The Wine Thread -- what have you been drinking?

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Last I checked you can't download wine for free. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 March 2004 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

seriously, they are like 30-40% cheaper than liquor stores in town here

Yeah, it's unreal - even cheaper than a Costco or something. I get Campari and Scotch there!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 29 March 2004 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)

pop wine = Turning Leaf (or maybe a Gallo box of white zin?).

indie wine = bonny doon, who won my heart back in 97 with "le cigare volante". my half empty case sits there like demolition plot j-7, afraid to be enjoyed.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 29 March 2004 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

pop wine = anything by Kendall Jackson

― webcrack (music=crack), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

though I shouldn't scoff as I sit here and drink Ironstone Cab Franc. Isn't bad for $8.99 a bottle, but I suspect a combination of chaptalization and doping with oak chips accounts for the overtly forward fruit and tooth-coating tannin.

― webcrack (music=crack), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 02:12 (twenty-two years ago)

you pay 8.99 Aus for Ironstone? We have to pay a tenner at least over here, and it's gorgeous stuff too.
Have you had any of the Capel Vale stuff? Or even better Wise Winery, which is impossible to get in England :o(

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 08:37 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...

A trip to Rolf's has resulted in this wine. Report forthcoming after dinner.

― Orbit (Orbit), Monday, 26 April 2004 01:30 (twenty-two years ago)

*chuckle* I'm sorry... but you have a bottle shop/alcohol selling emporium called ROLF'S ?? :D

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 26 April 2004 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Yup. Rolf's. Better than Ralph's I suppose.
Anyway, it was the most fruit-forward cab I've ever had. Very berry, with tannins, paradoxical. Understated oak, which made it a so-so for me, being a fan of the tobacco and vanilla tastes that some people characterize as "over-oaked". If you like berry, fruit notes with your tannins, this would be good. It was good, but not quite my particular ideal.

― Orbit (Orbit), Monday, 26 April 2004 02:40 (twenty-two years ago)

The output of the Catalan Cantina Torres is still impressing me, some very good whites as well. However, yesterday it was a fine straw coloured crunchy white from Friuli that floated my boat. I do like a nice acerbic crunchy fruili white when the weather is good.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 26 April 2004 05:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I bought a bottle of Fat Bastard Chardonnay this week. I don't drink, wouldn't drink chardonnay if I still did, but the label is nice.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 26 April 2004 05:46 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

The other day, I had a bottle of Ancien Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2000. Ancien is a tiny producer in California making jawdroppingly complex Burgundy-styled wines (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). These wines are normally like $40 plus, but my store bought quite a few on close-out for like $5 a pop, which means they are SUPER cheap for me.

Anyway, this wine made me remember how amazing Pinot Noir can be. It was so deep, but the layers of flavor and nuance came through loud and clear -- if a heavy, rich California Cabernet Sauvignon is densely opaque, this Pinot is beautifully translucent. It's the Windy and Carl to Cab's Kevin Drumm. And the mouthfeel, holy crap -- silky but full, and you can hardly believe something so supple and soft could be in your mouth.

I know I'm not the only one drinking wine out there...

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Monday, 31 May 2004 21:58 (twenty-two years ago)

This evening = half a bottle of Wolf Blass Shiraz Cab, and four bottles of Bud. Last night = the other half and a bottle of Jacob's Creek sparkling white.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 31 May 2004 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Your tolerance is astounding, Nick! My girlfriend and I can usually barely polish off a bottle between us both. I'm kind of glad that's the case, though -- it's definitely easier on the wallet.

I've never been a big fan of the shiraz/cab blend, although I've had ones that have been pleasant enough. I feel like the two varietals hold each other down in a blend -- the shiraz, usually so a gregarious and juicy, is muted by the cab, whose austerity is compromised in turn by the shiraz.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 02:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Finished a bottle of Zenato Pinot Grigio tonight, which I liked. The sharp green-appleyness of it is refreshing. My wife said it is the Diet Coke of the style, but I like Diet Coke!

― Hunter (Hunter), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 03:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Bonny Doon Big House Red - cheap and great!

