Wine recommendations?

[new & improved osteopath]

A good vintage Port- Taylor Fladgate, Dow's. or Noval would all be good choices.

-O

[miquel]

I got all wrapped up in the (side) discussion of Havana Club rum that I forgot the wine. My favorite wine is the one I make myself. i buy kits for $50 and then 28 days later I have 5 gallons of goodness. I usually do Chianti. It consistently tastes great and impresses the neighbours. Also, a fun hobby (after watches, of course).

[archibald]

A good vintage Port- Taylor Fladgate, Dow's. or Noval would all be good choices.

-O

Some of the greatest cheapskate wines, of which I am a true aficionado and uber-cheapskate, are Australian Tawny ports (think somewhere between a sweet sherry and a "regular" port) which get perennial raves from the wine press gurus and can be had for as little as 8 bucks a bottle for the Clocktower 8yr old tawny. even better, since tawny port is a sippin' wine, one of those 8 buck bottles will last you a good while.

[vmena]

Quite strange that some people like you so aficionados to wine do not know anything about Spanish wines (or at least no one did mention). Seems to be there is only French or Califirnian good wines. I travel all over the world and I'm also very aficionado, and I can tell you that if you want to have an exceptional wine for an exceptional price, tar spanish wine, Rioja, Penedes, Ribera, Toro... These are a shor list of the regions of Spain were wine is more than business, is like a religion. Try to find in your liquor store some spanish wine (ask for a Rioja from 2002, or a Ribera from 2002 or 2003). And let me know.

[archibald]

Quite strange that some people like you so aficionados to wine do not know anything about Spanish wines (or at least no one did mention). Seems to be there is only French or Califirnian good wines. I travel all over the world and I'm also very aficionado, and I can tell you that if you want to have an exceptional wine for an exceptional price, tar spanish wine, Rioja, Penedes, Ribera, Toro... These are a shor list of the regions of Spain were wine is more than business, is like a religion. Try to find in your liquor store some spanish wine (ask for a Rioja from 2002, or a Ribera from 2002 or 2003). And let me know.

I love Spanish wine...then again I love all wine, but I respect spanish wine in the morning.

Arch's Current Great Spanish Wine at Cheapskate Prices pick is Artardi's Vinas de Gain 2003. It tastes a lot like the wines the iltaians make when they try to make wines that taste like they were made in california, which are usually pretty good and have cool postmodern labels but cost 50 bucks minimum.

[vmena]

I love Spanish wine...then again I love all wine, but I respect spanish wine in the morning.

Arch's Current Great Spanish Wine at Cheapskate Prices pick is Artardi's Vinas de Gain 2003. It tastes a lot like the wines the iltaians make when they try to make wines that taste like they were made in california, which are usually pretty good and have cool postmodern labels but cost 50 bucks minimum.

You can have (here in Madrid) a bottle of Viña Ardanza 1999 (Rioja) for 30$. And then tell me about italian wines tasting like californian ones.

[retep]

Did anyone drink the wine (sogno uno) of pornstar Savanna Samson? According to Robert parker it is very good, 91 points out of a 100?

[ryyannon]

Quite strange that some people like you so aficionados to wine do not know anything about Spanish wines (or at least no one did mention). Seems to be there is only French or Califirnian good wines. I travel all over the world and I'm also very aficionado, and I can tell you that if you want to have an exceptional wine for an exceptional price, tar spanish wine, Rioja, Penedes, Ribera, Toro... These are a shor list of the regions of Spain were wine is more than business, is like a religion. Try to find in your liquor store some spanish wine (ask for a Rioja from 2002, or a Ribera from 2002 or 2003). And let me know.

Hey, vmena:

There's nothing at all wrong with it - a decent, reliable wine....

But for me, no fireworks, no irresistible attraction.

In France, for value-for-euros, I've moved into Spanish wines - riojas and above all, the handful of growers in the penedes that actually make the effort...

