Wine talk 🍷

[surfdog]

FWIW... SOME of my current faves come from...
http://jaxonkeyswinery.com/
https://oakmountainwinery.com/
https://www.orfila.com/
http://www.freywine.com/

I belong to SEVERAL winery “clubs” which means I get NUMEROUS bottles every other month or so...but these ones seem to be the most consistent with tasty wines...AND they ship. :-)

[Huskee]

Rombauer is my wife & her sister's all time favorite (her sister is a big wine gal like my wife). When we go to a nice anniversary-style dinner out that's the bottle they/she orders. I'm with you on whites, not sure I'd know a really good white vs. a so-so one, other than what my wife tells me. She really loves "Butter" chardonnay (inexpensive) and "Butternut" as well.

[bronzewound]

A number of years back a friend from California made it here to beautiful New hampshire and she couldn't believe the wine prices for CA wines here in NH. She said we can't buy most of what you have here for less back home even on sale. Made me feel pretty good. The downside is that some of the really special wines from small vineyards never make it here. A great go to everyday cab is Decoy for about $16 and change from the Duckhorn vineyards. I'm not a big white wine fan but if you want to really feel special Rombauer chard is spectacular though pricey at $35 here in the Granite State.

[fzxdoc]

We've enjoyed Josh Legacy too. It's a tasty red blend that goes well with burgers or steaks in our house. Glad to hear you like it too, smokin fool .

Kathryn

[smokin fool]

Finally opened this red called Josh.
Its a very tasty addition to anyone’s meal
First taste is a fruity explosion, very smooth with no aftertaste to my palette at least
Even my wife liked it and she’s not a red person

[Huskee]

Good point about branching out. Normally I never would have bought a wine called "petite" anything if I'd seen it on a shelf. But petite sirah is now my all time favorite, the boldest of the bold reds I've tried. Also never would've given red zinfandel a shot either ("it's not cabernet? Then no thanks") but man is a good zin made great when enjoyed with spicy peppery BBQ! Thank you for sharing this!

[obiQsmoker]

Variety is the Spice of Life!

My “Wine Sensory” instructor really opened my eyes to the incredible variety of wines out there. She challenged us on two fronts:
1) Smell and taste everything you can - you’ll be amazed how that expands your ability to describe and talk about wine.
2) Seek out and experience new wines. You never know when your new favorite will show up.

While it’s true that most of us buy the same few wines over and over, it prevents new discovery. That was me for sure.
But staring at a wall of wine and no clue where to begin is frustrating. Sure, there are some in the store that know their selection and can help make informed choices, and getting to know your “wine guy/gal” helps, but for me, I wanted to understand a bit about the wines I was considering. Good luck with that.

After watching the movie/documentary “Somm”, I heard that Ian Cauble had started a wine business. A little digging took me to his web site called “Somm Select”. (https://www.sommselect.com)
The premise is simple:
- Sign-up for his email list...
- You receive 1-2 email offers per day, in which he explains the wine, its history, vineyards, winemakers, winemaking, and tasting notes.
- Ignore the email or buy the wine.

He’s looking for delicious wine, often importing direct from small wineries we’d never see in a store.
I was intrigued, gave it a try to see if his tasting notes described a wine in ways I could relate to, and I’m kinda hooked.
His offerings are priced anywhere between about $14 and $”are-you-kidding-me!?”.
I love his build-a-case deal where he ships for free (US I think) when you’ve assembled a full case of 12.
I’ve tasted probably 50 grapes I’d never even heard of, and learned a lot about wines from all over the planet, all from the comfort of my iPad.

No, I have no affiliation with SommSelect - I just appreciate their offering, have learned from them, and have enjoyed amazing wines I feel I understood a bit BEFORE buying them.

If you’re interested in learning about wine in an easy, straightforward format, I love these folks and refer here often:
https://winefolly.com

For me, Wine is a bit like travel; as we explore, it’s fun to see (taste) what’s around the next bend. Makes me smile.
Cheers!

[smokin fool]

Agree with the broken rules thing.
I drink reds with everything, my wife drinks white wine spritzers.
Rarely will she drink a wine without soda water.
And the cork thing is another peeve, just because a wine has a screw cap its not just another bottle of some old plonk.
Many excellent wines come without a cork.

[smokin fool]

I go against the grain on temps, I prefer my reds chilled and whites closer to room temp.
My sister absolutely loses her mind at me about chilling my reds.

[smokin fool]

Other than its a California Red not to much at this point, blended & bottled by Joseph Carr at Josh Cellers in Hopeland. CA. No vintage marked on the label.
I usually only but Ontario VQA reds, this was a fathers day gift and the next bottle up on the rack.
Give me a few days and I will come back with my thoughts.

[mountainsmoker]

I totally agree Huskee most folks can get by with 3-4 reds they like for different foods and a 2-3 whites. Just pick them to go with the foods they eat. Then pick 2-3 to sip on when they want to relax. When they go out to a restaurant try something different and if there is a sommelier use his/hers experience. We will always try something we don't have or haven't tried before. As far as rules I have drank reds with tuna and bluefish and whites with veal and sweatbreads. Rules are made to be broken.

[Huskee]

I don't believe in rules with wine, that = snobbery. Drink whatever wine you like and can afford with whatever meal, when something works or doesn't, make a mental note. Drink wine at whatever temp you like. Me, that's room temp (65-70 for reds), halfway between fridge and room temp for whites (so 55-60).

[mountainsmoker]

@ObiQmoker if you are in a restaurant with a 14 page wine list and a Somm always take advantage of there experience. Quietly let them know your price range, your preference in taste and what you are leaning towards having for dinner. Strike up a conversation, how long have they been there, have they passed the Somm exams, are they studying for them, how many bottles are in the cellar, what temp do they keep it at. It will make you sound like you know something about wine. Never drink any wine at room temp. A red should be drank at around 60-65 degrees and whites at 50-55.

[obiQsmoker]

A friend brought a Josh Sauv Blanc to a BBQ last month - delicious! Will seek them out to try more. What can you tell me about this winery?

[smokin fool]

In our case we don't frequent establishments that have a Somm on staff, but this is excellent advise a bottle of wine can detract from a dining experience as fast as enhancing it.
Gets ones self out of those wine ruts every so often, same brand because I like it.