|
I'm a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, and work as a sommelier in a restaurant in Canada. Wine and fortified wine are my strengths but anything with alcohol is fair game. Feel free to ask about the Court and certification as well. One caveat, I'll be limited in being able to make specific recommendations about what to purchase. Availability of wines especially is vastly different from region to region so unless you live in a major international market you can't really expect to have access to any bottle in particular. Edit: Blind tasting, which is identifying unknown wines, is something I can also comment on. Kasumeat fucked around with this message at 22:08 on Jan 26, 2014 |
#
?
Jan 26, 2014 20:11
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 4, 2024 10:54 |
|
|
I have only recently started to drink wine. I find that I, in general, like reds more than whites. The first bottle I bought, on a whim, was at Costco - a Kirkland Malbec (last year). I found it to have an excellent taste for the price of about $7/bottle. Since then, I've branched out a little bit more, buying most any of Kirkland's products, and a few other ~$10/bottle Malbec's that I've encountered. Have you had Kirkland wines? Do you find them to be a good value in terms of quality for the price paid? edit: So that this doesn't turn into something about how much people spend on wine, perhaps a better question would be: how does someone who knows almost nothing about wine determine if a wine is 'good' or 'bad'? Maybe I think that a $7 bottle tastes pretty good, but there's probably something for ~$10-15 that might have a marked improvement in taste. I'm too inexperienced to know what to look for. johnny sack fucked around with this message at 21:58 on Jan 26, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2014 21:52
|
|
|
johnny sack posted:I have only recently started to drink wine. I find that I, in general, like reds more than whites. The first bottle I bought, on a whim, was at Costco - a Kirkland Malbec (last year). I found it to have an excellent taste for the price of about $7/bottle. Since then, I've branched out a little bit more, buying most any of Kirkland's products, and a few other ~$10/bottle Malbec's that I've encountered. Grocery stores aren't permitted to sell alcohol here, so I haven't tried them. If you enjoy them, excellent. Personally, I get enough exposure to wine through tastings and work that if I'm buying a bottle for casual drinking, I'm generally going to spend a bit more to get something more unusual that'll be informative, or something classic that I might expect to encounter in blind tasting. Or Mosel Riesling, because it's the most delicious wine in the world. Edit, re your edit: Drink what you enjoy, that's what matters in the end. Anyone who tells you different is either a pretentious idiot or trying to sell you something. Have that $7 bottle that's your go-to, and occasionally spend a bit more (generally $15-20 for whites and $20-25 for reds is a bit of a sweet spot) to try something new that you may enjoy more. If you have a reputable wine merchant nearby, they'll be happy to offer advice. One thing I will say is to try wines from a wide range of places. A lot of American merchants have a huge focus on American wine, but unfortunately much American wine tends to be poor value if you're looking for something past that $10 quaffable range. Kasumeat fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Jan 26, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2014 22:07
|
|
|
All of the Kirkland branded beers, wines, and liquors are just rebranded major labels for less money. They're generally a decent product for the price.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2014 22:15
|
|
|
What do you think of the major American wine regions? I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I lived in the Columbia Valley region for a while so I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on the wines of that area.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 00:42
|
|
|
What's your favourite cheap beer (~$10 or less for a 6-pack)?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 02:00
|
|
|
Ron Don Volante posted:What do you think of the major American wine regions? I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I lived in the Columbia Valley region for a while so I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on the wines of that area. First off, I'll say that it's a bit of a difficult question for me because we get surprisingly little American wine here. Americans are very enthusiastic domestic wine drinkers (for some wines with merit, for many without), so that can inflate the price on the international market compared to similar wines from Australia, New Zealand, and South America, and thus we get relatively little imported. I also hate the style of wine that's produced in much of the US, but with that in mind: Columbia Valley produces the best Cab in the US. Its soils are less fertile than Napa and thus more suited to growing vines, and its cooler nights can actually preserve a bit of acidity. It also tends to be much less expensive than Napa, although still a poor value compared to Australia or Chile. There's also some