Wine Info Exchange

[Expat Kamaaina]

I was just wondering if anyone else might be interested in using this forum to exchange wine information and ideas. I used to read and post on Craig's List, but now CL has become such a cesspool of people who aren't using the forums for their intended purpose. Maybe we can exchange info on wines we like and dislike; wines we tried; new wines; good cheap wines; good expensive wines; wine jokes; etc. etc. etc.

[anapuni808]

Great idea!

[StinkyTheGrump]

I stick with Barefoot of all flavors about 90% of the time. They are the best value out there that I am aware of. The sauvignon blanc is a bit sour but is the least likely to give me or my guests a hangover. I also like Barefoot champagne and Cooks champagne.
I do on occasion enjoy some expensive wine like Silver Oak or a nice Sterling but any expensive champagne is wasted on me.

[salmoned]

I tend to prefer aged wines, so I doubt my input would be of much use. For instance, I had a bottle of Green Hungarian by Wente that was kept for 12 years. When I finally drank it, it was like the nectar of the gods. That's not going to help anyone, I fear.

[Expat Kamaaina]

So there were a few people who shared some comments. I appreciate that, since I am always looking for info on wines. Like I said, CL used to be a good place, but now it is filled with trolls and A-holes!

Let me give it a shot and share some info. Maybe this will get some thoughts going ...... wine drinking and tasting is a personal thing; everyone's palate is different. However, it seems interesting that most people who are not wine connoissuers cannot tell the difference between good wines and not-so-good wines. Maybe it is a developed taste kind of thing -- the same phenomena happens with drinking scotch whiskey. Most people like scotches like Cutty Sark, J&B, Glen Livet (SM) and Glen Fiddich (SM). But those scotches are not matched with my palate, and I don't care for them.

Now with wines, I prefer full-bodied reds, so that is what I will comment on. In the last two/three years, I have bought and cellared some pretty good stuff, like 2004 Orneillaia (Super Tuscan), 2004 Berringer Special Reserve Cabernet, 2005 Casa Lapostelle Clos Apalta, and others (if anyone is interested, I can provide tasting notes). These were all great with the Orneillaia being the best in my opinion, but these are rather pricey.

I have also had some cheaper one that I would recommend to anyone who likes good wine but is on a strict budget -- like the 2006 Las Rocas Garnacha ($11), the 2007 Casa Lapostelle Cab ($7), and the 2005 Vinlos Sin-Ley M5 ($12). And I have tried some pretty bad ones too.

I like the good stuff to share with friends who like and appreciate good wines, but I drink the economy stuff most of the time -- cannot afford 3/4 bottles of $150 wine each week.

Anyone have any comments or info to share with the others?

[salmoned]

Again, I doubt I could offer much of interest to this discussion since you mention 2004 to 2007 wines that I believe cannot be fully or properly assessed for some years to come. I'm just rounding off my 1990's wines and won't disturb a red less than 6 years in bottle. I look for affordable makers catering to my older wine preference, but the industry is moving away from it.

There used to be a winery run by Jesuit brothers in Los Gatos, CA called Novitiate...

[matapule]

I stick with Barefoot of all flavors about 90% of the time. They are the best value out there that I am aware of..

LOOOOOOOOOVE Barefoot wine. We pay about $6/7 per bottle here in Mexico and as little as $5.50 in California. What do you pay? But we get some great inexpensive wines from Chile and Argentina here in Mexico. Oh, another favorite is some of the Concha yToro brand (as good as Barefoot, at same price point)

Try this for a great tastng, inexpensive champagne (yes, from the champagne region of France) - Pol Remy (we prefer the Brut). We pay about $7 per bottle and we think it holds up well against a Dom.

We aren't wine snobs, we drink what we like. Had a Postales Malbec at a friends casa Saturday night - yum, yum - don't know what she paid, but she bought a case of it.

[Leo Lakio]

As a fan of the fizzy, I'm glad to see that Prosecco is catching on in the U.S.; it's been a delicious and affordable sparkling wine for us for many years.

Beyond that, my tastes tend to run to reds that have a bit of a peppery snap, such as Montepulciano and Sangiovese. The Alpha Female likes mellower reds, so one nice surprise was finding a wine we both liked - a simple Greek blend, the Makedonikos Red.

