Hey All - This is an interesting topic for me, because I'm NOT a regular wine drinker, and have sort of been rather intimidated by the process. (ie. What is good? What is worth buying, etc).
I dont suppose you could include some estimated bottle prices along with your suggestions, could you? Just so I can get an idea.
Many thanks.
Cheers.
Basicly I am a beer drinker ... as I am from the region where the best beers in the world are brewed ( Holand/Belgium) but on occasion I like a nice glass of wine too ... especially when there is a fireplace and a Sarah involved 😉
A couple of years ago I "discovered" some wines from Chili ... Undurraga, and especially the Undurraga Pinot Noir has a "strong" taste without a "heavy" after taste. And the price is reasonable to .. for about 6 - 10 dollars you can taste every fine wine from this vineyard.
Originally posted by Mephisto2I mainly drink wine outside meals. At a restaurant I'll drink wine with a meal, but at home usually on its own. My favourite wine of recent years is a 1998 Footbolt Old Vine Shiraz from D'Arenberg in McLaren Vale, South Australia. It's a really solid and beautifully rounded Shiraz. I think Australia are doing very well with that particular grape right now.
Assuming that I am not the only one here to drink wine regularly, I would like to know what are your favourite wines. I mean, don't give me a classification of the best (or most expensive) wines you know, but what would be some of the better ones that you personally tasted recently?
To start, here are (a small selection of) some good ones from around t ...[text shortened]... ished a Meursault at lunchtime).
Do you drink wine mostly with or outside the meal?
Joe
You all should try the wines from arguably the two best wine producers in Australia. There are a lot of excellent Oz wine makers but these to are always high quality guaranteed.
Penfolds: Check out http://www.penfolds.com. The Bin707, St Henri, Bin138 and The RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz are all worth buying half a dozen bottles to add to your collection. Note Penfolds whites are very nice but their reds are a lot better. Even the Rawson Retreat wine is worth drinking at Aus$10 a bottle.
Brown Brother: Check out http://www.brown-brothers.com.au. The whole range is excellent Reds, Whites and Fortified.
Also some regional wines to look out for Pinot Noir from Tasmania, Margret wines are very good.
I love my wine. Only problem is that my "cellar" is under a staircase, but not close to an outside wall, so I cannot get an airconditioning unit in. I am considering getting a Eurocave.
Now to wines. I love most types of wine.
I'll stick to the NV Champagnes for now: Bollinger NV, Moet & Chandon NV; & M&C Rose
I enjoy Chardonnay. I find it very difficult to get good Puilly Fuisse, the only memorable one being Louis Jadot 1993. Also there are many Puligny Montrachet's around, but I struggle to get a really good one, and they are usuall expensive (£20-40). I also enjoy Chablis, but even the Grand Cru are just nice at best. Also enjoy Mersault, but it does not do anything special for me. Then I also love the new world Chardonnays, especially from my home country of South Africa. I can recommend many but will stick with: Thelema, Vergelegen, Hamilton Russel.
I also love Sauvignon Blanc. Here I almost always prefer South African and New Zeeland. I have probably done 5 blind tasting with groups of friends and colleagues and almost always they have picked Sancerre, P.Fume at the bottom. The Bordeaux S.Black usually does better, and I am not going to pay £30 for a bottle of Ch Sauzet to get a "good" Sancerre.
I love the German whites, and Alsace etc.
I also love the sweet dessert whites (Botrytis) and I am patiently waiting for some money to fall in my lap so I can try a bottle of Ch d'Yquem.
Now reds.
I enjoy most! Standout ones for me from S.Africa: Meerlust Rubicon (never drink this under 10 yrs), Thelema Cabernet, Kanonkop Paul Sauer, Pinotage, Vergelegen. and many others.
I recently had some excellent Californian, Russian River Pinot Noir, Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet 1994.
I love my Red Burgundy as well.
Originally posted by ReaperChampagne is one of my favourites. We buy them at the winery, most often in the Pinot Noir - grand Cru Villages (Verzenay or Mailly usually). For 15 to 20 Euro's you get bottles that are far better than the standard" 2.50 Euro wines from M&C and the other large wineries. Of course, special vintages from Bollinger, Krug and the other top brands are still better, but I hate to spend 100+ Euro's on a bottle.
