The Wine Thread -- what have you been drinking?

HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE

HERE WE SIT ENJOYING THE SHADE, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
TO DRINK THE DRINKS THAT I HAVE MADE, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
TELL YOU WHY TODAY IS SUNNY, I’M IN LOVE WITH LIPS OF HONEY
WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE WAY SHE WALKS, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE

SHE IS COMING HERE TO STAY, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
I HAVE WAITED FOR THE DAY, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
SHE WRITES OF LOVE IN EVERY LETTER OTHERS HAVE TRIED BUT I WILL GET HER
WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE WAY SHE WALKS, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE

WHAT IS LIFE, WHAT IS SPRING, WHAT ARE ALL THE STARS THAT SHINE
LOVE MY FRIEND IS EVERYTHING AND LOVE WILL SOON BE MINE

POUR IT AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
POUR IT QUICKLY ONCE AGAIN, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
SHE’S HERE AT LAST MY ONE AND ONLY GOOD BYE FRIENDS AND DON’T BE LONELY
WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE WAY SHE WALKS, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE

BLINK YOUR EYES AND LOVE HAS PASSED, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
HER’S WAS NEVER MEANT TO LAST, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE
SHE INTRODUCED ME TO ANOTHER, NO MY FRIENDS HE’S NOT HER BROTHER
I WILL MISS THE WAY SHE WALKS, HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE

HEY BROTHER POUR THE WINE.

Red, red wine goes to my head,
Makes me forget that I still need her so

Red, red wine, it's up to you
All I can do I've done
Memories won't go, memories won't go

Life is fine every time,
Thoughts of you leave my head
I was wrong, now I find
Just one thing makes me forget

Red, red wine, stay close to me
Don't let me be alone
It's tearing apart my blue heart

Red red wine, you make me feel so fine,
You keep me rockin' all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so grand,
I feel a million dollar when you're just in my hand
Red red wine, you make me feel so sad,
Any time I see you go, it make me feel bad
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine,
Monkey back and ease up on the sweet deadline

Red red wine, you give me holy pahzing
Holy pahzing, you make me do my own thing
Red red wine, you give me not awful love
Your kind of lovin' like a blessing from above
Red red wine, I loved you right from the start,
Right from the start, and with all of my heart
Red red wine in an eighties style
Red red wine in a modern beat style
Yeah

Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me red wine, the kind make me feel fine
You make me feel fine all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey back and ease up on the sweet deadline
The line broke, the money get choked,
Bunbah, ganjapani, little rubber boat
Red red wine, I'm gonna hold on to you,
Hold on to you 'cause I know you love truth
Red red wine, I'm gonna love you till I die,
Love you till I die, and that's no lie
Red red wine, can't get your off my mind
Wherever you may be, I'll surely find,
I'll surely find. Make no fuss, just leave us

He was killed by a cellular phone explosion
They scattered his ashes across the ocean
The water was used to make baby lotion
The wheels of promotion were set into motion

But the sun still shines in the summertime
I'll be yours if you'll be mine
I tried to change, but I changed my mind
Think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine

She lived alone in a small apartment
Across the street from the health department
She left her pills in the glove compartment
That was the afternoon her heart went

And the sun still shines in the summertime
I'll be yours if you'll be mine
I tried to change, but I changed my mind
I think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine
I think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine

I used to fly for United Airlines
Then I got fired for reading High Times
My license expired in almost no time
Now I'm retired, and I think that's fine

Because the sun still shines in the summertime
I'll be yours if you'll be mine
I tried to change, but I changed my mind
I think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine

Because the sun still shines in the summertime
I'll be yours if you'll be mine
I tried to change, but I changed my mind
I think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine
I think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine
Won't you have another glass of Mexican Wine?

"How old do you think I am," he said?
I said, well, I didn't know.
He said, "I turned 65 about 11 months ago."

I was sittin' in Miami, pouring blended whiskey down
When this old gray, black gentleman was cleaning up the lounge.

