NationStates Jolt Archive

As a card-carrying wino, I'd like to know what everyone else thought.

All I know about wine is that I like it.

I like the kind of wine that is sold or, better yet, given to me free in the US.

Because I don't travel.

So the wine has to come to me.

No real answer. Personally, I prefer Spanish and Italian varietals, but I've had them grown in California and they're terrific there as well.

No real answer. Personally, I prefer Spanish and Italian varietals, but I've had them grown in California and they're terrific there as well.
Forgot Spanish ones. Or Portugese, for that matter.

As a card-carrying wino, I'd like to know what everyone else thought.

Wait just one second, Mister. You have listed Canada and Hungary but not South Africa? Some second-rate wino you are, sirrah!

Australia listed, but not New Zealand? For shame!

I don't think it matters all that much as long as you avoid anything from Germany or Switzerland.

I tend to drink Italian wine, supplemented by New Zealand and South African as needed.

Meh. I'm a teenager, I drink whatever is available.:)

The best wine I have ever drunk was a £20 or so bottle of New Zealand red.

Easy, the Aussies, followed by the Americans (California, specifically) and Europeans in a dead-even tie, closely followed by the Argentineans and Chileans.

PA produces great wines.

Australia listed, but not New Zealand? For shame!

Hahahahaha.

NZ just comes under the Australia column. It's all you'll ever be.

The best white wine, on a consistant basis, according to my preferences tends to be Australian. Reds...Chilean. But I drink more white than red, hence my vote.

I'm no connoisseur, but Australian wine is meant to be world grade these days. I know that country NSW, VIC, SA, and WA is absolutely packed with wineries.

Margaret river is supposed to be a good drop...

France produces the best wine, but more often than not I drink stuff from California.

Right now I am exploring the very tasty world of zinfandel.

The best white wine, on a consistant basis, according to my preferences tends to be Australian. Reds...Chilean. But I drink more white than red, hence my vote.

DBR has holdings in Chile, I've had some of the rather inexpensive stuff they make, it's not bad.

I don't think it matters all that much as long as you avoid anything from Germany or Switzerland.

I tend to drink Italian wine, supplemented by New Zealand and South African as needed.

There is some very good wine from germany, a lot of which has very, very long names.

Wine is teh fail.

I say the US because of the consistent good quality wines coming out of the western US. Seems to me that French wines have to many up and downs to consider consistently high quality.

It depends on what *kind* of wine. I prefer Aussie shirazs and Texas merlots and cabernets.

There is some very good wine from germany, a lot of which has very, very long names.

Possibly they have improved their act in the past decade. The availability tends to be limited however, and pretty much everything that is commonly encountered tends to be blue nun-y. So I tend to avoid it.

I don't think it matters all that much as long as you avoid anything from Germany or Switzerland.



That's not true anymore. Both countries produce excellent wines.
I prefer wines from the new world as the quality of the products is pretty much the same every year. Which is not the case with, for example, French wines. Wine snobs can argue that mixing old grapes is somehow unacceptable but who has time to study which grapes were good in Loire in 2005.

Possibly they have improved their act in the past decade. The availability tends to be limited however, and pretty much everything that is commonly encountered tends to be blue nun-y. So I tend to avoid it.

You must try the John Jos. Prum Rieslings (especially the Auslese & Spatlese). A German Riesling from anywhere but Mosel-Saar-Ruwer isn't worth the expense.

That said, my favorite wines come from Washington. Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, and lots more. Also, the best ice wine this side of the 49th parallel (Canada, no surprise, does ice wine best -- look for Lang Vineyards' ice merlot -- it's what I imagine angels' blood would taste like...if I were, y'know, weird and imagined...stuff...like that...).

My favorite red is a Beaujolais-Village, and those come from France if they're any good. And no, I don't care if the guy from Sideways or any other oenophilic snob thinks I'm a peasant.

This is one of the more pointless of polls.
For one thing, everyone has their own tastes, and it's just silly and insulting to tell someone else whether they'd like or dislike such-a-such a wine. I've tried extremely expensive wine and found them not particularly memorable. Price does not always mean you'll like it.

