wine buff

[andyc]

Been wine tasting a couple of times in Napa and Sonoma California.....my most favourite was a Pinot Noir from Shug (Shuug....I think...German descent)

[H8OAG]

I would support an SE thread on eating and drinking?
Just sharing experiences good and bad coupled with posting any fab offers.
Like Greg , I prefer French wines but occasionally deviate to more powerful New World stuff

Currently on an Italian trip at the moment .... As most of the wines served in Monaco tended to be Italian.
Let the conversation commence


PS
Facebook style status posts might be fun


Barshaw Park Paisley
Bottle of Buckfast (£6.83 from the Spar shop)
White Pudding supper with a ( free range ) pickled egg

[Peter]

I'm in! I love wine but don't pretend to be an expert at all. I'd back Andy with his South Africa recommendation. I've moved away from Sauv Blanc and liking Chenin Blanc At the moment, just seems less acidic.
A bit left field, but if you can get a good Alentejo red from Portugal then they are amazing, some locals put me on to them when I asked about port. Loving a good SA Pinotage too mmmm! Also one called SA wine called Zalsie from tesco at £6 was punching well above its weight.


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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?pag4kg

[Sanjøy]

Those on fbook would have seen me check in to Château Pesquie this morning nab a btl if you see it.

[Rag_It]

Went through a massive phase of liking big bold new world whites, Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc etc, but over the last two years, I've switched to big bold reds. I'll blame the Paine brothers, and Mr Rolfe, but in reality Nicky tells me it was because I'd drink white until the cows come home, and i convinced myself I wouldn't do the same on red!

Anyway, thankfully or not as the case may be, through work I get to spend a fair bit of time entertaining clients and choosing and drinking some really nice wines and loving Malbec at the moment, there are some really big Malbecs out there, and the Paine brothers have brought some very impressive Pinot noirs to the table.

Virgin wines serves me well, I get the quarterly case of Just Red and the upgraded case has really proved itself.

Dave

[andyc]

Pinot Noir rocks lol

[Sanjøy]

Poolside this week I have been mostly drinking a local rose bought from a woman who runs the domaine with her cats. Les Hautes Briguières rose, "Ventoux Rosé d'une Nuit".
Very delicate compared to your usual bright pink stuff, you can, and I have, start on a glass at 8am at a market with friends and continue to the early hours without too many side effects.

Another one for the trailer although Ventoux wines are getting more and more popular with the supermarkets.

S

[rossybee]

The whole wine thing is a doddle.

Dodge whites and rosés - they're gay.

Go for reds, Merlots and Rioja are nice, 12.5% minimum.

Drink, and enjoy!

[Tom]

PS anyone heard from Tom Paine of late?

Still here lurking in the background

Been busy with the business, and spent the winter in Morzine working.

Wine chat always gets me interested though


Getting a mixed case from one of these clubs can be a good shout and it means you get a case delivered without having to decide between the hundreds of different options, but I'd try and get a mix of New World (NZ, oz, USA) and Old World (France, Spain, Italy) wines rather than sticking to what you reckon you like as your taste will change over time.

Friends of ours used the Sunday Times Wine Club for a while and gave up because they felt the quality fell away. I've been given stuff from Direct Wines (they supply to quite a few of the online mail order companies) and had quite a high proportion of corked wine (like 3 in a case of 12 rather than the normal 1) which makes me suspicious of where they buy it from, and how long it sits baking in a container on a quayside etc.


Like most people I started on New World wines as they're more fruit driven (generally), and then moved on to Old World as they tend to get more complex. Compare it to Whisky if you like in that Islay whiskies are quite a bold and obvious style which some people like first off, but as your palette develops you might start looking for a bit less peat and a bit more depth.

Back to wine there are loads of places online. Dave uses Virgin Wines and I thought they were pretty tasty, but if you want a more individual approach you could find an independent wine shop near you and have a chat with them about what you like and what they might recommend. When I worked at Locketts I used to send mixed cases out to people after chatting with them about the sort of stuff they liked and that went pretty well.


Supermarket wines on Special Offer I'd steer clear of generally as they're only ever worth what they cost at half price (apart from the occasional well known wines that appear from time to time). Supermarkets generally only stock wines available by the millions of bottles and that means although the quality can be ok, they lack character.

I drink French these days, and mostly stuff made in our department (79- southern edge of the Loire Valley) but occasionally stray into Burgundy. If you want to give French a try, Rhone Reds are a good place to start as they don't have too much tannin and aren't too crunchy - steer clear of cheap Bordeaux . If you like NZ Sauvignon Blanc then the Loire whites are similar. Sancerre is good but pricey, but Touraine is next door and much cheaper.


After all that waffle, don't worry too much about it all and just enjoy drinking whatever you like

[Tom]

Just re-read all that. It appears I'm a bit of a wine geek

Safest bet is don't think too much about it. Once you scratch below the surface it's a neverending spiral to where spending hundreds on a bottle (out of my reach) seems not only reasonable but actually essential. Kind of like cars. Just ask Ed

[ed]

[Scotty C]

good to here from you Tom.

I still have some of the wine you gave to Andy G for me, Only gets drunk with Sunday Dinner. Really need to come, visit and load up the van.

[woody]

Just sharing experiences good and bad coupled with posting any fab offers.

On the fab offers, I have a free three month Taste Card trial on the go just now; half price food at a lot of places, about 50/50 between chains and indies. Nowhere really spectacular listed from what I've seen, but the west end Zizzi's is 5 mins from the GF's, pleasant to sit in and passable with 50% off.

Edit: just checked, three month trial is no longer on, just the usual 30 days just now.

As for wine , I've got stuck at NZ Sauvignon Blanc and headed off into Belgian and wheat beers instead.

Can recommend what was the Oddbins at Kelvinbridge on Great Western Road & next to the River Kelvin for drink supplies though, even if only for it's name over others; Quel Vin.

[Tom]

good to here from you Tom.

I still have some of the wine you gave to Andy G for me, Only gets drunk with Sunday Dinner. Really need to come, visit and load up the van.

Still keeping an eye on what's happening on here, but slightly out of the loop given no proper car and no chance of any trackdays/camping etc.

Have found a few more wineries since last year so if you make it down here we'll fill it no problem . We've even got space if you fancy bringing a trailer with the 211

[Sanjøy]

Half price in Sainsburys right now @ £5.99 and a very nice tipple.