damonrpayne Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I've been into wine for about 7 years, but only since christmas '07 have I been actually trying to collect any. I'm not into tasting wine and spitting it out nor am I one of those people who insist anything costing less than $X is undrinkable. I currently really ONLY know French wines, mostly because a) they're generally very good, I speak French and c) the French have a classification system (AOC) that help me have some idea of what I'm getting when I buy something I haven't tried before. In the past I've found I don't like most of the California red wines that are popular. They always seem to be insanely spicy and Oak tasting. Of late I've formed a dialog with a couple of local wine store owners and have found that there is a lot of good red wine being made out there. It seems odd that I can buy an insanely good chateauneuf-du-pap (from a vinyard that's been doing this for 200 years, shipped overseas, with the euro being way up against the dollar) for less than these Orin Swift wines, but whatever the market will support I suppose. Anyone have good California wine recommendations? Wisconsin law has JUST changed such that I can get things shipped to me from winyards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I do not buy just by vintner but rather by the region with a climate that best suits the type of grape used to make the wine. Although I have a few daily drinker stadnby's. Oddly enough my recent experiences with chateauneuf du pap have been less than good. I usually enjoy the Rhone Valley wines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lo123 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 When I'm on business in San Diego as I am this week, there is a wine shop in the Shelter Island area, Grape Connection. Bob is the owner and he usually has a good mix of both California and other areas and countries. Not exactly a big inventory international shop but small and some good recommendations from the owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Heck, I'm still trying to figure out "California Cheese!". In answer to that, where the heck is Wisconsin's Wine? LOL I, too enjoy French reds and also whites from Germany, primarily the Mosells. Piesporter is a favorite but there are so many levels of it. A good Piesporter Spatlese is hard to beat. Auslese, Kabinett, Spatlese are all from sweeter, late-harvest grapes. Like Jim, I don't usually buy a particular vinter unless a particular edition strikes me as being unique and worthy of buying more than a bottle or two. I enjoy reds, whites and blush wines from the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Beringer has a consistently-good and affordable White Zin. We visited their vineyard a few years ago; the oldest-continually operating winery in Napa Valley. My favorite CA red is Merlot. For Orin Swift Merlot you'll probably pay around: $54. That's way too much for me and Duckhorn is ever higher: $70s-80s. Why not try a Robert Mondavi for around $19 and see what you think? Sterling also has some affordable Merlots. I also enjoy the Cabs and the Pinots. Lately, I have been on an Australian wine kick. There are some really affordable ones available here for around $12 to 14 that I find (of all places) at a place similar to a Super WalMart called Meijers, which is based in Grand Rapids. They carry an incredible amount of wine arranged by country of origin. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz (the percentages are listed on the label) and when I get home I will post the name of the vineyard for you. I have some at the house and I remember that it has a distinctive yellow label. -Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Scramsberg Korbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 There is alot of Wine on the West Coast that is just amazing with flavors that run the entire spectrum of flavors. It shouldn't be too hard to find one that is good. I find wine tastings a good place to learn about wines. Lately I have been drinking a Savignon Blanc from New Zealand which is among the best I have had. Great wines can be had from any of the wine growing countries Chile, Australia, and New Zealand offer some great bargains. Believe it or not but Scotland is even starting to produce wines due to warming trends. Check in your area and see if there are any wine tastings or better wine clubs. Last year I rented Wine For The Confused by John Cleese. He performs several wine tasting experiments on guests at his home in California. The results or the blind tastings were suprising. How many people can tell the difference between White or Red if they can't see it... The results are suprising. Rent it or Netflix it if you can. http://www.amazon.com/John-Cleese-Alice-Faye-Eichelberger/dp/B0009NZ6P2 Here is a good article about when California wines first suprised the French. They thought they were tasting great French wines not California wines. Oops. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/16/WIGFFD8K231.DTL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 There are some very good california wines but I agree with payne. They are all as a rule overpriced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I'm picking up about 5 cases of wine on Friday at Beringer. They're having an employee sale, and although I'm not an employee, I do a lot of work for them, so they're letting me take part. I'm getting some killer deals... For those living in California, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio and West Virginia, I'd suggest a site one of my best friends (my wife's cousin) runs, LombardiWine.com. Dicky is very knowledgeable about Sonoma and Napa wines, and I'm sure would be happy to talk to anyone (even if you're not in a state he can ship to). Tell him Gregg sent you! Personally, I love zinfandel. Some of my favorites: Carol Shelton Wines (my favorite zins!) A. Raffanelli Garry Farrell Nalle Rosenblum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I'm picking up about 5 cases of wine on Friday at Beringer. They're having an employee sale, and although I'm not an employee, I do a lot of work for them, so they're