What Is Your Wine I.Q.?

[CharlieD]

Mine would be below zero. Not only I do not like wine, I even do not like grape juice. Some how it doesn't seat well in my stomack.

 

[Harry Cobean]

hi margi
well,i'm sitting here sipping a glass of ice cold muscadet de sevre-et-maine sur lie,whilst typing this.my preference is white wine-love that salty/sandy taste that you get from coastal/estuarial wines.same reason i love manzanilla sherry,gotta be ice cold & la gitana has got to be the best value manza on the planet!.torres vina sol white when it's good,in my opinion,is a match for any chablis(their sangre de toro ain't a bad red either)but the odd bottle can have a bit of a "baking soda" spritz which isn't good!!.if i want something with a bit more fruit you can't beat a verdicchio(in my opinion)
as i eat a lot of fish & seafood,all of the above work for me but i've also been known to down a 16oz ribeye with any of the above too.....i guess it's all a matter of taste!
harry

 

[Gravy Queen]

Well, I just know what I like and I admit I tend to stick to the same things (laziness probably) and so I would like to learn more and maybe try some new things. I did join an online wine club for a while, with tasting notes etc but it was all a bit hit and miss. Hence I go back to what I know and like.

Country wise I think Chile and Argentina are my favourite, for both white and red wine. Plus, common though it is, I do love a good Chardonnay and I find it easy to drink. Not a fan of Sauvignon Blanc or any smelly "flowery" whites. I like Rose in the summer months and again tend to favour Chile.

I do also like Italian wines - Pinot Grigio, a good Valpolicella.

Also partial to a french White Burgundy.

Tend to stick to anything 12% or 13%.

I cook with the same wines I would drink with. I like to make a good Boeuf Bourgignon, a Ragu or Coq au Vin.

I don't drink wine every day, I don't drink every day, for us its a weekend treat, time to relax and to savour.

And finally, I do like a nice dessert wine now and again as a treat after a meal out. Am buggered if I can ever remember the name of them though. Tsk. Must pay more attention!

 

[Gravy Queen]

Forgot to mention Champagne. I love Champagne. My favourite so far is Bollinger.

 

[lyndalou]

Bolas, That place looks like paradise. The food looked wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Harry,

Cool ...

Sherry ... Here we call it " F I N O " ...

What brand Sherries do you enjoy ?

I enjoy Albariños from Galicia in whites and Portuguese as well as my fave Prosecco ... Pinot Grigio can be lovely too as well Sicilia´s whites. Prosecco is my fave however, and Cavas.

Thanks for contributing.
Margi.

 

[Gravy Queen]

I adore Prosecco too Margi. I actually really like Marks and Spencers own brand over here, but I also like the Martini brand Prosecco you can get in Costco.

Not a huge fan of sherry, but I do love Marsala, I drink the odd small glass and I love to add it to gravy and sauces.

 

[Harry Cobean]

Harry,

Cool ...

Sherry ... Here we call it " F I N O " ...

What brand Sherries do you enjoy ?

I enjoy Albariños from Galicia in whites and Portuguese as well as my fave Prosecco ... Pinot Grigio can be lovely too as well Sicilia´s whites. Prosecco is my fave however, and Cavas.

Thanks for contributing.
Margi.

sherries?...bodegas hidalgo(home of la gitana!),lustao,byass & of course good old tio pepe et al!
sicilia? gotta be a fiano!
hmmmm? sicily,puglia,sardinia,andalucia.........need some sun on my back!!
harry

 

[taxlady]

For everyday consumption; price, unadulterated taste and lack of undesirable aftereffects are my main criteria. I do not appreciate wines that give me agita or leave me thirstier than I was before consuming them.

That would be my view as well.

I would like to learn more about wine, but I'm afraid I will start to taste things in my decent cheap wines that I don't like and that I will get stuck only buying less cheap wine.

