What's your favorite wine? What's all the hype about?

[Flatbush Flyer]

Flatbush Flyer, you mention Sonoma County and I'm just curious if you've been to Frick Winery there. If not, I have to recommend it.

 

 

 

OP, I hope you enjoy your intro to wine exploration!

 

 

I know of Frick (over by Kenwood?). However, with their focus on Rhone style wines, they're out of our focus group. With hundreds of Sonoma wineries, decisions need to be made. Overall, our current favorite winery is Martin Ray in Santa Rosa. Killer Chardonnays (Dutton Ranch-Green Valley), Pinots and Cab (among others). If you can find it, try the Tower Red blend (about $50 retail)- instant love affair.

BTW, someone in this thread mentioned Brunello. One of the best selections of Brunello (at reasonable prices) I have seen in the US is at Empire Wines in Albany NY. Shipping is reasonable dependent on volume. (In all honesty, even their California wines are nicely priced.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Flatbush Flyer

[Flatbush Flyer]

As a wine lover we find the posts fascinating and even enlightening. I especially find it interesting when folks say they have found one wine or grape...and stick with it. So the shocker is that there are over 10,000 (not an exaggeration) types of wine grapes in the world. And when you consider combinations, there is virtually an unlimited number of possibilities. Wine lovers really enjoy learning about new varietals, and combinations and giving them a taste. Perhaps it is like cruise lines where some folks cruise upon a single line, and others of us enjoy variety :). Enjoying and learning about wines is a lifetime obsession with some of us and is a lot of fun. We still talk about discovering a new wine grape (for us) on the island of Korcula called "Grk." We brought 2 bottles back to the ship and enjoyed one at dinner, and gave the other to the Master Sommelier on the ship to share with his staff (none of who had ever tasted this grape). Years later we still remember that wine, which we first tasted on a 62 day cruise...and it is about all we remember from the lengthy cruise :). For some folks wine is just a drink to have with food. For others it can become a lifelong passion. But we think the key to wine is simply to enjoy and have fun!

 

As to the sweet wine thing, when I first met DW she had only tried sweet wines such as Pink Zins. Now, the drier the wine the more she likes it. Palates do change over time which is more of the fun. And by the way, Zinfandel is a fabulous grape...when it is turned into a lovely spicy red wine. That is totally different then the sweet Pink Zins...which are generally made from inferior grapes. We think there are some fantastic sweet wines (some Sauternes and Canadian Ice Wines rise to this level) but Pink Zin is not one of them :).

 

Hank

P.S. Could not write a post about wines without starting a Pink Zin controversy :).

 

Hank

 

 

Post retirement, we spent some extended time in upstate NY. At an event we once hosted, someone asked for "a glass of Zinfandel," I poured him some Seghesio old vine (IMO, the gold standard among Sonoma wineries focused on Zin). Without even tasting it, our guest remarked - "No - I want Zinfandel - it's pink." And so, his wine education began.

Speaking of pink wine, Rosé of Pinot Noir is enjoying an explosion of popularity here in NorCal. The better ones are very dry but easily identified as Pinot Noir. Best we've had so far are from Navarro in Philo (Mendocino County) and Martin Ray's top-of-the-line "Estate" version (sold out with the next bottling after the new year (Sonoma).

Edited November 14, 2016 by Flatbush Flyer

[slidergirl]

Flatbush - I'm the one who mentioned Brunellos. Unfortunately, I'm from a state where the alcohol from 3.3% and up is strictly and tightly controlled. Fortunately, we have the third largest designated "wine store" in the state about a 15 minute drive away and another smaller general alcohol store 5 minutes away. They aren't big on Brunello - maybe 4 or 5 are offered at the big store and it starts at the mid $50s for it. That's why I do Toscanos...

I've taken a dive into Riojas, too. Every once in awhile, that Rioja replaces the Toscano on the kitchen table. And, Argentinian Malbecs have come home to roost, too. A good one there is the Altos Los Hormigas - a friend from Mendoza turned me on to this one.

Yes, there are some nice Rieslings coming out of New York. I'll pick up a Dr Konstantin Frank Riesling once in awhile IF the store has one in stock. But NY wine is very few and far between here at the store...

 

Let's not throw all Rose under the wine bus. Some good stuff comes out of France with that "pink" tint... In the heat of summer, a glass of Cotes du Rhone is kinda nice ;)

Edited November 14, 2016 by slidergirl

[SteveH2508]

Another white grape that has not been mentioned yet is Viognier - well worth an experiment IMHO.

