so let's talk about wine

[midwestyankee]

well, no wine in the house but i have a few beck's darks in the fridge, so that will have to do tonight

I remember when finding Becks at a northern New England store was a small miracle. But when you could get some, it was a huge improvement over the Bud or Gansett.

 

[silverwhisper]

as i mentioned i'm a big fan of beaujolais. it's pleasantly unpretentious.

btw, avoid the louis jadot beaujolais: it's swill.

i'm fond of barberas and sangioveses: very tasty. actually, luna di luna does a really nice sparkling wine and b/c it's a sparkling wine rather than a champagne, quite reasonably priced. that said, i'm still going to get a bottle of veuve clicquot or something for new year's.

ed

 

[midwestyankee]

as i mentioned i'm a big fan of beaujolais. it's pleasantly unpretentious.

btw, avoid the louis jadot beaujolais: it's swill.

i'm fond of barberas and sangioveses: very tasty. actually, luna di luna does a really nice sparkling wine and b/c it's a sparkling wine rather than a champagne, quite reasonably priced. that said, i'm still going to get a bottle of veuve clicquot or something for new year's.

ed

Care to recommend a good beaujolais that will leave me a few cents change from my yuppie food stamp ($20 bill)? I'm up for a new red this weekend.

 

[silverwhisper]

yankee: i have only good things to say about georges duboeuf or louis latour. the styles of beaujolais that i've sampled from duboeuf are all nice. my personal preference among them are the fleurie ($12-$13) and the moulin-a-vent ($14-$15). any wineshop that is likely to carry them (not a guarantee, mind) would have these 2. there's a few others (julienais, morgon and something else that eludes me just now) of which i'm less fond. despite the price difference, i tend to prefer the fleurie for relaxing and enjoying. the moulin-a-vent is a tad more serious.

ed

 

[Guest]

 

[silverwhisper]

beaujolais's a red, and generally, one doesn't chill reds. i know purists will argue it should be served at 60something degrees (fahrenheit), but i've never found that particularly necessary.

it isn't a stupid question if it isn't obvious and you don't know, dude. i'm a wine enthusiast, not a wine snob. :>

ed

 

[Guest]

 

[silverwhisper]

well, now we're talking about white wines. the single most popular white wine is chardonnay. the california chardonnays can be quite robust, and capable of standing up to certain beef dishes. if you're just looking for something to enjoy w/out an meal associated w/ it, i'm fond of rieslings for warm weather, or sometimes gewurtztramminers.

hm...i think we need midwestyankee for this one...

ed

 

[Guest]

 

[midwestyankee]

well, now we're talking about white wines. the single most popular white wine is chardonnay. the california chardonnays can be quite robust, and capable of standing up to certain beef dishes. if you're just looking for something to enjoy w/out an meal associated w/ it, i'm fond of rieslings for warm weather, or sometimes gewurtztramminers.

hm...i think we need midwestyankee for this one...

ed

One of the downsides of chilling wine is that it reduces the subtleties in the flavors, but with some of the whites the chilling (and only down to about 50 or 55, by the way, and not refrigerator-cold) seems to add a bit of sparkle to the taste.

For just sipping we like the gewurtzrraminers that Ed mentioned above. They are a little sweet for my everyday use but it's what we used to get when my in-laws came for dinner because they preferred the sweeter flavor. Another good choice would be a White Zinfandel or a White Merlot, both of which are a little sweet and would stand up to some chilling quite nicely.

Now add some nice cheese and soon you'll be screaming for foie gras.

 

[bobsgirl]

...Now add some nice cheese and soon you'll be screaming for foie gras.

Aw, you had to go and ruin it, didn't ya?

 

[midwestyankee]

Aw, you had to go and ruin it, didn't ya?

What's wrong, BG? Don't you like cheese?

 

[jacintexas]

Although I don't know much about wine, the times I do drink it I enjoy the rich flavors it offers.
I'll have to try some of the recommended wines.


The first time I drank wine, i was 17, drank an entire bottle of Boonesfarm apple plus 3 16oz cans of schlitz. The details of the rest of the evening are to gory to post here, suffice to say it took me a good portion of the next day to clean my bedroom floor and walls.

God I haven't drank Boonesfarn since I was a teenager.. I bought it for everyone even though I was not yet 18 (legal age at the time) there was a store on the corner where I bought it and never gaot crded.. n fact I didn't get carded until I was 27..grins.. guess it helped that I was 6' and over 200# by the time I was a soph in HS.. anyay.. we use o get so wasted on Boonefarm.. may have to get a bootle for old times sake. no wait. I don't drink anymore.. oh well..

 

[bobsgirl]

What's wrong, BG? Don't you like cheese?

Y'know, I feel like a tourist who doesn't speak the language in this thread. My knowledge of wine extends to knowing there are red wines and white wines. Oh--and I like champagne. And I was almost seduced once with Hershey's kisses and cheap red wine.

But no matter how you dress it up and give it fancy French names, liver is liver. We Ohioans from small towns love our Ritz crackers and Cheez Whiz.

Am I going to get kicked out of this thread?

