Wine - Discussion, Travel & More

[simple girl]

I agree with Winemaker. Pair it with the food and the temperature of the space.
Reds and rose’ come in so many styles, dry, off dry, sweet, bold, light, etc to make a recommendation is a shot in the dark.
If we knew the menu, that would be helpful.

It's an appetizer afternoon indoors open house party (she just remodeled). It's just light apps as it is just an informal drop-by when you can kind of party: Salsa, hummus, guacamole & chips, a veggie platter, a cheese & fruit tray, a dessert tray.

I think she has a gift cert of some sort to Total Wine so wants to use it to make some purchases there. I think she already has a few whites picked out, so I didn't ask about those.

 

[COcheesehead]

It's an appetizer afternoon indoors open house party (she just remodeled). It's just light apps as it is just an informal drop-by when you can kind of party: Salsa, hummus, guacamole & chips, a veggie platter, a cheese & fruit tray, a dessert tray.

I think she has a gift cert of some sort to Total Wine so wants to use it to make some purchases there. I think she already has a few whites picked out, so I didn't ask about those.

Wines are going to vary by store, but generally I would add some sparkling Prosecco, dry rose’, a dry or off dry Riesling. For reds I personally love Grenache based reds. They are a more complex alternative to Pinot. There are many French, Spanish and California offerings.

 

[DrRoy]

Any recommendations for reasonably priced good wines at Total Wine? My friend is looking to purchase wines for a party she is hosting. She is interested in red wines and Rosés.

Go to the store and you can sample what they have that day, and also discuss with them what you like and get recommendations.

 

[Winemaker]

Wines are going to vary by store, but generally I would add some sparkling Prosecco, dry rose’, a dry or off dry Riesling. For reds I personally love Grenache based reds. They are a more complex alternative to Pinot. There are many French, Spanish and California offerings.

Excellent choices, sir! Grenache is a favorite of mine, and so underrated.

 

[Sojourner]

Grenache is a favorite of mine, and so underrated.

I love Grenache (aka Garnacha) in blends—like Côtes du Rhône, CdP, or in tempranillo blends—but I have yet to find a 100% Grenache varietal that really strikes my fancy. They tend to be a little too light-bodied for my taste. But, I'm always on the lookout! What is your favorite 100% Grenache?

 

[Winemaker]

I love Grenache (aka Garnacha) in blends—like Côtes du Rhône, CdP, or in tempranillo blends—but I have yet to find a 100% Grenache varietal that really strikes my fancy. They tend to be a little too light-bodied for my taste. But, I'm always on the lookout! What is your favorite 100% Grenache?

I cheat big time; but that's what's great about making your own wine. It's my own wine sourced from Suisun Valley, I believe from Mangel's Vineyard, and sometimes from Mettler's Vineyard near Lodi. I made about 20 gallons last year, but if I can get time to recondition my 30 gallon barrel this summer, I'll make 40 gallons. Gotta have enough for the angels to sip on while aging. I did add a little to my Tempranillo this year for my first Rioja.


When I make my Grenache, I crush my grapes, remove 10% juice for a rose'. and chill the must for 3 days for a cold soak. A grape's flavor and color come from the skins, so the soaking leaches more of both, plus with 10% less juice to soak with 100% skins. It is a hardier, darker wine than most, and I love the slight "spiciness". Great with charred/grilled octopus/chorizo with fried potato cubes, fire roasted tomatoes and loads of paprika!

 

[audreyh1]

I’m not a big Garnacha fan, but I’ve had some Spanish ones that were excellent.

 

[MichaelB]

I’m not a big Garnacha fan, but I’ve had some Spanish ones that were excellent.

Garnacha makes a great sangria.

 

[oiseux]

Any recommendations for reasonably priced good wines at Total Wine? My friend is looking to purchase wines for a party she is hosting. She is interested in red wines and Rosés.

The selection at TW does vary by location. For rose, you are best suited to choosing a French one from Cotes de Provence --- as pale pink/gray as possible. Bandol is a good AOC but is priced on the high end, and you can get decent wine for less.

The world is wide open, literally, on Reds, however, as it is impossible to provide a good recommendation from TW without knowing more about preferences and budget. Given the menu and if the intent is a lower budget, I'd try a California Zin, Syrah or blend, an Italian Chianti or Super Tuscan, French Cote de Rhone or Spanish Tempranillo.

