Favorite wine variety (spam on subject)

[fable]

Just curious. Assuming you drink wine, rather than BS' Thunderbird.

Can be variety (burgundy, merlot, etc) or brand.

[dragon wench]

I really like Pinot Noir, Red Zinfandels (not that awful pink stuff) and Shiraz.
Later I'll mention some specific vineyards

I also enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, though my preference tends to be for the spicier varietals I mention above.

I'm iffy on whites, but on a hot day a well chilled dry Riesling or Chardonnay can be tasty.

[Chanak]

A good merlot settles it all for me. I've never been one to be picky about the vineyard...as long as it isn't Boone's Strawberry Hill, I'm okay with it.
However, once in a while I will seek out a good Muscadine wine. If you've never tried it before, you ought to. It's a perfect table wine.

[oozae]

I think I prefer white, so does my dad, there be no more white wine in the household now But there are two reds, one I just won going to a charity thingy, (everyone there are close friends, there was only about 20 people there) and another one my dad bought with the white. One is Wolf Blass Shiraz Cabernet Sauvingnon 2002 SA, the other is Forest Hill Vineyard 2001 Cabernet Sauvingnon WA.

[Moonbiter]

It's pretty seasonal with me. From around Easter I usually switch to white, and then a nice, smooth Sancerre. I also like a good, dry Chablis, but it tends to mess with my tummy. As for red, I tend to go with Bordeaux. Chateau Mercier has sort of become the "dinner wine" in our household, though it is a bit pricey. For general use I also have a weakness for a Italian one, a Sangiovese from Toscana.

[Luis Antonio]

Malbec! Try some Malbec from Argentina, you'll never want to stop drinking. Its complex, with a very good smell, taste, goes well with food or just with bread, if you like feeling the taste of the vino.

Also, Shiraz is very good, strong, with a rich flavour.

[Macleod1701]

A nice medium dry white always hits the spot. None specifically as long as it isn't the really cheap £2 bottle that's really just vinigar

[jopperm2]

Wow! You can buy wine for £2? Nasty. I prefer whites. I like riesling for a sweet or pinot grigio if I want to go drier.

I think the reason I'm not big on red is that my first experience with wine was with the red "house wine" at a seafood restaurant in Normandy. First of all, let me say that any wine without a name that is free and comes in a gravy boat is not worth drinking, especially if you've never had wine before and you're 16. I think that experience spoiled reds for me.

I had a similar experience with rum, except that the gravy boat was a half-drank bottle of Fruitopia complete with backwash. It was hot too since it had been on the floor of my friend's car all day. Yuck! I DON'T drink rum, period.

[moltovir]

Call me weird, but I prefer Retsina, even though most people say it tastes like oil (I wouldn't know, I never drank oil)

[frogus23]

I've drank oil, and Retsina loses out -with oil breath you can immolate your foes, with retsina breath you can just get slapped.

I don't think it is possible to get any wine for £2 in the UK, although lord knows I've haggled.

My favourite wine is one called Il Borgo Rosso, which is £5.99 for 2 litres, and still tastes like wine you get to the bottom of the bottle.

[fable]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luis Antonio Malbec! Try some Malbec from Argentina, you'll never want to stop drinking. Its complex, with a very good smell, taste, goes well with food or just with bread, if you like feeling the taste of the vino.

I'll have to keep an eye open for it, then. The US has become an increasingly avid market for international wines over the last decade, and there's a lot available. It's one area where it seems Dubya hasn't tried to play politics with heavy import duties; but then, as the state being most likely hurt by wine imports is California, traditionally Democrat, the Republican administration probably doesn't care that much.

[Luis Antonio]

@Fable, I bought a bottle of the finest Malbec for my dad four years ago. He drinked it, (it was the first malbec to enter our house) and we never stop buying malbec wines. The better malbec come from Argentina, always, so forget malbec if you find some from uruguay or from Brazil (gotta be honest).

@Molto, what is Retsina?

[fable]

We'll probably be out this weekend, and swing by the local liquor warehouse. They have a good selection, if not great, but I'm sure we'll find something. Do you recommend a particular winery for Malbec?

[Luis Antonio]

Lagarde - very very good, the better actually.
We also have bought good malbecs from Finca Flishman, Terrazas, Luigi Bosco. These three last are more suited for every day consuption (not that expensives) while Lagarde would be far more suited for a special ocasion. Well, we dont have tons of money to burn in expensive wines, and those are an "average cost vino" set.

[jopperm2]

@Frogus, any idea what £5.99 works out to USD? The wines I buy are usually in the $6-9 US range.. Unless I want something nicer for an occasion.

Anyone heard of Chenin Blanc? I bought one last night and I've never heard of it. The price was right and the description on the bottle was nice, so I thought I would try something new. I haven't opened it yet.