As you all know I am working at an RV park in the middle of wine country. I have been educating myself on wine all summer, even tried a couple. I really need to take a day and go over to Vintners Village where there are 13 winery tasting rooms. I always thought I would love reds better since I drank Boones Farm wines in high school which were very sweet. But, I find they are 'dry' and am told the whites are the sweet ones.
There is a local winery that makes wines called 'Dirty Blonde', Dumb Blonde, Brassy Brunette, and Bodacious Brunette.' Love the names and the pics on their label.
My question to the wine drinkers here: What is your favorite(s) wine and why?
pinot noir is a favorite these days. and I agree with bluedaze about Yellow Tail as a trustworthy label and that wine needn't be $$$ to be good. A great book by Goldstein i think "Wine Trials" with many great reviews of wines under $15. sounds like you've got a fun new hobby.
when we were in Oregon a couple years ago we went on a winery tour out of Portland. All day...out of the six of us in the van I was the only one who had any chance of walking a straight line at the end of day and that is only because I stopped tasting by the last winery. gorgeous scenery, great wines and one of the best lunches I have ever had at a great little restaurant along the way. would love to do it all over again.
Terry - Vintners Village is just 3/10ths of a mile from us. Our guest walk over and come back carrying bags of wine. Some go back and buy by the case. Next weekend is the Prosser Food and Wine Fair. Many of the over 30 wineries in the area will be there letting people sample their wines. The current Vintners Village is phase one with 13 tasting rooms. They have the roads in and all utilities for phase 2 but no one has started to build yet. I think the economy has stopped them for now. Wineries find it to their advantage if they have their tasting rooms in a central location.They just opened a center on the east side of town for wine education and other events dealing with the wine industry. Washington state has over 330 wineries and 2/3 are on the east side. As I have found, many are small and only make a limited amount of wine. A new one, Prosser Vineyards, make their by hand. On their website they show photos of the wine presses they use.
There is also the world wide debate going on here too - cork vs screwcap. Also, oak barrels vs steel barrels. Interesting area to work and lots to learn.
I assume in Oregon you either went to the wineries in the Newberg/McMinneville area or down in the southern Willamette Valley.
Shiraz is excellent and you can now get Sweet Shiraz if you want something a little sweeter. Riesling is also very good - white. Any of Lindeman's is excellent, Austrailian, and not expensive.
Just do the tastings until you find the ones you like. Wine is like Alz. When you've tasted one wine, you've tasted one wine.
I like the Chilean Frontera or conch y tora wines for daily dinner. Cheap and good. Varietals: with steak nothing like a good Cabernet or Pinot Noir. Whites: ABC. Anything but Chardonnay.
I agree about Yellowtail too but it would be a shame to drink non California wine if you are in the wine country.
I GREW UP ON MY gRANDFATHERS "DAGO RED" I've tried to make it ,but it just wasn't as good.Took it in n my thermos to school,nuns never found out.They probably would have made me share it with them.
Charlotte, whenever you get back to the Coast, check out Ste Michelle Winery in Woodinville. I'm not much of a wine drinker but do like their Johannesburg Reisling. As a side note, we lived about 5 miles from the winery for over 10 years and never visited it. Had to come back to the area as a tourist before we visited.
Columbia Valley Winery is across the road and never went there, but was told their wine is also very good.
I understand both wineries grow the majority of their grapes over in your area but bottle in Woodinville.
I like reislings and pinot noirs. There is one Cabernet I really like called Murphy-Goode. The wine I usually drink is from a local winery called Coopers Hawk.
Here's all you need to know about wine as presented by Monty Python
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4GvN4wGUZI
Red wine is more complex than white (not better just different). It is an antioxidant for one thing. I think a bottle of red or white is a good idea to have around. Just one glass for occasional drinkers can be very relaxing and calming. I prefer the Aerosol Marinol 2011. A bit woody when inhaled unless your Bill Clinton although it also makes a nice tea. One teaspoon in a pot with one teaspoon of Lemon Zinger. Stand for one hour, strain, and chill in a pitcher in the fridge with ice cubes. Very relaxing just don't drive. Or operate heavy machinery. Serve with a cinammon stick stirer for that chic touch before you're all on the floor eating chocolate.
I greatly prefer reds and find price doesn't enter into it that much because as Vickie said everybody has different tastes. My whites go sweet like the german whites which most think are too sweet. I like the french wines for whites and the australian wines for reds although most french red beaugolais' are good.
We have an imported wine up here called Fat Bastard. It's actually very good. And I agree with the Yelowtail label and I like most wines of Wolf Blass from Australia.
The first things I would explore (do lots of research) is the red/white preference and whether you are a '0' or not in sweetness. After that it's just what tickles your fancy. Which come to think of it I haven't done in years. Enjoy your journey in sommelier land.