There wasn't anyone around, except this old man and me.
The guy who ran the bar was watching Ironside on TV.
Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind
On old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

"Ever had a drink of watermelon wine," he asked.
He told me all about it, though I didn't answer back.
"Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

He said, "Women think about themselves, when men-folk ain't around.
And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down."
He said, "I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime,
Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

"Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes.
God bless little children while they're still to young to hate."
When he moved away I found my pen and copied down that line
About old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

I had to catch a plane up to Atlanta that next day.
As I left for my room I saw him picking up my change.
That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime,
Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

(NANCY):
Strawberries cherries and an angel's kiss in spring
My summer wine is really made from all these things

(LEE):
I walked in town on silver spurs that jingled to
A song that I had only sang to just a few
She saw my silver spurs and said lets pass some time
And I will give to you summer wine
Ohh-oh-oh summer wine

(NANCY):
Strawberries cherries and an angel's kiss in spring
My summer wine is really made from all these things
Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time
And I will give to you summer wine
Ohhh-oh summer wine

(LEE):
My eyes grew heavy and my lips they could not speak
I tried to get up but I couldn't find my feet
She reassured me with an unfamiliar line
And then she gave to me more summer wine
Ohh-oh-oh summer wine

(NANCY):
Strawberries cherries and an angel's kiss in spring
My summer wine is really made from all these things
Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time
And I will give to you summer wine
Mmm-mm summer wine

(LEE):
When I woke up the sun was shining in my eyes
My silver spurs were gone my head felt twice its size
She took my silver spurs a dollar and a dime
And left me cravin' for more summer wine
Ohh-oh-oh summer wine

(NANCY):
Strawberries cherries and an angel's kiss in spring
My summer wine is really made from all these things
Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time
And I will give to you summer wine
Mmm-mm summer wine

Does anyone else shop for wine at Warehouse, on Broadway near Astor Place? They seem to have lots of really good deals on California wines lately, especially red zins and syrahs. And in general their prices are significantly lower than anyone else in the city.

I pretty much only buy wines under $10 or $12, so these aren't high-end, but that goes pretty far at Warehouse.

Red zins: Blackstone, Ravenswood Napa, Kunde. They had Cosentino's "The Zin" 2001 for like $15, a really good deal, but they might be out of it.

Syrah: Steven Bannus, Terre Rouge, Qupe Central Coast. Smoking Loon is pretty good, too, and really cheap ($5 or $6).

I'll have to give Riesling a go. I think I only tried it once.
I've found I like White Merlot.

Also, had a great California cab the other day, it was Cenay Cabernet Sauvignon from the Blue Tooth vineyard, 2000 vintage. Very solid, nicely integrated tannins, plenty of tea, chocolate, and blueberry flavor, and significant length.

I am drinking an organic New Zealand pinot noir (Holmes Brothers Richmond Plains Reserve '00): smoky and cherr-y and quite good.

Currently my favorite is a Buzet. La Tuque de Gueyze 2000. A dry but complex red, not overbearing. Well worth seeking out, Nicolas have it for £7.95

I'm also Looking forward to the Michel Lynch 2000 Emma and Tracer brought me back form Bordeaux to give to my Dad for Xmas.

My Christmas dinner wines are:

The aforementioned Buzet
L'Ansierge 2000 Chablis
Mazér Inferno 2001 Valtelline Superiore (a close relation of one of my all time favorites, Nevers Pelaverga Inferno 1997)

For afters:

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye
Chateau de Maniban Bas Armagnac

And on the side:

Guiness Original
Waitrose Strong Scrumpy Cider

I should be drinking some decent shiznit over the next few days, though, especially at my aunt and uncles - they decant, motherfuckers. And my folks still have some 1960s port left, though it dwindles every Xmas.

we managed a sauternes with starter, a chassagne montrachet (the dryest wine I've ever had) with the duck and more of the sauternes with pudding. We just opened a bottle of indie Champagne from Epernay, in fact I've got to get back to it......

because I'm poor
but hey

"It may surprise most southerners to know commercial wine making is a big industry, almost bigger than catfish farming"