http://www.cheers2wine.com

Answer 7

"I need to get outside my box!"

Firstly, don't drink wine in a box.

When it comes to red wines - I enjoy lots of Italian reds. Find a nice Barbaresco or Montalcino.

Answer 8

well i drink Reunite-Merlot and Cabernet. it really isn't that expensive and soooo yummy. give it a try and tell me what you think...

Answer 9

lambrusco