Wines.... yum

NickK · 10 Jan 2008 at 09:14

Slinwagh said:
I am just putting an order in online at Waitrose, did anyone decide on a wine we would taste?

Not that the moment - I'll be busy over the next week, hence suggesting starting in Feb.

I would also try something a little lighter in the mean time. Syrah and Gran Reserva are going to be (a) heavy and (b) probably about 13.5%! On a 'heavyness' grade of A-E I would expect it to be D/E.

I would perhaps suggest a Rioja Reserva (rather than Gran Reserva) as this will be more youthful. These would probably be at a grade C in terms of heavyness. This will probably help as it should be as alcoholic too.
Gran Reserva are kept in casks for longer than Reserva hence the difference in taste.

Also you could go for a Merlot next. Given the right age this will be deep, smooth and not as heavy as the Syrah too.
I would suggest:
* another St. Emilion - medium bodied at about £9
* a Full Bodied Grand Cru St. Emilion at about £19
* Or if you're feeling flush..

(invite me for a tasting too!)

edit: in Spain "Gran Reserva" cannot exist from 2006 yet. That's <2 years in the between the harvest and when it's been drunk.. Chile obviously have a different idea! That's part of the fun/problem with the wording on the bottle!

Slinwagh · 15 Jan 2008 at 18:38

Well I have found a red wine that I like which is nice!

Louis Jadot Combe Aux Jacques Beaujolais-Villages 2006.

It is very fruity without that "alcohol shudder" that I seem to have experienced with other red wines I have tried.

[DOD]Asprilla · 15 Jan 2008 at 19:05

Slinwagh said:
Louis Jadot Combe Aux Jacques Beaujolais-Villages 2006.

Good choice, it's stock wine in that I usually keep a case in for when I want something I know.

Try the 2005 if you can, it's actually nicer.

Slinwagh · 15 Jan 2008 at 19:16

[DOD]Asprilla;10897976 said:
Good choice, it's stock wine in that I usually keep a case in for they I want something I know.

Try the 2005 if you can, it's actually nicer.

It would be rude not too after you suggested it!

Meridian · 15 Jan 2008 at 19:31

KaHn said:
For a cheap drinkable read, wolfblass cabernet sauvignon is very nice.

KaHn

No reasonable person would put "Cabernet Sauvignon" and "drinkable" in the same sentence, unless it's a typo because they missed out the "un-".

Vile wine for people who know nothing about wines, or who are English.

M

NickK · 16 Jan 2008 at 19:57

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2004
here

Smells like light oak.

Tastes dry but creamy, fresh taste that's very light oak, slight vanilla that continues through the after taste. Has a slight pear drop taste in the after taste.

edit: ahh- now tastes a little ripe banana..

#Chri5# · 16 Jan 2008 at 20:07

We stayed in a Chambre D'hote in Provence last summer.

We weren't far from CDP so visited. Not much there bar wine cellars. Tasted a few but didn't find anything that we raved out. Did better in Gigondas and got a few bottles.

Also picked up some bottles from here. Fantastic setting, the abbey is full of history.

Most enjoyable wine of the two weeks though was what the Chambre D'Hote served with the evening meal. After glugging a fair bit of it we asked where to get some. Turned out to be sub 1 euro a bottle from ED Supermarket!

Slinwagh · 19 Jan 2008 at 00:13

[DOD]Asprilla;10897976 said:
Good choice, it's stock wine in that I usually keep a case in for when I want something I know.

Try the 2005 if you can, it's actually nicer.

I managed to pick some up today from ASDA, can't complain at all with it, different to the 2007 but I'm not sure how to explain it.

KaHn · 19 Jan 2008 at 10:08

Meridian said:
No reasonable person would put "Cabernet Sauvignon" and "drinkable" in the same sentence, unless it's a typo because they missed out the "un-".

Vile wine for people who know nothing about wines, or who are English.

M

I like it so kiss my hairy ass.

KaHn

Sankari · 19 Jan 2008 at 10:17

Penfolds, Hardys, Wolf Blass, Jacobs Creek.

Fill ya boots.

[DOD]Asprilla · 19 Jan 2008 at 10:41

Slinwagh said:
I managed to pick some up today from ASDA, can't complain at all with it, different to the 2007 but I'm not sure how to explain it.

I think the 2005 is lighter and has more raspberry in it than the 06 or 07. I've actually dunk it from the fridge in the summer!!

Evangelion said:
Penfolds, Hardys, Wolf Blass, Jacobs Creek

This is where I can't help being a wine snob, but since people keep mentioning these wines I've got to say that in my opinion they are good for cooking and not much else; maybe defrosting your car in a morning.

