Wine

[shakenbake]

So latley I've been trying to learn more about wines, and trying to find out what I like. I really wish I knew more but admittedly my overall knowledge of wines is pretty limited. I really like Reisling and Pinot, and have just stared to try some differnt red wines. Anybody out there got some good wine sugestions and perhaps a recipe to go along with it. Nothing better than a really good home cooked meal paired with an excellent wine. Ohh and feel free to go ahead and start to make the "wine and cheese" jokes.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Try different things. You don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy it. I tasted a merlot at a liquor store yesterday that was very drinkable and was shocked to see that it was on sale for 5.99. You can get good table wine from the big California guys like BV, Mondavi and Beringer for around 8.00 (their "Coastal" varietals). Once in a while give you self a treat with something more expensive. Experiment with imports from places like Australia and South America. Lots of books on the market. My opinion is that the French writers are very biased against American wines and don't give them proper credit. Learn how to read the labels. The label laws are different in every country.

[Alkazar]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

So latley I've been trying to learn more about wines, and trying to find out what I like. I really wish I knew more but admittedly my overall knowledge of wines is pretty limited. I really like Reisling and Pinot, and have just stared to try some differnt red wines. Anybody out there got some good wine sugestions and perhaps a recipe to go along with it. Nothing better than a really good home cooked meal paired with an excellent wine. Ohh and feel free to go ahead and start to make the "wine and cheese" jokes.

Wine and cheese jokes are passe, but then again so are most of us, so............

[heydensmom]

I prefer wine to beer any day of the week. When I'm home sick I pick up a bottle of Oregon Wine. One of the best wines I've tasted, and this isn't saying much, was Wolf Creek Pinot, or at least I think the name is Wolf Creek. It's out of Oregon. I'm a big person on keeping it local, are there any local wineries near you. Go for a smapling day.

[Pezman]

Uber-dry heavy duty Tannic wine = Ick!
Mad Dog 20/20 $1.49 per gallon = Ick!

Everything else is ok. I prefer Pinot Grigio's, Cabernets and Chardonney.

I usually make a trip down to Temecula wine country or up to Santa Barbara's wine country for most of my local vino.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by heydensmom

I prefer wine to beer any day of the week. When I'm home sick I pick up a bottle of Oregon Wine. One of the best wines I've tasted, and this isn't saying much, was Wolf Creek Pinot, or at least I think the name is Wolf Creek. It's out of Oregon. I'm a big person on keeping it local, are there any local wineries near you. Go for a smapling day.

Yea in the "Texas hill country" there are some winerys. I should drive out to some of them and sample the wines. Im sure the gf would like it.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by Big Guy

Try different things. You don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy it. I tasted a merlot at a liquor store yesterday that was very drinkable and was shocked to see that it was on sale for 5.99. You can get good table wine from the big California guys like BV, Mondavi and Beringer for around 8.00 (their "Coastal" varietals). Once in a while give you self a treat with something more expensive. Experiment with imports from places like Australia and South America. Lots of books on the market. My opinion is that the French writers are very biased against American wines and don't give them proper credit. Learn how to read the labels. The label laws are different in every country.

Some of the red's I have tried are so dry, it takes a little getting used to. I'm easing my way into them. You are correct though, you can get good bottle of wine pretty cheap. I've tried some Australian wines that were pretty good. I haven't tried any of the South American wines I will have to look into those.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by Pezman

Uber-dry heavy duty Tannic wine = Ick!
Mad Dog 20/20 $1.49 per gallon = Ick!

Everything else is ok. I prefer Pinot Grigio's, Cabernets and Chardonney.

I usually make a trip down to Temecula wine country or up to Santa Barbara's wine country for most of my local vino.

Temecula is a cool place. I've eaten at some seafood place out there where they give you a bib and a bucket of seafood and no utensils. It was pretty good. They also have some great golf. I haven't tried any of the wines from that area. Any paticluar one you like ?

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

Some of the red's I have tried are so dry, it takes a little getting used to. I'm easing my way into them. You are correct though, you can get good bottle of wine pretty cheap. I've tried some Australian wines that were pretty good. I haven't tried any of the South American wines I will have to look into those.

There are a lot of wines from Chile and Argentina around and some are great buys.

[Pezman]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

Temecula is a cool place. I've eaten at some seafood place out there where they give you a bib and a bucket of seafood and no utensils. It was pretty good. They also have some great golf. I haven't tried any of the wines from that area. Any paticluar one you like ?

I dont have any real favorites per se, but I like Wilson Creek's winery, Fragpanini's Savignon Blancs, Churon Winery's reds and a few other scattered other wineries.

