[GeneV]

When I saw this thread I got excited. Something I really know something about.
Then I realized you said "Who loves wine?" and not "Who loves to whine?" Bummer.

Nah, we have an entire politcal forum for that.

[GeneV]

That must have been during the summer. I tend to switch over to beer at that time.
I'd share a glass with you any day.

Well, if you are ever down for some sun, let me know. There is always something open.

[VaughnA]

Does your state allow internet wine sales? It is a sure way to broaden your palate.

I don't think that Virginia does. We usually try to get good wines when we go to Fla to visit my brother. He was a wine buyer and actually visited the villiage and restaurant where he would be married about 6 months before he met his wife.....In florida.

I had been attracted to and coming to this one village in Alsace, Eguisheim near Colmar, for years. It has been discovered by tourists now, but it had been unchanged for 500 years. It also has a terrific restaurant and multiple wineries, despite only 1,500 inhabitants. When I was last there in 2006, I told someone in the hotel that I had just found out my a branch of my family was from Alsace. He asked the name; I told him, and he said, oh, they came from a village nearby. It turns out I had been attracted back to my ancestry without knowing it.

My SIL's family has a chateau on the Rhien near Artzenheim. It is absolutely beautiful country. We only got to spend a few days there in Ribauville but really fell in love with it. We want to go back soon. We don't really want to spend much time in Paris, we want to go back to Alsace.

Tarte Flambe' , Choucroute and baeckeoffe are on our home menu quite often.

[GeneV]

I don't think that Virginia does. We usually try to get good wines when we go to Fla to visit my brother. He was a wine buyer and actually visited the villiage and restaurant where he would be married about 6 months before he met his wife.....In florida.
.

Since 2003, internet shipments are legal in Virginia. Check out Buy wine online at Wine Library, or Wine Store - Sherry-Lehmann - New York, NY (Manhattan) Delivery or www.winex.com. All of these online stores carry a nice selection of Alsatian wines.

It sounds like your stomping grounds are a bit to the north of mine. If you get a bit south, eat at the Caveau d'Eguisheim. It is an excellent combo of high French cuisine and traditional Alsatian fare.

[Blue]

I'm a wine-lover. I love everything from California Pinot Noir to Bordeaux to Alsatian and German Riesling.

Anyone else love wine? Which ones?

My over all favorite is probably a Sangiovese made by Valley of the Moon. There are several others that make a decent Sangiovese as well. I also like a good Zin and Chianti but there isn't much worse than a bad one of either. I also like some of the Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. There is an 18 year old triple cream sherry (when it goes in the bottle) that we like a lot but it is more like drinking a brandy.

[Clinton]

Ah Vino!



That's some fast Vino at f1.2...

I'd say my favorites are the in the Meritage category. The Flora Springs being my favorite, if a little to highly priced.

For the money, you cant beat the Estancia Meritage at around $30


But with a good red wine, what's not to love?

[GeneV]

My over all favorite is probably a Sangiovese made by Valley of the Moon. There are several others that make a decent Sangiovese as well. I also like a good Zin and Chianti but there isn't much worse than a bad one of either. I also like some of the Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. There is an 18 year old triple cream sherry (when it goes in the bottle) that we like a lot but it is more like drinking a brandy.

I haven't tried the VOTM Sangiovese, but they are nice folks. Generally, I'm partial to Tuscany for that varietal, but I do sometimes run across a decent one from CA. I'll give Valley of the Moon a shot. I agree about a bad Chianti. The only thing worse is aged Beaujolais Nouveau--it should come with an expiration date.

Most of my Pinot is Sonoma County. I go out there at least once a year to taste and visit. The recent releases there have cranked back on the syrupy fruit, and they are becoming much more my style. From the Central Coast, I am fond of Sea Smoke. There are a few more from that area that a more bargain buys.

[Blue]

I haven't tried the VOTM Sangiovese, but they are nice folks. Generally, I'm partial to Tuscany for that varietal, but I do sometimes run across a decent one from CA. I'll give Valley of the Moon a shot. I agree about a bad Chianti. The only thing worse is aged Beaujolais Nouveau--it should come with an expiration date.

Most of my Pinot is Sonoma County. I go out there at least once a year to taste and visit. The recent releases there have cranked back on the syrupy fruit, and they are becoming much more my style. From the Central Coast, I am fond of Sea Smoke. There are a few more from that area that a more bargain buys.

I agree about the VOTM people. I have had good luck with ConCannon's Cabs (Central Coast). We drank a special bottle of Cab on Friday, 1970 Special Selection produced and bottled by the now defunct Louis M. Martini in Napa. I had been saving it for a special occasion. It was worth the wait and was excellent.

[Jasvox]

I love wine too! I have had an interest in wine since just after university and getting my own place for the first time. Someone did the pretentious thing and bought me a subscription to Wine Spectator...turned out to be something I enjoyed and looked forward to every month. Now, with traveling to Italy so often, (10-12 times each year) I have really learned and enjoyed discovering wines from Tuscany, Lazio and Lombardy. As a matter of fact, I am going to La Tancia, a vineyard about 30 minutes from Florence, next week for a tour and tasting...cant wait!!