Also, wine is meant to be drunk in good company. The better the company, the better the wine tastes I've always found.

I can't say which country makes the best wines, cause every country has it's own strengths and weaknesses.

A NZ syrah will never equal a Grange, because NZ doesn't have the climate for that grape. However a NZ sauv blanc or Pinot...well, that's another story. NZ Pinot, esp Southern ones, rate up there with the best - better than any Aussie Pinot I've ever tried. Again, climate is the reason.
another example is Argentine Mendoza. Fantastic wine.

As for old world countries like France - their best is sublime, but their worst...well, I'd much rather drink warm Kestrel.

I've even had very drinkable Chinese wine - not Chinese rice wine, but actual grape wine. They're starting to grow it here. Oddest one I've had is Tibetan. Some Franciscan monks set up a monastery a century or so back in one little corner of Tibet 3000m above sea level and tried their hand at making wine. The locals have kept it going.
Not too successfully I might add.

Russian wine: Nothing good can be said of that stuff. 'cept it could prob be used as a lubricant-substitute on your car's engine if you're caught short.

who has time to study which grapes were good in Loire in 2005.

heh, I just found a table where I can check how good a certain year has been in certain region. 2005 in Loire was the best year for ages.

This is one of the more pointless of polls.
For one thing, everyone has their own tastes, and it's just silly and insulting to tell someone else whether they'd like or dislike such-a-such a wine. I've tried extremely expensive wine and found them not particularly memorable. Price does not always mean you'll like it.


One could say the very same thing about movies...

And now for something completely different:

Australian Table Wines

A lot of people in this country pooh-pooh Australian table
wines. This is a pity, as many fine Australian wines appeal not
only to the Australian palette, but also to the cognoscenti of
Great Britain.

"Black Stump Bordeaux" is rightly praised as a peppermint
flavoured Burgundy, whilst a good "Sydney Syrup" can rank with
any of the world's best sugary wines.

"Chateau Bleu", too, has won many prizes; not least for its
taste, and its lingering afterburn.

"Alt Smakey 1968" has been compared favourably to a Welsh
claret, whilst the Australian wino society thouroughly
recommend a 1970 "Cote du Rod Laver", which, believe me, has a
kick on it like a mule: eight bottles of this, and you're really
finished -- at the opening of the Sydney Bridge Club, they were
fishing them out of the main sewers every half an hour.

Of the sparkling wines, the most famous is "Perth Pink". This
is a bottle with a message in, and the message is BEWARE!. This
is not a wine for drinking -- this is a wine for laying down
and avoiding.

Another good fighting wine is "Melbourne Old-and-Yellow", which
is particularly heavy, and should be used only for hand-to-hand
combat.

Quite the reverse is true of "Chateau Chunder", which is an
Appelachian controle, specially grown for those keen on
regurgitation -- a fine wine which really opens up the sluices
at both ends.

Real emetic fans will also go for a "Hobart Muddy", and a prize
winning "Cuvee Reservee Chateau-Bottled Nuit San Wogga Wogga",
which has a bouquet like an aborigine's armpit.

One could say the very same thing about movies...

Which threads, when they ask for "bests" are also pointless. But what's bad about pointless threads. Isn't that part of why we all log on? What are we, curing cancer here?

naw. Movies are different. ppl need to be told what to avoid and think there.

:D
If you say so. I bet you didn't like Sideways that much? ;)

One could say the very same thing about movies...
naw. Movies are different. ppl need to be told what to avoid and think there.

Which threads, when they ask for "bests" are also pointless. But what's bad about pointless threads. Isn't that part of why we all log on? What are we, curing cancer here?

I'm not against pointless threads. And I don't think this is pointless, it's fun and informative. Just like movie threads.

My favourites recently are:

Spain
You can't go wrong with a good Tempranillo Rioja - whoever said Spain doesn't produce good wine is an eejit.

Italy
Barberas and Barolos

France
Tend to go for regional wines rather than particular vineyards as it suits my pocket more so things from the Occitan like Corbieres, Fitou, Minervois I like a lot

Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina have had quite a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot type wines all very consistent and good.