[spookwife]

Another white grape that has not been mentioned yet is Viognier - well worth an experiment IMHO.

 

definitely.

 

we used to live in Monterey, and for the 2 years I was there, I started learning. its less about price, varietal and name/Vintner and more about what your palate appreciates.

 

for instance I learned that I loathe CA chards, but will drink someFrench ones. I also vastly prefer steel over oak barrels in my Chards. but I prefer CA reds over their french counterparts( to me the French ones are showing signs of depletion) and if have never found an Argentinian Malbec I didn't like.

 

South Africa and Chile are producing some marvelous bottles.

 

I actually do prefer blends, but the trick is finding a ratio that works for you. even a small 2% difference in concentration can totally change the taste.

 

I have confused, delighted and dismayed wine stewards, sommeliers and other so called experts when I ask if they have any petit verdot as a varietal. as a grape that is primarily used in blends, this is nearly impossible to find. but when I do I pounce upon it.

 

My husband will do the same for Petit Syrah. ( less rare but still not mainstream)

[ekajun1957]

See this is above my level of class and sophistication, I was going to suggest to start out by going get a good drunk on Boones Farm or Mad Dog 20-20 or wish could go back to old days when we mixed cheap champagne and Ripple, and called it Champipple!

[slidergirl]

I know of Frick (over by Kenwood?). However, with their focus on Rhone style wines, they're out of our focus group. With hundreds of Sonoma wineries, decisions need to be made. Overall, our current favorite winery is Martin Ray in Santa Rosa. Killer Chardonnays (Dutton Ranch-Green Valley), Pinots and Cab (among others). If you can find it, try the Tower Red blend (about $50 retail)- instant love affair.

BTW, someone in this thread mentioned Brunello. One of the best selections of Brunello (at reasonable prices) I have seen in the US is at Empire Wines in Albany NY. Shipping is reasonable dependent on volume. (In all honesty, even their California wines are nicely priced.

 

Thanks for the tip on Empire Wines. Unfortunately, my state is one of those where shipments of alcohol to anywhere but the State Liquor Control Board is prohibited AND fined :mad: The best I can do is to drive to a neighboring state and smuggle it back in the car - that isn't worth it to me.

[Hlitner]

Post retirement, we spent some extended time in upstate NY. At an event we once hosted, someone asked for "a glass of Zinfandel," I poured him some Seghesio old vine (IMO, the gold standard among Sonoma wineries focused on Zin). Without even tasting it, our guest remarked - "No - I want Zinfandel - it's pink." And so, his wine education began.

Speaking of pink wine, Rosé of Pinot Noir is enjoying an explosion of popularity here in NorCal. The better ones are very dry but easily identified as Pinot Noir. Best we've had so far are from Navarro in Philo (Mendocino County) and Martin Ray's top-of-the-line "Estate" version (sold out with the next bottling after the new year (Sonoma).

 

Every year we meet another couple (very old friends) at a site where we stay in a B&B and spend a few days tasting local regional wines. For several years we explored the Finger Lakes area (think Bully Hill) and chose a different lake area every year. After sampling well over 100 NY Wines we decided that decent NY wines were few and far between. The 4 years ago we decided to meet at Niagara On the Lake, CA....and spend a few days tasting Canadian wines. We were blown away at the high quality of some Canadian wines, the skill and passion of their wine makers, etc. We have now been going to Canada for the past 5 years where we still think they produce superior wines (in nearly every way) to NY State wines (which are also commonly available at home). The only NY winery that consistently got my interest was Wagner where they have produced some decent reds in a region not known for dry red wines.

 

The thing about NY is that they have had a thriving wine industry for my entire life (and I am a senior). But for some reason, we do not think their winemakers have done a particularly good job at improving their quality when compared to many other wine regions and nearby Canada.

 

Hank

[Kartgv]

OP, and anyone else who hasn't seen it, try to find the 2008 movie "Bottle Shock". Netflix has it on DVD, and we recently saw it on TV. It's a great movie starring Bill Pullman, Chris Pine, and Alan Rickman, a true story (more or less) about the 1976 wine competition in Paris where some California wines won some categories of judging against French wines and shocked the world. Not only is it very entertaining, but you'll learn a lot about the wine industry and culture.