This is a totally frustrating decision - some of these wines are so good that they literally blow away anything I've had before. Problem is, they are more or less kept out of France. I have no idea whether this is because of low-volume production, officious blacklisting by distributors, or simply because the Spanish want to keep it all for themselves.

I've called the growers ('sorry, but we're not distributed in France'); on the Internet, I've tracked these wines to the U.S., the U.K. and even Germany, from where I once had two cases of my favorite shipped to Paris. In short, even though the Americans (Palmer included) and the Brits are raving about these wines, even though they're available throughout Europe, you can't get them in France. Anyone see something wrong with this picture?

Given the steady loss of market share for domestic wine both in and out of France, it's not hard to imagine that stellar products from just across the border are kept out. Don't ask me how, but that's exactly the situation.

[archibald]

And then tell me about italian wines tasting like californian ones.

It drives me nuts--here's how it works: European winemakers (it seems primarily in italy and spain. The French are too damn stubborn fortunately) see all this money being made in california on wines that are extremely cleanly made, soft ("Fruit driven" they would say) and therefore not offensive to anyone. So they send their kids to the University of California at Davis to learn how to make these wines, then they replace great-granpa's [censored] with high tech gadgets. They call the results "New World" style wines and import them to the US. Because these people are not idiots, they have come up with a way to make even more money: They set the best grapes aside to make the wines' they've always made, just in smaller quantites--and much higher prices. They make a killing selling the "New World" stuff at american supermarkets, but they also know people who actually like wine will pay top-dollar for the "old fashioned" stuff.

The wine guys I know are constantly bitching about this: they see their job as providing guests with a wide range of wines to perfectly match whatever is coming out of the kitchen--the differences in wines by origin is, 'natch, the most reliable way to do this. When those differences narrow and wine tends to taste more similar, customers start noticing and go for the cheapest bottles. And why shouldn't they? The stuff they buy at the Pick N' Save all tastes about the same. And who's going to pay $250 in a restaurant for the good stuff, which cost 75 bucks five years ago?

I don't mean to say this is a crisis--there are still more unique and interesting and beautiful wines than anyone can drink in a lifetime--but it does suck to open a bottle of a wine you've come to love for the taste of the dirt and water where it was grown and the signature of the guy who makes it only to find it now tastes like a lot like a Robert Mondavi Merlot from a good year.

[Craytonic]

It drives me nuts--here's how it works: European winemakers (it seems primarily in italy and spain. The French are too damn stubborn fortunately) see all this money being made in california on wines that are extremely cleanly made, soft ("Fruit driven" they would say) and therefore not offensive to anyone. So they send their kids to the University of California at Davis to learn how to make these wines, then they replace great-granpa's [censored] with high tech gadgets. They call the results "New World" style wines and import them to the US. Because these people are not idiots, they have come up with a way to make even more money: They set the best grapes aside to make the wines' they've always made, just in smaller quantites--and much higher prices. They make a killing selling the "New World" stuff at american supermarkets, but they also know people who actually like wine will pay top-dollar for the "old fashioned" stuff.

The wine guys I know are constantly bitching about this: they see their job as providing guests with a wide range of wines to perfectly match whatever is coming out of the kitchen--the differences in wines by origin is, 'natch, the most reliable way to do this. When those differences narrow and wine tends to taste more similar, customers start noticing and go for the cheapest bottles. And why shouldn't they? The stuff they buy at the Pick N' Save all tastes about the same. And who's going to pay $250 in a restaurant for the good stuff, which cost 75 bucks five years ago?

I don't mean to say this is a crisis--there are still more unique and interesting and beautiful wines than anyone can drink in a lifetime--but it does suck to open a bottle of a wine you've come to love for the taste of the dirt and water where it was grown and the signature of the guy who makes it only to find it now tastes like a lot like a Robert Mondavi Merlot from a good year.

Sounds like someone watched mondovino.... so true though.

[Craytonic]

Give me any malbec from Argentina or Spanish Rioja if you are talking bank for your buck. Sipping the Don David 2004 reserve right now... amazing wine.