Hitori Musume Junmainigori Sake - The most traditional and complex Nigori out there at this price (~$20/720mL).

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 04:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Sheesh Gygax, Randal Grahm's jock is going to start charging you rent pretty soon!

Haha, nah, I that wine *is* really solid, although this time of year, my thoughts turn more towards the equally cheap and great Pacific Rim Dry Riesling...

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

ooh i do like a nice Blass red.. good choice Nick

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 11:07 (twenty-two years ago)

cb, i have been a fan since 97... did you ever see the wine spectator feeture on him?

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Haven't seen that, Gygax, but I'd love to; I have a ton of respect for the guy. The wine industry could definitely use more iconoclasts, and a better sense of humor.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

he is sadly very ill. he has some sort of spinal infection, and has essentially had to step away from the helm of Bonny Doon, which I phear has resulted in the steepening decline in the quality of their wines: the Cardinal Zin is truly rotten. i believe they are trying to grow to a million case brand, which would put it up with some pretty homogenized CA producers. but, for Doonistas - Big House Pink, formerly Vin Gris de Cigare. Old Telegram is still pretty choice, and their Vin du Glacier Muscat is luscious

― boxcubed (boxcubed), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)

i had no idea... that is very horrible news. any links?

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 04:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Some Añoranza White from the Airen region of La Macha in SPain which tasted a good deal bettert than the fiver I paid for it. Spain is turning up some incredible bargains at the moment.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 05:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I was a very big fan of the Big House Red 01, then tried the 02 and thought it was sorta meh. I don't say that as confirmation of the alleged decline of quality of their wine in general tho. Local seemed to be clearing out the 01 and I bought a bunch at $8per, so yay.

As these inexpensive mongrel red table wines seem all the rage now, any other recommendations? I bought one from Washington the other day cos it was way cheap, it had something bad/corky going on...

I last had their riesling like 3 years ago and it was very tasty but that very well might be the ONLY reisling I've ever had.

Yesterday I saw--low carb wine. Fucking Fatkins.

― Hunter (Hunter), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I am somewhat obsessed with Bully Hill (upstate NY) wines these days. They are super cheap and kind of odd. Sadly, I live in the People's Republic of Montgomery County, MD, which retains a monopoly on wine sales and makes it difficult for me to get my goat. Any New Yorkers who would like to arrange to illegally send me a mixed case would be showered with my undying love and affection.

Anyhow, check out their website. The place has a bizarre history and cool label art.

― quincie, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd love to try some NY wines, but man are they hard to find in central Virginia.

That is terrible news about Grahm -- what an amazing person. I hope things improve on that front.

Ed, Spain is an amazing source for affordable fine wines, especially right now. I hope they don't get infected by over-inflation like some areas I know (*cough* California *cough*). I could put together a mixed case for barely over $100 of just killer wines, both red and white.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 23:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Over-inflation? surely you jest.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

It's really just the boutique wineries that seem to know no price ceiling -- I mean, really, there are California cabernets out there for $50 and up (way, way up) which in no way deserve to fetch that sort of price. But people pay for these wines, vintage after vintage, people whose financial resources are exceeded only by their gullibility.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 23:47 (twenty-two years ago)

It's wine bonanza time at the moment as Morrisons have bought out Safeways which is bad long term (Morrison's list is distinctly less interesting than safeways) but great at the moment as lots of good wine is getting sold off cheap. There's a fabulous '97 Graves for a fiver which I'm going through a lot of at the moment.

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 3 June 2004 08:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm drinking an '01 beresford shiraz. very dry..

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Thursday, 3 June 2004 08:51 (twenty-two years ago)

we've had lots of great and fairly cheap stuff from oddbins recently. unfortunately i haven't paid all that much attention to what it's been, because my flatmate has been in charge of the wine buying recently on account of her knowing loads more about it than me, cos she had to learn lots about wine for work (!).