Believe it or not, one of my favorite white wines is from Coppola (yes, that Coppola heh) Winery up in Napa. They had a great 2004 chardonney that ages pretty well for a white. Unfortunately, I dont make it that far North often (its like 600 miles from here) so, unless I order it online, I'll be missing out on their new 2006 stuff.

[Elway 4 Life]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

Yea in the "Texas hill country" there are some winerys. I should drive out to some of them and sample the wines. Im sure the gf would like it.

Texas is the 3rd or 4th largest wine producing state in the country. I was like you 2 years ago, i had a few favorites and stuck with them. My wife and I went to the Food and Wine festival in Austin (spring time I believe) and they had wine from all over texas. You can sample hundreds of different wines as well as eat great food. Wolfgang Puck was there and many other great chefs that I've never heard of. The festival opened my eyes to a whole other world of wine. The food kicked a$$ to. Make sure you have a DD though.

[Meck77]

One of my favorites is Wild Horse. Just a coincidence it has a white horse on the label.

Love the pinot! http://www.wildhorsewinery.com/

I spent 12 years in the restaurant business and have served up hundreds of different bottles of wines. For some reason people think you have to be an expert to enjoy wine or you should drink a certain type of wine with a certain type of food. Not true.

Try different flavors, mix it in with whatever food you want, have fun!

Dont' be afraid to send back a bottle of wine that doesn't taste good either. There is a reason the waiter asks you to taste the wine. It's to make sure you like it! If you don't they simply take it back to the bar and sell it by the glass and make more money on it anyway! No biggy.

Not sure who said it around here but "Drink the wine! Throw the cheese!"

[Pezman]

Originally Posted by Meck77

One of my favorites is Wild Horse. Just a coincidence it has a white horse on the label.

Love the pinot! http://www.wildhorsewinery.com/

I spent 12 years in the restaurant business and have served up hundreds of different bottles of wines. For some reason people think you have to be an expert to enjoy wine or you should drink a certain type of wine with a certain type of food. Not true.

Try different flavors, mix it in with whatever food you want, have fun!

With that recommendation...
Put some ritz crackers, various types of summer sausage and a couple of bottles of Red out, and you'd never get my wife to leave a restaraunt

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Originally Posted by Pezman

I dont have any real favorites per se, but I like Wilson Creek's winery, Fragpanini's Savignon Blancs, Churon Winery's reds and a few other scattered other wineries.

Believe it or not, one of my favorite white wines is from Coppola (yes, that Coppola heh) Winery up in Napa. They had a great 2004 chardonney that ages pretty well for a white. Unfortunately, I dont make it that far North often (its like 600 miles from here) so, unless I order it online, I'll be missing out on their new 2006 stuff.

Coppola bought and upgraded the old Inglenook winery and has done a nice job with it. I like his wines and they are priced right $8 - $15. I bet he makes more in that huge gift shop than he does on the wine.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Anyone who enjoys wine should go to Napa sometime. Summer weekends are a zoo, so it is best to pick a weekday or offseason. Next time I go, I want to hire a limo to drive me around. Great to see the big guys like mondavi, Berringer, Coppola and BV, but some of the smaller ones are very friendly. I like to visit Luna, Plumpjack, Stags Leap and especially Joseph Phelps (sunset on his deck with a glass of his cabernet). Phelps is the guy from Greeley who started Hensel Phelps Construction that has built many of the large buildings and roads around Denver. Another winery that has a great tour in a very pretty spot is the Korbel Champagne winery to the west of Santa Rosa.

[heydensmom]

All this wine talk is making me thirsty

[Sassy]

Little Boomies Merlot (Australian) is good...I think it's 7.99 a bottle...maybe 5.99 I forget...but it's the house merlot for The Outback.

[dbfan4life]

I'm not much of a wine drinker but if you're looking for something different try Plum Loco. Very good tasting plum wine.

http://winemakermag.com/feature/346.html
http://catalog.southwestwines.com/vi...item_id=672280

Robin S. Davis makes her red wines and this white plum wine from her home in Alpine, California. Robin notes that some people think that any fruit other than grapes cannot make “real” wine, and her defiance of this belief makes her “Plum Loco!” Her stance on the matter is backed by her friends who love the wine and claim they’d rather be Plum Loco than drink ordinary white wine. Davis has been making wine for three years. In her “former life,” she was a graphic designer and her passion is now staying home as a full-time mommy. She uses her graphic skills for designing different labels for each wine and blend that she makes. She uses all original artwork and creates text and graphics on her computer.

[Sassy]

Pez...where are ya on this one?
Give us some more..w.e know you know your wine!