I love my wine. Only problem is that my "cellar" is under a staircase, but not close to an outside wall, so I cannot get an airconditioning unit in. I am considering getting a Eurocave.
Now to wines. I love most types of wine.
I'll stick to the NV Champagnes for now: Bollinger NV, Moet & Chandon NV; & M&C Rose
I enjoy Chardonnay. I find it very ...[text shortened]... ssian River Pinot Noir, Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet 1994.
I love my Red Burgundy as well.
Originally posted by Mephisto2Hi Mephisto2
Champagne is one of my favourites. We buy them at the winery, most often in the Pinot Noir - grand Cru Villages (Verzenay or Mailly usually). For 15 to 20 Euro's you get bottles that are far better than the standard" 2.50 Euro wines from M&C and the other large wineries. Of course, special vintages from Bollinger, Krug and the other top brands are still better, but I hate to spend 100+ Euro's on a bottle.
I do find quite a variety in the taste of champagne, but for me most champagne are always preferable to sparkling wine. I saw some Bollinger at £15 per bottle in Reims, across from the cathederal and Jean D'Arc statue. And it's about £28 over over here.
Would love to go back and stock up! I just wish the 375ml bottle were more available and better priced.
Personally I preferr South African Inanda Brut to most champagnes. It has a nicer earthy flavour and is naturally much cheaper!
A friend of mine drunk a £400 bottle of Moet in the London Hilton last week; now, does a £400 bottle taste £400?? - He says he was too drunk to notive..what a silly bastard! what a waste!!!
Originally posted by ReaperYes, I know where that shop is. That would be about the right price for the normal Brut Bollinger. It is one of the few Champagne houses that do not accept visitors, as we found out. We once made a detour via Ay and Epernay, especially to visit their caves, but got a no. The good thing was that we had time for a trip to Cramant and Avize where the best Chardonnay Champagnes are made.
Hi Mephisto2
I do find quite a variety in the taste of champagne, but for me most champagne are always preferable to sparkling wine. I saw some Bollinger at £15 per bottle in Reims, across from the cathederal and Jean D'Arc statue. And it's about £28 over over here.
Would love to go back and stock up! I just wish the 375ml bottle were more available and better priced.
There are very good sparkling wines outside Champagne and outside France. At first, we made the mistake to 'compare' with Champagne, but that is a mistake (this could now easily be transposed into the Bayesian thinking thread). It is much better to look for the unique aspects in the wines. The Spanish Cavas are often very good (try Codorniu). And if you like the taste of muscat wines, then Asti Spumante, and some German Sekts can be charming.
Originally posted by Mephisto2Hi. Yes I agree with your post. I should not have put it that way. One of the reasons why I like both old and new world wines are because they are different interpretations of the same grape, but with a different terroir. I do enjoy a good Asti Spumante. Have not tried the German one's. I have also tried and enjoyed the Banock Station sparkling shiraz. Have you tried it yet? Quite a unique taste, but I enjoyed it. I think what I should have said, is that as far as dry sparkling wines go, I prefer Champagne above them. However I have enjoyed a good Cava after I have lost my tastebuds!
Yes, I know where that shop is. That would be about the right price for the normal Brut Bollinger. It is one of the few Champagne houses that do not accept visitors, as we found out. We once made a detour via Ay and Epernay, especially to visit their caves, but got a no. The good thing was that we had time for a trip to Cramant and Avize where the best Cha ...[text shortened]... f you like the taste of muscat wines, then Asti Spumante, and some German Sekts can be charming.
Originally posted by LordbensonbyIICall me a philistine (if you can spell it, I can't) but I prefer cava to champers: or to be more precise, I prefer a good cava to a good champs, an OK cava to an OK champs and a bad cava to a.... well, actually I haven't had a bad champagne, so it seems champs wins out there as there is a fair bit of rank cava to be had.
Personally I preferr South African Inanda Brut to most champagnes. It has a nicer earthy flavour and is naturally much cheaper!
A friend of mine drunk a £400 bottle of Moet in the London Hilton last week; now, does a £400 bottle ...[text shortened]... he was too drunk to notive..what a silly bastard! what a waste!!!
And of course, I'm scots, and cava is much cheeper!
(Edit: And even worse than the heresy above, amoungst champagnes, I prefer rose to the standard white. Evil, I know. I'll shuffle off now...)