Ah, red wine...nectar of the gods!

[AndrewR]

Enjoying a nice glass of Cote du Rhone (finishing the bottle actually) and just contemplating how much I enjoy wine. I'm partial to French wine since I know it much better than California or any other (having lived there). Absolute favorite is a red from Auxey Duresses, a small appellation from Bourgogne with an absolutely wonderful color, aroma and flavor. It helps that I've visited the village twice and met some particularly charming vintners, but the wine is truly under-appreciated (thankfully so, leaves more for me!).

What's your favorite?

 

[nageov3t]

I'm a big fan of wine, but not reds... The taste just doesn't appeal to me.

 

[J Heartless Slick]

Thunderbird and MD 50-50

 

[Aharami]

i like a glass of not so dry red wine with dinner. but i know absolutely nothing about brands and which are good....so i ususally order a glass of the house red wine. ends up being nice.

but i did have a red wine once that was very dry and very strong. didnt like it too much

 

[sash1]

white wine is better than red wine, IMO

`K

 

[Zugzwang152]

i prefer Carlo Rossi jug...err, "cooking" wine. found in the big ass gallon bottles for $3.99 at your local supermarket.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

There have been some wonderful Bordeauxs at reasonable prices. French reds have a certain complexity and finish that most CA wines lack. That is not to say that all French wines are superior, but comparing the best to the best France still leads.

Also partial to a good Sauternes too

 

[Shelly21]

I enjoy a little Port after a good meal.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: J Heartless Slick
Thunderbird and MD 50-50

Blasphemy! Choke on your vomit!

I'm a big fan of wine, but not reds... The taste just doesn't appeal to me.

I've actually met some people who have said the same thing. With all of them, the problem was that they were drinking the wrong reds, typically cheap ones. If you spend at a minimum $12 or so per bottle, you may end up changing your mind. Drink the wine while eating cheese with good French bread -- seriously, it makes the wine taste better.

In reference to the other comments, wine is not something you can skimp on. Compare it to liquor -- you can buy a cheap bottle of whisky, but it will be strong and nasty. Spend $30 on a bottle though, and you get something smooth and tasty, not burning and harsh. Wine is much like that -- you have to spend money to get a good wine (not always, but it's a good general rule).

The best way to learn to appreciate wine is to try many different kinds. At worst, it's an excuse to get drunk, but it's also the way to learn what you like. Pay attention to the grapes, which is easy with California wine but less so with French wine. When you know what grapes you like and do some research, you can judge which wines you'll like when you're shopping. I know that I prefer Cinsault, Mourvedre, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Syrah (among some others) so I know which wines to look for in the stores.

As for the difference between white and red wine, I usually explain it this way. White wines range from not so good to very good, sort of middle of the road. They aren't truly horrible (cold temperatures keep the really bad tastes at bay), but they don't typically become fantastic and very complex. Red wine, on the other hand, ranges from completely horrible to absolutely astounding -- the entire spectrum. You have to be better educated to pick better red wine whereas with white wine (and rose) you can shoot in the dark and usually be just fine.

For those fans of boxed wine, here is my suggestion for an appropriate slogan: "From our bladder to yours!" in reference to the plastic "bladder" inside. BTW, that's copyright.

 

[StageLeft]

I don't much care for it because it's expensive and rewards its drinker well with vomitus the next day. If I had to pick I'd go with white, but the last time I've had wine was when my parents came to visit three years ago and left a half-consumed box of it in my apartment. Out of beer I figured that this stuff would be better than nothing. It was, but barely!

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I don't much care for it because it's expensive and rewards its drinker well with vomitus the next day. If I had to pick I'd go with white, but the last time I've had wine was when my parents came to visit three years ago and left a half-consumed box of it in my apartment. Out of beer I figured that this stuff would be better than nothing. It was, but barely!

I'm old enough now that I don't drink with the express purpose of getting drunk (with exceptions, of course), and wine fits perfectly within that because it's easy to drink and tastes good. I do enjoy a good beer from time to time (used to drink beer all the time -- total different brands consumed: over 500), but I find the difference like going to a fine restaurant as opposed to McDonald's.

Avoid boxed wine, wine with a plastic cork, or wine with a screw top. Spend more than $10 per bottle unless you know what you're buying.