surprisingly good Riesling being made in Washington. Oregon wine varies tremendously. Pinot Noir at its best is complex, earthy, and ethereal. From Oregon, there's a trend towards being monstrously alcoholic (16%+!) and syrupy, like cherry cola. There are exceptions, and those can be quite good, although would I ever buy them instead of New Zealand at the prices we see for them here? Doubtful. Oregon is also known for Pinot Gris for some reason. Impressive that they've managed to popularise a wine so watery and bland that it makes its Italian counterpart look flavourful. I could go on for ages about California, but I'll keep this brief. I am yet to have a wine I've enjoyed from Napa Valley. Not my style in the slightest. Outrageously expensive too. Wynn's Coonawara Estate from Australia is a new-world Cab that's widely available worldwide and will run you twenty bucks and change, and it's superior to every luxury Napa Cab I've ever had. The cooler areas such as Sonoma, Central Coast, and Santa Barbera make some good, even great wine, but I'm yet to have anything exciting that was less than $50 a bottle. There are exciting, affordable wines scattered around California, but they're scarce. Number Two Stunna posted:What's your favourite cheap beer (~$10 or less for a 6-pack)? Available where? Here, it'd be Labatt 50. Internationally, Sam Adams Boston Lager. Kasumeat fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Jan 27, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 02:07
|
|
|
Can you elaborate on the process of becoming a sommelier? I saw the documentary Somm earlier this month about people trying to pass the Master Sommelier exam and it seemed like a really brutal process. Any chance you want to become a Master?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 02:49
|
|
|
How well does price capture the quality of wines? If I buy bottles of $50 dollar wine with largely no knowledge of the wine's history or provenance, will I tend to end up with good wine anyway, or will I end up buying a lot of expensive poo poo rather than cheap poo poo? I feel like at this point in my life I should have enough experience to answer this question for myself, but none of my wine drinking has been systematic, so I don't feel like I have a good answer to this myself.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 06:32
|
|
|
LtMcbob posted:Can you elaborate on the process of becoming a sommelier? I saw the documentary Somm earlier this month about people trying to pass the Master Sommelier exam and it seemed like a really brutal process. Any chance you want to become a Master? I'll get to your question shortly, but let me begin by explaining some important background. "Sommelier" is not a protected title anywhere that I know of; anyone can call themselves one and work as one. That said, few employers will take you seriously without certification. There are several major bodies that offer certification, I'll talk about the three that are most important here in North America. I'll speak mostly about the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) that I have my certification with, but first let me explain the differences. WSET and ISG differ from the CMS in that they are much more academic. They both offer specific courses that are designed to have you pass their exams, and both require you to write a thesis for their higher levels of certification. They are more focused on certifying people who work in the wine industry but don't work in restaurant. CMS is intended for wine professionals who work in restaurants. All three groups require a theoretical and a blind tasting portion for their exams, unlike WSET and ISG, CMS has a service portion of their exams, which requires you to perform a mock restaurant service. CMS offers four levels of certification: Intro, Certified, Advanced, and Master. In the past they have provided absolutely no education: they've strictly been an examining body, although they recently announced a short prep course. I'm not aware of any Master Sommeliers (MS) without a restaurant industry career. To finally answer your question: Like most sommeliers, I began as a career waiter who found myself requiring more wine knowledge if I wanted to continue career advancement. I was fortunate enough to have a job that put me in contact with an MS around the same time I started to really get interested in wine, and it took off from there. Since then, I've been studying as much as my free time allows, and tasting as much as my wallet does. Preparing for exams requires a disgusting amount of reading, writing, map drawing, and so on. This is done largely independently. Tasting, however, is nearly impossible to learn without a mentor. If you want to be a sommelier, this is honestly the most important step. Find people better than you and learn from them. You're going to have to taste an awful lot of wines, and you're going to have to someone there to tell you why you're wrong when you invariably are. If you're living somewhere without truly elite sommeliers to learn from, you have no prayer. Personally, I intend to write the Advanced exam as soon as possible (it's held only three times per year, with a long waitlist), which is a huge step up from Certified. I've made incredible improvements