[ettaterrell]

Thank you all so very much! I've learned a lot from each comment. I am off to read up and study up on the different kinds and I'm sure I will come back here for more questions. The only thing I know is I don't care for carbonated wines.. I have been told that is all rieslings? And I hate (for now) very dry wines.. It makes my mouth feel tart. I am on a mission to find a wine I like! I would like be to find one to sip while cooking and during dinner. Thanks again for all the help and if you have a suggestion of what I should try while on the boat next week please share! I do have the cheers card so I'm hoping I can find something I like.

 

 

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Edited November 14, 2016 by ettaterrell

[Flatbush Flyer]

Thank you all so very much! I've learned a lot from each comment. I am off to read up and study up on the different kinds and I'm sure I will come back here for more questions. The only thing I know is I don't care for carbonated wines.. I have been told that is all rieslings? And I hate (for now) very dry wines.. It makes my mouth feel tart. I am on a mission to find a wine I like! I would like be to find one to sip while cooking and during dinner. Thanks again for all the help and if you have a suggestion of what I should try while on the boat next week please share! I do have the cheers card so I'm hoping I can find something I like.

 

 

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You've been told wrong about "all Rieslings..."

On the other hand, Rieslings may be a good start for you since production ranges from the sweet to the dry.

If you're having TG dinner at home, you may want to look at serving a range of Rieslings. Better still, for a traditional turkey dinner, see if you can find a better quality Gewürztraminer (I highly recommend Gundlach Bundschu - Sonoma County). For California Rieslings, look to Navarro. And Riesling is where many NY State winemakers really shine.

[iancal]

I generally stick with the reds that I like. Malbecs from Argentina, Merlots, Cabs, and especially Carmeneres from Chile.

 

Not a wine snob, just know what I like... the garden variety every day plonk is just fine with me. These also happen to be great values because of currency at the present time.

 

We do not find price to be an especially good indicator of quality.

Edited November 14, 2016 by iancal

[Blondilu]

I do love the information available on this forum. You have only to ask a question and just like that you have nearly a complete education on wine.

 

A very, very small correction though. Gundlach Bundschu is in Sonoma County, of course. But more importantly (to us anyway) is that Gundlach Bundschu is located not just in Sonoma County, but in the Sonoma Valley near the town of Sonoma.

 

Please forgive me, it's not my intention to be a snob. As stated before I don't even drink wine. But, something else we love here in our beautiful valley is our history.

 

"As home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery, the Sonoma Valley is known as the birthplace of the California wine industry."

[ducklite]

Ice wine is an acquired taste (that has, to date, escaped me - I'd prefer a good white Porto). It's also well made in upstate New York where, despite being the largest US wine producing state outside of California, the only truly outstanding world class wines (IMO) are Rieslings and some other Germanics.

 

 

 

Uh, nope. World class Cab Franc in the North Fork, and one very, very special winery in the Hudson Valley making small production lots of Pinot Noir. It's not DRC, but as good as any premiers cru.

 

I do agree that I have a strong preference to Porto over Ice Wine, although I prefer a 40 year Tawny. :)

 

 

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[ducklite]

Thank you all so very much! I've learned a lot from each comment. I am off to read up and study up on the different kinds and I'm sure I will come back here for more questions. The only thing I know is I don't care for carbonated wines.. I have been told that is all rieslings? And I hate (for now) very dry wines.. It makes my mouth feel tart. I am on a mission to find a wine I like! I would like be to find one to sip while cooking and during dinner. Thanks again for all the help and if you have a suggestion of what I should try while on the boat next week please share! I do have the cheers card so I'm hoping I can find something I like.

 

 

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By this book: Wine Folly. Maybe $20 on Amazon. It will give you everything you need to understand what you are drinking and why you do or don't like it.

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

Uh, nope. World class Cab Franc in the North Fork, and one very, very special winery in the Hudson Valley making small production lots of Pinot Noir. It's not DRC, but as good as any premiers cru.

 

I do agree that I have a strong preference to Porto over Ice Wine, although I prefer a 40 year Tawny. :)

 

 

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Okay on the north shore Cab Franc- Pindar (for example) though I'm not a Cab Franc fan. As for the Pinot, are you talking about Brotherhood? They make some good wines. But, no Pinot Noir from NY that I've ever tasted would find me buying a bottle. I'll stick with the folks here in Sonoma and Mendocino (with a tip of the hat to Willamette Valley producers up in Oregon)

 

BTW, for folks up near Albany NY, check out "DP - an American Brasserie" for one outstanding wine cellar (shared by Yono's restaurant)

[ducklite]

OP, and anyone else who hasn't seen it, try to find the 2008 movie "Bottle Shock". Netflix has it on DVD, and we recently saw it on TV. It's a great movie starring Bill Pullman, Chris Pine, and Alan Rickman, a true story (more or less) about the 1976 wine competition in Paris where some California wines won some categories of judging against French wines and shocked the world. Not only is it very entertaining, but you'll learn a lot about the wine industry and culture.

