Wine? Educate me.... what do you recommend?

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: djheater
I like wine a lot and have, so I don't mind downing a few stinkers in the pursuit of a good bottle. That's why I never spend more than $10 on a bottle of wine.

Sure I drink a lot of not so good wine, but occasionally I find an tasty bottle, and only paid $5-10 for it

I've been burned so many times on wine purchases it's ridiculous. Most recently I bought a 1995 Louis Latour Romanee St. Vivant at an auction, and it tasted like a 2 year old Beaujolais. No depth to be found.

My best luck is usually in the $40 range. I can consistently find exceptional bottles at that price, bottles that leave so lasting an impression in my mind that I can simply think of it and almost experience it again. I look for QPR (quality-price ratio) reds that are < $20, but I'm usually disappointed. Whites are another story.

 

[Armitage]

As others have said, best bet is just to try alot. Find tasting rooms, visit wineries, look for wine bars, etc. Try alot and figure out what you like. Your taste will develop as you try more also.

 

[andylawcc]

start out with supermarket stuff. bottles that are generally under $10. They ususally (at least in Los Angeles) have a buy 6 get 10% off deal.

focus on one grape and from one region at a time. (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfindels.... these are all Red grapes; Pinot Gris/Grigo, Chardonney, Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling are whites.) Regions are like, California +/- Washington, Oregon; France (a huge region, I still dare not to venture); Germany, and Australia. California is a very "easy" region to understand. I would start out from there.


then, move to pricier stuff, and find that one bottle that you really like.

then repeat step one, until you tried all grapes and find out which one you like and not like.

(this can be done in a much more fun and economic fashion with another person.)

Required Reading: Wine Bible (well, not really Required, but it is REALLY benefitical)

 

[redgtxdi]

And note that in that "most popular" list you see a lot of Zinfandels, Merlots and Chardonnays.

I haven't had Reisling, though I've heard enough folks say it's good.



I like white Zins....(people may slam you 'cuz it's pink, but if it tastes good who gives a flying F*)

A good Merlot can be great with dinner. Steaks especially.....imho!

Chardonnays are good, but you have to pick them carefully. Sometimes they can be bitter.

Lastly, I'm not a big fan of Cabs.(Cabernet). Some folks like 'em, but to me they just they're just too dang dark & too acidic! You wanna feel some acid reflux.......just have some cab withor without food & you'll get it!


I'm a whimp........I like sweet, fruity wines, but I've been drinkin' 'em long enough to know they won't hurt me in the morning..........

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Syrch
Just to add a note here, I work for a wine distributor and am also working to learn more about wines. Here are some of our top sellers...

BERINGER WHT ZINF 15B
RM WOODBRIDGE CHARD
BERINGER WHT ZINF
SUTTER HOME WHT ZINF
ST MARG PINOT GRIGIO
SUTTER HOME WHT ZINF
INGLENOOK WH ZIN
VENDANGE CHARDONNAY
SUTTER HOME WHT ZINF 24B
INGLENOOK WH ZIN
WILD IRISH ROSE RED 18
RM WOODBRDG CHARD 1/2 PAD
CLOS DU BOIS CHARD
RM WOODBRIDGE CAB
SUTTER HOME CHARDONNAY 24
MEZZACORONA PIN GRIGIO
RM WOODBRIDGE MERLOT
VENDANGE WHITE ZINFANDEL
MOET & CHANDON WHT ST 12B
ARBOR MIST EXTC-FR-WZ
MEZZACORONA PIN GRIGIO
3 BER WHT ZIN 2BP TRAY

not to be mean, but best sellers usually pretty poor wine.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
pinot grigio santa margherita

Pinot Grigio is a very good wine to start with. Riesling is one of my favorites too. Stay away from Cabs and Merlots until you get your wine legs.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Originally posted by: Descartes


I always write really long posts in wine threads. I'm sure I probably didn't even tell you what you wanted to hear either

this is why you were paged and you showed up quite promptly and delivered yet another motherload of wine knowledge :thumbsup:

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: Syrch
Just to add a note here, I work for a wine distributor and am also working to learn more about wines. Here are some of our top sellers...

BERINGER WHT ZINF 15B
RM WOODBRIDGE CHARD
BERINGER WHT ZINF
SUTTER HOME WHT ZINF
ST MARG PINOT GRIGIO
SUTTER HOME WHT ZINF
INGLENOOK WH ZIN
VENDANGE CHARDONNAY
SUTTER HOME WHT ZINF 24B
INGLENOOK WH ZIN
WILD IRISH ROSE RED 18
RM WOODBRDG CHARD 1/2 PAD
CLOS DU BOIS CHARD
RM WOODBRIDGE CAB
SUTTER HOME CHARDONNAY 24
MEZZACORONA PIN GRIGIO
RM WOODBRIDGE MERLOT
VENDANGE WHITE ZINFANDEL
MOET & CHANDON WHT ST 12B
ARBOR MIST EXTC-FR-WZ
MEZZACORONA PIN GRIGIO
3 BER WHT ZIN 2BP TRAY

not to be mean, but best sellers usually pretty poor wine.