I once saw how to taste wine on a PBS cooking show. We went to an upscale pizzeria and had the house wine. It had tasted perfectly drinkable on the first few sips, then we "tasted it". Suddenly we could taste all sorts of unpleasant off flavours. We don't do that with house wines any more.

 

[taxlady]

I just have to relate this story.

A friend of mine is a bar owner in St-John's, NF. He opened a restaurant and wine bar. He was not very knowledgeable about wine. A well know wine critic came into the restaurant and ordered a $400 bottle of wine. When he tasted it, he said it was off. My friend nearly s**t himself. He asked the wine critic about this wine being "off". The wine critic was happy to explain. He poured some wine into a glass and told my friend to taste it. My friend thought it tasted good. The wine critic agreed, but said that it should taste much better. Then he explained about the subtleties that were wrong and had my friend taste the wine again. He sort of understood. Then the wine critic said, "Take it back to the liquor store and tell them that I said that it is off. They will give you another bottle, no problem." And they did.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I once saw how to taste wine on a PBS cooking show. We went to an upscale pizzeria and had the house wine. It had tasted perfectly drinkable on the first few sips, then we "tasted it". Suddenly we could taste all sorts of unpleasant off flavours. We don't do that with house wines any more.

"House wines" tend to put me off. I usually see them coming out of a tap along with soft drinks, or worse, there's a large bottle sitting open next to the hot refrigerator motor.

I do drink them sometimes, though. One of our local Italian eateries has pretty decent house wines. But every so often you get one that's been open a while and tastes a little "tired". I just tell the server. Nine times out of ten they'll open a fresh bottle.

 

[justplainbill]

I had good luck in Italy drinking caraffe di vino della casa.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Okay, I haven't been a fan of imbibing on a regular basis for a long time. However, I have had some good Australian Shiraz and Merlot. (Yellowtail)

For our Anniversary and New Year's we had Santos Moscato d'Asti that we got at Costco. We really liked it.

I'm happy with sweeter wines, like Mogen David and some Sangrias.

Truthfully, I am such a lightweight, that one glass of wine is all I can handle without falling over. I very rarely drink, the bottle of Moscato d'Asti is still half full and in the bottom of the fridge.

If you ask me to describe a wine, all I can say is if I like it or not.

 

[Dawgluver]

Mmm. Prosecco, my fave. Pinot Grigio. A nice Chablis. A rich Merlot. Cabs, Savignons, sherry, too many to mention, they're all good!

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Harry, Gravy Train & Vinos Tintos de Argentina

Good Morning,

@ Harry:

Firstly, the Jeréz de La Frontera wines that you have mentioned are Not Finos. These are Amontillados, which in fact, are fermented by the Solera System and thus, are actually more Brandies. ( ah mon ti ya dos )
Lustaú is one of the oldest producers of this amber aged grape based product. Gonzalez y Byass, Tío Pepe amongst others, all have their Bodegas ( wine cellars ) in the city centre, of Jeréz de La Frontera, which is an absolutely lovely place to spend a few days and learn about wine, horses ( The Equestrian School ) and Flamenco ...

@ Gravy Queen:

We have had this Prosecco conversation a few times ! It is my fave sparkling white ... Speaking of Red Velvet Malbec 100% Grape Mono Varietal Argentinian Wines, here are a few dynamic ones:

RED VELVETY HEAVENLY ARGENTINIAN WINE RECOMMENDATIONS:

1) Argento Malbec - Sainsbury Cellars: cacoa and spice finish

2) Terrazas de Los Andes Malbec Reserva: rich cherry, cacao and smoke notes

3) Concha y Toro: earthy and savoury however, a more commercial product

4) Finca Flichman Mistería: with a kiss of vanilla spice, gorgeous

5) Lurton Bodegas: Lurton Piedra Negra Malbec 100% is a stunnign black fruit velvety wine with a leatherish finish and a hint of refreshing mint and is wonderful. I have had many wines by this worldwide producer, including their RUEDA, Castilla León WHITE from the Verdejo 100% Grape and it was truly lovely, and perhaps, the best Rueda I have had !

