What Is Your Wine I.Q.?

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Tax Lady,

93 Euros for Ice wine is on the pricey side, considering one can buy French Champagne for 30 Euros to 50 Euros plus depending on brand of course ... or a Gold Medal winner Spanish wine that has won the Bacchus Awards for alot less ...

The Vet had contacted an Ontario maker and the shipping alone was just over the top.

I have a Pastry Baker friend in Montreal and friends in Vancouver --- so when I hop over the blue pond, I shall have a chance to check more closely into Ice Wines.

The one I had at the Embassy was wonderful with tropical fruit aromas.
Delightfully refreshing with a light sparkling bubble ... I have the name written down in the Embassy Book.

Have nice Sunday.
Margi.
 
Margi, you have asked me to recommend some good Stellenbosch Reds. To be honest my student days ( many moons ago ) of throwing the stuff down my throat has meant that I have had an aversion to red wine of any cultivar / origin. I have however very recently been re introduced first to Rose ( something from Spain) which was really great. I was amazed that I was able to take a sip, let alone finish a whole glass ! Then I was given a red to taste which was Hungarian. Again I was amazed. I loved it and have since had a few bottles of each. As for the South African reds ... I have yet to venture into that, but I know someone who works for a wine company and I will ask him to bring me some of the South African reds to try. I have to say that I am a medium to sweet fan, so my palate may not be quite the same as yours if you prefer dry wine. I will see what I can find out for you.
 
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18.00 Hours Madrid Time

Buonasera Didi,

Good Afternoon and thank you for your posts.

Firstly, Spanish Rosés have been going upscale and are predominately from the provinces of Navarra in the Basque Country and Pénedès ( Barcelona ).

They are quite refreshing, however, personally I prefer Lambrusco Sparkling Rosé from Emilia Romagna, Italia ...

I also like Pinot Noir which create a light red, and are used predominately in the sparkling wine industry in Sant Sadurni D´Anoia, Barcelona for Cava industry.

Stellenbosh is my fave red from South Africa ... I prefer red wines in the winter, especially if they are noble nosed, oak aged crianzas and full bodied.

It is truly too hot here ( 33 centigrade and rising ) to drink reds at the moment and I do not eat much red meat ... I prefer white wines, like Prosecco and shellfish, fish, veggies and Pastas.

Thanks for your feedback,
Margi.
 
We drink rose here...a dry rose. It was funny.. We visited Colorado 5 years ago and we had a hard time finding a dry rose. What we did find was Italian and wonderful!
 
Pamala: Colorado & Rosé ? & Tax Lady: Portuguese

Buonasera,

Thanks for your interesting findings. Rosé is also produced on a massive scale in California ... and Chile produces quite a few for export into the USA.

However, perhaps, Denver is Red Wine & Cattle country ?

Tax Lady: Portuguese Rosé ... quite a common basic and refreshing ...

ROSÉS ...

Navarra: Julián Chivite Rosé ( lovely refreshing strawberry Rosé wine from Spain ) ... Highly suggest it ... Check with your wine shop ...

Ciao, Let me know your views ...

Margi.
 
This is interesting. We have been buying wine from Chili, and enjoying it. !!

I will check out the Julian chiite Rose.

Denver is beer country! I haven't lived there for many years, but that is my memory!
 
Pamala: Julian Chivite Rosé - Navarra D.O.

:) Buonasera Pamala,

Firstly, I was in Denver, Colorado quite sometime ago, enroute to Santa Fe, New Mexico to visit a friend´s daughter who had opened a restaurant there back in the early 1990s.

I prefer white wines personally, Galician Albariño and Prosecco Sparkling from Veneto.

In Rosés, I consider Julian Chivite a lovely product ... The color is just divine.

Chile: When I lived in South America years ago ( Uruguay), I had visited some of the wineries in Chile and Argentina however, my view point is, I would prefer an Argentinian Malbec Red 100% over most Chilean Wines.

Now, Pamala: there are some red Chileño wines which had been founded by French oenologists which are quite competitive in quality ... and a couple of Sauvgnion Blancs, however, I am a journalist and get to taste numerous wines at Embassy events, and I would select an Italian or Spanish wine over a Chilean any day ...

I also like Washington State Whites and Reds and Canadian Icewines. Then, Stellenbosh South African Reds as well as Rieslings from Alsace ... The world of wine is enormous, and so many countries produce ... I enjoy good wine, and I select more on Qualification Harvest Year ( than the brand ) Of The Designation of Origin ...

Are you from Amsterdam ?

Have nice evening,
Ciao. Margi.
 
Hello Margi, nice to meet you. I do live near Amsterdam, but grew up in the Denver area.

I certainly don't know a lot about wine, but do know what I like and enjoy. It is just like what people used to say about Art. I don't know anything about Art, but I know what I like!

I do buy Italian wine. That would be the red usually. I was a fan of Bardolino for a while but then moved on to a fuller wine. I would have to ask the clerk what it was I bought last time. He gave excellent advice! I am less familiar with Spanish wine. We were on La Palma a few years ago and did enjoy the local wines.

Sante Fe is one of my favorite places. I hope to return one day!
 
Well if I took a wine IQ test I would score maybe a .25 for knowing that wine was a liquid. I like to try local wines from places I visit, and no I am not talk about Paris in the fall and Ireland in the spring. I'm talking about the small home bottled stuff from the farmer in Ohio. And the old winery in North Carolina. And expensive bottle of wine to me will run 30 to 45 us dollars. what is that now with the exchange like half a euro (it was a joke remember to smile).