as noted by the item in bold

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Descartes
I've been burned so many times on wine purchases it's ridiculous. Most recently I bought a 1995 Louis Latour Romanee St. Vivant at an auction, and it tasted like a 2 year old Beaujolais. No depth to be found.

aren't red Burgundy the most "unreliable" wine? One day you open it it could be the most elegant wine ever... and the next time you open the same bottle on a different day it would result in the same as described above. (well, I guess that's a beauty of it - the heart broken uncertainty)

I look for QPR (quality-price ratio) reds that are < $20, but I'm usually disappointed.

did you try Owen Roe's Sharecropper? at 20 bucks, I thought it was guuuuureat...

also, i think this is a rather small producer in Carnero's region called Silver Spur, and they make a Pinot is a big "whao" to me. it retails at $24.

 

[IAteYourMother]

if you want fruity, chardonnays are very fruity. costco has a good selection of wine.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: djheater
I like wine a lot and have, so I don't mind downing a few stinkers in the pursuit of a good bottle. That's why I never spend more than $10 on a bottle of wine.

Sure I drink a lot of not so good wine, but occasionally I find an tasty bottle, and only paid $5-10 for it

I've been burned so many times on wine purchases it's ridiculous. Most recently I bought a 1995 Louis Latour Romanee St. Vivant at an auction, and it tasted like a 2 year old Beaujolais. No depth to be found.

My best luck is usually in the $40 range. I can consistently find exceptional bottles at that price, bottles that leave so lasting an impression in my mind that I can simply think of it and almost experience it again. I look for QPR (quality-price ratio) reds that are < $20, but I'm usually disappointed. Whites are another story.

There are some outstanding reds coming out of South America, specifically Chile and Argentina.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: Descartes
I've been burned so many times on wine purchases it's ridiculous. Most recently I bought a 1995 Louis Latour Romanee St. Vivant at an auction, and it tasted like a 2 year old Beaujolais. No depth to be found.

aren't red Burgundy the most "unreliable" wine? One day you open it it could be the most elegant wine ever... and the next time you open the same bottle on a different day it would result in the same as described above. (well, I guess that's a beauty of it - the heart broken uncertainty)

Yes, overall I'd say that's true, but it doesn't stop me from trying apparently. It's becoming too expensive an endeavor though.

I find great values out of Gevrey-Chambertin, Volnay, and few other villages, but anything around Vosne-Romanee has been hit-or-miss in my experience. Louis Latour is a consistent producer though, so if Louis Latour can't make sense of the grapes for that year then I generally don't pay much attention to any others.

Overall, I simply can't find a consistently good pinot.

I look for QPR (quality-price ratio) reds that are < $20, but I'm usually disappointed.

did you try Owen Roe's Sharecropper? at 20 bucks, I thought it was guuuuureat...[/quote]

He's a very consistent producer, no doubt. My favorite out of Oregon tends to be Ponzi though.

also, i think this is a rather small producer in Carnero's region called Silver Spur, and they make a Pinot is a big "whao" to me. it retails at $24.

I've never had Silver Spur, but I tend to prefer more subtle Pinot and I just can't seem to find that outside of Burgundy. So much of Cali Pinot is simply too big, imo, and is more plum, black cherry, etc. than raspberry, earth, truffles, etc. Vineyards around Russian River tend to produce pinot along my preference.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: Feldenak

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: djheater
I like wine a lot and have, so I don't mind downing a few stinkers in the pursuit of a good bottle. That's why I never spend more than $10 on a bottle of wine.

Sure I drink a lot of not so good wine, but occasionally I find an tasty bottle, and only paid $5-10 for it

I've been burned so many times on wine purchases it's ridiculous. Most recently I bought a 1995 Louis Latour Romanee St. Vivant at an auction, and it tasted like a 2 year old Beaujolais. No depth to be found.

My best luck is usually in the $40 range. I can consistently find exceptional bottles at that price, bottles that leave so lasting an impression in my mind that I can simply think of it and almost experience it again. I look for QPR (quality-price ratio) reds that are < $20, but I'm usually disappointed. Whites are another story.

There are some outstanding reds coming out of South America, specifically Chile and Argentina.

Most definitely. There are some great values out of New Zealand as well, especially when it comes to Pinot.

So many wines... so little time.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Personally, I like strong, sweet, wet reds. And am not a big fan of whites. So I mostly drink beaujellais (sp?), chiati, shiraz and dornfelder.

But even in the tastes I typically don't like (chardonnay, merlot) I've had a few wines from vinyards that are great. So it can just depend on your tastes, year and vinyard.

 

[redgtxdi]

Anybody else starting to salivate??