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shimy182 said:
I beg to differ on experience.
Red wine
- Thread starter Droolinggimp
- Start date
I beg to differ on experience.
[wine snob]
While white wines can be made in a number of countries, ONLY the French and Italians can make decent red wines, and the best all come from France. Anything made from Cabernet grapes is drain cleaner for people who don't know good wine - why do you think it is always under a fiver a bottle?
[/wine snob/]
M
While white wines can be made in a number of countries, ONLY the French and Italians can make decent red wines, and the best all come from France. Anything made from Cabernet grapes is drain cleaner for people who don't know good wine - why do you think it is always under a fiver a bottle?
[/wine snob/]
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Is it me or has there been a huge price crash on wine? Used to be you had to spend at least £6 to get a bottle that was even remotely drinkable but now the supermarkets have bottles at £4 that are actually quite nice.
Meridian you're right and wrong about French wine. They got a bit stuck in their ways with their wine and went through a patch where other brands from other countries were a lot more drinkable. It's nice to see that they are countering the effect by popping out a lot more drinkable everyday bottles rather than the stale in their ways clarets etc.
Acid if you like Merlot try a Shiraz, Syrah, Californian Zinfandel (you'll definitely like that) and a Pinot Noir if one crops up on special offer. Shiraz and Syrah are the same thing and quite similar to Merlot, Zinfandel is a lot sweeter and woody tasting (you can knock a bottle of that back with no food, it's too drinkable
) and Pinot is a bit darker in colour and has more tanin and a slightly peppery taste sometimes.
Meridian you're right and wrong about French wine. They got a bit stuck in their ways with their wine and went through a patch where other brands from other countries were a lot more drinkable. It's nice to see that they are countering the effect by popping out a lot more drinkable everyday bottles rather than the stale in their ways clarets etc.
Acid if you like Merlot try a Shiraz, Syrah, Californian Zinfandel (you'll definitely like that) and a Pinot Noir if one crops up on special offer. Shiraz and Syrah are the same thing and quite similar to Merlot, Zinfandel is a lot sweeter and woody tasting (you can knock a bottle of that back with no food, it's too drinkable
) and Pinot is a bit darker in colour and has more tanin and a slightly peppery taste sometimes.
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As much as I hate to admit it, there are some Australian reds (I only really do reds) now which really are on a par to French wines - and some for the price I would say are even better. The ultimate top quality might be till French wine, but that may be down to a bit of a bias, or at least some sort of psychological thing. A good Australian red is NOT to be dismissed at all.
Furthermore, Chillian reds now are really starting to pick up - a lot of French wineries have sent people to such countries to give them tips and tricks (they have done that in Oz actually). It's all about being able to grow the right vines, picking them at the right time, and blending different varieties to get all the different intensities of wines - as each different vine ferments in slightly different times - it's about knowing how to combine them. It's timing and experience - and that's one thing the French have. However the new world wines are catching up, and I must admit some really have caught up.
I'm a total wine snob more so than Meridian I'm sure (well I am French
), but I cannot unfortunately rip into these other wines as they are getting much better. I tend to still choose French over anything else, but it's not exclusive anymore.
Furthermore, Chillian reds now are really starting to pick up - a lot of French wineries have sent people to such countries to give them tips and tricks (they have done that in Oz actually). It's all about being able to grow the right vines, picking them at the right time, and blending different varieties to get all the different intensities of wines - as each different vine ferments in slightly different times - it's about knowing how to combine them. It's timing and experience - and that's one thing the French have. However the new world wines are catching up, and I must admit some really have caught up.
I'm a total wine snob more so than Meridian I'm sure (well I am French
), but I cannot unfortunately rip into these other wines as they are getting much better. I tend to still choose French over anything else, but it's not exclusive anymore.laissez-faire said:
Meridian said:
Sorry, but anyone who believes that ONLY the French and Italians can make decent red wine, or that ALL Australian wine is rubbish has already started the long clamber up their own rectum.