letting me take part. I'm getting some killer deals... For those living in California, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio and West Virginia, I'd suggest a site one of my best friends (my wife's cousin) runs, LombardiWine.com. Dicky is very knowledgeable about Sonoma and Napa wines, and I'm sure would be happy to talk to anyone (even if you're not in a state he can ship to). Tell him Gregg sent you! Personally, I love zinfandel. Some of my favorites: Carol Shelton Wines (my favorite zins!) A. Raffanelli Garry Farrell Nalle Rosenblum Gregg just curious, What is your impression of Pezzi King, Zin's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I'm picking up about 5 cases of wine on Friday at Beringer. They're having an employee sale, and although I'm not an employee, I do a lot of work for them, so they're letting me take part. I'm getting some killer deals... For those living in California, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio and West Virginia, I'd suggest a site one of my best friends (my wife's cousin) runs, LombardiWine.com. Dicky is very knowledgeable about Sonoma and Napa wines, and I'm sure would be happy to talk to anyone (even if you're not in a state he can ship to). Tell him Gregg sent you! Personally, I love zinfandel. Some of my favorites: Carol Shelton Wines (my favorite zins!) A. Raffanelli Garry Farrell Nalle Rosenblum Those RedZins are killer. I like them Old Vines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Gregg just curious, What is your impression of Pezzi King, Zin's It's been a while, but I did enjoy their zin. You cannot go wrong with zins from the Dry Creek Valley. Carol Shelton's site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Every year there is a wine competition at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. It's a great event to attend, to taste the best of Sonoma. Hundreds of wineries in one building pouring their best. Here's their website If you click on "Award Winners," you can search last year's winners. This is a very well respected competition, and the results can really help you know a bit about a wine before you buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I haven't been able to find it since I left Germany.............but there was a Fantastic Ice Wine I grew to love............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Ahhh Meijers, originally called Meijers Thrifty Acres or something to that effect.... they invaded Indiana several years ago. The one in Kokomo opened shortly after we moved here over 13 years ago. I remember when we lived in the Detroit area quite a few years ago, around 1986-1988, in an apartment just north of M59 on Dequinder (sp?) Road just down the road from the mushroom barns accross the road from Rochester Hills in Shelby township (? Utica address), there was this HUGE store just around the corner by itself called Meijers. Had most anything you wanted except the kitchen sink and might have at least been able to get an utility sink or at least the plumbing supplies needed to finish the job along with fresh baked goods amongst other things, we were hooked on the fresh croissants for awhile.... I think that's when I maxed out in the weight department [:$] So really, a Super WalMart could be called a place similar to Meijers but might not be known outside of Michigan and maybe the surrounding states. Not too much further north, Dequinder turned into a dirt road. I think that was after the water powered cider mill (Yates?) we stumbled upon one very nice spring day just out for a drive ... they had pressed up some fresh cider from apples brought out of cold storage. There must've been over a hundred people milling around drinking cider and enjoying the nice afternoon. Still one of my favorite memories from the time we lived in Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 California wines have long been established, in wine connessieurs worldwide, as a Medal winner. The vast array of producers/houses are more affordable and may well let us drink a glass of vintage Sangria "to good health"... Their SpARKLINGS can be well worth it, California that is. A (^)Schramsberg Pinot Noir....nothing like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnyholiday Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 [H] http://www.victorhugowinery.com/page1.html johny use to take old Vic in a good game of Risk,poker,blackjack,Monopoly....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Lots of good wines from California. Still overpriced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I'm actually looking forward to trying two buck chuck's wine. There's a Trader Joe in St. Louis, so when I visit my daugher I'll pick up some to check it out. I can see now that we need to add blind wine taste tests to the audio A/B stuff at Klipsch gatherings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Heck, I'm still trying to figure out "California Cheese!". In answer to that, where the heck is Wisconsin's Wine? LOL I, too enjoy French reds and also whites from Germany, primarily the Mosells. Piesporter is a favorite but there are so many levels of it. A good Piesporter Spatlese is hard to beat. Auslese, Kabinett, Spatlese are all from sweeter, late-harvest grapes. Beringer has a consistently-good and affordable White Zin. Yes, I too like the German Mosel Ruwer Valley wines very much. I do not know enough about them to tell what flavors dominate under what label. All of them that I have had from that region have been very good. I especially like the ones that taste of apple. And Beringer's White Zin is a good, consistent Zin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 White Zin? A travesty on the bold and complex Zinfandel grape! Some people are very loyal reds and look down on whites. I like the white because it is (1) best served cold and I prefer a cool drink to a warm one, (2) is not spicy or pungent like red, (3) is a much sweeter wine - more akin to a fruit juice, and (4) typically is smoother. To red enthusiasts, white is for wussies.... [N] I know, I know.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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