Wolf....hysterical video....even came through on Ipad. Course had to listen to it three times to pick up all he was saying. Just sayin.
ABC ..... funny never heard that one. DH used to prefer Reds but lately he's been ordering white. Wondering if it has to do with a loss of sophistication?
Charlotte, not sure which area. Would have to see if I could find the info.
Not wine I know. But I have recently developed a real fondness for Ouzo. I don't remember having any since a dinner at a Greek Restaurant back in SF many years ago, then some friends got married with a very small intimate reception dinner and asked us to bring the makings of a Mediterranean dinner. I said I'd bring wine. Which I did plus figured there must be Ouzo. WOW. Fell in love. First shot which after I downed was followed by the warmest all over feeling. Wanted another.........
So got myself a bottle for the house. No one really liked it much but me so it lasted for quite awhile. I did develop a I suppose not so good habit of downing a shot when things got particularly stressful. I only drink wine socially...but Ouzo...different story.
I tried 'sweet merlot' today and it was good. I have decided I really do not like those with all the 'flavors and aromas', just something basic. I do want to try a couple of the whites we have. The idea of the different fruit flavors sound delicious.
Terry, If you go to your account information tab at the top and select personal information there is a place where you can put a 'URL" for a photo that you have posted someplace on the web. The message board then draws that photo and shows it.
The message board only accepts a small size image (pixle size) and you have to have the original hosted somewhere. Likely you were given some web space by your Internet Service Provider and it can be used to host the image. If you have a web page somewhere you can use the code that posts the picture from that page her on your spouse account.
It is not real difficult if you understand web posting. A learning curve if you do not. . . .
I have never been much of a wine drinker. I have a brother who insists they all have unique flavors and are delicious. He has tried in vain to help educate me. Mad Dog to whatever the name was on that 100 dollar a bottle wine, they all taste the same to me. For my vow renewal ceremony he helped me pick a reasonably priced wine that most would like, he picked the Yellowtail. I finally threw out the last two bottles last year. I am more of a hard alcohol kind a gal :D
Nikki - we do have a distillery that opened last year in town. Their first was vodka from local grapes. Then they had the gin from local wheat, with whiskey and rum to follow.
terry--Italy is so wonderful you fall in love with everything. Somehow, never had the lemoncello, but I discovered prosecco/asti/capuccino there about 40 yrs ago!
bluedaze*, no probably not worth it to make Lemoncello at home...but, we live in a dry area and have to drive quite a distance to buy. But...DH loves to peel lemons, oranges,etc., so it's always a good "winter time" project. I also make my own Grand Marnier - very simple and very good because I use it in cooking a lot - and it's a lot less expensive to make.
Shiraz is known as Syrah in the states which Im sure Bluedaze* knows. Califronia has some lovely ones especially from around the Santa Barbara region...wonderful stuff!
No, Vickie, it doesn't keep forever. No fun that way. Kathi-Shiraz by any name is fine with me. I do prefer to buy US wines when I can tolerate them. Ca wines are great.
I first had Prosecco at a little tavern overlooking the bay, while recovering from walking up to Tiberius' Castle on Capri a couple of years ago. I had Limoncello that night in Sorrento.. good memories indeed, Terry! Nora, I'm gonna take a rain check on that tasting!!!
OMG-not for the faint hearted-Stirrings Ginger liquer. I used to buy Stone's ginger wine but they can't export to the US because of labeling issues. Found this stuff at Total Wine. Great over ice with a lime wedge.
Nora, it's good to read that the path report was favorable.
Robyn, I have fond memories of wine-tasting trips to the Finger Lakes area many years ago. Enjoyed meeting Walter S. Taylor at Bully Hill and Mrs. Konstatin Frank at their vineyard. Heron Hill was making some very pleasant white wines back then. I enjoy both white and red but tend to favor red these days because of the heart-healthy aspect. I especially love a good zin or cab.
folly its indeed good to hear from you. i used to drink wines quite a bit, but lately have tapered off and tend to be addicted to diet cokes. :) my fav was a sweet chardonnay Kendall Jackson. but did enjoy a good cabernet as well.
I don't particularly like white wine. Tonight I am trying out a wine I bought on sale. Even worse-it was a buy one get one. It is Keel Curley Strawberry Riesling. To make matters worse it's from Florida-not exactly the wine spot of the world. I just got home form an exhausting day and decided to give it a try. At least it had a cork rather than a screw on cap. I'm very pleased with it! Not company quality-but when I'm tired my tastes are simple.
After I get my wife to bed in the evening I have a glass of Merlot (Turning Leaf) and a piece of dark chocolate. For whites I tend to go with Pinot Grigio.
I know the feeling. right now I'm baby sitting on FB trying to help the friend who's mom is now missing for 10 hours. I went through the same thing with my husband. It is a terrifying experience.