Germany - don't really drink white wine much but had some very good white wines from Germany in the 1970's things like Hock can be quite good in summer.

Only US wine I ever drank was some industrial California wine which was horrid sweet stuff. Don't really get to seem much in the UK but I expect it has improved over the last twenty years.

They make wine in Canada?

Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina have had quite a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot type wines all very consistent and good.
True. And my recent favourite is Australian
Palandri Estat Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot.



Only US wine I ever drank was some industrial California wine which was horrid sweet stuff. Don't really get to seem much in the UK but I expect it has improved over the last twenty years.

I haven't drank that much American wines either. Just those Carlo Rossis and Paul Massons. More suggestions? (there were some in the earlier posts) Beringers any good?

They make wine in Canada?
I thought they make only ice wines but I found at least one other product sold in Finland.
Jackson-Triggs Proprietor Reserve Dry Riesling
Goes well with dry fish. I'm going to buy one today. :)

There are only two major wine-producing countries: France and Italy.
Italian wine has better peaks of quality, but some years are quite sucky, while French wine usually attains the same standard every year, altough it doesn't reach the peaks Italian wine sometimes manages (2003 Barolo and Dolcetto di Ovada... mmhhh).

Generally, I like italian wines better than the french ones, but give me Muscadet with some sautè shellfish and you'll make me happy.

Also, I like a lot the white wines of the Rhine valley, and I've found some Slovakian "green" that is also quite good.

There are only two major wine-producing countries: France and Italy.
Italian wine has better peaks of quality, but some years are quite sucky, while French wine usually attains the same standard every year, altough it doesn't reach the peaks Italian wine sometimes manages (2003 Barolo and Dolcetto di Ovada... mmhhh).

Generally, I like italian wines better than the french ones, but give me Muscadet with some sautè shellfish and you'll make me happy.

Also, I like a lot the white wines of the Rhine valley, and I've found some Slovakian "green" that is also quite good.

Are there any concerns in Italy about the effects of global warming on wine regions? Here in England it is beginning to look like we might actually be able at last to produce something fit for human consumption.

Are there any concerns in Italy about the effects of global warming on wine regions? Here in England it is beginning to look like we might actually be able at last to produce something fit for human consumption.

Somewhat. The 2003 draught and heatwave essiccated a lot of vineyards. Sadly, most italians aren't concerned enough about the global warming in generally.

The global warming effect on italian agriculture could be fixed by using solar power to desalinise sea water for agricultural uses... I hope that someone will begin using his brain, but I doubt that.

About England, I doubt that England will produce worthy wine: the Atlantic drives way too much rain on it, grapes need a lot of sun also, else their sugar content will always be too low to attain a good fermentation. That's also why many french wines are added with sugar (the Champagne) or italian wine (the Bordeaux is more than 30% imported Nero d'Avola) to boost their alcohol.

Somewhat. The 2003 draught and heatwave essiccated a lot of vineyards. Sadly, most italians aren't concerned enough about the global warming in generally.

The global warming effect on italian agriculture could be fixed by using solar power to desalinise sea water for agricultural uses... I hope that someone will begin using his brain, but I doubt that.

About England, I doubt that England will produce worthy wine: the Atlantic drives way too much rain on it, grapes need a lot of sun also, else their sugar content will always be too low to attain a good fermentation. That's also why many french wines are added with sugar (the Champagne) or italian wine (the Bordeaux is more than 30% imported Nero d'Avola) to boost their alcohol.

Apparently the climate in the South of England will be more like Bordeux though I doubt it will ever be suitable for red wine production - so possibly Champagne style wines. No good for me as I like full bodied red wines.

IANE (I Ain't No Enologist) but the best red wine I tasted was Pinot Franc from... Moldova. Pretty obscure, perhaps because not many have the courage to taste wines that can squeeze tears of delight but can leave you with a cauterised stump of tongue as well.

I prefer a dry, German red wine.

Besides, the insanity of shipping wine all around the world (like buying Californian wine here, despite how good it is) really gets to me. Talk about a waste of ressources.

