[WINE]

[NickK]

The idea
The idea is to get people to try and taste wines together each month. Trying different grapes, producers, years etc to explore what's out there.
The purpose is not to attempt to take a particular price bracket but try a varying set of wines for a particular budget each month. This means we're not limited to specific price ranges per bottle.

The tasters will review and discuss the wine as they see it.

This was initially discussed here.

Where can I read up on wines?
The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. It covers grapes, wines, regions around the world and many of the producers. I also will clarify a lot of the terms and processes used.

Monthly Budget?
I was thinking £30. Although we don't have to hit that each time.

The purpose of each tasting
The purpose of each testing is to compare one or more of the following:
a) Comparing grapes.
b) Comparing producers.
c) Comparing years.
d) Comparing prices.
e) Comparing regions/country's

The schedule
W1 - Select grape(s) - perhaps 2 varieties each cycle
W2 - Research & Select wines - 2/3 bottles
W3 - gap to allow ordering
W4 - Begin taste & comment - this could take till the next week 4 to complete (meaning a bottle a week max - we drink responsibly!).

So this would mean for this tasting:
W1 10/02-17/02
W2 17/02-24/02
W3 24/02-02/03
W4 02/03-09/03
Completion - 06/04

What now?

So next, lets discuss the variety of grape.

I would like to suggest something we'll end up with white wine which may be more palatable for new tasters.

 

[NickK]

As to 'chilling' red wine. It's not normally done.

P45 of the book that I suggested gives a complete scale from Fridge to Room temperature and the different types of wines. It has Lambrusco as 7-9degC, cold reds 10-12degC and the majority of reds at 12-18. a lot of the temperature is governed by the region the wine comes from and if it's red or white.
Often the higher quality reds are served at a much warmer (16-18) temperature than the 'ordinary'.

It does alter the taste as your taste buds alter the taste over the temperature range.

Incidentally I have a bottle of Slovakian Tokaji and like the majority of desert/sweet wines the recommended serving temp is 4-6degC, colder than champagne.

Not that I want to get into too much detail for these tastings as I don't want to be too anal about the process.

The idea is that we agree a set of wines and the try them over the period. It's up to you which you choose to try and write about.

Be aware that everyone will have a different take on the wine - that's part of the fun. Some people will try it as a direct two-bottles open two glasses comparison, whereas others will try it with food over the longer period.

 

[NickK]

I was thinking of the following grapes to start with:
* Riesling
* Chardonnay

 

[NickK]

You had my interest right up to 'we'll end up with white wine'. May have to try to get over my initial repulsion to whites. I'm more likely to join in on the reds, though if everyone starts saying a particular white is exceptional I may give it a go, and at least I know the missus would happily polish it off.

I have more red wine that I have white, over 10 vs 2 in the rack! I have a female house mate that is a white winer only too.

I was thinking of looking first at whites, next simple accessible red in the initial stages.

Sounds good to me... had some lovely Sancerre last night, yum.
Novice here but I know what I like

Fantastic Sancerre is a town on the banks of the Loire next to the Pouilly-Fume region. The grape variety grown there is normally Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.
The Terroir (the ground make up) is the reason for the taste difference between Sancerre and other wines that are mode from Sauvignon Blanc.

 

[NickK]

NickK; long-shot, but do you happen to work in Theale?

Afraid not. Outside Reading (near the big wind turbine).

 

[NickK]

glitch - good points, and very true.

My initial thoughts where to cover the range of grapes, perhaps with a couple of bottles of one particular grape (the only thing fixed is the max budget). That way we can try one grape+multiple producers, or multiple grapes with one producer etc.

I'd like to cover the grapes just to bring people into contact with the main grapes. We can elaborate around that with producers/years to show just how much something like a tescos value bottle verses a proper lightly oaked chardonnay can differ.

Riesling is another one that really differs - Dr Loosen 2004 is like a spritzer whereas Trimbach is bone dry in comparison.

I was thinking of a bottle of cheap.vs.mid range for each grape. We can make overtones against others as suggestions (although something that people can themselves outside the monthly budget).

I know this is a bit busy compared to tasting a specific grape variety but I think we'd not get the uptake by doing this straight off. Once we find what people like we can dig deeper.


edit: although I do see your point and I'm very tempted just to cover a single grape..

 

[NickK]

Question is - perhaps we should start on red grapes instead?

How many white drinkers? Perhaps we should get a poll added. I'll try arranging a Don todo it tonight when I have more time.

 

[NickK]

Where does everyone buy their wine from? Is there any online retailer that offers the choice to make up your own case so to speak. Looking at Tesco it seems to be pre determined cases.

My local wine merchant delivers but the online selection is poor compared to the shop and it is a fair walk from a car park so lots of wine to carry is a blag!

Sainsburys (we have a large superstore close by) or a better selection I drive down to the local Laithwaites.

I'd be happy research bottles for online ordering & purchasing. There's no real point on just buying locally for this as everybody needs access to the same wine.