[tutusue]

I'm going to watch this thread with interest. I won't have anything to offer because of my lack of taste and smell (any ol' wine is fine with me!) but I often take a bottle of wine to a dinner party. I try not to make "A" with my choices!

[StinkyTheGrump]

LOOOOOOOOOVE Barefoot wine. We pay about $6/7 per bottle here in Mexico and as little as $5.50 in California. What do you pay? But we get some great inexpensive wines from Chile and Argentina here in Mexico. Oh, another favorite is some of the Concha yToro brand (as good as Barefoot, at same price point)

Try this for a great tastng, inexpensive champagne (yes, from the champagne region of France) - Pol Remy (we prefer the Brut). We pay about $7 per bottle and we think it holds up well against a Dom.

I pay $9.50 for a 1.5 L bottle since I mix n match and buy them by the case. I'll have to check to see if I can find that Pol Remy next time I go to the package store.

[Sharilyn]

The last couple of bottles we tried were pretty good -- Penfolds Cabernet Savignon and Shiraz Cabernet, from Australia. They were decent budget wines, about $6 or $7 from Longs.

We have about ten bottles of misc. reds hiding in a closet... I don't remember what they are, but some have been there for ten years.

We also like this port called Fonseca Porto Bin No. 27, just $17 from Costco.

[Expat Kamaaina]

Again, I doubt I could offer much of interest to this discussion since you mention 2004 to 2007 wines that I believe cannot be fully or properly assessed for some years to come. I'm just rounding off my 1990's wines and won't disturb a red less than 6 years in bottle. I look for affordable makers catering to my older wine preference, but the industry is moving away from it.

There used to be a winery run by Jesuit brothers in Los Gatos, CA called Novitiate...

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I don't have much experience buying young, unproven wines and cellaring them for a long time, then drinking them later. Maybe that works, but I don't have the patience. I generally follow the recommendations regarding "drink or hold" regarding the vintage from the experts. I also use the website "Cellar Tracker" to see what the hundreds of other tasting notes are on a particular vintage or wine is. I find that Cellar Tracker's users notes are generally pretty good, especially since there are so many users/tasters posting their own notes (of course there are always some that don't seem to match up with the majority). I also find that two wine rating sources work well for me, those being Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) .. those "tasters" palates seem to match-up well with mine. For those who might be interested, research a wine on the internet before your buy, especially if it is higher than $40/bottle.

[Expat Kamaaina]

LOOOOOOOOOVE Barefoot wine. We pay about $6/7 per bottle here in Mexico and as little as $5.50 in California. What do you pay? But we get some great inexpensive wines from Chile and Argentina here in Mexico. Oh, another favorite is some of the Concha yToro brand (as good as Barefoot, at same price point)

Try this for a great tastng, inexpensive champagne (yes, from the champagne region of France) - Pol Remy (we prefer the Brut). We pay about $7 per bottle and we think it holds up well against a Dom.

We aren't wine snobs, we drink what we like. Had a Postales Malbec at a friends casa Saturday night - yum, yum - don't know what she paid, but she bought a case of it.

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You have had better luck with Barefoot than me! The couple times I tried Barefoot, they were pretty bad. Even the one that won the Calif State Fair Gold Medal in 2007(??) tasted poor to me. I have had much better luck with Five Rivers Cabernet (an upstart Calif winery). Their 2005 Cab won the Gold Medal at the Calif State Fair and it was pretty good as far as $9.00 wines go.....to be expected it was watery and not very bold and deep, but what would you expect for a $9.00 bottle of wine ..... all in all, it was pretty good. But let me warn you, the 2006 Cab was pretty gross. So again, this goes to show that vintage does make a big difference.

And what winery produces the Concha Y Toro that you like? I am not sure, but I think that Concha Y Toro is a wine type and not a producer. Don Melchor winery in Chile produces some Concha Y Toro that is pretty good, but again vintage makes a big difference. Most of their stuff is rated at less than 90 points, but their 2005 cab was rated at 96 points by WS and their 2006 was also rated at 95 points --- pretty good stuff; I have had both and their pricing is fair at about $65 per bottle.