Just returned from a tour of Napa. Stag's Leap wine cellar was my personal favorite, their fay estate reserve is a great cabernet sauvignon for ~85, silk in the mouth. My girlfriend preferred the cask23 one there, but at 180 go figure (and she needed 2 bottles).

I was impressed by the chardonnay from Clos pegase, great value. Cake bread had a decent one as well.

Not really an expert on these matters though.

[Admin]

Spanish Rioja if you are talking bank for your buck

Agree!

[vmena]

Hey, vmena:

Sorry ryyannon!!! I read too fast Good to see people with a great taste!

[ekhunter]

Give me any malbec from Argentina or Spanish Rioja if you are talking bank for your buck. Sipping the Don David 2004 reserve right now... amazing wine.

Just returned from a tour of Napa. Stag's Leap wine cellar was my personal favorite, their fay estate reserve is a great cabernet sauvignon for ~85, silk in the mouth. My girlfriend preferred the cask23 one there, but at 180 go figure (and she needed 2 bottles).

I was impressed by the chardonnay from Clos pegase, great value. Cake bread had a decent one as well.

Not really an expert on these matters though.

I think Stag's Leap is a lot of people's personal favorite! Wine Country vacations are the best. Wine and dine the ole Lady, get drunk, eat good food, great golf. Life is Good. Sounding like Klink now! Last trip out there we did Paso Roblos and Los Olivos regions. Don't remember much, but heard I had a great time. Loved the Dry Creek region of Sonoma. Healdsburg is a beautiful town. Did you do Napa on the weekend? We found Napa very crowded! Of course, we were there on a weekend.

[premiumdesigners]

Matanzas Creek Merlot

[ryyannon]

There are some excellent reds at decent prices coming out of the Paso Robles area...in a few more years, they should be producing vintages which will stand up to the best Napa and Sonoma products.

[ekhunter]

There are some excellent reds at decent prices coming out of the Paso Robles area...in a few more years, they should be producing vintages which will stand up to the best Napa and Sonoma products.

Eberle, Wild Horse, and Tobin James are all excellent Cabs! If you go to Tobin James, you might not want to leave. Those people really know how to party. Also, the Paso Robles Inn is really cool. Each room has it's own Sulpher Water Hot Tub. Said to be theurapeutic! Quite fond of the place. My child was concieved sometime during my stay in Paso Robles. Like I said, quite fond!

[Craytonic]

I think Stag's Leap is a lot of people's personal favorite! Wine Country vacations are the best. Wine and dine the ole Lady, get drunk, eat good food, great golf. Life is Good. Sounding like Klink now! Last trip out there we did Paso Roblos and Los Olivos regions. Don't remember much, but heard I had a great time. Loved the Dry Creek region of Sonoma. Healdsburg is a beautiful town. Did you do Napa on the weekend? We found Napa very crowded! Of course, we were there on a weekend.

No, we did San Francisco on the weekend and Napa during the week... thank god! It was not crowded at all during the week there, but it is a little early in the season too. Stag's Leap is a favorite of so many for a reason :-) Only one tour a day but there were only 6 people on it. The tour w/ them is a steal too, you get to taste all 8 of their wines (and anything else pretty much if you drop some $) for $20 and get the tour... a tasting of just 4 of those is $30 so it is a bargain. Definitely caught them checking out our watches as well. Didn't get to play any golf, I was afraid to fly the clubs and didn't feel like lugging them around anyhow but the weather there is perfect for it.

Glad to hear you liked Sonoma, I want to go there next trip. Talk about beautiful weather, I really want to retire there.

[archibald]

Sounds like someone watched mondovino.... so true though.

Read the Wine News review, and passed on the movie. I think serious wine drinkers will always be able to source interesting bottles...My main beef is the "New World" trend in wines has the potential to rob your average restaurant goer of great meals because they have a preconcieved notion of what wine is supposed to taste like. It's just a matter of time before great Rhones start getting sent back because they don't "taste right"