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 3 June 2004 08:56 (twenty-two years ago)

We've just finished our last bottle of Viognier, which is a damn shame as it's lovely, can't remember which Vineyard it's from though. We need a trip to France quite urgently, we're running desperately short of whites and down to our last ten bottles or so of red. Mind you a small revelation we've had is the Banrock station shiraz box - decently drinkable and way less than a tenner in France.

― chris (chris), Thursday, 3 June 2004 09:03 (twenty-two years ago)

oh for a car. and a driving license, come to think of it.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 3 June 2004 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

two weeks pass...

I'm in the midst of one of the most sublime wine experiences I've ever had. My birthday is this coming Saturday, so I bought myself (as a gift) a bottle of 2000 Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese from the Niederhauser Hermansholle site. A mouthful, I know, but Riesling is one of my favorite things on earth, and this is probably the best I've ever tasted. No, not probably -- it freaking *is*.

This is one of those things that makes you amazed, thankful, and humbled simply to be alive, to have the faculties to be able to taste, to savor, and to think. Wines like this turn me into the biggest beverage geek ever. How something like this can come from the earth -- from vines, soil, wind, rain, sunlight -- boggles my mind. And, furthermore, how human beings have learned to guide, shape, and polish the fruits of the earth into something like this, this otherworldly liquid in front of me... I end up marvelling at the entire sequence of events, spread over eons, that brought this wine to my lips. And I feel almost a pang of guilt for being allowed to have something this amazing. I wish I could buy a bottle for everyone on ILX.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

So, is everyone moving on to mostly white wines now that the weather is warming up? I know a lot of folks who don't care much for whites at all, but that's crazy -- I always think to myself, "You must have only tried a bunch of crappy California chardonnays, then!"

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Monday, 21 June 2004 01:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Right now: a 2002 Vouvray that's nice and dry, a touch of the characteristic Vouvray "musty soil," good floral aromatics, and a citrusy, fairly long finish. Loire whites rule -- this one retails for $10, and I get it for under $6!

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Monday, 21 June 2004 20:25 (twenty-one years ago)

It's hot out now... anyone drinking wine these days?

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 20:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Portugeuse Verde, Alaveda (or something like that) is the winery. refreshing, with a hint of carbonation. Any other Verdes recommended?

― nickn (nickn), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 20:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Right now, a 2002 Riesling from Studert-Prum in the Mosel region. This one's a kabinett from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard, a really REALLY steep Mosel valley vineyard with a huge old sundial in the middle of it (so the pickers know when to take breaks and stuff). It looks like this:
http://www.weinerlebnisbegleiter.de/Pictures/p_web_bergweiler_b2.jpg

The wine is delicate but powerful, with good piercing acidity and a luscious body of pure fruit goodness. Goddamn, I love Riesling.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Thursday, 1 July 2004 01:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Scotch has pretty much taken over for wine as far as what's in my glass, but I did make coq au vin the other night with Bonny Doon's Syrah Sirrah.

― Tep (ktepi), Thursday, 1 July 2004 01:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I love the sundial -- it looks like something from a Terry Gilliam film or something.

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Thursday, 1 July 2004 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

we had a Capel Vale Semillon from Western Australia the other day, nicely chilled it's an absolute winner.

― chris (chris), Thursday, 1 July 2004 08:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I had a pretty great Pinot Blanc last night.

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 1 July 2004 09:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Unfortunately I have been drinking Stowells Tempranillo out of a box *SHOCK HORROR* owing to the fact that you couldn't take bottles to glastonbury!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Yikes.

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Indeed!!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm think about getting into drinking white wine at the moment. Any suggestions? (not v expensive!!)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:09 (twenty-one years ago)

the capel vale mentioned above was on special at JS a wee while ago for 7 quid - and it was worth every penny, if you can find some buy it in a flash

― chris (chris), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

JS??

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Jack Straw's (house).

Alternatively, Sainsburys!

I haven't had a red wine for ages now I am going out with someone who DOESN'T LIKE IT, peon. I have decided! No longer will I compromise on Rosé! NO LONGER the White Zinfandel!! Red wine, red wine, COME TO ME, COME TO ME!

― Sarah (starry), Thursday, 1 July 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

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