Wines, wines, wines, lovely beautiful wines... aka "The Wine Thread"

[kirigirisu]

Okay, I've just taken stock of my collection.

Amongst other things, I am currently in posession of the following (in no particular order):

A case or so of '97 Chimney Rock.

2 bottles of '97 Edmeades Medicino Ridge Zinfandel

A case or so of various vintages of Edmeades from 1998 to 2001 (minus that which I've consumed with or without friends)

A case or so '99 Rancho Zabaco Dry Creek Valley

2 bottles '97 T-Vine Zinfandel

1 bottle '90 Opus One (a premature graduation gift from an Uncle)

2 bottles '95 Stag's Leap Wine Cellar Cask 23

1 bottle '82 Chateau Margeaux (inherited)

1 bottle '82 Chateau Mouton (inherited)

1 case or so '97 Silver Oak Cabernet (also inherited)

plus various other table wines and stuff I serve or give away on a semi-regular basis, including a shyteload of Zinfandels and Syrahs along with with some Shiraz and Petit Syrahs, and my particular old standby, The Fifteen (a grenache blend). Also keep a few Chateau neuf du Papes around out of curiousity.

Not a huge Cabernet or Merlot fan, as you can see. Pinots are very spare as well.

Keep a few bottles of Riesling and Chardonnay (as well as champagnes and icewines and a moscato or two) around for the chicks, but I don't know anything about whites. Don't particularly like them.

Know jack schitt about ports and apertifs and desert wines, so don't keep any of them around.

Not mentioning any of the single-malts I have in stock.

So, enough about what I gots. What have you gots, and what would you recommend?

[KhawMengLee]

We got 5 bottles of 1999 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Romanee Conti somewhere in the celler.

[monkeyboy_ssj]

I do believe I have got the Asti Martini and the 2003 Babysham from the southern province of Slough...plus I have a rare vintage of Safeway Chenin Blanc 2002.

I thank you

[Richard Price]

I'm a bit of an expert....I always buy at around the £4 mark rather than £3. My favourite wine at the moment is called "Old Git"

[monkeyboy_ssj]

Originally posted by Richard Price
I'm a bit of an expert....I always buy at around the £4 mark rather than £3. My favourite wine at the moment is called "Old Git"

Was that purchased at Budgens by any chance? Lovely vintage...

Ja

[Shitoryu Dude]

I've got about 100 bottles of stuff from all over - primarily premium bottles of Merlot & Syrah/Shiraz from Washington. A couple cases of a Super Tuscan that I like from two different years (one year needs a bit more aging), a smattering of Spanish wines (prime stuff), some Late Harvest Reisling, and few Chardonnays and a collection of "that looks good" reds from all over.

The only French wine is a bottle of Moet Champagne that we received as a present.

[Soulend]

I have heard a lot of good things about Washington wines, but have yet to try any.

Unfortunately, I don't keep a cache of wine on hand, as I partake only rarely. When I go to Europe I will generally bring back a few bottles of various Italian reds and some Portuguese Porto, maybe a bottle of Spanish Sangria or two. I certainly envy William's collection! One of my Thanksgiving guests is bringing over a bottle though...have to see what she brings.

[StanLee]

Old git from budgens is great tasting wine!

There's also old bastard I think from Waitrose.

[kage110]

'Old Git', and its companion 'Old Tart', from Tesco's are fine wines for the table. We gave a bottle each to my GF's parents for their wedding anniversary this year.

I have a red, a couple of whites and a rose on my kitchen bench or in the fridge. I wouldn't have a clue what vintage they are - I just drink the stuff! Ask me about whiskey though and maybe then I could have a meaningful discussion about years/vintages/etc.

[Iain]

I wine-bonged an entire bottle of Hochtaller in under 5 minutes once... I couldn't drink red wine for 6 months. Does that make me an expert...?

[Steve Williams]

Originally posted by StanLee


There's also old bastard I think from Waitrose.

There is one called "Fat bastard", they sell it in Sainsbury, but it is not exclusive to them ;D

[Shitoryu Dude]

Washington wines are all premium and higher grades - there are no "box wines" produced anywhere in the state, and I think Oregon is the same way though Oregon does not produce as much wine overall. Last time I checked California only had an extra few thousand more acres of wine grapes planted than Washington and the harvests were getting very close to being the same. California has the advantage of a more mature industry and produces more super premium wines than Washington currently does, but that is changing rather quickly.

I could list good wines from Washington all day, but if you buy Columbia Crest, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Hogue Cellars, and Columbia Winery, you won't be dissapointed for what your dollar.

Wine Press Northwest

[Dean Whittle]

And of course we can't let the fine wines from Australia go unmentioned. My personal red wine preferences would include:

Penfolds' Grange, Bins 707 and 407 (both Cab Sav), and Bin 389 (Cab Sav Shiraz)
Lindemans' Limestone Ridge (Shiraz cab)
Peter Lehman's Mentor (Cab Sav Shiraz Malbec Merlot)
Wynns' Coonawarra Shiraz
Wolf Blass' Black and Grey Labels (both Cab Sav Shiraz)
Yalumba Signature (Cab Sav Shiraz)
Turkey Flat Butcher's Block Shiraz
Barwang Cab Sav
Glenguin Polkobin Vineyard Shiraz

Fine wine, fine food and good company is certainly the recipe for an enjoyable night.

Whites? Now that would require some more thought and another post.

Regards

[Kobe]

We can not consider Sangria as a wine, its normally prepare with the worst wine available and is basically a tourist and/or summer drink.
For white wines I will recommend 2 which are superb and most probably some of the best whites in the world.
Cloudy Bay from New Zealand and Viña Esmeralda from Spain, the last one is a rare combination of Gewürztraminer and Moscatel grapes.
enjoy.

While I was in France this summer I bought a case of Arbois Pupillin vin de Jura. A very, very unusual chardonnay - very appley tasting, very dark in colour. At times it almost reminded me of Fino Sherry. It's not what you could call refined, but it's extremely tasty. I bought it just because it's so radically different from the new-world chardonnays our supermarkets are flooded with.

I have one bottle left. Drink it or save it? Aaaargh, the dilemma.

Cheers,

Mike