Wine gurus

[Thorns]

2 buck Chuck...    


Thorns

[Gunslinger]

myself I prefer Boons farm.  I think its a good one cause usually it costs over $2.  The cool part is it comes in alot of different flavors.  Cherry is my favorite.

When I feel like splurging There's this mexican wine that I buy.  Its a little bit more expensive but it comes in a box instead of a bottle!

[hyena426]

not into wines my self,,but i had to buy some a few times for dinners,,,and from what my dad has told me,,its best to figure out what you like best,,lots of your local wine makers make very tasty wines,,are locals here make very good wine,,for a dinner or late night wine i like a late harvest resling<~~doesnt matter the brand,,and stay away from mad dog!! that stuff will make ya sick,,lol but i guess any alcohall will do that,,but not as bad!! ewwwwww,,lol

but i hear 2 buck chuck is very good for cheap wine,lol<~~but give me a bottle of glenfiddich scotch whisky anyday:)

[rpm]

Dinger, that's as good an explaination of wine as I've heard. I sold wine and spirits for 10 years in Texas. The majority of people that came in had NO idea what they wanted...they just wanted to drink wine.
If you are not  accustomed to drinking Red Wine, chances are you will not like it. Most of them are heavy and bitter (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz), they DO NOT taste like grape juice. They more closely resemble the flavor of the grape skin than the grape meat. Reds are normally consumed with strong flavored foods like red meat, cheese or nuts. A lighter flavored Red to start with would be a Bordeaux or an Italian (Try Ruinite, inexpensive and tasty). My personal favorite red is BV's Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, excellent with a medium rare Rib Eye.
If you want something a bit easier to drink and work your way into Reds, try Blush Wines. These are pinkish red in color and usually quite a bit sweeter than a red. A White Zinfandel is a good beginner wine with a slightly fruity palate.
White wines are normally a good place to break into wine... but not ALL whites are sweet. Chardonnay flavor can range from buttery to oaky to grassy (Gallo of Sonoma makes a good $12-$15 Chard with a buttery finish).
Need something even fruitier? Go with a German white. Many of these come close to soda pop sweet. Check the residual sugar content, the higher the sugar the lower the alcohol content. Reisling is usually the choice beginners. Shmidt Sonne and Johann Eggbert make  nice ones for around $5 - $7.
Don't let some snobby wine guy (is there anything but?) push you into buying an expensive wine. Start slow with cheaper wines and work your way into wines. There are 1000's out there to work your way thru and find what you enjoy. The best wine to drink is the wine you enjoy drinking.

[RedDg]

Can't beat wine in a box !!

[ygsmilo]

One of the best ways to get into wine is to put in this perspective; the best wines are the ones enjoyed with food and friends.

I have been into wine for about 20 yrs and to me it all comes back to food.  I got interested in wine because I like to cook.  Get together with some of your friends and start a wine/food group.  Watch the food section of your local paper, there are usually food/wine events around town.  Restraunts that have wine dinners are usually good deals.  Good food and you will get to taste several different types of wine paired with food.


Good producers from Australiathat have a good QPR (quality price ration) in the 10$ range from the 2002 vintage are Rosemont , Thorn-Clarke, Buckleys, and Yaluma.  Middle priced producers ($20-25)that I like are d'Arenberg, Leeuwin Estate, and Penly.

If you like white wine some of the best Sauvignon Blancs out there right now are produced in New Zeland.  Kim Crawford, St. Clair, Dashwood and Villa Maria are good producers to look for.  Sauvignon Blanc is a very food friendly wine, it goes with a lot of different styles of food.

Hope this helps out.

[majic]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Been getting into wine lately - trying to learn as much as I can and broaden my experience some.  Im primarily trying out alot of the southern Oz reds under influence from a buddy of mine.

Problem is, Im still a rookie and Im not even sure whats 'good' and whats 'bad' yet.

Any of you out there wine experts?  Any bottle recommendations for a newbie or resources where I can learn more?

Best advice I ever heard about wine: what's good and what's bad is simply what you like and what you don't like.  Your tastes may change over time but don't let anyone tell you what to like.  You'll figure it out.  If possible, taste before you buy, if you can't, try less expensive varietals just to get a feel for the qualities you like.  Then move on to "better" ones and blends.

