Calling all wine enthusiasts

[Dave_L]

So I'm starting to enjoy wine more and more and would like to get a decent collection for my house. However, I'm still a n00b at it all and just seeing if anyone here has some good recommendations. I'd like to keep maybe 4-5 bottles at my house at all times so a nice variety would be good so I could be ready for any occassion.

[hatchbackgirl]

Depends on what kind you like, red or white? do you like dry or sweet wine? I can probably give you some recommendations depending on what you like. I am also just getting into the whole "wine" thing, but I went to the Colorado Wine Festival last month and tried some pretty good Colorado wines.

I like dessert wines and sweet wines... dry wine is really not my thing. Let me know, and I'll drop some names to you :D

[stu]

Wine gives me a headache, so I don't drink it.

[Martian]

TD wine and spirits off of Chatfield and Wadsworth can answer all your questions.:drink:

[Terry]

Gets so Arbor Mist you woman

[Dave_L]

I used to only like white wine but I've started to like the reds too. Not so much the heavy ones though. I don't know how else to explain what I like. My sister is a huge wine fan so she just goes "Here try this one" but I never know what they're called. I'd like to have a good dessert wine and couple good whites and some good reds to go with dinner (chicken, steak, pasta etc).

[Skaterkid]

Jack Daniels started making wine?

[Dave_L]

:rofl: Suprisingly, I haven't drank JD in about 3-4 months.

[talice]

Mmmmm.. Merlot is my fav wine of choice. Chardonnay is great too. Chateau Cheval Blanc is also great wine. The older the wine, the better it will be in most cases. My mom is kinda a wine freak, so I grew up on it. If you have any questions about a certain type of wine, Im sure she could answer it for you. Sooo, just let me know!

[nicklk]

I love wine, one of the perks of living in Oregon is that it is one of the best locations in the US for quality wines.

I REALLY like chianti and pinot noir as far as reds. Chianti is a good "dessert" wine, but is tastey with alot of foods. Pinot noir is good for all sorts of food as well.

[hatchbackgirl]

Well, here are a couple good recommendations: (they are both COLORADO made)

This goes well with brownies, pork, chicken, ham... it is available at Total Beverage on 92nd and Sheridan and is about $13 a bottle. sweet baby red from Carlson winery.

http://www.carlsonvineyards.com/images/products/LargeSweetBabyRed05.jpg

awesome, sweet honey wine from Redstone meadery in Boulder: (also available at Total Bev) this one is very sweet, we both loved it! It costs about $20 a bottle and has a longer shelf life than regular wine due to the honey. I think they said it can last a couple weeks after being opened. Just food for thought...

http://redstonemeadery.com/store/images_thumbnails/t_3.jpg

I'll find some more and post them when I get home tonite. =)

[Dave_L]

Thanks people. I get overwhelmed by the wine section at most liqour stores. Mostly because I have no idea what to look for. I know that the older they are, they better they usually are. But other than that, I'm lost. haha.

[nicklk]

My suggestions:

http://www.hawesko.de/hw2/images/large/0707D21AAE6742028F00.jpg

Gabbianno Chianti Classico

http://www.wegmans.com/images/greatmeals/tastings/erath_Noir.jpg

Erath Pinot Noir

[Skaterkid]

Who are you and what have you done with Dave_L.

[DrJones]

http://tropicalfruition.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/carlo-rossi-paisano.jpg

[chris_venturini]

when you first start drinking you wont really be able to tell until youve had alot of one type. I recommend drinking one type of wine for a while. Once you can tell the difference and know whats good and whats not move on to a different wine. Its one of those things you just have to try to learn, cant really tell ya. Just dont start with a Pinot Noir, cause then youll look like an uber noob.

*eats wine and cake will driving porsche*

[nicklk]

Just dont start with a Pinot Noir, cause then youll look like an uber noob.


Noobs start with merlots and cabernet sauvignons

[hatchbackgirl]

oh, and avoid anything in a box.

HAHAHA.... :D

[doogie06]

http://tropicalfruition.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/carlo-rossi-paisano.jpg

Oh Jesus...that stuff is the devil.