 

 

 

Eh, most of that movie is fiction. Gustavo was just a cellar rat, Mike Grgich made the wine. The sabering scene never happened. The wine was hand carried in the cabin, but it wasn't by strangers at the gate, it had been arranged in advance that a group headed to France which included the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff would take the bottles, and it was pre-arranged with TWA. There was no boxing ring, and Jim, not Bo was in Paris. If you want the true story, read Taber's book. Or go talk to Gustavo, he's often in his tasting room on Sunday evenings outside of crush. Bo can often be found at Montelena, especially if it's not crush. Or get lucky and catch Mike--he's often around his place early in the morning.

 

A better movie to actually learn a bit about the industry is Somm, and it's follow up, Into the Bottle. :)

 

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Edited November 15, 2016 by ducklite

[ducklite]

Thanks for the tip on Empire Wines. Unfortunately, my state is one of those where shipments of alcohol to anywhere but the State Liquor Control Board is prohibited AND fined :mad: The best I can do is to drive to a neighboring state and smuggle it back in the car - that isn't worth it to me.

 

 

 

Sounds like PA or TX. Maybe UT or OK. Those are the four worst, with maybe NH next in line. One cool thing about PLCBis the sales, if you know what to look for they are awesome. And for a couple bucks they will ship to any store for pickup. New Hope doesn't care where you live when you pick up your wine there... A mile from the NJ border. ;)

 

 

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[ducklite]

Okay on the north shore Cab Franc- Pindar (for example) though I'm not a Cab Franc fan. As for the Pinot, are you talking about Brotherhood? They make some good wines. But, no Pinot Noir from NY that I've ever tasted would find me buying a bottle. I'll stick with the folks here in Sonoma and Mendocino (with a tip of the hat to Willamette Valley producers up in Oregon)

 

BTW, for folks up near Albany NY, check out "DP - an American Brasserie" for one outstanding wine cellar (shared by Yono's restaurant)

 

 

 

Pindar is very good. They manage to avoid the steaminess that can plague some of their competitors.

 

Not Brotherhood, not even close. They produce a total of 30 cases a year, don't advertise, don't accept visitors unless you are introduced by someone, and you can't buy until you visit and get the nod. It's a labor of love, and that shows through in the glass.

 

 

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[Kartgv]

In re-reading this thread, it occurs to me how refreshing it is to read a multi-page thread that is all about helpfulness and contribution, rather than some of the controversy and confrontation on many other threads. Wish that all CC'rs could be made more mellow by wine! We have a sign in our dining room: "Wine improves with age. Age Improves with wine."

Edited November 15, 2016 by Kartgv

[slidergirl]

Eh, most of that movie is fiction. Gustavo was just a cellar rat, Mike Grgich made the wine. The sabering scene never happened. The wine was hand carried in the cabin, but it wasn't by strangers at the gate, it had been arranged in advance that a group headed to France which included the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff would take the bottles, and it was pre-arranged with TWA. There was no boxing ring, and Jim, not Bo was in Paris. If you want the true story, read Taber's book. Or go talk to Gustavo, he's often in his tasting room on Sunday evenings outside of crush. Bo can often be found at Montelena, especially if it's not crush. Or get lucky and catch Mike--he's often around his place early in the morning.

 

A better movie to actually learn a bit about the industry is Somm, and it's follow up, Into the Bottle. :)

 

 

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Ah, Mike Grgich. A nice, but "dirty old man" ;) Went to this wine dinner with a girlfriend back around 1984. We were the only 2 women alone in a room of couples and groups of friends. He kept coming over to our table, chatting us up, refilling our glasses. He even invited us up to the winery to do some private tastings and watch the Fall Crush. Still love his wine, unfortunately WAY more expensive than it used to be back then.

[ducklite]

Flatbush - I'm the one who mentioned Brunellos. Unfortunately, I'm from a state where the alcohol from 3.3% and up is strictly and tightly controlled. Fortunately, we have the third largest designated "wine store" in the state about a 15 minute drive away and another smaller general alcohol store 5 minutes away. They aren't big on Brunello - maybe 4 or 5 are offered at the big store and it starts at the mid $50s for it. That's why I do Toscanos...