 

[oiseux]

I remember going to small grocers, bring your own liter bottle and refilling from a giant cask. $3 euros. Not great, not bad.

You can still go to places and fill up your containers (or buy one there). In France, look for Vin en Vrac. Sometime wine shops will have this, or town cooperatives. Perhaps more than 3E a litre, but not hugely expensive. The places I've seen will allow you to have a taste before buying.

There are some places in California that do the same.

 

[Winemaker]

Garnacha makes a great sangria.

At a restaurant, Sangria is usually all left over wines from the previous day mixed with some fruit, fruit juice, and a mixer. If no left over wine is left over at a one's house, then yes, Grenache can be a good start for a Sangria.

 

[Jenna]

Porto, Portugal home of Port wine....if you think you don't like Port, you might be pleasantly surprised. We found a wonderful brand/tasting room along the Douro Valley-Sandman. We liked the mild one-it's called white but it's Orange in color. Wine is my favorite souvenir.

 

[JackJester]

For those just getting into red wines and confused by terminology, this summary might be helpful that I found on-line:

Bordeaux: A blend of at least two different "noble grape" varieties grown in the Bordeaux region of France.
Meritage: Wine made from US-grown grapes that adhere to the Bordeaux rules of wine making. The only difference is the wines were grown in the US and the winery pays a marketing fee to the Meritage organization. Meritage is the combination of two words—MERIT and HERITAGE. Therefore the pronunciation of Meritage rhymes with heritage.
Noble Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere.

Now, let’s clarify a few things:
If a wine is made in Bordeaux but it contains a different type of grape in the blend—for example, a Pinot Noir—it is no longer considered a Bordeaux but a red blend.
If a wine is grown in Argentina or Spain or Australia, it can be neither a Bordeaux nor a Meritage. It is just a red blend.
If a wine is grown in the US and contains only Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot (all noble grape varieties), but the winery does not pay a licensing fee to the Meritage organization, then it is just a red blend.

 

[anethum]

I was biking in Burgundy and met a French cycling couple who told me I should absolutely visit the nearby Chateau de Meursault in the Cote d'Or. There was a self-guided tour of the winery including the enormous cave with hundreds of barrels of wine and thousands of bottles. At the end, each person was given a wine glass to keep and a taste of 8 wines, 4 white & 4 red. I like burgundies but I honestly didn't like any of the reds I tasted. When I exited the chateau, there was an Australian couple leaving and they asked me what I thought of the wines. I told them the truth. They said they thought the reds were awful. Anyway, I didn't want to carry the glass on my bike so I gave it to them.

I appreciate food a lot more than wine. As for pairings, pizza & beer is the best pairing ever!

 

[audreyh1]

The coolest ever wine cave we visited was Taittinger in Reims France where their champagne bottles were stacked deep underground in limestone caves/underground quarry used since the Roman times. They had bought the old monastery for access to these caves. The caves had also been used during WWI as shelter and an underground hospital.

 

[COcheesehead]

I was biking in Burgundy and met a French cycling couple who told me I should absolutely visit the nearby Chateau de Meursault in the Cote d'Or. There was a self-guided tour of the winery including the enormous cave with hundreds of barrels of wine and thousands of bottles. At the end, each person was given a wine glass to keep and a taste of 8 wines, 4 white & 4 red. I like burgundies but I honestly didn't like any of the reds I tasted. When I exited the chateau, there was an Australian couple leaving and they asked me what I thought of the wines. I told them the truth. They said they thought the reds were awful. Anyway, I didn't want to carry the glass on my bike so I gave it to them.

I appreciate food a lot more than wine. As for pairings, pizza & beer is the best pairing ever!

Some of the wines you tasted could have been 1 er Cru wines and need considerable aging to blossom. One of the reasons I don’t drink any Burgundian wines. I am too old to wait.

 

[Chuckanut]

Some of the wines you tasted could have been 1 er Cru wines and need considerable aging to blossom. One of the reasons I don’t drink any Burgundian wines. I am too old to wait.

Traditional French wines are an acquired taste for many who did not grow up with them. I am used to the fruit forward wines of California and Washington as well as the wines of Italy. French wines initially seemed much harsher to my taste buds. But, I did find they grow on you. And letting them breath for 30 minutes was also a big help.