I have found that I have a strong distate for desert wines... to much like drinking nyquil for me.

so yeah i just wanted to throw in my 2 cents... i will say that after reading all of these posts on this thread, i have probably learned more about wine in the last 15 min that I have known in my whole life, and i still did not understand half of it. For me... if you have to smell the cork before you drink it... your taking life way to serious :)
 
Pamala.

Nice to meet you too. Same here. I was born in Manhattan, raised in Vancouver, Italian paternal side, maternal Swiss French ... Living and working in Puglia, Italia ( The Vet is Italian, and this is our true home ) and Madrid Capital ( my professional position and renting ) ...

I agree with you in respect to Drink What You Enjoy ... However, I had done the Government Wine Taste Tester Examiners Certificate Course ( In case I wished to work as Sommelier ) and thus, one gets a bit analytical on the aromas, color, texture, year´s qualification ... etcetra ...

I love Prosecco ... I also enjoy noble nosed reds that are full bodied ... Also, depends on what we are eating ... Italian predominates at home, and then, Greek or French and out: Mexican, Indian, Argentinian, Northern Spanish for eg: Galician, Catalan or Basque or Sashimi ...

Glad to see that you enjoy wine too ...

La Palma also is a Designation of Origin of Spain ... The Canary wines have had some good Qualification years recently and are coming up.

Italian: I like wines from Abruzzi, Umbria, Piemonte, Tuscana and Puglia which is up and coming ! There are numerous indigenious grapes in southern end of the heel, and the land is being refurbished ... The Greeks and The Romans grew wines here as well. *** Bardolo ...

The Mediterranean is a sea of wine ...

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: gorgeous small town ... perhaps one of my fave places in southwest ... Truly ejoyed myself in Santa Fe ... The restaurant scene has been quite up to par there ...

Take care, Ciao, for now,
Time for dinner as the Vet wants to go for tapas !
Until tomorrow,
Margi.
 
Buonasera Douglas,

Pleased that you have been enjoying your wine lessons ! and at D.C. they are gratis ...

I am aware that N.C. and Va. are growing wines.

We shall continue tomorrow ... Time for tapas.

We are already at 21.00 hrs. so please excuse us.

Kindest. Ciao,
Margaux.
 
Buonasera,
...
Tax Lady: Portuguese Rosé ... quite a common basic and refreshing ...

ROSÉS ...

Navarra: Julián Chivite Rosé ( lovely refreshing strawberry Rosé wine from Spain ) ... Highly suggest it ... Check with your wine shop ...

Ciao, Let me know your views ...

Margi.
I looked at the SAQ site (Société des alcools du Québec, government run liquor stores) and they don't seem to have anything from Navarra. This is what they have of Spanish rosés: SAQ.com - Search result(s)

One of the things I like about the Portuguese rosés is the price ;)
 
Tax Lady: Pénedes Rosé Rene Barbier

Tax Lady,

Buonasera.

Does your liquor and wine source carry the titled Rosé ?

Too bad about Julian Chivite, from Navarra ... It is quite lovely.

However, Rene Barbier, is quite refreshing too.

Kind regards.
Margi. :)
 
Tax Lady,

Buonasera.

Does your liquor and wine source carry the titled Rosé ?

Too bad about Julian Chivite, from Navarra ... It is quite lovely.

However, Rene Barbier, is quite refreshing too.

Kind regards.
Margi. :)
"...the titled Rosé" I'm not sure what that means.

No luck on the Rene Barbier either.

We can get wine at the grocery store and convenience store, but only wine that is bottled in Québec. Wine that is bottled in another country can only be sold at the SAQ.
 
Tax Lady,

The titled Rosé, is the Rosé from Winery Rene Barbier ...


What about Brut or Extra Dry Cavas for example, do you like Rosé that is a Sparkling Wine ?

Which Portuguese Rosés do you enjoy ?

What about PROTOS ROSÉ ? It is from Valladolid, Castilla León - Spain


do you like LAMBRUSCO ROSÉ ? ( emilia romagna - italia )

Margi.
 
Tax Lady,

For Spanish Rosés: Marqués de Cáceres from La Rioja as well as their stunning Reds, is a best bet ...

I understand that they are definitely exported to the USA ... Do not know about Montreal and Quebec ...

However, the outstanding wine making lady owner has done a marvelous job with her reds and Rosé ...

Have nice Sunday.
Margi.
 
blanquet de limoux

forget your champagne's,prosecco's,cava's & other bubblies(in my humble opinion that is...always careful to add that bit when it comes to taste;))
i have just discovered blanquet de limoux lurking in a corner of tesco's bubbly section.it is from the languedoc region and,apparently,was first made by monks in 1531(those boys know how to party:LOL:!!) which pre dates champers by about 150 years.it's delish & at less that half the price of a very average champagne(£9.99) is a winner:yum:!
 
Harry, Buon Giorno,

I would enjoy having a sampling, however, I have to check about www.lavinia.es the French owned and operated wine retailer ... Sounds interesting.

Yes, it is quite true about the Friars, Monks & Priests ... They have been enjoying their wines since time memorial ... In Navarra and La Rioja, some of the best wineries are located in Monasteries !

Thanks for the recommended ... The Kray Bros. have done it again ! ?

Have nice wkend too ... Ciao.
Margi.
 
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