I like heavier reds, or those with a bit of a spicy kick - not a fan of light stuff like ruby cabernet or anything overly fruity, had one bottle that tasted like ribena, eugh!
I enjoy Rioja, but I find that some grand reservas can be very harsh immediately after being opened and usually benefit from being left for a day to mellow.
A lot of nice Chilean stuff around - Wolf Blass yellow label is a good bottle of aussie red too.
My main problem is a goldfish-like memory, which means I have to start from scratch each time I go wine shopping. I should really take notes
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AcidHell2 said:
McGuigan's Black Label Merlot is very nice. I'm not usually a red wine drinker, but find it very easy to drink.
/draws breath
Some interesting views here from the budget stuff to the "only French and Italian" to the "Australian and Chilean is best".
Whilst the stuff under a fiver or so doesn't take my fancy these days it wasn't always the case and in the past I was very happy to root around the various supermarkets to get the bargains when the £7.99 stuff came down to £4.99 - usually Rioja. (Un)fortunately my boss (now business partner) then got me into trying some really good wines and since then I've been trying more and more different stuff from various places and have become a member of a wine society run by Corney & Barrow.
I can safely say that not all French are good, not all Spanish or Italian are good and there are some cracking Australian reds. At present Bordeaux is top of my list and for the last three vintages I've been buying Bordeaux en primeur - this means buying stuff that has only just been tasted after being barrelled and is not even in the bottle yet. Advantage being that you can pick it up for half the price that it *might* be worth when it matures in say five or six years time (that's for the cheap stuff - some of the classics can last 50 years) that I would never otherwise get the chance/afford to drink.
As someone has already said you need the memory of an elephant and not a goldfish because there are so many different countries, regions, appelations and producers.
I was lucky enough to be part of a free business lunch recently where the host was extremely generous and coughed up for Chateau Leoville Poyferre 1986 followed by Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1990 - I'm incapable of describing how good they were and I'm sure I'll never get the chance to taste them again unless I win the lottery (like my host had).
But the secret is, IMHO, that there are plenty of nice wines in the budget range for your palate if that's what your used to, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's just that once you start moving up the scale things just get better and better, and unfortunately more expensive.
Some interesting views here from the budget stuff to the "only French and Italian" to the "Australian and Chilean is best".
Whilst the stuff under a fiver or so doesn't take my fancy these days it wasn't always the case and in the past I was very happy to root around the various supermarkets to get the bargains when the £7.99 stuff came down to £4.99 - usually Rioja. (Un)fortunately my boss (now business partner) then got me into trying some really good wines and since then I've been trying more and more different stuff from various places and have become a member of a wine society run by Corney & Barrow.
I can safely say that not all French are good, not all Spanish or Italian are good and there are some cracking Australian reds. At present Bordeaux is top of my list and for the last three vintages I've been buying Bordeaux en primeur - this means buying stuff that has only just been tasted after being barrelled and is not even in the bottle yet. Advantage being that you can pick it up for half the price that it *might* be worth when it matures in say five or six years time (that's for the cheap stuff - some of the classics can last 50 years) that I would never otherwise get the chance/afford to drink.
As someone has already said you need the memory of an elephant and not a goldfish because there are so many different countries, regions, appelations and producers.
I was lucky enough to be part of a free business lunch recently where the host was extremely generous and coughed up for Chateau Leoville Poyferre 1986 followed by Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1990 - I'm incapable of describing how good they were and I'm sure I'll never get the chance to taste them again unless I win the lottery (like my host had
).But the secret is, IMHO, that there are plenty of nice wines in the budget range for your palate if that's what your used to, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's just that once you start moving up the scale things just get better and better, and unfortunately more expensive.
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I recently discovered Australian wine. I'm no connoisseur so I've found almost any Wolf Blass red to be excellent, well worth the £6.99.
![[DOD]Asprilla](/styles/overclockers/avatars/8.png){kind=avatar}
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Currently drinking anything (red or white) from Oyster Bay (NZ) but my main standby is Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages.