since then and I'm confident I'll pass. This is certainly foolhardy considering the 10-15% first time pass rate, but it's the attitude you have to have to have a chance. The Advanced certification is prestigious enough (I believe there are less than ten in all of Canada) that I'm not certain I'll continue from there to Master unless I really feel my career is so stagnant that it warrants what is, optimistically, a five-year, quarter million dollar investment to go from Advanced to Master. Foolie posted:How well does price capture the quality of wines? It varies tremendously, and unfortunately the answer is way more complicated than can be explained here. Like I've said before, whether you like the wine is what's important, not it being independently "good." What tend to increase as you pay more are concentration/intensity, complexity, and longevity. Are these things you enjoy? If so, yes, you'll probably like the $50 bottle more than the $15. If not, then no. But I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that there are countless exceptions. If I had to make some very broad statements about the cost of wine and its value, I'd first say that there are pretty big diminishing returns past the $25-30 range, and I will rarely buy bottles past $35 myself unless it's for educational reasons. Additionally, a $50 bottle from a less prestigious region is more likely to be good than a $50 bottle from a prestige region. If I'm making sparkling wine in Champagne, I can charge $40 for it regardless of its merits simply because I get to put Champagne on the label. If I'm making sparkling wine in Tasmania, it has to be good if I plan to sell it at that price. Kasumeat fucked around with this message at 07:19 on Jan 27, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 06:55
|
|
|
Given your expertise in fortified wine, can I possibly ask you to make a recommendation for sherry? I know there are various different types, but can you suggest a type and label that would be best for a beginner? I'm willing to spend up to $40. I have had some Pedro Ximenez which is quite delicious, but I feel as though I'm missing something more. Getting hold of whatever shouldn't be difficult where I live. It's a shame sherry still has a reputation of being a drink for old ladies. At least that's what the bottle shop owner whom I spoke to said was his main client base for sherry.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 11:41
|
|
|
How is the Ale/Real Ale scene in Canada? It's an important question as I might want to move there in a few years.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 13:43
|
|
|
What do you think is the next wine region that is going to blow up in a major way? I worked in the wine industry for about four years back in the early 00's and at that time Malbec from Argentina was the big craze, and it still seems pretty popular today. However the last couple years I've noticed a lot of Austrian and Croatian reds being talked up and promoted at wine bars and shops. Also Gruner Veltiner seems very popular now. But I also moved from California to NYC that time so maybe that's just a local taste thing?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 17:19
|
|
|
I'll go for some spirits-related stuff: What's you're favorite cognac for under $200/bottle? For that matter, do you prefer cognac or armagnac? Have you found any seriously good sipping rums in Canada? I find most of the usual suspects (El Dorado, Zacapa) are way too sweet for me. Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros is probably the best I've found in Canada, but it's still not great. I'm not sure how connected you are to the business end, but do you know what would be involved in a small-scale importation of spirits (for sale or otherwise)? I'm led to believe the process for wine, and possibly beer, is a lot easier than for spirits.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 18:58
|
|
|
You've mentioned your dislike of Napa, and I tend to agree. I've worked in an upscale liquor store for the past 5 years and have had many tastings of expensive reds from that region and few really grab my palette. I was completely floored by how mediocre a 2008 Silver Oak Cabernet ($70) was in comparison to a 2011 CMS red blend ($12). It virtually had no body at all. But what do you think about Lodi? There seems to be a number of good Zinfendels coming from that region. OZV is currently my go to wine, there really is no equivalent for the price ($9). It's so good that I've stopped recommending it to customers because I want it all for myself. Also, what are your thoughts on wineries adding additives to their product? I've heard some add sugar, eggs, milk, chemicals, etc to boost the flavors and give it better "tears". Is this just a myth?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 21:03
|
|
|
Soggy Muffin posted:You've mentioned your dislike of Napa, and I tend to agree. I've worked in an upscale liquor store for the past 5 years and have had many tastings of expensive reds from that region and few really grab my palette. I was completely floored by how mediocre a 2008 Silver Oak Cabernet ($70) was in comparison to a 2011 CMS red blend ($12). It virtually had no body at all. I'd have to agree about Napa wines, but I'd like to add another question: have you found a single Canadian wine (excluding dessert wine) that provides any kind of reasonable quality and value? I've found wines that provide either [reasonable] quality or value, but never both yet.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 22:08