[Expat Kamaaina]

I'm going to watch this thread with interest. I won't have anything to offer because of my lack of taste and smell (any ol' wine is fine with me!) but I often take a bottle of wine to a dinner party. I try not to make "A" with my choices!

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I think that taking a bottle of wine to a party or dinner as a gift for the host/hostess is very nice and good thing to do. I can appreciate your comment about not making A with your choices. While I think that making A is probably too strong a sentiment, it is good that you are concerned. Taking a wine that is crappy as a gift is probably not the way to go -- the host/hostess will never tell you that it was bad; they will always smile and say thank you. And if you ask them later if they liked the wine, they will always say it was great, even if they poured it down the sink.

Just like going to a pot-luck dinner. You can alway make something inexpensive or buy something inexpensive, but those people who take a quart of cheap, generic, ready-made potato salad from the supermarket, or who buy a cannister or cheap, crappy cookies to take don't realize that the others are looking at them funny (or maybe they don't care).

And another piece of advice, don't ask the wine buyer or wine shop manager if one of their wines is any good. They will always tell you that the wine is good, even if it isn't. There are some managers who will ask you what your budget is, and ask you what your taste in wines is, and then make a decent recommendation. But don't just take a bottle to them and ask if this is any good -- they will also say it is.

[matapule]

Taking a wine that is crappy as a gift is probably not the way to go.

I recall a business acquaintance of mine telling me the following story. He received a beautifully wrapped Christmas present from someone he was considering hiring as a consultant. He said the package must have been wrapped by one of those professional wrapping services and the packaging alone had to cost $15 or more! He thought, "what a nice gesture, my business must be worth a lot to you." Inside the package...............a bottle of two buck!

Bada Bing!

[matapule]

[quote=Expat Kamaaina;250415And what winery produces the Concha Y Toro that you like? I am not sure, but I think that Concha Y Toro is a wine type and not a producer.[/quote]

I don't know, this is news to me. I'll ask my Mexican friend, Jesse, who owns a restaurant and considers himself a wine connoiseur.

Are you located in Hawaii or where? You have way more experience than I. My father was in management with the Christian Brothers organization in Reedley, CA where they produced sweet wines and brandy. Their St. Helena operation produced dry wines and champagne. Eventually the CB decided to get out of wine making and sold their operations to Hublein. Today the brand is marketed under the BV name.

[Honoruru]

Years ago, I used to be more adventurous in my wine buying, but now days I just want a nice, drinkable, inexpensive wine to have with dinner. The wine I buy most often, my “house” wine, is Gabbiano, a simple chianti ($6-7). I also like Spanish wines (riojas, for one), very good bargains.

And I also like Concha Y Toro, Matapule. I believe they’re a producer from Chile, though for some reason, I keep thinking they’re from Spain. Is that the wine with the little plastic bull tied to the neck of the bottle?

I should try to be more adventurous in my wine buying and get to Tamura’s. It seems that everyone agrees that’s the best wine store on Oʻahu. But everytime I try to go there, I get intimidated by that nasty looking parking lot.

[matapule]

I often take a bottle of wine to a dinner party. I try not to make "A" with my choices!

Tutu, I don't mean to be patronizing. If you already know this, fakamolemole.

Wine Spectator (WS) has a rating system that is pretty reliable. I don't always agree with them, but they are a reference better than nothing. Often, Costco will put the WS rating on the display sign. Pick something that is 87 or higher. I have found some great values at under $10 with a rating of 90 or 91 at Costco. But be VERY careful. Costco can be tricky! Sometimes they will rate the wine at say a 2004 vintage when they are actually selling a 2005 vintage. It may not be the same quality at all. So pay attentiion.

[matapule]

And I also like Concha Y Toro, Matapule. I believe they’re a producer from Chile, though for some reason, I keep thinking they’re from Spain.

No it is a Chilean producer.

Is that the wine with the little plastic bull tied to the neck of the bottle?

Never seen that! Oeiaue!

[Expat Kamaaina]

Years ago, I used to be more adventurous in my wine buying, but now days I just want a nice, drinkable, inexpensive wine to have with dinner. The wine I buy most often, my “house” wine, is Gabbiano, a simple chianti ($6-7). I also like Spanish wines (riojas, for one), very good bargains.

