Best tasting wine

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
H

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
To increase my tolerance of wine, I'm going to be buying several bottles of wine over the
next couple of months and drink them. What I'd like are suggestions as to what types of
wine folks like

Personally, I like sweet wine. But I don't mind dry. Please feel free to list under any of those two cataogies.

Sweet (level 2)

Dry (level 0)


PS: Since this is Anandtech, I'm sure you've noticed by now I'm actually talking about wine which comes in a bottle, to be taken through the mouth. I am not talking about the wine emulation layer in linux to run windows applications.

 
O

OdiN

Banned
Mar 1, 2000
16,430
3
0
For preferring sweet wine you will be called gay or something I'm sure.

Anyway - pickup some Ravenswood. They make great Zins and are a very reliable wine. I really like em. I'd say any of their wines would be good and not a bad price either.
 
H

Hyperblaze

Lifer
May 31, 2001
10,027
1
81
Originally posted by: OdiN
For preferring sweet wine you will be called gay or something I'm sure.

Anyway - pickup some Ravenswood. They make great Zins and are a very reliable wine. I really like em. I'd say any of their wines would be good and not a bad price either.
Click to expand...

Why? the sweet wine not considered macho enough? :roll:

thanks for your suggestion. You redeemed your post with that last part.

How much is that wine anyways?
 
O

OdiN

Banned
Mar 1, 2000
16,430
3
0
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: OdiN
For preferring sweet wine you will be called gay or something I'm sure.

Anyway - pickup some Ravenswood. They make great Zins and are a very reliable wine. I really like em. I'd say any of their wines would be good and not a bad price either.
Click to expand...

Why? the sweet wine not considered macho enough? :roll:

thanks for your suggestion. You redeemed your post with that last part.

How much is that wine anyways?
Click to expand...

I'm just saying...I've taken needling just for liking wine period.

And Ravenswood generally runs from $10-50 depending on what you get.

Here's some general pricing from an online place:

Text

The last couple bottles I bought at Savemart I got a Lodi Zin for about $12 and a Merlot for about $16.
 
Scarpozzi

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,391
1,780
126
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: OdiN
For preferring sweet wine you will be called gay or something I'm sure.

Anyway - pickup some Ravenswood. They make great Zins and are a very reliable wine. I really like em. I'd say any of their wines would be good and not a bad price either.
Click to expand...

Why? the sweet wine not considered macho enough? :roll:

thanks for your suggestion. You redeemed your post with that last part.

How much is that wine anyways?
Click to expand...
A bottle of Ravenswood Zinfindel is around $14-15.

I also suggest a Pinot Noir. There's a lot more going on with Pinot Noir and they usually will have a long finish, so drink slow.

Louis Jadot -- Beaujolais Villages 2003-2004 $11 Sweeter red from France...

Valley Reale -- Montepulciano 2004 $15 Excellent variety from Italy

If you like white wine, check out Sauvignon Blanc. Try this fun little trick....buy one from the states, then buy one from New Zealand and have a wine tasting and see which one you like... CA wine will cost approximately $18-50 and the New Zealand variety will run you $10-14. Just note the difference in the aromatic qualities of the two regions....and buy it young...like 2003-2005.

Go to a restaurant and ask for the wine menu....read the wines descriptions and take notes...then order water and go straight to a liquor store....note that they markup the bottles 2 times what they cost in the store.... Stock up on the ones you would order in the restaurant and write down your descriptions of the wines....
 
D

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
A few suggestions:

1) Don't concern yourself so much with specific wineries. Yes, there are hundreds of notable wineries that you should try; however, catering to a winery only limits your experience.

2) Find good examples of various viticultural areas. This is how you'll truly educate your palate. Most areas specialize in only a few varietals, and a good year will result in a good wine for almost all wineries in the region. There are many that stand out, but what makes a wine great is more fruit than process; every professional winemaker knows how to control the process well enough to get the best out of the fruit.

For example, I happen to have an affinity for Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, and there are many great wineries in that region. Ponzi, Argyle, Van Duzer, and a number of others are consistently fantastic. '02 and '03 were great years for Pinot in the Willamette Valley, so paying more attention to the year and region will yield you many opportunities.

You can consult vintage charts (e.g. Robert Parker's) to get an idea of what regions were best for any given year. It's just one man's opinion for the most part, so all the caveats apply; however, what it will certainly tell you is whether a particular year is completely spoiled for the area. It happens, and no winery can produce a quality wine when the fruit suffered so great.

That's really all you need to know. Buy many sound representations of a given varietal on a good year and educate your palate.
 