I really liked Shiraz/Syrah when I started out, but over time I found that red blends were more to my liking.  I thought I would like sweet wines more, but found out that I like them bone dry.

Whatever you do, don't spend that 50-100 bucks for a "cult" wine.  They are not worth it.  (IMO)

[Saurdaukar]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Ive found myself particular to the reds thus far - not too big on the whites Ive tried up to this point.  Im also a big red meat guy so I suppose my taste in meat has something to do with it.

Some of your suggestions Ive already tried - others Ill put on my list.

Right now, for example, Im finishing up a 2002 Rosemount Shiraz - very, very good as far as I can tell.  Seems to get better with each glass as the other tastes are washed away.

Ill probably pick up a few more bottles and put them away for 9-10 months.

Last week I was drinking 2002 Jacobs Creek Shiraz and Merlot.  Very good...  but seemed to be missing something - not quite as smooth as the Rosemount but Im not experienced enough to know why.

This is the second bunch that has recommended "2 buck chuck."

kbman, do you own/work at a restaurant in the area?

Keep em coming.

[SunKing]

Saurdaukar, you need to talk to WineMan.

[qts]

Saur, majic nailed it - it's simply a matter of taste. Myself, I prefer French wines as there is far greater variability.

I strongly suggest you buy a book or two, if only to see what's out there.

[Dingbat]

IMHO for the "i'm not going to spend to much on a chardonney" Kendal Jackson usually does the trick.

For chianti, I've taken a liking to some of the wines coming out of argentina "San somethingorather"

Unless it's a special occasion I will not spend more than 10$

[kbman]

Mazz,
          I've worked in many restaurants in Philly over the years as a pastry chef and chef and I had my own business producing and supplying upscale desserts to many restaurants in the area for 16 years. Right now I'm working for a caterer in town as a chef.
I would recommend Moore Bros. in Pennsauken, NJ as an excellent source for wine purchases. They really know their s**t and specialize in offbeat and unusual wines that don't cost a fortune. I worked with David years ago and his brother Greg was sommelier at Le Bec Fin for many years. Tell them that you're interested in learning about different wines and talk to them about what you like and ask them to put together a case of various wines that they think you might enjoy. They won't give you attitude and I guarrantee they'll give you some interesting and diverse choices. Just tell them how much you want to spend and let them do the rest. Dmitry's at 3rd and Catherine and Porcini at 20th and Sansom are two of my favorite "bring your own" restaurants in town, both small, intimate places with excellent food but neither takes reservations and they can be tough to get a table in but well worth the wait. Wine is always best enjoyed with food and good company so find yourself a woman and go for it. Bon appetit!

kbman

[straffo]

Originally posted by ygsmilo
One of the best ways to get into wine is to put in this perspective; the best wines are the ones enjoyed with food and friends.

I have been into wine for about 20 yrs and to me it all comes back to food.  I got interested in wine because I like to cook.  Get together with some of your friends and start a wine/food group.  Watch the food section of your local paper, there are usually food/wine events around town.  Restraunts that have wine dinners are usually good deals.  Good food and you will get to taste several different types of wine paired with food.


Good producers from Australiathat have a good QPR (quality price ration) in the 10$ range from the 2002 vintage are Rosemont , Thorn-Clarke, Buckleys, and Yaluma.  Middle priced producers ($20-25)that I like are d'Arenberg, Leeuwin Estate, and Penly.

If you like white wine some of the best Sauvignon Blancs out there right now are produced in New Zeland.  Kim Crawford, St. Clair, Dashwood and Villa Maria are good producers to look for.  Sauvignon Blanc is a very food friendly wine, it goes with a lot of different styles of food.

Hope this helps out.

sound like we have a winner here
spot on IMO.

[Mark Luper]

So what wine would you (anyone) reccomend to someone who has never tasted a wine that tasted good to him? I am really into rum and diet coke at a ratio of 50% of each to 70% rum to 30% diet coke. (not trying to keep the wieght down with diet coke, just prefer the flavor).

[Sway]

Think I'll stick with beer...