It's very light and has a touch of raspberry (god I sound like that annoying Jilly Goulding). It's probaly more of a summer / autumn red than a full on deep winter red like a merlot or claret.
Can get it from Waitrose, Tesco or Vicky Wines and costs about £6.99 a bottle. Needs about 20 mins to breath before drinking.
It's very light and has a touch of raspberry (god I sound like that annoying Jilly Goulding). It's probaly more of a summer / autumn red than a full on deep winter red like a merlot or claret.
Can get it from Waitrose, Tesco or Vicky Wines and costs about £6.99 a bottle. Needs about 20 mins to breath before drinking.
I was the dept manager of a wine shop in a snobby part of cheshire for about 5 years ( some 8 years ago now ).
There is of course a lot of snobbery in the wine quaffing community... some people simply refuse to drink anything other then french wine which is their loss. Admittedly untill recently the french wines were superior but of course this would never last as the new world wines are increasing their quality year on year.
Unless you are a rich person who intends to develop their pallete and can afford to do so then wine really is fun and cheap sport to enjoy... just pick a country and start on the bottom shelf and work your way up!
Have a note pad to jot down your opinions of each and every wine you try... its the only way to form a list of your favorites. Go for different grape combinations and experiment. Ther WILL be dozens of wines that you will LOVE... but remember your partner may hate them all. And you may hate all their favorites- thats the fun of good wine! its all down to your individual palette.
Personally i go for good merlots and pinot noir... but sometimes ill take on a fruity shiraz! I like a nice smooth drink and am not a fan of white at all.
The same goes for a good single malt. There will be one you love no matter how much you proclaim to "hate the stuff". Trust me there will be one you like... however its a very expensive case of trial and error unless you find a good supplier of minatures
There is of course a lot of snobbery in the wine quaffing community... some people simply refuse to drink anything other then french wine which is their loss. Admittedly untill recently the french wines were superior but of course this would never last as the new world wines are increasing their quality year on year.
Unless you are a rich person who intends to develop their pallete and can afford to do so then wine really is fun and cheap sport to enjoy... just pick a country and start on the bottom shelf and work your way up!
Have a note pad to jot down your opinions of each and every wine you try... its the only way to form a list of your favorites. Go for different grape combinations and experiment. Ther WILL be dozens of wines that you will LOVE... but remember your partner may hate them all. And you may hate all their favorites- thats the fun of good wine! its all down to your individual palette.
Personally i go for good merlots and pinot noir... but sometimes ill take on a fruity shiraz! I like a nice smooth drink and am not a fan of white at all.
The same goes for a good single malt. There will be one you love no matter how much you proclaim to "hate the stuff". Trust me there will be one you like... however its a very expensive case of trial and error unless you find a good supplier of minatures
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Soldato
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I prefer my new world wines (except the Californian reds)... I think my favourite is Australian Shiraz... However, I have a lot of love for most reds from the Bordeaux region too, especially a deep merlot.
I don't particularly get on with old world whites, as I find them too acidy. (I think I just made that word up.) Although you can't fault a decent Italian Pinot Grigot or a Bordeaux Muscadelle.
I remember the fun I had at Saint-Émilion last year. I'm definatly going to go back soon!
I don't particularly get on with old world whites, as I find them too acidy. (I think I just made that word up.) Although you can't fault a decent Italian Pinot Grigot or a Bordeaux Muscadelle.
I remember the fun I had at Saint-Émilion last year. I'm definatly going to go back soon!
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Is it just me that cant drink wine?
Im not joking when i say that even after 1 sip of wine my stomach burns like crazy, to the point where i feel sick!
Ive been told its because the wine is cheap but not sure how true that is!
Im not joking when i say that even after 1 sip of wine my stomach burns like crazy, to the point where i feel sick!
Ive been told its because the wine is cheap but not sure how true that is!
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MNuTz said:
It's very true.
When I was a student and recent grad I couln't drink red wine, but now I can afford decent stuff and to try loads of different stuff I have no problem drinking it pretty much constantly.