Wine!

Discussion in 'Food and Drink' started by OJneg, Nov 2, 2015.

  1. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Inspired by Marco's HD800 cork mod....

    Go crazy.

    |{:piratemug::piratemug::piratemug:|{
     
  2. joch

    joch Friend

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    Oh, I could use a nice Shiraz right now.
     
  3. schiit

    schiit SchiitHead

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    Ah, don't get me started...I stick to the California side of things mainly (nothing against France, it's just what I know, and convenient.) I also like avoiding Napa's wine Disneyland and touring the lesser-known AVAs. There are a ton of wine growing regions in California, and almost all of them have some very nice wines, providing you stick to what they do best--like Rhone blends in Amador, Zin/Syrah/Barbera in Lodi (yes, Lodi), Pinot/Chardonnay in the Carmel Valley, etc...

    Some smaller producers worth seeking out:

    Wrath (Carmel). For pinots--they have like 6 different ones--and a couple of great chards.
    Rideau (Santa Ynez). For their estate Syrah and SGM blends.
    Jeremy (Lodi). For Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Zin.

    But the rabbit hole goes very deep in wine. It's like audio. It can get really crazy and really expensive, or you can just sit back and have some fun with it.
     
  4. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

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    Sub'd . I'm not really a expert and i'm more into the "just sit back and have some fun" camp. but as a french guy, I'm in a mission here . :D
     
  5. joch

    joch Friend

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    I used to go deep into that rabbit hole.

    Now I try to concentrate on the USD $20-25 to get the best value.

    Would I like to taste a DRC? Oh yeah. But the fun is finding that bargain that outperforms.

    Like Jason, I'm sticking mostly with Australian and NZ stuff being on this side of the Pacific (as local as you can get without venturing into the Chinese stuff--some are excellent but most aren't)
     
  6. feilb

    feilb Coco the monkey - Friend

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    Ergh. If I weren't so blasted poor I'd love to be in the $20-25 range :(

    I'm down here below deck trying to find the $10 gems!
     
  7. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    I'm a noob too but I'm going to start sampling different reds and taking notes. Maybe do some DBTs for Sir Guy de Nwav
     
  8. schiit

    schiit SchiitHead

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  9. JoshMorr

    JoshMorr Friend

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    My wife is Italian American, so wine is an important part of every occasion. I personally like the Italian versions of what Jason is describing (smaller, lesser known, vineyards run by craftsman). I learned that real italian imported wine has labels around the neck stating DOCG, DOC, IGT etc with the DOCG certification meaning that the type of grape used can be traced back a long time. I don't know much about wine, but if I buy a labeled or certified wine, the old italian grandmothers at the dinner table think I know what I am doing an yell at me less.
     
  10. Cryptowolf

    Cryptowolf Repping Chi Town - Friend

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    I concur with others that some of the best values are in the $20 - $30 range. Try to find a small, local shop and get to know the staff. I have two outstanding shops here in Chicago that I go to regularly. The one time they steered me wrong, they offered to buy the bottle back for store credit!

    My suggestion is to try to stick to a particular varietal for a while to learn what you like. Keep notes while enjoying the wines, but don't worry too much about terminology. Then head back to the small shop, describe in your own words what you liked, and ask for recommendations. Wash, rinse, repeat and you'll develop a good sense of your palate.

    I've also found that it's fun to buy two bottles of a wine, one for now, and another to rest for a few years. I've had some great reds this way by investing $15 up front and two or more years.
     
  11. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    Mind sharing the store names?
     
  12. Jun

    Jun Friend

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    I am not an Redwine expert and only have gotten a couple of store brands.

    Out of my limited knowledge I really liked Pacific Redwood Organic Red Wine. I got it from Costco for $6.79. It was so good that I went back to Costco and bought 12 bottles. It has a woody taste and it doesn't give you headaches after drinking it because it contains no sulfates and uses organic grapes.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2016
  13. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    [​IMG]

    certainly....interesting....

    but not palatable enough for me
     
  14. SineDave

    SineDave Friend

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    Just got back from a trip to Napa (we didn't visit any large wineries on purpose). I ended up shipping about 28 bottles home from various places.

    Highlights:
    Vincent Arroyo - almost everything was excellent, including their Sangiovese, Cabernet & Petit Syrah.
    B.R. Cohn - Bruce Cohn (manager of the Doobie Brothers) started this place. They had some very good Cab Sauv.
    Viansa - up in Sonoma. Some really excellent stuff and reasonably priced. Also a beautiful winery to sit at.
    Joseph Phelps - a little better known, but a beautiful estate, and their tasting included 7 different glasses, two of which were reserves (200+/bottle), a great value.
     

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