[Mario]

Thanks people. I get overwhelmed by the wine section at most liqour stores. Mostly because I have no idea what to look for. I know that the older they are, they better they usually are. But other than that, I'm lost. haha.

Same here, thanks for making this thread Dave because I'm looking to increase my wine collection here too. I've had Little Penguin and Yellow Tail, and they were pretty decent.

If anyone has any specific recommendations for Italian food too, that'd be awesome. :)

[chris_venturini]

box wine can actually be not that bad

[Kwando]

i've also wanted to get into wine drinking... i like sweet wine, dry wine is nasty.

[hatchbackgirl]

You're right Mario, yellow tail is a decent wine and the price is right too. I have only tried the Shiraz, but I would like to try their other wines as well. For $6 a bottle, you can't go wrong!

Simon - I hate it too, Dry wine makes your mouth feel like it's full of cotton!

[Mario]

You're right Mario, yellow tail is a decent wine and the price is right too. I have only tried the Shiraz, but I would like to try their other wines as well. For $6 a bottle, you can't go wrong!

Simon - I hate it too, Dry wine makes your mouth feel like it's full of cotton!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was the Shiraz I had. Maybe I'll pick up another bottle.

Yeah I can't stand dry wine either.

Are there any places around us Dave that have a pretty good wine selection? The only larger liquor store I can think of is Davidson's Liquor's off County Line and Holly.

[hatchbackgirl]

we went to this place for a friend who had some photos up in the art gallery at this winery and we did a wine tasting. They are on 46th and Pecos and offer some good wines. I'd like to go back and buy a couple bottles.

http://www.coloradowineassociation.com/Wineries/FrontRangeRegion/BonacquistiWineCompany/tabid/210/Default.aspx

[chris_venturini]

like beer its an acquired taste, ive had wine since i was 14 and didnt start to appreciate dry wines till recently

[DrJones]

IMO there are no good wines, only wines that taste slightly less bad than the others...

[john]

I'm a fan of reds, and the bigger the better. Cabernet, Syrah/Shiraz and Petite Syrah for the most part. Australian reds are good, and are pretty consistent as most of the vineyards swap grapes with each other for their blends.

If you feel like splurging, your friendly neighborhood wine store should have a bottle of Stags Leap (Calif) Petite Syrah. $35-$40 per bottle, but quite good.

In my travels I've been able to spend some time at the Vino Volo wine room in the Dulles airport. They have 3-4 very good reds on the menu most of the time. I brought home a bottle or 2 from time to time, but as soon as my wife sees them - well, let's just say they never make it into storage. :)

There are good wines, and some really nasty wines out there. The $10-15 pricepoint is where I like to be. One of our current faves is Ramsay Cabernet - a decent Napa Valley wine under $15.

Just have fun with it. Find out what you like, what you could take or leave, and what you'd definitely leave behind, then start experimenting.

I have a hard time with whites - there's no body. Big reds, baybee - that's where it's at. :)

[Jackrabbit]

I like a lot of bold reds.
I drink a lot of Zinfandel, Shiraz, and actually I like a lot of blends. Wine buying and drinking is one of the most daunting tasks one can undertake. I work at a high end law firm where my bosses by $100 bottles of wine by the case and $25K paintings weekly, it's to the point where I feel like a $25 bottle of wine is equivalent to MD 20/20. :D
For a beginner, I suggest a large liquor store where they will have wine ratings posted. Argonaut downtown, Applejack out NW, and such.

Seriously, people make a living off of rating wine. You're not gonna get any serious tips from the local ricer board. LOL!

[Dave_L]

There have been some quality posts in here. It's because it's only the older crowd posting so they actually know what they are talking about. Thanks for all the info guys! Looks like it's time for some trial and error. :)

There is a huge liqour store in castle rock called bubbles. It's like 20,000+ sq ft and half of it is wine. So i'll swing by there this weekend and get some starter bottles.

[TXKompressor]

I never was very big on wine until I met Jamie, she has rubbed of on me and her parents have a wine cellar with over 500 different wines.. Ranging from very expensive to basic table wine.