|
|
|
Octy posted:Given your expertise in fortified wine, can I possibly ask you to make a recommendation for sherry? I know there are various different types, but can you suggest a type and label that would be best for a beginner? I'm willing to spend up to $40. I have had some Pedro Ximenez which is quite delicious, but I feel as though I'm missing something more. Getting hold of whatever shouldn't be difficult where I live. Equipo Navazos is not a producer in a traditional sense, but rather a group of aficionados who source Sherry from their favourite solera barrels from various producers and bottle it. Every single thing I've had from them is awesome. A little pricier than most, but worth it. As far as larger producers go: Despite its ubiquity, Hidalgo La Gitana's Manzilla is an amazing value. Osborne does a great Pedro Ximenez. And finally, if you haven't tried a palo cortado yet, do. It's the least common style of sherry, being an intermediate between the flor-dominant (Fino + Manzanilla) and oxidative (Amontillado and Olorosso) styles, and usually has excellent complexity because of it. Equipo Navazos's No. 34 is pretty great, but honestly very few producers make poor PC. Bitter Mushroom posted:How is the Ale/Real Ale scene in Canada? It's an important question as I might want to move there in a few years. You're in luck, because we're finally starting to catch up to the US. Even 5 years ago, there was very little good beer happening outside of Quebec, but now it's common to see casks on tap at good bars in major cities. I think a few excellent Quebecois producers export, in case you want a little preview: Dieu du Ciel, McAuslan, and Unibroue. Earwicker posted:What do you think is the next wine region that is going to blow up in a major way? Am I too late to say Campagnia? It has a great combination of interesting native varietals with premium wine buyer appeal, and the hot climate to produce oceans of schlock for mass consumption. Greece is also pretty exciting right now, for the exact same reasons. There, it's more an issue of whether enough investors are willing to gamble on such a precarious economic investment. PT6A posted:I'll go for some spirits-related stuff: I afraid I don't drink enough Cognac to recommend anything, because I do indeed prefer Armagnac, especially if I'm buying. Larressingle XO is my favourite in that price range. Profile Wine Group brings in some Laubaude vintage stuff that may come in around $200 and is fantastic. For rum, have you tried Mount Gay 1703? It's still sweet, but less so than El Dorado and Zacapa. I believe the process for importing is different in each province. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with Alberta. Soggy Muffin posted:You've mentioned your dislike of Napa, and I tend to agree. I've worked in an upscale liquor store for the past 5 years and have had many tastings of expensive reds from that region and few really grab my palette. I was completely floored by how mediocre a 2008 Silver Oak Cabernet ($70) was in comparison to a 2011 CMS red blend ($12). It virtually had no body at all. Lodi is absolutely enormous, so there's tons of stuff going on there, ranging from atrocious to excellent. Unfortunately we just don't get enough of it here for me to add anything helpful, sorry! Sugar is often added (called chapitalisation) in cooler climates to boost alcohol, especially in cool vintages. Many deem it a necessary evil. Evil not because it's wrong (I'm very much in the what's-in-the-glass-is-what-matters camp), but because that white sugar has no character, whereas natural grape ripeness produces both sugar and various aromatic compounds which provide flavour. It's also added in some bulk wines grown in hot climates to stretch out what would be, say, 1 000 000 hL of highly concentrated 16.5% wine to 2 000 000 hL of watery 13.5% wine. Personally, I feel if you're in the situation where you need to chapitalise, you probably had poo poo wine to begin with so it doesn't matter. The eggs and milk thing is a myth that's related to them being used as fining agents. Unfiltered and unfined, wine is cloudy and opaque, with yeast, plant and insect matter, and various other solids floating around. The proteins in these fining agents will bond with these, and form precipitate that can be removed by filtration or racking, producing the crystal clear wine that most consumers prefer. As for "chemicals," that is of a course a very, very vague term. The most relevant one is sulfur dioxide, because it both prevents oxidation and works as a disinfectant, while being harmless at the quantities required for winemaking. There are wines made without it, but unless they're being made in the most arid, inhospitable corners of the earth, they reek the microbial soup they necessary become, which most drinkers don't care for. It's been used in winemaking for thousands of years. The "tearing" story probably stems from the "antifreeze" incident in Austria. Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a moderately toxic compound that is sweet and has a viscous, glyceriney mouthfeel. In the mid 80s, some unscroupulous winemakers added it to their wines to produce body and sweetness in a region where those are hard to come by in bulk wine. One of them got caught, and because diethylene glycol sounds a lot like ethylene glycol, which was a major component of antifreeze, the antifreeze scandal was born. Austria responded by making their wine laws the strictest in the entire world, although they still suffer from some of the stigma. For the record, the two chemicals are roughly equally toxic. We don't know how much exactly was added to the wines, but probably enough to be harmful.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 22:59
|
|
|
What are your thoughts on the idea that wine tasting is subjective to the point of meaninglessness? Studies show that people describe white wines dyed red in the same terms that they use to describe real reds, even though it's the same wine, people are unable to tell the difference between 5 dollar a bottle and 30 dollar a bottle wine (differences in taste correspond most closely with the prestige of the label, not the wine itself). http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis quote:Each panel of four judges would be presented with their usual "flight" of samples to sniff, sip and slurp. But some wines would be presented to the panel three times, poured from the same bottle each time. "Only about 10% of judges are consistent and those judges who were consistent one year were ordinary the next year.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 23:27
|
|
|
Have you ever had keystone ice? I think it's pretty bad when I first start but around the 7th one in I start to come around.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2014 23:31
|
|
|
Sharkie posted:What are your thoughts on the idea that wine tasting is subjective to the point of meaninglessness? Studies show that people describe white wines dyed red in the same terms that they use to describe real reds, even though it's the same wine, people are unable to tell the difference between 5 dollar a bottle and 30 dollar a bottle wine (differences in taste correspond most closely with the prestige of the label, not the wine itself). I think subjective opinions are way more meaningful than objective ones when it comes to wine! We don't experience wine objectively, and it's ridiculous to claim that its objective measurements tell you more about a wine than somebody's opinion of it. That famous dye study is often cited, and there's a lot of misinformation that it's propagated. First of all, the subjects of that study were first year undergrads at the University of Bordeaux, which provides studies primarily on wine business and winemaking, not wine tasting. Not even remotely close to "wine experts." Also, there are white wines that taste red and vice-versa! If you go out of your way to select tricky wines, will indeed trick tasters with this trick. Finally, the science of tasting and smell is barely understood. A recent study has shown that if you take the entirety of the aromatic compounds of a white wine and put them into a red wine, it will smell red! As for that second study, I have said again and again, drink what you enjoy. Inexperienced wine drinkers typically don't notice the subtle complexity that's more typical of an expensive wine, so of course they don't notice a difference. This is a bit of a blessing! It's also typical of pretty much every human endeavour that's unfamiliar. Show someone who doesn't understand Chess the greatest game ever played and they won't get much out of it, but that doesn't mean there isn't a whole lot to appreciate there. As for consistency of tasting, absolutely, it shows tremendous variation. Your sense of smell and taste are extremely complex and sensitive to recent experience. The principles of wine tasting, cooking, and food/wine pairing are all based on this. Tannic wine is good with fatty food because the two actually impair your sensation of each other. This isn't just sensitivity that diminishes your perception, there are molecules binding with your tongue and each other that physically change the taste of what you're consuming. Likewise, the wine you just had is going to affect the taste of wine you're about to have. Mood also affects your taste dramatically. Again, this is a "real" thing; it literally tastes different. You can google the countless studies that show this. The fact that a label affects your taste is no different. We are all human and how we experience wine is subject to the quirks of humanity. The subjective experience is everything, the objective wine is a curiosity. Frostwerks posted:Have you ever had keystone ice? I think it's pretty bad when I first start but around the 7th one in I start to come around. Afraid not, I'll have to give it a try! I must admit I've got a bit of a soft spot for PBR when it comes to vaguely cardboardy, vaguely beery beverages. Kasumeat fucked around with this message at 00:20 on Jan 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 00:14
|
|
|
You can get two four packs of 16 ouncers for 7.19 at the local.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 00:46
