Teach a fool all about wine

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Richelieu


The Mad Monk should have an answer for this one.

Yes.

[Lefty Scaevola]

"Teach a fool all about wine"

1 out of 143,207 bottles is poisonous and will kill you.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Tingkai
A slight pine tar flavour? That's like saying Bush is slightly conservative.

Resina is definitely an acquired taste. The first time I was served it, I thought holy sh!t, the waiter is trying to kill us. It tasted like someone dumped a load of turpentine in it.

But now I love it. A greek meal isn't good unless there's resina with it.

I prefer the more muted Resinas where the wine has less of a "sappy" taste. You can find some that do the intial aging in pine barrels and then get transfered to oak barrels for a second, much longer, round of aging. I tend to like those resinas better.

BTW I have to agree with you Greek food just doesn't taste the same without a glass (or two or three) of Resina.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I regret that I cannot drink white wine. I'm heterosexual.

Red is the dogs's. If you like heavy and intense, go for Merlots and Pinot Noirs. If you like them light, go for a good Beaujolais (Fleurie is the one). Cabernet sits in the middle, and is considered by many to be the Daddy.

Vintage years are typified by rainy springs and long, hot summers. The last really great vintage year was 1995.

[Hot Mustard]

Random thoughts after reading up to this point:

Yes, avoid "vin de boit" - boxed wine. Ugh.

Wine for Dummies is a surprisingly good read.

Don't start trying to remember all the names and grapes types people are throwing at you. When you are trying a wine for the first time try to ensure you have a clean palate - drink some water. Some people like smelling a wine first before drinking, to enhance the aromatic experience. But be forewarned that it looks snobby in some company. If you like the wine, ask what it is and try to get a look at the bottle - write it down if you can. Over time (years), you will start to recognize wines from particular regions or made from particular grapes that you've enjoyed before.

If you enjoy different types of cheese and have some friends who like wine - host a wine and cheese party. Encourage people to bring one bottle and type of cheese each. Mix and match. Everyone can discover some really tasty combinations this way.

Once you discover one or two types of wine you like - don't stick to them exclusively for the rest of your life. Occassionally try new things, even re-trying things you didn't like before (could've been a bad batch). Variety is the spice of life.

Older is better is misleading. Wine is aged to bring out the best in it, but it depends on what you started with, and many other factors. Wine can also overage and become gross.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
"Teach a fool all about wine"

1 out of 143,207 bottles is poisonous and will kill you.

Yes, but only if you drink all 143,207 of them in one sitting.

[Spiffor]

Sorry, but I'm a tad drunk right now. I have drunk California wine for the first time in my life tonight, and it is surprisingly decent I have drunk "Queen Mary" (something that gets exported in Germany, So I suppose you Yanks don't know it at all ).

For a newbie, the "un-European" system is probably better, since it emphasizes on the kind of grape rather than the origin, and makes wines easier to distinguish.

[Sten Sture]

You're right! Never heard of it, and can't find it! Glad you liked it.

[Dinner]

What sort of wine are you drinking? What type of grape and from what region of the state?

[Spiffor]

Maybe it was "Queen Lady" Definitely had the word "Queen" in it
And the specifics weren't told at all. Not the region, nor even the grape. Definitely an export thingy

[Drogue]

California Wine (mostly Napa or Sonora) can be great, but I find it overpriced. Even in California. I went there for a holiday, and went wine tasting (I have a lot to thank fake IDs for) but most of the decent stuff seemed at least $15+ a bottle. Being a student, I rarely pay more than £6 or £7 (about $10-12).

I agree with what Spiffor said earlier, however I'd like to add a bit. If your new to wine, try a few different cheap ones. German Riesling is a particlaur favourite of mine, it's slightly sweet, lasts for ages (it's best at over 4 or 5 years old, and stioll not too expensive). There are many distinctions, but something that says QmP (Qalitiateswein mit Pradikat (sp?)) is good, and at least in the UK, can be bought cheaply, about £5 will get soemthing very drinkable. try it with fish, chicken, on it's own, or with something slightly sweet. If you do something with a sweet source, it's great with it.

