Best tasting wine

[FreshPrince]

Francis Coppola chianti

 

[kirkaptain]

I like Pinot Grigios from the Willamette valley of Oregon. Not too dry, not too sweet, moderatly priced.

 

[daveshel]

Rex Goliath Pinot Noir is an excellent value - less than $10.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: daveshel
Rex Goliath Pinot Noir is an excellent value - less than $10.

where you get it from? supermarket chain or a dedicated wine store?

 

[Captante]

The only sweet wines I still enjoy are quality German Reislings ... my tastes lean toward full-bodied reds more. I like California Cabernet & Australian Shiraz best. Recently the best bottles of wine I've had have been a '02 blend called Oberon (forget what the blend was) & '03 Francis Coppola Merlot... also very good was '02 Rosemont "Hill of gold" Cabernet.

 

[BullsOnParade]

Pinot is rather expensive to have just for fun. Cabernet on the other hand can be had for pretty cheap ~$5 for blackfoot which we agreed was a steal, Little Boomey (Aus) for around 10 was very good, there are a whole host of others but experimenting on Cabernet is a lot cheaper than with Pinot Noir in my experience.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Hmm, though not technically "wine" this is an excellent "barley wine"
Rogue XS Old Crustacean

 

[gooseman]

A good ole bottle of ripple always does the trick for me.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: BullsOnParade
Pinot is rather expensive to have just for fun. Cabernet on the other hand can be had for pretty cheap ~$5 for blackfoot which we agreed was a steal, Little Boomey (Aus) for around 10 was very good, there are a whole host of others but experimenting on Cabernet is a lot cheaper than with Pinot Noir in my experience.

i'd agree wholeheartedly. cheap pinots are usually a waste of money; but cheap Cabs on the other hand can be quite good.

 

[ShowdOWN]

another vote for cabernet sauvignons.

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: daveshel
Rex Goliath Pinot Noir is an excellent value - less than $10.

where you get it from? supermarket chain or a dedicated wine store?

Grocery store called Sunflower Market - they have stores in western states.

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: BullsOnParade
Pinot is rather expensive to have just for fun. Cabernet on the other hand can be had for pretty cheap ~$5 for blackfoot which we agreed was a steal, Little Boomey (Aus) for around 10 was very good, there are a whole host of others but experimenting on Cabernet is a lot cheaper than with Pinot Noir in my experience.

i'd agree wholeheartedly. cheap pinots are usually a waste of money; but cheap Cabs on the other hand can be quite good.

I think a $10 pinot is a better value than a $5 cab. Discovering pinots was a breakthrough experience for me. Hit movies notwithstanding.

 

[conehead433]

Some years ago I learned to love German reislings. If you learn just a little bit about how to choose one you can probably find a white wine that is perfect for you. First off the highest quality wines will have 'Qualitatswein mit Pradikat' on the label, but if it's not there it could still be very good wine. More importantly is choosing a wine with the level of sweetness you desire. Kabinett will be the least sweet as the wine is made from the earliest picked grapes. Next would be spatlese which is made from late picked grapes followed by auslese which is made from select very ripe grapes and would be considered a sweet dessert wine. The Germans go even further by making beerenauslese which is made from select over ripe grapes, eiswein (ice wine) which is made from grapes vintaged and crushed while frozen. And they even made wine from grapes that have almost become raisins and it is called trockenbeerenauslese. Additionally green bottles are from the Mosel region and brown bottles are from the Rhine region.
I've tried them all and would have to say that a good spatlese or auslese is hard to beat. For a real treat an ice wine is quite good. At any rate you should check out some of the German reislings.

Reading German Wine Labels

Other countries and California have reislings as well, but it's much easier to get the level of sweetness you want with the way the German wines are labelled. Beyond reislings Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are somewhat above a Zinfindel. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds.
Truth be told though, hardly anything is better than a good wine made from the Pinot Noir grape.

 

[aircooled]

Australian Shiraz


Best bang for the buck.

 

[ElFenix]

wild vines


or rosemount shiraz

 

[WildHorse]

Chardonnay from the Santa Ynez Valley.

I single out the chardonnays from Babcock Winery as about the very best around here for my taste. The chardonnays from Zaca Mesa, Sanford and Firestone wineries are real good too. They're all oak aged and very fine.

I like to take a small group of friends and bike ride among the wineries, tasting as we go, through the spectacular scenery of Santa Ynez Valley.

It'll be time for another bike trip pretty real soon now.

 

[AreaCode707]

I'm mostly a cab/zin gal, but I couldn't possibly pick a single one that is best. I recently read a column by Dan Berger (Sonoma County) that impressed me as having several good ideas for learning about wine, if you're interested:

People interested in wine, even if only partially, can do much to discover what they like on their own. Sure, it may cost a bit more than running down to your local supermarket and grabbing the latest $3.99 special, but the rewards are worth it.

Be aware that the following suggestions are based on your having access to a knowledgeable wine merchant, not the 17-year-old stock clerk at the supermarket. That being said, here are a few things you can do to find wines that will be pleasing and not all that pricey:

1. Stage your own blind tasting. Buy two similarly priced wines of the same category (two Merlots, for example), and place them both in bags. Pour the wines without knowing which is which. Try the wines first without food and then with a meal. The wine you consume more of is the better one -- to your palate.

2. Ask a wine merchant to suggest two different wines of the same type (for example, a California Sauvignon Blanc and one from New Zealand) and in a similar price range. Try the wines side by side to see how similar and different they are.

3. Ask a good wine merchant for the two best $10 wines in the shop, one white and one red, irrespective of type or country. See if you think they are worth the money.