Spanish for me. I really dig the Rioja wines.

I prefer a dry, German red wine.

Besides, the insanity of shipping wine all around the world (like buying Californian wine here, despite how good it is) really gets to me. Talk about a waste of ressources.

Is American (or any of the new world wines) wine normally bottled in Germany? Just curious.

Well, a small list of mine:

of course, go for at least DOCG-certifieds only in Italy! DOC and IGT are somewhat lesser certifications.

Dolcetto di Ovada (Piemonte, red)
Barolo (Piemonte, red)
Asti Spumante (Piemonte, white)
Sassella (Lombardia, red)
Bonarda (Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna, red)
Inferno (Lombardia, red)
Franciacorta (Lombardia, white)
Malvasia (Emilia-Romagna, white or rosee)
Lagrein (Südtirol, red)
Valpolicella (Veneto, red)
Marzemino (Veneto, red)
Prosecco di Conegliano (Veneto, white)
Tocai Friulano (Friuli, white)
Morellino di Scansano (Toscana, red)
Manarola (Liguria, white)

I prefer a dry, German red wine.

Besides, the insanity of shipping wine all around the world (like buying Californian wine here, despite how good it is) really gets to me. Talk about a waste of ressources.

Also, wine doesn't like to be transported around too much, that's why one should stick to the local wine and travel to taste new ones.

Also, wine doesn't like to be transported around too much, that's why one should stick to the local wine and travel to taste new ones.

naah, boring snobbery.
I would have to settle with apple and strawberry wines. No thanks.

Hey, since this is a wine thread..

Is there a champagne or sparkling wine that has a silver label?

I was really wasted when I had a glass of whatever it was, but I know it was damn good.

Hey, since this is a wine thread..

Is there a champagne or sparkling wine that has a silver label?

I was really wasted when I had a glass of whatever it was, but I know it was damn good.

That was aftershave

Hey, since this is a wine thread..

Is there a champagne or sparkling wine that has a silver label?

I was really wasted when I had a glass of whatever it was, but I know it was damn good.

At least some Italian sparkling wines have silverish labels.

dont drink much wine as iam mildly allergic to it though when i do drink wine I prefer Claret

I love Champagne, it is my favorite, and so I should say French as it can't be made elsewhere and called Champagne. BUT that said, the nicest wine I had ever was on the Orient Express last summer on my way to Venice and it was Australian, Fontys Pool, it was so good I emailed the vineyard and got them to tell me where I could buy it locally, sadly nobody stocked it UNTIL then and after my enquiry they contacted a distributor who came to the area where I live and now I can go and buy It whenever I want, (or can afford to)

North African wines are among the best I have ever had, Algerian then Moroccan.

I used to work as a wine rep covering 2 large counties in England, so handy hint for you all;
After you have enjoyed a bottle of wine remove the label and stick it in a notebook, keep doing this each time and you will begin to notice a certain vintage/grape variety/country/region that you favour.

It's verry hard to judge a wine just by the origin.When you buy a Chardonnay,a Californian wine is the best.But Chablis it is french.Here's a list with what I think is the best for each kind.

White wines
--------------
Chardonnay: California
Chablis:France
Pinot Grigio: Italy
Riesling: German
Sauvignon Blanc: France

Red wines
--------------
Cabernet: France
Chianti: Italy
Merlot: France
Pinot Noir: france
Zinfandel: Australia

As a card-carrying wino, I'd like to know what everyone else thought.

Austria.

No, not Australia, Austria.

There is some very good wine from germany, a lot of which has very, very long names.

You must try the John Jos. Prum Rieslings (especially the Auslese & Spatlese). A German Riesling from anywhere but Mosel-Saar-Ruwer isn't worth the expense.

Yep. My most recent find was a 2005 Reisling from an independent vinyard in the Saar region. Very nice indeed for £10. Now if only I could remember what it was called...

Usually, a Chilean red is a good bet.

my favourite red wines tend to be from south america, my favourite white wines tend to be from italy. my number one criterion for choosing wine is that it be under £3 for the bottle though, i'm hardly a connisewer.