I've taken a dive into Riojas, too. Every once in awhile, that Rioja replaces the Toscano on the kitchen table. And, Argentinian Malbecs have come home to roost, too. A good one there is the Altos Los Hormigas - a friend from Mendoza turned me on to this one.

Yes, there are some nice Rieslings coming out of New York. I'll pick up a Dr Konstantin Frank Riesling once in awhile IF the store has one in stock. But NY wine is very few and far between here at the store...

 

Let's not throw all Rose under the wine bus. Some good stuff comes out of France with that "pink" tint... In the heat of summer, a glass of Cotes du Rhone is kinda nice ;)

 

 

 

Agree on the pinks. I love roses from France, Spain, Austria, Italy... My dear friend owns a small winery in The Napa Valley and uses second press juice to make a rose of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many fond memories sitting on her porch drinking a wine she makes a half barrel of a year, mostly for her own consumption and as gifts for a few friends. It's bottled in a clear bottle with a crown cap and no label. In fact if you are ever gifted a bottle like that, it will be a treasure--something a winemaker made for themselves. :)

 

 

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[ducklite]

Ah, Mike Grgich. A nice, but "dirty old man" ;) Went to this wine dinner with a girlfriend back around 1984. We were the only 2 women alone in a room of couples and groups of friends. He kept coming over to our table, chatting us up, refilling our glasses. He even invited us up to the winery to do some private tastings and watch the Fall Crush. Still love his wine, unfortunately WAY more expensive than it used to be back then.

 

 

 

Aren't they all. I have pretty much abandoned Napa. I still buy my annual allocation of HSS and Matthiasson. That's about it.

 

 

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[XBGuy]

To the OP.

 

I consider myself to be a bona fide Wine Snob. ;) Which means that I like to pontificate about one of my favorite topics--just like everybody above who insisted, above, that they are not a wine snob and, then, proceeded to pontificate.

 

A lot of excellent advice has been offered above. I will add some things.

 

• Taste, taste, taste. Only you can decide what you like. Just because somebody feels that Pinot Noir or Barolo is the be all and end all of wine ecstasy does not mean it has to work for you.
  
• I endorse the idea that was suggested above by multiple posters that you attend the tastings that are offered on cruise ships. This will give you the opportunity to try different wines at a sitting--perhaps even, some wines you might not have otherwise tried--and you can judge your appreciation. However, my experience with these tastings is that, as often as not, the facilitators are regurgitating a practiced script that contains many half-truths and wine mythologies. Trust your taste buds, and ignore most of the facilitator's chat. If a wine does not taste good to you, nothing about the "legs" on the side of the glass, about which these guys always seem to rhasodize, mean a thing. Conversely, if you like a wine, it is not because the legs are "broad" or are "fast."
  
• I am in somewhat disagreement with multiple comments, above, that the price of wine on cruise ships is egregious. As a standard metric, when I buy a bottle of wine in a restaurant, I expect to pay two times retail price. More than that I consider to be egregious, less than that I consider to be "wine friendly." I have been sailing on Princess the last few years and have analyzed their wine lists. As a rule, the really low priced wines are priced egregiously. Stay away from that $30 bottle of "Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon." This wine is actually their "Private Selection" bottling with grapes from the California Central Coast. It is available at some retail stores for less than $10. Mid-priced wines such as La Crema Pinot Noir are reasonably priced in the mid-$30s. Here is the winner advice, though. The more expensive wines on the Princess wine lists are VERY reasonably priced. I bought a bottle of Tignanello on my last cruise (two weeks ago) for $79. You cannot by Tignanello at any retail store in the United States for that. The markup on the higher priced wines on the Princess wine lists are, generally, less than 2 times retail. I might add that Princess' other wine-friendly policy is to allow passengers to carry on as much wine as they would like. I always do that and brought six bottles on board, last time.
  
• There are any number of wine-oriented on-line forums. Consider joining one of them, or, even, just lurk over there to learn about wine. Probably, the one that is most friendly to people who want to learn is Snooth.com.
  

 

Finally, jumping into the discussion on pink wines, the best one I have had in the last couple years is a Rose of Syrah from Enkidu (Sonoma). It made a rose beliver out of me. :)

Edited November 15, 2016 by XBGuy

[Cruise Junky]

As a WSET level 3 student I love this thread :)