4. Take the advice of the wine columnist who suggests a $12 bottle of something he or she thinks is sensational. But ask the merchant for something like it and not priced radically different. And try them side-by-side.

5. Ask a merchant for an interesting, "offbeat" wine, one most people would not discover on their own. (It could be something like Gruner Veltliner from Austria, a Garnacha from Spain, or a Chenin Blanc from South Africa.)

6. Try a German Riesling designated as Kabinett. You may be surprised at the fruit, the freshness and the vibrant acidity to balance the sweetness. Try it with highly seasoned foods -- like Thai.

7. Buy a bottle of a dry oloroso sherry from Spain, and try it with creamed soup.

8. If a wine you've bought doesn't impress you on first taste, decant it into a pitcher or decanter and see if a half-hour or an hour improves it. You may be surprised.

The basic rule here is to buy what satisfies your palate and enjoy it.

As a speaker at a wine conference recently said, "This isn't rocket surgery."

Text

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

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.

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...

Yeah, definitely a worthwhile taste. Actually, my local Bristol Farms has a Chateau Saint Michelle tasting tomorrow, and I can't wait to go.

http://www.bristolfarms.com/winetasting/index.html

I do tend to like more dry wines for chicken and pork, though I still like some of the sweeter for seafood. My wife likes the sweeter ones for both. Go figure. The Firestone is a hit and miss, some people really like it, others definitely do not. Hard to go wrong with Ch St. Michelle though, IMHO.

 

[torpid]

The only wines I can really tolerate are Rieslings, which are quite sweet. The brand matters somewhat, but really most Rieslings are pretty good.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: andylawcc

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.

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...

Yeah, definitely a worthwhile taste. Actually, my local Bristol Farms has a Chateau Saint Michelle tasting tomorrow, and I can't wait to go.

http://www.bristolfarms.com/winetasting/index.html

I do tend to like more dry wines for chicken and pork, though I still like some of the sweeter for seafood. My wife likes the sweeter ones for both. Go figure. The Firestone is a hit and miss, some people really like it, others definitely do not. Hard to go wrong with Ch St. Michelle though, IMHO.

Heh, I'm going out to Chateau St. Michelle tomorrow with a work event, going wine tasting. Should be fun.

 

[dxkj]

Hrm, go with Boones Farm Im guessing

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: andylawcc

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.

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...

Yeah, definitely a worthwhile taste. Actually, my local Bristol Farms has a Chateau Saint Michelle tasting tomorrow, and I can't wait to go.

http://www.bristolfarms.com/winetasting/index.html

I do tend to like more dry wines for chicken and pork, though I still like some of the sweeter for seafood. My wife likes the sweeter ones for both. Go figure. The Firestone is a hit and miss, some people really like it, others definitely do not. Hard to go wrong with Ch St. Michelle though, IMHO.

Heh, I'm going out to Chateau St. Michelle tomorrow with a work event, going wine tasting. Should be fun.

Ugh, and you didn't invite me?

Hehe. Be sure to let us know what you like best. I'm sure you'll have a blast.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: andylawcc

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.

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...

Yeah, definitely a worthwhile taste. Actually, my local Bristol Farms has a Chateau Saint Michelle tasting tomorrow, and I can't wait to go.

http://www.bristolfarms.com/winetasting/index.html

I do tend to like more dry wines for chicken and pork, though I still like some of the sweeter for seafood. My wife likes the sweeter ones for both. Go figure. The Firestone is a hit and miss, some people really like it, others definitely do not. Hard to go wrong with Ch St. Michelle though, IMHO.

Heh, I'm going out to Chateau St. Michelle tomorrow with a work event, going wine tasting. Should be fun.

Ugh, and you didn't invite me?

Hehe. Be sure to let us know what you like best. I'm sure you'll have a blast.

Nevada to Washington? Long drive!

I've been wine tasting in Wenatchee and Yakima/Red Mountain since moving to Washington, and I'm a Sonoma/Mendocino county native with trips to Napa, so oddly enough Woodinville is the spot I haven't hit yet, even though it's only about 15 minutes away.

 

[WW]

if you like sweet wines...try some of the fruit wines. Don't let your wine snob friend see you Doesn't really build your 'wine' knowledge, but some of them are pretty tasty.

http://www.orderdepot.com/Templates/lis...asp?x=1&y=6&display=6&ID=22&storeid=25

try the concord grape and sweet cherry

or for after dinner, try a nice port...very sweet and really strong! (not from that site...port is sold everywhere)

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: andylawcc

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.

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...

Yeah, definitely a worthwhile taste. Actually, my local Bristol Farms has a Chateau Saint Michelle tasting tomorrow, and I can't wait to go.

http://www.bristolfarms.com/winetasting/index.html

I do tend to like more dry wines for chicken and pork, though I still like some of the sweeter for seafood. My wife likes the sweeter ones for both. Go figure. The Firestone is a hit and miss, some people really like it, others definitely do not. Hard to go wrong with Ch St. Michelle though, IMHO.

Heh, I'm going out to Chateau St. Michelle tomorrow with a work event, going wine tasting. Should be fun.

Ugh, and you didn't invite me?

Hehe. Be sure to let us know what you like best. I'm sure you'll have a blast.

Nevada to Washington? Long drive!

I've been wine tasting in Wenatchee and Yakima/Red Mountain since moving to Washington, and I'm a Sonoma/Mendocino county native with trips to Napa, so oddly enough Woodinville is the spot I haven't hit yet, even though it's only about 15 minutes away.

So how did it go?

Did you get to taste the Col Solare?