IMO, the Siciilian Nero d'Avila wines are great with pizza.

 

[COcheesehead]

Traditional French wines are an acquired taste for many who did not grow up with them. I am used to the fruit forward wines of California and Washington as well as the wines of Italy. French wines initially seemed much harsher to my taste buds. But, I did find they grow on you. And letting them breath for 30 minutes was also a big help.

IMO, the Siciilian Nero d'Avila wines are great with pizza.

If you looking for more fruit forward French wines you might like the wines from the Gigondas region of southern France. More raspberry, licorice, pepper spice flavor notes. They are priced well too.
Cheers

 

[audreyh1]

French wines are generally drier than other countries’ wines using the same grape. for example the Alsace region wines were a revelation compared to the German equivalents. I find usually I prefer the drier French versions. We always have food with wine so that may be part of it.

 

[oiseux]

If you looking for more fruit forward French wines you might like the wines from the Gigondas region of southern France. More raspberry, licorice, pepper spice flavor notes. They are priced well too.
Cheers

Gigondas is growing in popularity, and the prices are starting to creep upwards (I always cellar a few bottles, as I like it). I was in the charming village a few months back --- had a good time exploring the food and wine of the Southern Rhone. Want to go back.

American wines (especially Californian) tend to be ripened longer, with a higher alcohol content, with more oak, fewer tannins. I've heard some call it the "Robert Parker" effect (which also extends into France, especially in Bordeaux).

 

[COcheesehead]

Gigondas is growing in popularity, and the prices are starting to creep upwards (I always cellar a few bottles, as I like it). I was in the charming village a few months back --- had a good time exploring the food and wine of the Southern Rhone. Want to go back.

American wines (especially Californian) tend to be ripened longer, with a higher alcohol content, with more oak, fewer tannins. I've heard some call it the "Robert Parker" effect (which also extends into France, especially in Bordeaux).

Climate also comes into play. Hotter regions like some areas of CA will have higher sugar - brix - levels and come across as ripe. There are cool climate regions though in Santa Barbara or Sonoma County for example that produce savory, lean wines.

 

[explanade]

The coolest ever wine cave we visited was Taittinger in Reims France where their champagne bottles were stacked deep underground in limestone caves/underground quarry used since the Roman times. They had bought the old monastery for access to these caves. The caves had also been used during WWI as shelter and an underground hospital.

I actually visited that one. Never heard of them and wasn't into wine but tagged along with a couple of others who wanted to do a day trip out of Paris

We rented bikes but I don't recall some of the champagne houses are some distance apart so we went to Veuve Cliquot, Domain Chandon and Tattingers but I doubt we got around by bikes.

And if you taste too much, probably not a good idea to drive to or bike to too many tastings.

 

[audreyh1]

We had a lovely champagne visit based in Reims. The first full day we went on an all day minivan tour to Epernay visiting lots of sites including the Moët Chandon vineyards and the Abbey Church were Dom Perignon was buried, and having a multi-course “champagne lunch” at a smaller champagne producer, a visiting a few other producers. The tour was led by a guide whose mother produces grapes for Moët Chandon, and and harvesting is still a family affair. The next day DH and I explored Reims by bus and visited a couple of Reims producers including Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot. The cathedral is very historic and they had a night time laser show which was fantastic.

We had traveled to Reims after several days in the Alsace region - more great wine tourism.

If this was 2015, we started the whole thing with a multi-day tour of the Loire Valley chateaux and luckily discovered Sancerre during it.

 

[Palmtree]

No recommendations on roses, but Marietta Old Vine Red has been pretty reliable over the years. For a little more tanin and body, Bogle Cabernet. For more yet, Bogle Petite Sirah. You shouldn't have to pay more than $10 for any of them.

Bogle Old Vine Zin is our go to house red. The 2018 was good. The 2020 is still good for the price. Only around $10 or so. The 2019 was by far the best. I wish we had stocked up on that year because we can't find it anymore. (and we've looked!) We've sipped our way through dozens of cases of this wine over the years. My wife will start start dropping hints to buy more everytime we are down to our last case.

 

[Phroig]

19 Crimes has a decent red blend for under $10. For a bit more, Bogle Phantom.