so let's talk about wine

[midwestyankee]

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.

My faith is restored.

 

[midwestyankee]

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

The wine shop I went to did not have any of the Latour so I made a couple choices from the Duboeuf lline. Last night had a bottle of 2003 La Trinquée, which is a Juliénas. It was a little lighter than I expected but grew a little more flavorful as the bottle progressed. Also picked up a Beaujolais Village from Duboeuf, which we'll try in a few days.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[AlphaXblue]

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.

Is that what makes it taste so good?

 

[Munachi]

I know very little about wine... The only wine I can recognize by taste is a retsina, and that is really easy. I do like wine though, but prefer white over red (which might indicate that I know little about wine, because most wine lovers I met so far prefer red)... I do like red wine occasionally though.

 

[blondi84]

Umm, because its gross?

Actually, I don't like the taste of any alcohol. The only way I can drink it is if its masked behind other flavors.

It is defenitly something you develop a taste for, but after you get past the alchohol tast there really are lots of flavors to pick out in wine. Last night for example I was drinking merlot (to my own detriment). When the night started however I was enjoying the layers of cherry, and other fruits in the wine. It really is the aftertaste almost that your after when you drink wine. Kind of like eating crab, the shell is a nasty pain in the ass, but the meat is sooo good!

 

[blondi84]

Any fans of two buck chuck? And thanks for tossing that info in about the geese, sometimes we get caught up in our own pleasure and forget the suffering behing it. *looks guiltily at leather chairs across the room *

 

[midwestyankee]

Any fans of two buck chuck? And thanks for tossing that info in about the geese, sometimes we get caught up in our own pleasure and forget the suffering behing it. *looks guiltily at leather chairs across the room *

I can't say that I'm a fan, though I've had my share of the two-buck.

It's an ok wine to go with an ordinary meal but there is not much subtlety. After a few meals with the two-buck I migrated over to the less expensive Australian wines for everyday meals. Yellow Tail has some very good table wines, for example, that tend to sell for just a little over $5 per bottle here.

 

[australwind]

I can't say that I'm a fan, though I've had my share of the two-buck.

It's an ok wine to go with an ordinary meal but there is not much subtlety. After a few meals with the two-buck I migrated over to the less expensive Australian wines for everyday meals. Yellow Tail has some very good table wines, for example, that tend to sell for just a little over $5 per bottle here.

Even taking into account the exchange rate, you are getting quite a good wine quite cheaply if you're only paying about $5 for Yellow Tail.

It costs more than twice that here!!

It was originally never available for sale here.........it was produced under that label solely for export.

 

[midwestyankee]

Even taking into account the exchange rate, you are getting quite a good wine quite cheaply if you're only paying about $5 for Yellow Tail.

It costs more than twice that here!!

It was originally never available for sale here.........it was produced under that label solely for export.

To be fair, I think that our grocery store has Yellow Tail wines at about $8 but they're marked down so regularly that I rarely pay more than $6 for them.

 

[australwind]

To be fair, I think that our grocery store has Yellow Tail wines at about $8 but they're marked down so regularly that I rarely pay more than $6 for them.

It would also be fair to describe the Yellow tail line as a deliberate marketing ploy to introduce quaffable and affordable Australian wine into the US market........

A similar assault was launched on the UK market in the late 70's & early 80's....you could buy "Wallaby White" and "Kanga Rouge" at Sainsbury's....truely cringeworthy!!!

 

[silverwhisper]

yankee: ah yes, the beaujolais village...let me know what you think of it.

re: foie gras. yes, it's cruel to animals. you know what? i don't care. i'm vastly more concerned w/ how humans treat humans than how humans treat other animals, frankly. i also eat veal.

ed

 

[SummerMorning]

yankee: ah yes, the beaujolais village...let me know what you think of it.

re: foie gras. yes, it's cruel to animals. you know what? i don't care. i'm vastly more concerned w/ how humans treat humans than how humans treat other animals, frankly. i also eat veal.

ed

And leather feels *good*.

 

[revolution724]

Wow, that's a really unfortunate attitude.

 

[AcadiaSky]

I enjoy the occasional glass...

I am a fan of pinot noir and cabernet...

I have bottles and bottles of wine in my house because I cook with it quite often... sometimes I'll just enjoy a bit while I cook and follow with a little for dinner...love it.

I judge wines on how they make me feel...

The best wines make me feel warm and happy...

The worst make me feel tired and blah...

 

[midwestyankee]

yankee: ah yes, the beaujolais village...let me know what you think of it.

ed

The Beaujolais Village was good, though a little light for my taste. Last night I had a really flavorful Cabernet by Morro Bay (2001). It stood up magnificently to the gorgonzola and asparagus.

 

[SummerMorning]

Wow, that's a really unfortunate attitude.

Unfortunate? Why? For who? My leather jacket?

BTW ... how is it with the availability of Mediterranean wines in America?

 

[SummerMorning]

I am a fan of pinot noir and cabernet...

I have bottles and bottles of wine in my house because I cook with it quite often... sometimes I'll just enjoy a bit while I cook and follow with a little for dinner...love it.

I judge wines on how they make me feel...

The best wines make me feel warm and happy...

The worst make me feel tired and blah...

I agree on the pinot noir - it's just great, if you get a good vintage. Light and relaxing. Which reminds me, it's been two months since the last bottle!

D'you think a game carpaccio would go well with a pinot noir, or it'd be better to use something ... stronger?

 

[silverwhisper]

yankee: oo, gorgonzola & asparagus? yum!

revolution: i'm unclear whether your comment is directed either at myself or at midwestyankee. ?

summer morning: define "mediterranean wines". i can easily find italian & spanish wines in my local wine shop. did you have something different in mind? and i think a good pinot noir would be lovely w/ game: the customary jam-like flavors should compliment most game animals, i would think. what particular critter, though?

ed

 

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[silverwhisper]

gorgonzola is a style of blue cheese, very powerful and somewhat pungent. it's also very tasty. :>

hey, maybe we should have a cheese thread, too!

ed

 

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[silverwhisper]

yep.

my local microbrew does beer & cheese pairings as a special appetizer. that's not a traditional combination but quite nice. the mrs always orders it when we go there.

ed

 

[midwestyankee]

gorgonzola is a style of blue cheese, very powerful and somewhat pungent. it's also very tasty. :>

hey, maybe we should have a cheese thread, too!

ed

The only problem that I see with this is the prospect of attracting Packers fans.

The dish in question is one of my favorite pasta dishes. Accompanying the pasta is a mixture of chicken, asparagus, red pepper flakes, shallots or green onions, fresh tarragon, evaporated skim milk, and gorgonzola cheese. It's a marvelous mix of flavors where the fresh herbs and the strong cheese do what Emeril does best: kick it up a notch!

 

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[Guest]