Now when you are starting off a collection there is a few things to start off with... mostly get your favorites and a few of everyones favorites.. Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz/ Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon - these are our favorites but on hand we always have a Merlot, Reisling and Sauvignon Blanc.

One rule that is general but not 100%
Whites go good with - White meat, white sauces and lighter colored food.
reds go good with - red meat red sauces and darker foods.

One Thing to check out is some of the places around town will have wine tastings. go there check out and taste the different types of wines and find what type you like and then go to the liquor store and get some recommendations of types...

Or splurge and go to a winery and and take tours. We have been to Napa, Temecula and here in the hill country of Texas they have some good wineries we have taken tours of... when you get serious get a cooler for your kitchen...

[hatchbackgirl]

I never was very big on wine until I met Jamie, she has rubbed of on me and her parents have a wine cellar with over 500 different wines.. Ranging from very expensive to basic table wine.

Now when you are starting off a collection there is a few things to start off with... mostly get your favorites and a few of everyones favorites.. Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz/ Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon - these are our favorites but on hand we always have a Merlot, Reisling and Sauvignon Blanc.

One rule that is general but not 100%
Whites go good with - White meat, white sauces and lighter colored food.
reds go good with - red meat red sauces and darker foods.

One Thing to check out is some of the places around town will have wine tastings. go there check out and taste the different types of wines and find what type you like and then go to the liquor store and get some recommendations of types...

Or splurge and go to a winery and and take tours. We have been to Napa, Temecula and here in the hill country of Texas they have some good wineries we have taken tours of... when you get serious get a cooler for your kitchen...

Those little coolers are nice, I'd like to get one someday.

[TXKompressor]

Got mine at Home Depot on sale for $70 and it fits 20 bottles, with two different sections, one we keep at 65 degrees and the other at 45 degrees... pretty awesome and it is stainless with glass front...

[lswhitecivic]

Simon - I hate it too, Dry wine makes your mouth feel like it's full of cotton!


That feeling comes from the tannin in the wine. The same thing can happen when you drink a strong tea or eat a pomegranate.

One of the reasons that older wines are generally better is that wines with higher tannin will soften with age.

[hatchbackgirl]

Got mine at Home Depot on sale for $70 and it fits 20 bottles, with two different sections, one we keep at 65 degrees and the other at 45 degrees... pretty awesome and it is stainless with glass front...

wow, that is a good deal.... I'm going to buy some more wine today. We might have to check those out at Home Depot soon!

[2genCRX]

IMO there are no good wines, only wines that taste slightly less bad than the others...

:werd: and :werd:

[chrisbarnett01]

and actually I like a lot of blends.

me too.

For the most part the responses in this thread are written by wine noobs.

Go to a high end restaurant or wine shop, and talk to the sommelier. Or go to some wine tastings. Everyone likes different things. I like Spanish blends, Italian cabs, and various Portuguese wines more than others, but I will drink most anything red.

At the lq I tend to stay in the $25-$30 range, which translates to $80 to $110 at a restaurant, since they markup all wines about 3x over retail. There are good wines in every price range, so literally just pick a price range and buy a few bottles of different types. Pick a region or grape, and go nuts.

[hatchbackgirl]

me too.

For the most part the responses in this thread are written by wine noobs.

Go to a high end restaurant or wine shop, and talk to the sommelier. Or go to some wine tastings. Everyone likes different things. I like Spanish blends, Italian cabs, and various Portuguese wines more than others, but I will drink most anything red.

At the lq I tend to stay in the $25-$30 range, which translates to $80 to $110 at a restaurant, since they markup all wines about 3x over retail. There are good wines in every price range, so literally just pick a price range and buy a few bottles of different types. Pick a region or grape, and go nuts.

yes, you're so right about all of that... it's a good idea to try different things because different people naturally have different tastes.

I picked up these bottles tonite: (I spent $14 total)

http://www.weimax.com/images/Magnificent_House_Wine.gif

http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/150_0000049217_0000081642.gif