|
|
|
Kasumeat posted:I'm a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, and work as a sommelier in a restaurant in Canada. Wine and fortified wine are my strengths ... Please post a picture of your port tongs.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 05:11
|
|
|
I'm curious about the international reputation of NZ wines. Since I live there that's pretty much all I'm regularly exposed to apart from a few Aussie wines but I'm aware there's a pretty big export market for the stuff.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 07:54
|
|
|
Do you have much experience with mead. It seems to be slowly picking up in popularity somewhere behind hard cider.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 08:21
|
|
|
Trompe le Monde posted:I'm curious about the international reputation of NZ wines. Since I live there that's pretty much all I'm regularly exposed to apart from a few Aussie wines but I'm aware there's a pretty big export market for the stuff. NZ has a well-deserved reputation for making consistently great wine. They're a little pricier than the average consumer wants to pay (the highest average price per bottle in the world!), but I think they offer great value. We don't get many NZ wines other than the usual suspects of Pinot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chard, but I've been really impressed with how aromatic and expressive some shy varietals produced in NZ can be, such as Gruner and Pinot Blanc. My favourite wine-producing country in the New World. Otto Von Jizzmark posted:Do you have much experience with mead. It seems to be slowly picking up in popularity somewhere behind hard cider. Not much other than drinking it. Unfortunately it's still not well-known enough that you can sell it anywhere except at specialty bars, although I'd be happy to see that change.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 08:38
|
|
|
Trompe le Monde posted:I'm curious about the international reputation of NZ wines. Since I live there that's pretty much all I'm regularly exposed to apart from a few Aussie wines but I'm aware there's a pretty big export market for the stuff. Here in Australia we drink your New Zealand wines. Well, at least your whites, because they're great. And don't judge our wines just from a few, because there are some terrible ones made here. But lots of excellent ones too. The ironic thing is, it's cheaper for us to buy our own wines by flying to America, filling up a couple of suitcases, and smuggling them back. Sin taxes on alcohol and all. (Or, well it would be, if it's not something that might get confiscated by customs. And it would probably put your bags over the weight limit.)
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 12:12
|
|
|
If I'm a fan of vinho verde, which other wines should I be trying? I've recently discovered Albariño is the same grape as the Alvarinho verdes, so I'm wondering if there are more easier to find wines out there. Finding a vinho verde in London is surprisingly difficult, especially if you refuse to drink Tesco's awful attempt at one and shy away from Sainsburys distinctly average version. Anyone who hasn't tried it should though. It's a great wine with a little effervescence, and better still it's cheap. I haven't found a bottle that costs more than £10 or so yet other than in a bar, and you can guarantee that one would also be sub-£10 for the home drinking market. Edit: my local wine shop (more an off-licence that has named itself a wine shop really) told me Portugal don't do whites when I tried asking about vinho verde or any other Portuguese whites in there! Masonity fucked around with this message at 12:17 on Jan 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 12:15
|
|
|
Two questions: 1. What are the reputations of Australian wines like overseas? When I worked in a pub we sold only Australian and NZ wine, with NZ generally been considered the better of the two. Particularly a brand called Oyster's Bay which people where willing to pay twice the amount over it's equivalent in Australian. 2. The only wine I've had much luck with have been cheap Moscatos, in particular a brand that is only 3.5%. I find a lot of wine to be very sour (which is strange to me, because I like apple ciders more sour than sweet). Can you recommend any type of wine that I might enjoy, or a brand of Moscato that isn't as weak. If it helps, I normally prefer my alcohol to be a little sweet.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 14:18
|
|
|
Trompe le Monde posted:I'm curious about the international reputation of NZ wines. Since I live there that's pretty much all I'm regularly exposed to apart from a few Aussie wines but I'm aware there's a pretty big export market for the stuff. Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough has been quite popular for years now here in the US, and for good reason it is consistently very good. Its probably the white wine that I drink most often.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 16:06
|
|
|
I hold the opinion that beer has a much wider range of tastes than wine, but I'm not a wine expert at all. Would you agree with that? Also, out of curiosity, have you ever had any Texas wines? Are there any you like?
