What wine are you drinking? Spring 2012

[dridge11]

Napa Cab is always going to be expensive, but I also haven't found any other regions that will give you the same flavor profiles as a good substitute. This is why I tend to focus on regions like Rhone, Loire, Italy, and Bordeaux (which is getting tricky for values). And, honestly, one of the reasons I'm getting into Bourbon.

I've found quite a few Pinots I enjoy around $25, my company also buys/sells wine collections so we get lots of odds/ends from those that usually keep my curiosity occupied.

That said, I got an email today for a bottle of 1970 Chateau Palmer for $280, I'm quite tempted. One of the best wines I've ever had.

[Gillman]

Wine. I almost never drink it, but I like it. Given an interest in whisky and beer, there is little room for wine, but also one's taste develops on a certain vector that seems different than for any wine. This must be due to the cereal basis of whisky and beer. It's the grape and the malt, do the twain really meet...?

But here's some wine I like. I like Champagne and good sparklers anywhere, like Prosecco, say, or good Napa stuff.

I like Beaujolais: Fleurie, Morgon, and Brouilly, say, or any of it if not too jammy or raw.

I like (good) California Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot (i.e., where that grape predominates) not so much.

I like Alsace Riesling and Sylvaner.

I like ice wine from Ontario.

I like good Chablis, but little Cal Chard which I find too buttery and appley, or maybe I haven't had the good stuff.

Don't like Sauvignon Blanc, French, N.Z. or any other kind, that strange gooseberry/cat's pee taste puts me off, I never understood that taste. (Some hops taste like that by the way).

And so, I do like wine, but rarely drink it...

Gary

[Clavius]

Napa Cab is always going to be expensive, but I also haven't found any other regions that will give you the same flavor profiles as a good substitute. This is why I tend to focus on regions like Rhone, Loire, Italy, and Bordeaux (which is getting tricky for values). And, honestly, one of the reasons I'm getting into Bourbon.

I've found quite a few Pinots I enjoy around $25, my company also buys/sells wine collections so we get lots of odds/ends from those that usually keep my curiosity occupied.

That said, I got an email today for a bottle of 1970 Chateau Palmer for $280, I'm quite tempted. One of the best wines I've ever had.

Sounds like a fun job!

My grandfather has a 1970 Lafite that he will probably never open. Who knows if it's even still good!

[sutton]

I love Cabernet Sauvignon. Typically I like them bold with dark fruit and oak and cedar notes. Unfortunately Cabs, especially Napa Cabs, can be pricey. Are there any specific "new world" producers of Cabernet Sauvignon along these lines? Or is the terroir too different from Napa?

You can still get good values with Chilean or Washington State cabernet - but the best of these are not priced too much differently than Napa these days. Argentinian Malbec can also have that ripe, dark fruit, oak and cedar profile ...

[Tico]

Wine was my first love and still is. My introduction to the bourbon world a few years ago was a fun one as its so much more affordable than wine. $100 bottles of wine are drained in one sitting while a good bottle of bourbon can last for months.

CA wine is great and it's styles vary widely. I trend towards Cabernet from The Santa Cruz mountains with a few producers from Sonoma and Napa that make wines on the classical side of the spectrum. Classified BDX is ridiculous at this point, backfilling on vintages like 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2008 is a smart thing to do, so much more affordable than ripe trophy vintages. Pinot from Burgundy and the Sonoma coast is my weak spot and makes up over 50% of my cellar.

For true value and world class wines, look to savigny le beaune in Burgundy, cru Beaujolais and German Riesling. I'm convinced that the sweet and dry whites from the Mosel and nahe are some of the best white wines in the world. Plus they are much more affordable than white burg or Cali chard.

For suds, grower champagne is my focus but some of this big house stuff can be great. 02 Bollinger GA is one for the ages, classic stuff. Some of my grower favorites are Chiquet, Gimonnet and Billiot.

For my Sarah fix there are some great values from cool spots in norther Cali. Haven't found any Grenache that seems to work from Ca, for that I go to the Rhone. Still very fair when compared to Burgundy or BDX but getting more expensive. Some of my memorable wine moments always seem to include aged beaucastel or vieux telegraphe.

[White Dog]

Wine was my first love and still is. My introduction to the bourbon world a few years ago was a fun one as its so much more affordable than wine. $100 bottles of wine are drained in one sitting while a good bottle of bourbon can last for months.

CA wine is great and it's styles vary widely. I trend towards Cabernet from The Santa Cruz mountains with a few producers from Sonoma and Napa that make wines on the classical side of the spectrum. Classified BDX is ridiculous at this point, backfilling on vintages like 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2008 is a smart thing to do, so much more affordable than ripe trophy vintages. Pinot from Burgundy and the Sonoma coast is my weak spot and makes up over 50% of my cellar.

For true value and world class wines, look to savigny le beaune in Burgundy, cru Beaujolais and German Riesling. I'm convinced that the sweet and dry whites from the Mosel and nahe are some of the best white wines in the world. Plus they are much more affordable than white burg or Cali chard.

For suds, grower champagne is my focus but some of this big house stuff can be great. 02 Bollinger GA is one for the ages, classic stuff. Some of my grower favorites are Chiquet, Gimonnet and Billiot.

For my Sarah fix there are some great values from cool spots in norther Cali. Haven't found any Grenache that seems to work from Ca, for that I go to the Rhone. Still very fair when compared to Burgundy or BDX but getting more expensive. Some of my memorable wine moments always seem to include aged beaucastel or vieux telegraphe.

I'd like to echo Tico's comments on German Riesling and grower bubbles! German Riesling is ridiculously cheap, and if American's can get past the sugar bias, they'll find what they're missing. (Unfortunately, Austrian Riesling, which is close to my heart, is not underpriced.)

And yes, Billiot and Gimmonet are true Champagne estates. As are Vilmart and Bara.

When discussing Domestic regions, I tend to recommend producers, rather than region. Outside of Zinfandel, I don't feel that other grapes really show terroir on the west coast. Is mountain grown Napa cab distinct from valley floor, yes, but we could also pour Alexander Valley cabs that would fool you in a blind tasting. And does Pinot Noir from Carneros differ from Russian River, mostly, but producer practices make for lots of variability.

For California, instead of regions I tend to just recommend producers that make wines in a style that speak to my palate. I prefer higher acid, minerally whites, and I prefer reds to have a certain lift, and frankly, to not be picked at 28 brix. Sinskey, Mt. Eden, Folk Machine/Ghostwriter, Navarro, Kathy Corison, Arnot-Roberts, and Smith-Madrone are big favorites.

[dridge11]

Tico, you should check out The Third Man from Gramercy Cellars. 50 Grenache, 30 Syrah, 20 Mouvedre. Awesome juice. I really liked the Rhone stuff from Walla Walla when I was there last month. Bordeaux varietals not so much.

[Tico]

Polished off a bottle of 2002 gaston chiquet special club. Porbably my favorite special club of 2002 right behind the gimonnet. Really special stuff, chalk full of racy acid and minerals.

Speaking of this, Woodland Hills Wine co is throwing a killer sale on this and some others champers for mothers day, great prices on the chiquet and vilmart.

http://www.whwc.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP...New-WhatsNew37

[White Dog]

They're basically giving away Vilmart.

[Tico]

They're basically giving away Vilmart.

I agree, they gave away a half case to me