 

[sinnamongyrl]

as we speak,,i am tipsy(had a BADDDDDDD DAY,,,,) an am getting drunker by the moment,,also,,,smoked a "blunt",,,trust me,,,if u knew what happened to me,,,u would be drunk too,,,anyway,,,,,yellow tail is what i am drinking,,,anybody wanna share?......

 

[australwind]

Thanks. I'm looking for something that we can sip while relaxing around the fireplace....assuming we can get a good spot before the dogs set up camp for the evening.

If you are looking for a red that can be chilled, try some of the light Italian Reds.....they respond nicely to having a little time in the chiller. When it gets very hot over here, I light to lightly chill a Pinot Noir. As a red wine, it is light enough to take a bit of temperature drop 'specially when its sizzling hot enough to fry eggs on the pavement!

Wolf Blass White Shiraz is very popular here in Aus at the moment ...... colour, flavour and chillable!

If you are looking for a white wine that is suited to a palate that prefers red, you cannot go past Houghton's White Burgandy.....a West Australian wine.

Of course, sourcing these wines in the US might be a little challenging but all Australian wineries of note offer a freight service!

 

[manofsteel52]

Just throwing my fewcents in here... for those of you on a tightbudget, there are some pretty good, VERY inexpensive California wines around right now, labels including Tisdale and Crane Lake. They're bottling Chardonnays, Merlots and Cabs selling at your local liquor store for $2.99 to $4.99
These wines are as good as any I've had in the $10. to $20. range, and far better than many(considering the price tag).

 

[revolution724]

I like big Australian reds as my usual wine fare (Rosemount Estates Shiraz is a standard), especially shiraz and cab with a little bite or a hint of smokiness to them. (Weird, as a vegetarian, to be so into steak wines, but whatever.) However, lately, I've been getting into Spanish Riojas after buying a highly-rated one on a whim at the wine store (1999 Lan, smooth as satin). I've since tried a couple of other Riojas and loved the smoothness of all of them.

I'm not such a big white wine drinker, but I've had some excellent luck with New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignons. Less sour, somehow, than other whites; also not too sweet, just crisp.

Mmm. Wish I had gotten home in time to have a glass. Now, it's a little too close to bedtime.

 

[SummerMorning]

Y'know, I feel like a tourist who doesn't speak the language in this thread. My knowledge of wine extends to knowing there are red wines and white wines. Oh--and I like champagne. And I was almost seduced once with Hershey's kisses and cheap red wine.

But no matter how you dress it up and give it fancy French names, liver is liver. We Ohioans from small towns love our Ritz crackers and Cheez Whiz.

Am I going to get kicked out of this thread?

Yes.



Just joking. But liver is good for you.

And wine is too expensive in America. Over here a good bottle will set you back just 5 bucks or so.

(Cheap piss that is undrinkable comes in at under 1 dollar)

 

[TBKahuna123]

Thanks. I'm looking for something that we can sip while relaxing around the fireplace....assuming we can get a good spot before the dogs set up camp for the evening.

I would seriously recomend a Gewertzraminer. It's best served chilled and is a great wine for just hanging out and relaxing. It's also a good moderate wine, not to sweet yet still pleasantly dessertish. Is that a word?

 

[midwestyankee]

I would seriously recomend a Gewertzraminer. It's best served chilled and is a great wine for just hanging out and relaxing. It's also a good moderate wine, not to sweet yet still pleasantly dessertish. Is that a word?

After the third glass it is a perfectly good word.

 

[midwestyankee]

Y'know, I feel like a tourist who doesn't speak the language in this thread. My knowledge of wine extends to knowing there are red wines and white wines. Oh--and I like champagne. And I was almost seduced once with Hershey's kisses and cheap red wine.

But no matter how you dress it up and give it fancy French names, liver is liver. We Ohioans from small towns love our Ritz crackers and Cheez Whiz.

Am I going to get kicked out of this thread?

Begone, Satan!





Cheez Whiz? Say it ain't so, BG. Say it ain't so.

 

[bobsgirl]

Begone, Satan!





Cheez Whiz? Say it ain't so, BG. Say it ain't so.

No, my dear, I know you think I have a rather ... unsophisticated palate, but I assure you--even I have my limits. No Cheez Whiz here, I promise.

I prefer my crackers with a little hummus or smoked salmon.

 

[SaraClarisse]

I've recently been exploring a few Syrahs...rich, smooth, smoky, perhaps slightly peppery reds. The clerk at the wine shop pointed me to them when I told him I needed something to serve with filet mignon wrapped in bacon; he thought the slight smokiness would be accentuated by a Syrah.

The 2003 Qupé Central Coast Syrah was very nice...warm, rich, heady. About $16 US.

I believe Syrah is known as Shiraz when it's from Australia. I'm still learning.

 

[revolution724]

Also? The foie gras? Not so much fun for the geese. They're force-fed with heavy metal pipes to the point that many of them die of a burst stomach, and the fatty liver condition this gives them is both painful and messy. It's such a recognized area of animal cruelty that Massachusetts, at least, has recently had a ballot question to outlaw its production and sale outright. So please do consider the implications of eating it, with or without a chilled glass of white merlot.