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 18:51
|
|
|
How do you feel about Champagnes vs. other kinds of sparkling wines? I find most of the big name French wine to be, although excellent, considerably overpriced, but Champagne I would make an exception for, because I've never had a cava, prosecco, or any other sort of sparkling wine that even comes close to the quality of a entry- to mid-level Champagne. Am I unnecessary snobbish about this (i.e. are there better sparkling wines to be found)? On the NZ wine question, I will say I'm a big fan of their whites, and I say that as someone who doesn't care all that much for white wine. I don't even find them that expensive, for the quality. Maybe they just have no low-end market. Another question: what are some of your favourite Spanish wines? I've had consistent luck with Spanish wines from all regions, but I'm wondering if there's some real heavy-hitters (either quality-for-money, or quality outright) that I should make sure to try. One of my current favourites is Marques de Murrieta, but I think that's just because I've always had it on memorable, awesome occasions. On the more expensive (but not insane) end, I'm also a very big fan of Clio, if that gives you an idea where my tastes lie.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 19:04
|
|
|
Imaduck posted:I hold the opinion that beer has a much wider range of tastes than wine, but I'm not a wine expert at all. Would you agree with that? There are so many weird and very different beers and wines out there if you look all over the world, I'm not sure how the answer to this could reasonably be established without dying of alcoholism.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 19:48
|
|
|
Masonity posted:If I'm a fan of vinho verde, which other wines should I be trying? I've recently discovered Albariño is the same grape as the Alvarinho verdes, so I'm wondering if there are more easier to find wines out there. Finding a vinho verde in London is surprisingly difficult, especially if you refuse to drink Tesco's awful attempt at one and shy away from Sainsburys distinctly average version. There are a lot of wines that fall into that light, dry, floral, mineral driven camp. I would suggest trying any of: chablis, dry Rieslings, Sardinian vermentino, muscadet, Vouvray sec. Lord Windy posted:Two questions: Unfortunately most people think mostly of yellow tail when they think of Australia. I think more experienced wine drinkers realize that they make some of the best wine in the new world at excellent prices, some of it surprisingly elegant. That said, unfortunately if I actually want to sell a bottle of new world cab, people are way more willing to pay premium for Napa. It's not sparkling, but Mosel Riesling is typically off dry and very low alcohol It's unquestionably my favorite wine in the world. There's not a lot of quality off dry bubbles being made, but you may be able to find some sparkling Vouvray which can be sweet. Imaduck posted:I hold the opinion that beer has a much wider range of tastes than wine, but I'm not a wine expert at all. Would you agree with that? Well, I'm not certain I agree with that, but it's not really a fair comparison. Beer is made with grain and hops, both of which have several varieties with completely different flavors. Pretty much all good wine is made from a single species of grape. I think a lot of people also have more exposure to various styles of beer compared to wine.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 01:18
|
|
|
PT6A posted:How do you feel about Champagnes vs. other kinds of sparkling wines? I find most of the big name French wine to be, although excellent, considerably overpriced, but Champagne I would make an exception for, because I've never had a cava, prosecco, or any other sort of sparkling wine that even comes close to the quality of a entry- to mid-level Champagne. Am I unnecessary snobbish about this (i.e. are there better sparkling wines to be found)? There's really no equal to great champagne. That said, the best traditional method sparklers from Tasmania, franciacorta, Canada, and jura can be superior to a lot of champagnes running more than twice their price. I would even go so far as to say that cremant de jura is the best sparkler in the world for the money. As for Spain, can I say sherry? I'm not a big fan of most high alcohol, low acid, american oak aged wines that define much of Spain. Priorat makes my favorite wines from Spain, although I've also enjoyed some mencia, verdello, albarino, and premium cava.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 01:31
|
|
|
What do you think about non-grape wines? Like ones made from dandelion, passion fruit or plum? Any of them you'd recommend?
