Booze The wine thread

[Bogey]

I did a search in this forum and didn't see a thread dedicated to wine.

I'm not a big wine drinker, though I was known to be a wino as a child.

I'm usually just fine with a glass of "Two Buck Chuck" before bedtime, but after watching the movie "Sideways" a couple times, and appreciating it more than I did the one time I had seen it in the theater, I thought I'd start trying Pinot Noir, the wine most appreciated in the movie by the main character, Miles.

I haven't been impressed by the bottles I have sampled as of yet.
I guess the search for a bottle I appreciate continues.

The one bottle I did enjoy recently, was a 2003 J.W. Morris Shiraz.
Yes, it's cheap and probably on the same level as Chuck, but dammit I liked it.

Please contribute your experience with wine, varieties you like, bottles you appreciate, what to drink with what food, etc.

 

[OTTo VoN BLoTTo]

...but after watching the movie "Sideways" a couple times, and appreciating it more than I did the one time I had seen it in the theater, I thought I'd start trying Pinot Noir, the wine most appreciated in the movie by the main character, Miles.

I haven't been impressed by the bottles I have sampled as of yet.
I guess the search for a bottle I appreciate continues.

There are a few inexpensive Pinot Noir's that are nice for the price, but because it's tough to grow and do correctly the price is higher for good ones. At it's best, PN can be very special and a truly unique wine experience--haunting, magical, and even bewitching. Unfortunately, on the low end, many can be downright strange and offensive. Because of it's native earthiness, gaminess, and even a "funkiness" it can be challenging. It's an acquired taste--and for many a "love it or hate it" thing.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot (much maligned by Miles), and some European and South American wines are typically better buys at a more budget-minded price point. Shiraz/Syrah is also a super approachable and tasty wine. Some great values out there for all these.

But if you're talkin Pinot (or just wine in general), you're entering Snape territory. She's got great wine knowledge. And if you don't mind my asking, which Pinot Noir's did you try?

 

[A-FROGIRL]

My favorite Pinot Noir hands down is Edna Valley. I used to live in Santa Barbara so we used to hit up the Central Coast's wine country all the time and couldn't find a better one. The flavors are absolutely perfect.

Now that we're in SD, we go to Temecula and I was actually quite surprised how good their wine is. We are members of Ponte's wine club. I highly recommend their Super Tuscan which is a more expensive wine but worth every penny. My new infatuation is their Zinfandel Port. Just a little sit of that and a bite of pure dark chocolate and you're in absolute heaven.

 

[Fooferah]

Best thing you can do really is to start slowly and find out what YOU like. Keep a journal of everything you try. After a while it makes sense. Plus, you need to develop your palate a little bit to be able to appreciate what makes certain wines better than others. Go to some tastings... they can be very affordable, and you get to try several different things.

 

[lunchbox]

i just had a pinot noir that i got for cheap at bevmo... probably $5-6 for the bottle. i think it was called Irony. Smoking Loon also has a good one. my red of choice is cabernet though. i'm currently working on a bottle of HRM Rex Goliath which is also good & just as cheap. i usually have a glass of wine a night so i try to get good ones for cheap. i also like french wines (chateau-neuf du pape, bordeaux, cotes du rhone & beaujolais nouveau). i don't usually drink whites but if i do, i go for sauvignon blanc or muscadet sevre et maine.
two buck chuck is allright with me, too, but my french mother in law swears it makes her ill.

 

[Birdman]

First Bottle ----> Frog's Leap Cab

Post First Bottle ----> $2 Chuck

 

[gescom]

Best thing you can do really is to start slowly and find out what YOU like. Keep a journal of everything you try. After a while it makes sense. Plus, you need to develop your palate a little bit to be able to appreciate what makes certain wines better than others. Go to some tastings... they can be very affordable, and you get to try several different things.

bingo!

and by the way... if you're looking for a good pinot, start with 2004's. they tend towards a little fruitier with very mellow tannin.

Russian River Valley wineries are an excellent source for California Pinots (and Chardonnays as well) at very reasonable prices... one of our favorites this year has been the MacMurray Ranch 2004 Sonoma Coast Pinot (as in Fred MacMurray), which retails for about $27 bucks.

you CAN get a little cheaper RR pinots like Rodney Strong at the supermarket, but i'd suggest you stay away from them. terrible, WAY too bold, and drinks more like a cabernet... i've used it in my pasta sauce instead.

a good suggestion would be to obviously go wine tasting. but aside from that, i have found some knowledgable people at Bevmo... don't be afraid to ask about wines that you can really sink your teeth into and that drink well NOW.

 

[gescom]

oh, and QUIT drinking that f***ing Charles Shaw s***!

 

[Chartrand]

Not one Dancing Boy reference? I'm disappointed.

 

[Hipcheck]

Have a wine snob friend who says its impossible to get good Pinots at a value price so I ignore them altogether.

Some recent bottles that Ive had that were good...

Liars Dice Zinfandel- Only 15 bucks or so per bottle and arguably one of the best Zins Ive ever had. Im going to go try another bottle simply to see if it wasn't an aberration.

 

[Fooferah]

one of our favorites this year has been the MacMurray Ranch 2004 Sonoma Coast Pinot (as in Fred MacMurray), which retails for about $27 bucks.

Now I've got the ****ing My Three Sons theme in my head...

 

[Salty Dog]

Go outside California. Lots of good stuff out there that doesn't have the bloated price tag for just being grown in Napa or Sonoma.

Argentina, Chile, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, etc. all have some great wines for decent prices.

 

[Fooferah]

Is it time for the sequel to the Great Malbec Craze?

 

[Salty Dog]

Is it time for the sequel to the Great Malbec Craze?

Carmenere maybe? B ut the sequel ISN'T pinotage! Ugghhh, that stuff is awful.

 

[gescom]

Is it time for the sequel to the Great Malbec Craze?

Argentine Malbecs or French Malbecs?

 

[ketel&tonic]

Peachy Canyon's Jester. It's a blend of 4 reds (I'll post which when I get home). Not easy to find. About $15/bottle. The guy at the little market where I always find/buy it told me it wasn't going to be available for another month, and I left sad and empty handed. But then a week after that I was at Costco and they had it and I almost crashed my cart when I turned the corner and saw it. I should have picked up a case of it...dammit.

 

[Fooferah]

Argentine Malbecs or French Malbecs?

If you'll recall your LGK history, the Great Malbec Craze was Argentine.

 

[Salty Dog]

Norton Malbec to be specific. Still a great wine for under $10 and carried by Cost Plus and Bevmo.

South America also has some good tempranillos for those whole like Spanish rioja but want a cheaper alternative.

 

[Fooferah]

Yeah, I believe it was the '02 we were drinking back then.

 

[gescom]

if you can still find it around... i bought practically all of the bottles at my local Cost Plus.


Casa Lapostolle - Cuv?e Alexandre 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.


dark fruit and a bit chocolaty... this thing has got some real legs!

a fantastic Chilean cab that retails for about $17 bucks. i haven't tried the 2005 but i got it for a wine snob friend of mine for her birthday and both she and her husband felt that it was as good as the 04.

grill a couple of steaks and enjoy!