Have a lovely day.

Margi Cintrano.

 

[Harry Cobean]

Good Morning,

@ Harry:

Firstly, the Jeréz de La Frontera wines that you have mentioned are Not Finos. These are Amontillados, which in fact, are fermented by the Solera System and thus, are actually more Brandies. ( ah mon ti ya dos )
Lustaú is one of the oldest producers of this amber aged grape based product. Gonzalez y Byass, Tío Pepe amongst others, all have their Bodegas ( wine cellars ) in the city centre, of Jeréz de La Frontera, which is an absolutely lovely place to spend a few days and learn about wine, horses ( The Equestrian School ) and Flamenco ...


Have a lovely day.

Margi Cintrano.

fascinating but confusing margi,i thought fino was a pale dry sherry,but not as dry as a manzanilla(my fav) & thought the amontillados were medium/sweet(not a lover of sweet drinks).
guess i need to get myself off to jerez & do some studying,god it'll be hard work but someones gotta do it................!
harry

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Harry: Uncomplicating the 3 Jeréz Wine Types

Good Evening.

Firstly, let us begin with the following names and their English definitions:

1) SHERRY = FINO = a brut dry blonde Sherry ( IS ONLY PRODUCED IN JERÉZ DE LA FRONTERA in very dry and sunny vineyards, thus, the crispness. Always served WELL CHILLED and ice cold. PALE DRY, it is often called by the English who frequent this Region on holidays. The wineries employ American Oak in the ageing process.

2) AMONTILLADO VIEJO ( aged ) = Amber colored DRY wine made from grapes, and aged in a unique Solera System method. This wine is similar to a Brandy. They possess a nutty aroma and post gusto.

3) OLOROSO = the is a burnt sienna colored SWEET OR SEMI SWEET thick well rounded Jeréz brandy also made from grapes, and is aged in the Solera System. These are quite full bodied dessert wines. Great for those who wish to use with a dessert. It is common, in the Molecular end of Gastronomy to employ Oloroso with Foie Gras.

4) MANZANILLA = which is a LIGHT DRY ACIDIC SHERRY from Sanlucar de Barremeda and El Puerto de Santa Maria, Chiclana: the beach of the Dioses = Gods; AND the acid is due to the seashore so close to the bodegas = wineries. FINO ( my viewpoint ) is a much lovelier product.

5) SHERIS SACK = the name the Moorish gave this white wine AND sacar, the Spanish verb; means to go to the exterior or to take out or to remove.


STEP TWO: THE GRAPES GROWN IN THIS DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN = DENOMINACIÓN ORIGEN

The main white grape grown for winery Sherry or its related products numbered 1 to 4:

PALOMILLO = the predominate white grape ( blonde Fino Dry Sherry is made of this grape 100% ).

I hope this MINI MINI WINE TASTER´s LESSON has uncomplicated your state of confusion.

Have nice evening.
Margi.

 

[Bacardi1]

Mmm. Prosecco, my fave. Pinot Grigio. A nice Chablis. A rich Merlot. Cabs, Savignons, sherry, too many to mention, they're all good!

Someone after my own heart - those are my favorites as well. Although I do use dry sherry more for cooking than imbibing. But different brands of Prosecco (my husband LOVES experimenting), Pinot Grigio, & Chablis - along with various reds - are always in residence here.

 

[Harry Cobean]

buenas noches margi
(please don't reply in spanish,those are the only two words i know!)
fantastic masterclass made all the more interesting by sipping an ice cold glass of hidalgo la gitana manza whilst reading...you really can taste the salt can't you?!
have a delicious evening margi
harry

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Dawgluver,

Thanks for feedback ... As always, it is nice to see you on my posts. Have a nice wkend.

What brands of Prosecco do you sip ?

Margi.