Wine lovers... - TTLG Forums

Scots Taffer on 14/8/2007 at 03:43

Oh God, I hate Pinot Grigio. Oh so very much. :(

Thanks for the reccs. I'll look them up.

The only wine I've had that knocked my socks off so much that I'd recommend it in the last year - as I drink a lot of wine, mostly $20-$30 gluggers, but occasionally I go higher - is Best's Great Western Thomson Family Shiraz, the 2001 vintage. The 1995 is apparently even more stunning but this one I remember just blowing my tastebuds apart - it had an almost sherbert-fountainy fizz to it on the palate (although it's not sparkling) and the fruit just sort of explodes! :D

Tocky on 14/8/2007 at 04:15

Try some muscadine wine if you get the chance just because it is unique in flavor. If you are lucky it will be from somewhere that knows how to keep it from being too sweet. I love it done right. Other than that I like Chenin Blancs and Rieslings and the Biltmore Estate makes some nice ones. Then again I like Riunite Lambrusco so I'm a low rent swiller mostly.

I too hate the Pinot Grigio, nice aroma but couldn't get used to the twang.

demagogue on 14/8/2007 at 05:01

I should probably mention that my father recently got a vineyard in West Texas and is going to start grape growing for wine. He's talking with some established brands to sell his grapes ... so the brands are already there, but still cool that it will be our grapes.

Everything is set up to start growing, but it's supposed to take a few seasons before the grapes are ready to be processed. He hasn't chosen exactly which grapes he'll grow yet, but is consulting with whatever the brands want ... this is something new for us, so we have some homework to do. I've been trying to study up on it. I worked on a vineyard in Israel one season, but of course it's much different when you're the one doing the managing (at least we don't have to mess with the byzantine rules for kosher; it's hard enough to keep the grapes happy that we'd have to keep God happy too.)

Apparently Texan wine used to be pretty highly regarded (like 100 years ago) but it didn't survive Prohibition when Texas stayed dry. But it's making something of a resurgence in the last few years and a few brands have been winning some awards, esp in one particular area (Llano escarpment) well suited for it.

Once things get going, I'll post which brands are using our grapes so you guys can tell me what you think.

One cool thing about it, my father's vineyard is at the foot of a mountain called Sierra Diablo, and the vineyard shares the name. I think that would be a pretty cool name for a wine if the chance ever comes up.

Gillie on 14/8/2007 at 09:21

A drop of wine Is good. :thumb:
California white wine is nice as is some Australian Wines.
I prefer quite a dry white. Love some of the French whites like Sauvignon.
Pouilly Fumé is lovely Mmm.
Not keen on heavy reds. Though my "hubby" has got a taste for the reds of Italy from the South/ Puglia region. Primitivo is really good!.
As well as the Chianti.
A lot of "Snobbery" with wine. Still think it is personal taste . You don't have to pay a fortune for a good wine!.
Love Champagne though.

Gussss on 14/8/2007 at 12:40

Quote Posted by Starrfall

Hot South American Cabernet blends with copious amounts of charred yet bloody cow is the only way to live.

Stop It, I can hear the sizzle, the aroma.

TBE on 14/8/2007 at 15:58

(http://www.winesnw.com/SteChapelleListing.htm#Special) Ste Chappelle Special Harvest Riesling. I've been drinking this wine since 2001 harvest, and it's always good. If anyone in the world doesn't enjoy a glass of this stuff, you've obviously have no taste buds. My pick of the century for wine. It's only about $9-10 a bottle usually too.

mrle01 on 14/8/2007 at 17:54

I (like many people here in Croatia) own a small wineyard, so I mostly drink domestic wine. And we usually drink white wine mixed with mineral water (known as "gemist" here).

Ulukai on 14/8/2007 at 18:16

I don't pretend to know a huge amount about wine, but I drink a damn sight more of it these days than I do just about any other alcohol, so I know what like and what I don't.

There's a particularly good Chilian Gewürztraminer I'm fond of when I make a homemade curry ((http://www.waitrosewine.com/Browse+All+Wines/++White+Wine/White+Wine/All+White+Wines/1870/230307130/Product.aspx) Waitrose ftw), and I've yet to have a bad one.

I tend to stay away from Pinot Grigios or Chardonnay, (not good experiences with those), but if anyone has had one they particularly recommend I'd give it a whirl if I can find it.

I did get two hours tuition on grapes by a frightfully, awfully posh gentleman with a handlebar moustache back when I used to work in a bar, but I'll be damned if I can remember much about that these days.

Also, whilst we're on the subject, despite the fact that I'm sure I read somewhere it's supposed to be better for the wine, there's something just not quite as satisfying about unscrewing a bottle rather than successfully extracting a cork, neh?

ercles on 15/8/2007 at 00:53

Yes the Stelvin seal (screwcap) vs cork debate is an interesting one. Depending on who you talk to cork's are either beneficial for aging wine, or make no difference at all. The bottom line right now is that cork's are still too unreliable (esp. cheap cork) to rely on. On average one in 12 wines is corked, which is a ridiculously bad quality control method when you think about it. There are alternatives like the Diem corks which are far more reliable.

The trend seems to be for almost all white wine and cheap red wine to be placed under screwcap, and your premium wines to be put under cork.

If you'd like I could reccomend some chardonnay or pinot griggio, but I'm afraid I couldn't garuantee you could track them down outside of aus.

Mingan on 15/8/2007 at 03:33

Last year I heard that the trees used to make cork were having some sort of illness or parasite that would make the wine corked. So many wineyards decided to go with the synthetic cork. I don't know about screwcap wine, but just a word of advice: if you ever come tempted by wine in a cardboard bottle(like orange juice bottles), please, do resist. This stuff is filthy, not even good enough to cook with.