Wine Anyone?

[JDaniel]

Mrs. JD and I have always enjoyed wine. This has been a particularly good weekend, and I thought I'd share our selections with you all. We've actually enjoyed a bottle of wine with each lunch and dinner meal all weekend, along with several new recipes (cous cous, lettuce wraps, mojo chicken, and grilled steak).

The wines were:

Charles Shaw - Merlot (very inexpensive, but an excellent Merlot)

Schmitt Sohne - Liebfraumilch (German, fruity, great for light foods or dessert)

Georges Debeuf - Beaujolais (French, and the Mrs. and I enjoy this as a change from Merlot or a Cabernet)

Sterling Vinyards - Chenin Blanc (easilyy my favorite California Vineyard).

All were excellent, and all, except for the Sterling Vinyards, were less than $10.

Anyone else want to share a new discovery?

JD

 

[Morden2004]

Mrs. JD and I have always enjoyed wine. This has been a particularly good weekend, and I thought I'd share our selections with you all. We've actually enjoyed a bottle of wine with each lunch and dinner meal all weekend, along with several new recipes (cous cous, lettuce wraps, mojo chicken, and grilled steak).

The wines were:

Charles Shaw - Merlot (very inexpensive, but an excellent Merlot)

Schmitt Sohne - Liebfraumilch (German, fruity, great for light foods or dessert)

Georges Debeuf - Beaujolais (French, and the Mrs. and I enjoy this as a change from Merlot or a Cabernet)

Sterling Vinyards - Chenin Blanc (easilyy my favorite California Vineyard).

All were excellent, and all, except for the Sterling Vinyards, were less than $10.

Anyone else want to share a new discovery?

JD

Those seem like a good selection but I bet I can't find any of them in my local liquor outlet . Damn.

Although we have a quite good selection from the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission it is still limited in several categories; California wines being one of them.

My latest finds include a couple from Nova Scotia wineries;

1) 2002 Jost Leon Millot (red) @ $12 CDN <- a 2002 Gold Medal winner (Nova Scotia - now sold out :sigh: )
2) 2004 Blomidon Ridge Baco Noir - Excellent @ around $14 CDN (Nova Scotia)
3) Ostrich Hill - Currency Creek Shiraz - @$20 CDN (Australia)
4) Woodbridge (Mondavi) Zifandel @ $12 CDN (California)
5) 2003 Jost Leon Millot - about $13 CDN (new release - only available from winery by the case and I have mine :thmbsp: )

#1 and #5 are incredible wines and locally produced! This is a varietal that was developed for colder climates. It matures with a shorter summer with medium sized fruit but large clusters. This varietal usually produces fruit with a Brix of 17 or greater. The 2002 Gold Medal winner was grown in a vineyard owned by friends of mine. I helped harvest their 2005 crop this year.

#2 is also a local winery and that Baco Noir compares favourably with better known producers. It's light, fruity and you can almost taste the sea air.

#3 is my all time top Shiraz (my favourite red) at under $25 CDN. Simply the smoothest Shiraz with a distinct oak flavour and that wonderful fruit taste.

#4 is simply the nicest Zif I've had in ages. California produces some of the best whites anywhere.

Paul

 

[tentoze]

I know that the Two-Buck Chuck has gotten a lot of attention and some acclaim for its value in the last couple of years, but the 2 times I recall trying it, it tasted a lot like kerosene.

 

[RichPA]

My wine-shopping strategy, here in PA where we're held hostage by the state monopoly on wine and liquor sales (state stores only), is to look for the on-sale reds less than $10-12 and recommended by our store's wine guy. I often go back to the reliable Beringers and Mondavis, but right now am drinking a nice, very dry Australian shiraz from Barossa Valley Estates ($10, I believe).

 

[JDaniel]

I know that the Two-Buck Chuck has gotten a lot of attention and some acclaim for its value in the last couple of years, but the 2 times I recall trying it, it tasted a lot like kerosene.

I have heard those comments about the C. Shaw Cabernet. But I'm telling you, the Merlot was very good.

Rich - I'm a big Shiraz fan. I really enjoy the Lindeman's Shiraz, and their Chardonnay too. It's a good value for the money too, as here at least, they are sold in 1500 ml bottles instead of 750 ml bottles.

JD

 

[Bogframe]

An extremely good value is the 2000 Chateau Dubory at around $9.00 per bottle. I was so taken with this wine that I've stockpiled a case thus far. Its dry, fruity, with a hint of oak and not too acid.
My better half prefers Berringer White Zinfandel at around $5.00 per bottle. It's a bit more sec (sweet), again, fruity, with a nice raspberry undertaste.

 

[yamahammer]

i had a beringer white merlot at my sister in laws christmas eve that wasn't bad ,i second the opinion on the liberfraumlch been drinkinking it for at least 20 yrears reislings also

 

[ManFromPorlock]

Rene Junot Dry Red Table Wine is drinkable plonk @ ~$10.00 for a 1.5 Liter bottle. In addition to being cheap it has a little body and doesn't taste like grape pop.

 

[RichPA]

Rich - I'm a big Shiraz fan. I really enjoy the Lindeman's Shiraz, and their Chardonnay too. It's a good value for the money too, as here at least, they are sold in 1500 ml bottles instead of 750 ml bottles.

JD

I agree about Lindeman's - good Merlot, too. We can usually get the big bottles too, but opening a big bottle can be dangerous on a weeknight ...

Had a nice Italian Merlot tonight - Cielo - $22 in the restaraunt, $9 at the liquor store, I think.

 

[Negotiableterms]

Just in case you're wondering why the prices of small California vintages have been going up so much recently...

A few months ago, there was an arson fire in a huge warehouse on Mare Island in SF Bay. The arson was apparently set by a wine storage guy, who was trying to cover up the theft of millions of $ of his clients' wine. Results, however, were that he got indicted. Collateral damage was huge. The entire 2003 production of more than 70 boutique wineries from Napa/Sonoma was destroyed.

So... if you're fond of any of those types, buy now, as the prices are going to be rising further in the near future. My wife's favorite, Viader, has already doubled. :tears:

 

[Charivari]

If y'all might want to give Sky River Sweet Mead a shot. The Sky River Meadery is a fairly local maker of a modern variant on one of the most ancient alcoholic beverages made, honey wine. This was the drink in pre-10th century Europe and though it's fallen out of favor in the last millennium, it's still quite good and enjoyable for how different it is from your typical fruit based wines. I personally prefer to recite (badly) some Beowulf in the original Old English on the rare occasion I imbibe, but you may be a bit more conservative.

As a heads up for those of you who actually know wine, the family a former classmate of mine this past year owns a local vineyard. I was told by this individual that thanks to this past record-setting dry summer, the grapes from the 2005 batch have an unusually concentrated flavor. Accordingly, the wines to come out of Central/Eastern Washington from the 2005 vintage are supposed to be extraordinary.

- JP

 

[Gibsonian]

Anyone ever try Burlwood White Zin from Aldi's. The best cheap white Zin I have had and at Boone's Farm prices. $3.49 a bottle. Try it before you make fun of me.