For me, it's anything big and red and dry. Started off with California Cabernets, then to a nice Rioja from Spain, now really enjoying big Italian reds...what would life be without a nice glass of wine?

Jason

[Mallee Boy]

I'm a wine-lover. I love everything from California Pinot Noir to Bordeaux to Alsatian and German Riesling.

Anyone else love wine? Which ones?

ME !!!!

Hi Gene...I'll be serious now,
as for which one......the one in a bottle with a cork or a twist top ..

Now before you jump to the assumption that I may have a drinking problem....no, I enjoy a good wine and have learnt that they can change from vintage to vintage and I have also learnt that a bad wine , regardless of price is money wasted.

Generally speaking, my reds come from South Australia, either the Clare Valley or McLaren Vales, my Riesling from Eden Valley or Clare valley, most other whites from Margaret river (Wstn Australia) or Hunter Valley (NSW), Pinot's from Oregon USA (if I can find them over here), Yarra Valley (Victoria) or Tasmania.

I dont get too caught up in the price thing, in fact as I write I am enjoying a glass of $2.99 aud Cab Merlot clean skin.....and it is a very, VERY nice drop, but the wine cupboard also has Basket Press and afew others that cost up to $50 - $60 a bottle.

Australia is currently experiencing a wine flood so there is some great wines being flogged off as clean skins....some $40 label wines are $7.99 clean skins.

cheers!!!

[fractal]

Jesus, it was about time an Aussie chirped in. Where is the love for Australian wine? Dare I say NZ wine?

Myself, I just bought a 2 litre bag in a box of Yarra Valley, Victorian Shiraz for $11.99. It tastes not quite as cheap as that, but hell, it's very economical. The Autumn chill finally settled in yesterday so beer is a little cold on the stomach.

Margaret River make some very nice wines. I don't mind a chilled New Zealand, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc either. I usually swear by cleanskins, but they are becoming more difficult to find. $12-14 used to buy a pretty decent cleanskin & now it's just the mass produced stuff which really doesn't start to taste great until you pay over $25-30.

[seacapt]

Good German TBA is quite a splurge, but one of life's great treats.
.

Gene if you like German whites , keep an open mind to NY state whites. Every few years the weather conditions in the Finger Lakes region will produce bothrycized grapes and wines simillar to a good German BA. Even in an average year some of the small vinyards produce very nice whites.

[bobmaxja]

I am new to DSLR but not to wine . Let's say I have a good bottle selection at home. I also organise for the familly some wine tasting
Wine also need some good glass (similar to lense) A good wine in a poor glass with not deliver the true attribute of a wine. A good value wine in a good glass can improve the pleasure

Here my preference

1) Valpolicella Ripasso( Italy) or (Chateauneuf du Pape)for steak
2) Riesling (Alsace, France or Pacific RIM, USA) or Sancerre(France) for fish
3) Pinot noir ( France or Washington state) delicate food
4) Rosé-Fruity type not made with cab or merlot (Provence, France or Rioja, Spain), I call that my ....summer wine
5) Gerweitstraminer(Alsace or Germany or Austria) with Sushi
6) Wine to age- Bordeaux,Amarone, or wine from Paso Robles, California)

Other wine that are marvelleous French Champagne Georges Gardet ( a small producer) or Beringer sparling wine from California
In the sweet wine, Moulin Touchais(france) is one of the best wine of that type

We love chardonnay and sauvignon blanc but need to be unoaked, I want to drink wine not wood
I have wine from about 40 regions and each are different still if they use the same type of grape. A Riesling from Alsace, Germany, Canada, Washington state, Oregon or finger lake are all very different, Until you try all of them , you see only one side of the grape. The land were is growing is very important as well as the knowledge of the winemaker.

[GeneV]

Gene if you like German whites , keep an open mind to NY state whites. Every few years the weather conditions in the Finger Lakes region will produce bothrycized grapes and wines simillar to a good German BA. Even in an average year some of the small vinyards produce very nice whites.

I've wanted to do a wine trip up there. Dr. Konstantine Frank does some world-class riesling.

[GeneV]

I love wine too! I have had an interest in wine since just after university and getting my own place for the first time. Someone did the pretentious thing and bought me a subscription to Wine Spectator...turned out to be something I enjoyed and looked forward to every month. Now, with traveling to Italy so often, (10-12 times each year) I have really learned and enjoyed discovering wines from Tuscany, Lazio and Lombardy. As a matter of fact, I am going to La Tancia, a vineyard about 30 minutes from Florence, next week for a tour and tasting...cant wait!!

For me, it's anything big and red and dry. Started off with California Cabernets, then to a nice Rioja from Spain, now really enjoying big Italian reds...what would life be without a nice glass of wine?

Jason

I would love to explore Greek wines more. I think that is the next undiscovered country. I've had some Xynomavro that would pass for a good country Burgundy, and well-done Aghiorgitiko is an undiscovered treasure, especially with grilled lamb. there are a dozen or more other interesting varieties there which hardly ever leave Europe. As long as Retsina is around to keep the snobs from looking in Greece, the prices will stay down.

Do you have any local favorites?