I'm not suggesting that people have to spend more to get better wine, there are absolutely loads of decent £5 - £10 bottles, but most of the large brands, such as those listed above, are triumphs of marketing over quality and you are actually paying more than they are worth.

Still, at lease no-one is touting Gallo.

Sankari · 19 Jan 2008 at 13:07

[DOD]Asprilla;10923538 said:
This is where I can't help being a wine snob, but since people keep mentioning these wines I've got to say that in my opinion they are good for cooking and not much else; maybe defrosting your car in a morning.

I'm not suggesting that people have to spend more to get better wine, there are absolutely loads of decent £5 - £10 bottles, but most of the large brands, such as those listed above, are triumphs of marketing over quality and you are actually paying more than they are worth.

Still, at lease no-one is touting Gallo.

********.

They're decent, affordable wines with a good reputation and a string of international awards. I sincerely doubt that a wine recommended by international experts is likely to be "a triumph of marketing over quality". The last time I looked. wine-tasting involved the analysis of the product, not the advertising campaign.

Sankari · 19 Jan 2008 at 13:10

Meridian said:
people who know nothing about wines, or who are English.

Surely the terms are synonymous.

Cybermyk · 19 Jan 2008 at 13:22

I'm liking some of the SA wines atm. Kumala is quite cheap and drinkable

NickK · 19 Jan 2008 at 13:23

Shadez said:
Sounds good, deciding exactly what we are comparing is the hard part.

You need to put some strict limits on things or it will be hard to get a balanced review, for instance just picking a grape could be a very broad test. But a grape from a specified country, year or price range will give some nice results.

I would say that the purpose of each test should be 1 or more of the following:
a) Comparing grapes.
b) Comparing producers.
c) Comparing years.
d) Comparing prices.
e) Comparing regions/country's

BTW i recommend the Penfolds BIN 128 Coonawarra Shiraz one of my favorite wines.

Good points - I like the idea of comparing the same grape over regions/country.

[DOD]Asprilla · 19 Jan 2008 at 13:24

Evangelion said:
They're decent, affordable wines with a good reputation and a string of international awards. I sincerely doubt that a wine recommended by international experts is likely to be "a triumph of marketing over quality". The last time I looked. wine-tasting involved the analysis of the product, not the advertising campaign.

I just want to make it clear that I wasn't deliberately getting at you with the comment above, it's just that yours was a convenient post to quote.

I'm a bit cautious of expert recommendations recommendations and awards when it comes to wine, same as I am with everything else I buy since it's rare that those making the recommendation or awarding the prize don't have some sort of vested interest. I mentioned Cloudy Bay before, which is an excellent wine and has won a great many awards, but because it is heavily marketed it costs a great deal more than equally good and better wines from neighbouring vineyards. As part of the marketing campaign CB is entered into competitions whereas the other wines are not, and CB is put in from of the experts and in the magazines whereas the other wines are not.

If you search around then you can find substantially better wines than the ones you listed for the same price or cheaper.

Meridian · 19 Jan 2008 at 16:24

KaHn said:
I like it so kiss my hairy ass.

KaHn

I believe you are English, and thus validate my point.

M

endeavour · 11 Feb 2008 at 03:39

[DOD]Asprilla;10923538 said:
I think the 2005 is lighter and has more raspberry in it than the 06 or 07. I've actually dunk it from the fridge in the summer!!

This is where I can't help being a wine snob, but since people keep mentioning these wines I've got to say that in my opinion they are good for cooking and not much else; maybe defrosting your car in a morning.

I'm not suggesting that people have to spend more to get better wine, there are absolutely loads of decent £5 - £10 bottles, but most of the large brands, such as those listed above, are triumphs of marketing over quality and you are actually paying more than they are worth.

Still, at lease no-one is touting Gallo.

I'm no big fan of large wine brands either but to be fair, some of them do produce some brilliant wines alongside their rubbish mass-produced supermarket plonk. Penfolds Grange is an Australian icon and some of their other wines - 707, St Henri, RWT are excellent. Similarly Wolf Blass Platinum Label is a top-notch shiraz.

I agree with your sentiment though. People would find wine much more enjoyable if they spent a couple of pounds more and went to their local independent wine merchant instead of buying "half-price" rubbish from supermarkets.

stevenazari1 · 11 Feb 2008 at 03:46

WINE RUINS LIVES! ^ This was santa!

endeavour · 11 Feb 2008 at 03:49

Meridian said:
No reasonable person would put "Cabernet Sauvignon" and "drinkable" in the same sentence, unless it's a typo because they missed out the "un-".

Vile wine for people who know nothing about wines, or who are English.

M

The Bordelaise might have something to say about that. Cabernet Sauvignon is dominant on the left-bank of Bordeaux and is the major grape variety in all the first growths. Not to mention a swathe of new-world cult wines.