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 04:51
|
|
|
What do you think of Okanagan wines? You drive up into the foothills surrounding the lake and pretty much every parcel of land is being used by a winery, it's pretty big here.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 04:51
|
|
|
themrguy posted:What do you think about non-grape wines? Like ones made from dandelion, passion fruit or plum? Any of them you'd recommend? I can't say any I've had were memorable enough that I can recommend them (unless you wanna count the popular wines like cider, mead, etc.). Winemaking has had thousands of years of refinement and site selection and so on that've gone into improving it. There's potential here, but for most of these are being made by people who learned from their grandpa fermenting in the barn. Number Two Stunna posted:What do you think of Okanagan wines? You drive up into the foothills surrounding the lake and pretty much every parcel of land is being used by a winery, it's pretty big here. Quite a lot like Washington, they often remind me of better-made Australian wines. I'm constantly surprised at the ripeness coming from Okanagan, and the winemakers who can keep it in check are making some great wines. The wines are certainly not delicate, but for those who enjoy powerful expressions, there's quality to be had. Mission Hill's status as flagbearer for the region is well-deserved.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 05:55
|
|
|
Seriously, does there exist a Chinese wine that is even drinkable let alone good?
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 07:50
|
|
|
PT6A posted:I'll go for some spirits-related stuff: This is a great thread, and OP is laying down some great information, but I am a big time rum enthusiast, so I've got some ideas on rum. There's also lots more information in my rum thread in GWS (not to self promote in someone else's thread). I personally don't really believe in very old rums. Often the complex florals of the original spirit fade into a lot of vanilla and butterscotch barrel flavors, and all that the rum itself brings to the table is some sweetness. This is particularly true of Spanish-style or Barbados rums, which are fairly delicate in flavor and rich in sweetness. The rums which hold up to a bit more age and really shine as older, sophisticated sipping spirits are usually a bit more robust and intense when young. French-style rum (also known as rhum agricole) is a good choice, since they use whole cane juice, rather than molasses, which means they tend to be more vegetal and earthy to start with, often funky. When they get older those heavy flavors mellow a bit and you get something rich and complex without getting treacly. The Barbancourt 15 year Estate Reserve is perhaps the most satisfying sipping rum I've tried. Aged Martinique rums, like Rhum JM VSOP, also do very well in this respect, though they can get quite expensive. Jamaican rums, which are typically slow-fermented with a sort of sour mash process, get all sorts of deep, almost sulfuric funk in them when young. That really plays in their favor as they age, since they stay much more exciting and complex, and don't just surrender to the barrel. Appleton is a good place to look for sipping rums, since they have pretty wide distribution and are a very respectable outfit. In general the climate in the Caribbean makes it so 3-5 years on a rum is like 6-8 years on a bourbon, or 10-12 years on Scotch. Even relatively young rums can be quite mellow and sip-worthy, so don't limit yourself to the expensive age-statement bottles.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 09:03
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 4, 2024 10:54 |
|
|
Kasumeat posted:Equipo Navazos is not a producer in a traditional sense, but rather a group of aficionados who source Sherry from their favourite solera barrels from various producers and bottle it. Every single thing I've had from them is awesome. A little pricier than most, but worth it. Thanks! I bought a bottle of Equipo Navazos - the name of which escapes me just now. I believe it's a Manzilla at least. I ended up having to order out-of-state, but even with shipping it comes to the exact same cost as Pedro Ximenez or Fino which is largely what you can get here. Sherry 'culture' seems to be booming down south compared to here. Octy fucked around with this message at 11:10 on Jan 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 11:06
|
|