B

bernse

Diamond Member
Aug 29, 2000
3,229
0
0
If you are just getting into wines, your taste preferences will likely go like this:

Sweet White -> Dry White -> Medium Red -> Full Red

Typically, nothing can rush this process until your palate and taste mature. This is actually a good thing, as it will expose you to some great whites that often get overlooked by the more "mature" afficiando.

Try some Reislings and Gewurztramieners at first. Depending on where you live and what is available, some Canadian ones can be phenomenal.
 
A

Apex

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
6,511
1
71
www.gotapex.com
Originally posted by: bernse
If you are just getting into wines, your taste preferences will likely go like this:

Sweet White -> Dry White -> Medium Red -> Full Red

Typically, nothing can rush this process until your palate and taste mature. This is actually a good thing, as it will expose you to some great whites that often get overlooked by the more "mature" afficiando.

Try some Reislings and Gewurztramieners at first. Depending on where you live and what is available, some Canadian ones can be phenomenal.
Click to expand...

Great suggestions.

The Chateau Saint Michelle 2004 Eroica Riesling is a good one to start with. If you want one slightly more dry, try the Firestone Riesling.
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: bernse
If you are just getting into wines, your taste preferences will likely go like this:

Sweet White -> Dry White -> Medium Red -> Full Red

Typically, nothing can rush this process until your palate and taste mature. This is actually a good thing, as it will expose you to some great whites that often get overlooked by the more "mature" afficiando.

Try some Reislings and Gewurztramieners at first. Depending on where you live and what is available, some Canadian ones can be phenomenal.
Click to expand...

Great advice and I agree completely.

For the most part if you get into wine you'll push to the good reds (which are not sweet, nor are they exceptionally dry), they are much more complex/lasting in their flavor.
 
A

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
Originally posted by: Apex
The Chateau Saint Michelle 2004 Eroica Riesling is a good one to start with. If you want one slightly more dry, try the Firestone Riesling.
Click to expand...

have you tried the Eroica? the bottle looks absolutely sexy. that alone makes me want to buy it :)

anyways, i tried the Firestone Riesling. Didn't like it that much. mostly likely because I don't prefer dry wines. the Mirassou Riesling however, was great. Full-bodied and sweet. Oooowee...
 
D

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
1
0
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
To increase my tolerance of wine, I'm going to be buying several bottles of wine over the
next couple of months and drink them. What I'd like are suggestions as to what types of
wine folks like

Personally, I like sweet wine. But I don't mind dry. Please feel free to list under any of those two cataogies.

Sweet (level 2)

Dry (level 0)


PS: Since this is Anandtech, I'm sure you've noticed by now I'm actually talking about wine which comes in a bottle, to be taken through the mouth. I am not talking about the wine emulation layer in linux to run windows applications.
Click to expand...


If it's sweet you want, try some rieslings. I grabbed a bottle last night in fact :D
 
D

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
1
0
Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy
Cognac > Wine
Click to expand...


You drink congnac with your dinner? (in case you haven't yet realized I'm making fun of your ignorant statement. They are for different occasions, I wouldn't have a cigar and a glass of white wine.)
 
mb

mb

Lifer
Jun 27, 2004
10,233
2
71
I've tried plenty of good and great wines, but my favorite would have to be piesporter. Nothing fancy, but sweet & light.
 
SagaLore

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
24,036
21
81
Well, most of the semi-sweet Niagara grape wines are superb. :)

If you like sweet, I highly suggest getting a Niagara and/or Concord ICE WINE. Its going to cost you $50 for a little bottle, but its a dessert wine great for holiday meals.

If you want to work your way up to dry wines, maybe you should go with semi-dry first. My wife was the same way - can't stand dry wines, but started to get a taste for some of the semi-dries that have distinct fruity flavors.
 
A

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
Originally posted by: SagaLore
If you like sweet, I highly suggest getting a Niagara and/or Concord ICE WINE. Its going to cost you $50 for a little bottle, but its a dessert wine great for holiday meals.
Click to expand...

while I haven't tried the 'real' ice wine from Germany nor Canada (especially that ubiquitous Innisilken Vidal for $55), I've tried a Jackson-Trigg Icewine from Canada and my friends said it is pretty good. That half bottle was 21 bucks from bevmo. Later, I got my hands on a $20 Germany icewine from Trader's Joe. will try that tonight if my friends are down.

my point is: Icewine don't have to be expensive... especially on a beginners' budget, I don't think you should pour 50 bucks on something you never tried before. Start with a cheaper version, then move up the quality (and usually price) ladder.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom