Wine

[myhoneyhoney]

A long time friend of mine had opened up an entirely new world to me: wine. I'm lucky enough to live where the Napa Valley and Livermore wineries are just minutes away from home. I really can't remember the names of the wines I've tasted but I do know that I tend to like reds best. I started wine tasting just a couple weeks ago so I'm very new at this and am still learning the lingo, how to "taste" the wine, etc.

Now how about you? Is there a particular type that you like? Reds? Whites? Do you have a favorite brand? List away!

[IceAlisa]

My first wine revelation experience was a long time ago when I tried the Coppola Rubicon (forgot the exact vintage, early 90s). I had a glass of that and all of a sudden realized what all the brouhaha was all about. It was so complex and interesting and delicious.

Another eye opening experience was in NYC at a bar where I had a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc (forgot the maker and the vintage) which is now my favorite white.

Unfortunately, I can't drink California reds--instant headache. Ironically, with all the food Nazis residing in North Cal, the wine is full of sulfites and other things that cause headaches. So when it comes to reds, it's gotta be imported.

One of my favorite Italian wines is Amarone, more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarone

[Allskate]

Unfortunately, I can't drink California reds--instant headache. Ironically, with all the food Nazis residing in North Cal, the wine is full of sulfites and other things that cause headaches. So when it comes to reds, it's gotta be imported.

I can't drink the California reds either. I get a rash.

[UMBS Go Blue]

I live in Silicon Valley and have gotten into wine too!

Peggy Fleming and husband Dr. Greg Jenkins have their own winery and tasting room in downtown Los Gatos, complete with Peggy's Olympic chartreuse dress in a display case. I stopped by there before Skate America to have a few bottles shipped up to Portland for our FSU party. We enjoyed the following bottles from Fleming Jenkins and others:

Fleming Jenkins 2008 Jenkins Vineyard Chardonnay
Fleming Jenkins 2006 Napa Valley "Choreography" Cabernet blend
Fleming Jenkins 2009 "Victories" Rosé
Windy Oaks 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, Cuvée
Merry Edwards 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

I was also fortunate to attend an educational seminar where Dr. Jenkins was the guest speaker (Peggy was away in NYC that week though ) and got to meet him and have a quick chat - very nice guy and eager to educate.

Separately, I attended the Livermore Shakespeare Festival at Concannon Vineyards and tasted everything on offer. Not an expert here, but everything seemed darn good to me.

[znachki]

I'm a red wine drinker generally. I am not an expert by any means. One varietal that I like is made from the nero d'avola grape. Generally these are Sicilian. I've also had some Portuguese reds that are very good - but not always widely available.

As for the whites - which I seldom drink, I like a pinot grigio (gris). Sauvignon blanc is ok too. I thought for a long time that I detested chardonnay. But I discovered that what I detest is the oak. That's what gives it the "cat-pee" taste that some people talk about. Un-oaked chardonnays are pretty good. If you can find them. I think there are more out there than there used to be, but it might be hard to find by the glass at a resaurant.

Of course I live in Washington State and our liquor laws are horrible, so sometimes we just can't get things. Wine is easier than spirits, but still.

[oleada]

I like white wine.
I like wine from Trader Joe's Wine shop because I'm cheap and not super picky.

[HisWeirness]

I like wine from Trader Joe's Wine shop because I'm cheap and not super picky.

Me too. I'm easy. I drink 2 buck chuck casually with dinners at home because I don't feel like I am blowing too much

I mostly like medium reds and whites like chardonnay. I also like free wine. I am lucky that I have a wine-obsessed friend that has his own cellar and likes to invite us over for free food and wine.

I have been known to drink too much champagne...

[barbk]

UMBS GO BLUE brought some very, very yummy wines to Portland.

I was lucky enough to be on a consulting gig in Iowa years ago with an older consultant who happened to be a huge Bordeaux fan. Simultaneously, Iowa shut down wine sales at their state-run package stores, and bombed out their inventory at about 25 cents on the dollar.

I got quite the education in Bordeauxs (but apparently not in how to pluralize them) -- unfortunately I cannot afford them these days. But yum.

I like central coast chardonnays, and almost anything in the way of red wines as long as they're not too sweet or too taninny. I used to like more white wines, but I find a lot of them "thin" or "sour" now that I drink more red wine.

[skaternum]

I'm in love with wines from the Bordeaux region of France. Heavy, full-bodied, dry and oak-y ... wines you have to chew to enjoy. When the 2005 vintage went on sale, I bought a bunch to save until peak drinkability (and until my stupid, stainable clear braces come off). So far, only 6 bottles remain. And they haven't peaked yet.

[jadingirl]

I agree with IceAlisa about Amarone being a very good wine.

I also like the Cabernet Sauvignon (sp?) from Chile like Santa Carolina and Gato Negro

[DAngel]

I like ice wine

[Stefanie]

I've been on a Malbec kick recently. I enjoy most red wines and prefer them to white. Sometimes whites give me a headache. However, my favorite white wine would have to be a pinot grigio.

[Stormy]

Reislings are my favorites, although I like White Zin as well. Not a fan of dry whites or any reds.

[Kasey]

Not a wine drinker, although the rare occasions I go to Olive Garden or some other place that gives free samples, I'll try whatever they offer. The only one I have found that I consistently like is Chateau St. Michelle Reisling. Not sure why.

[BigB08822]

Someone used to have a really amazing thread on here about wines. I don't have time right now, you should try a few searches.

[Allen]

I love wine. One of my favorites is the Coppola Claret. I had a friend who was a wine distributor, and she gave me a bottle for my birthday years ago. It's almost always my choice when I'm giving a bottle of wine as a gift.

I also really love the Coppola Pinot Noir.

[myhoneyhoney]

oh, I'm going to have to try the ones you all have listed! Thank you. Since I'm so new at this I'm thinking of checking out some books from the library to educate myself more. Of course I also believe that there's really nothing better than hands on so that means LOTS of wine tasting too!

[HisWeirness]

Someone used to have a really amazing thread on here about wines. I don't have time right now, you should try a few searches.

mpal2??

[nerdycool]

Yes, I was just coming here to post that mpal2 created a nice thread about wine. Unfortunately for a few, it's in the Sekret Sources section.

Or one could take a look through this thread from last year for ideas.

[Kruss]

I prefer semi-dry or dry wines. Aside from the amazing wine I had in Italy, I'm a huge fan of Prairie Fume from Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.