If you prefer your whites very dry (tastes like citrus, a bit acidic) then try Savignon Blanc, or Chenin Blanc. Savignon is very widely available from New Zealand, and Chenin from either the Loire Valley (France) or South Africa.

Merlot is a good red to start with IMHO. It's not got the tannin or strength of Cabernet Savignon or Shiraz (called Syrah in France), and it's easily drunk. Glugable was how one UK wine expert called it. It goes with most meats, especially red meat, and tuna. If you want a really light red, go for Beaujolais, it;s French, froma region of Burgundy known as Beaujolais.

If you want something that's good value, South America does some wonderful reds. Chile especially. Mostly quite strong (about 13-13.5%) and quite like Australian/Californian (usually called 'New World') Reds, but without the price tag attached.

Avoid boxed wine at all cost, as others have said.

As for Chamagne, it has to come from a region of France, as others have said, and you pay a premium for that. Champagne is usually either Blanc de Blanc (made from white grapes) or Blanc de Noir (made from black grapes, but without skins, thus the wine is white).

If you want a decent sparkling wine, that is different from chamagne, try Pelorus. It's from Cloudy Bay in New Zealand, and is better than almost any Champagne I've tried, but costs £17 here. If you have money, and want decent Champagne, go for Krug Grande Cuvee, or Dom Perignon (the guy that invented the stuff). Both cost a small fortune (£80-100) but are supposidly fantastic (not that I could afford them).

Personally, I would avoid Gewurtzraminer. You may like it, but I find it sickly almost. If you really want a sweet wine, try a desert wine like Liquer Muscat (Brown Brothers is good and cheap and I think from the US) or Riesling. Try with food too (red wine especially) since it changes a lot with food. I would also avoid rose, as I've never found one that tastes any good.

Just go to a specialist, if you can find one, and as them to recommend a few relatively cheap bottles. See what you like, and try to find more like it. Personally, for quality and cost, I'd go for French and Chilean reds, and German (sweet) or New Zealand (citrusy) whites. But that would be me. Theres a lot to be said for Californian and Australian reds (although they're very pricey here), Spanish and Italian reds (a bit of an aquired tastes IMHO), and French whites (although I personally prefer New World or German ones).

As for years, '89 and '90 were great in Europe (90 being very scarce though) whith 92-95 being very variable. As for later ones, I find '98-99 were good, and newer ones variable. But this is pretty immaterial, in the sense that some wines will be better some years than others, it all varies differently for different vinyards. Just ask someone where you buy them about specific wines and years.

Hope this helps, sorry about being so wordy, I get like this about wine....

[Dinner]

Hmmm, no grape type? You're right it simply must be an export thing. Over here you never want to drink a domestic wine which doesn't have a grape type and region of origin because the only ones which don't have that listed are the cheap types which give you a bad hang over the next day.

[Zylka]

Man I've been pursuing the same knowledge as of late

I was recently denied a second job at a suave wine & cheese bistro for lack of knowledge. They were all smiles and the manager was even a little flirty... Until the question "List two of your favorite grape varietals" popped up, and I thought I'd be funny by replying "it all goes down well with a pinch of Peruvian flake"

That apparently isn't an acceptable attitude for "their level of corporate clientele"

Mold wh0res

[Zylka]

Who am I joking

I still want that job so bad

the hostess on staff had a 1200$ skirt on with knee high Guccis

Oh God

[Sten Sture]

Zylka - Syrah! That is usually a good lead out.


I think I have found our elusive Queen something Cali wine...

http://www.jpoc.net/wine/california/2000/ladyqueen2000.html

shipped in bulk and bottled in Germany. for E3.99 a bottle... looks a little scary!