And I also like Concha Y Toro, Matapule. I believe they’re a producer from Chile, though for some reason, I keep thinking they’re from Spain. Is that the wine with the little plastic bull tied to the neck of the bottle?

I should try to be more adventurous in my wine buying and get to Tamura’s. It seems that everyone agrees that’s the best wine store on Oʻahu. But everytime I try to go there, I get intimidated by that nasty looking parking lot.

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You will then like the Las Rocas Garnacha from Spain. Make sure you can find the 2006 or 2007 vintage, these cost around $10 per bottle and are rated at 91 points and are very good. There is also a 2005 vintage of this same wine with an additional adjective descriptor "Vinas Viejas" (which means old vines, I think) which is also very good and rated also at 91 points but is a little more expensive at around $18.00 per bottle.

[Expat Kamaaina]

Tutu, I don't mean to be patronizing. If you already know this, fakamolemole.

Wine Spectator (WS) has a rating system that is pretty reliable. I don't always agree with them, but they are a reference better than nothing. Often, Costco will put the WS rating on the display sign. Pick something that is 87 or higher. I have found some great values at under $10 with a rating of 90 or 91 at Costco. But be VERY careful. Costco can be tricky! Sometimes they will rate the wine at say a 2004 vintage when they are actually selling a 2005 vintage. It may not be the same quality at all. So pay attentiion.

================================================== ==
Wow! Never have seen this at the Calif or AZ Costco's.......do they change the label or what? How do they do this?

I also agree this Costco has great pricing. Most of their wines are middle of the road, but once in a while they will have some high end stuff that is priced great! I have bought $230 bottles of 2004 Sassacaia there for only $180, and I have also bought some 2004 Berringer Cab Special Reserve that normally is at $110 for only $78.

[Expat Kamaaina]

I don't know, this is news to me. I'll ask my Mexican friend, Jesse, who owns a restaurant and considers himself a wine connoiseur.

Are you located in Hawaii or where? You have way more experience than I. My father was in management with the Christian Brothers organization in Reedley, CA where they produced sweet wines and brandy. Their St. Helena operation produced dry wines and champagne. Eventually the CB decided to get out of wine making and sold their operations to Hublein. Today the brand is marketed under the BV name.

================================================== =
Like my posting name, I am an Expat Kamaaina, now living in Arizona. Have lived in Seattle, San Fran, Dallas, Connecticut, and now in the Phoenix area. My business travels and dinners taught me to drink wine at dinner and develop a taste for it. And since the business dinners were paid for by our companies or clients, we had the opportunity to have a lot of very good and expensive wines. Now that I am retired, and have saved and invested my monies, I can now afford to splurge a little and I now buy some higher end wines to enjoy and keep. But as you know, high-end restaurant wine pricing is at least 2-3 and sometimes 4 times what you can buy the wine for at retail. So a retail wine priced at $120 will go anywhere for $250 to $500 at a high end restaurant. But my experience level is no where near the level of the wine connoissuers and experts. Due to the heat here, I have only two 72 bottle wine fridges/coolers, so my inventory is limited. Like I said, I buy maybe 4-6 bottles of high-end wine and drink one to try and if I like it, I keep it for sharing with friends, associates, and my son (who is somewhat of a wine connoissuer) later. I look for and find economical $10-20 wines and buy those by the case lot to save money and use for every day drinking.

[matapule]

I have only two 72 bottle wine fridges/coolers, so my inventory is limited. .

And there is the difference between the real deal and matapule. I have one 6 bottle cooler!

[StinkyTheGrump]

And there is the difference between the real deal and matapule. I have one 6 bottle cooler!

Then there's me. I have a cardboard box out in the garage filled with wine bottles from the last trip to the store. If it needs to be colder, I add ice to the glass

[craigwatanabe]

Okay so what do you do? A waiter has just uncorked a bottle of wine you selected at a restaurant. He/she gives you the cork. What do you do with it?

Some smell it, some roll it in their fingers. I was told by a master sommelier to roll it and test it for it's dryness. A dry cork doesn't seal the bottle well.

Once I joked and popped it in my mouth and told the waiter, excellent year. his eyes looked like I was at Roy's in Hawaii Kai. I'll bet he never saw that one coming!