Favorite Bottle of Wine

[Chicago88]

Now I understand where you are coming from. If I would have known that I would have explained a little more on my perspective. Sea Smoke is a fabulous wine and Ive never even heard of the movie Sideways. Im sure I can tell you what restaurant that is because there are very limited restaurants in Dallas who carry it. I compliment the guests choice regardless of if its a 40 dollar bottle of BR Cohn, or a 150 dollar bottle. Everyone's taste buds are different and I'm not one to judge what you like / dislike.

Munchkin: I completely understand and I'm not offended by anyones snark towards me. And dont take this the wrong way, sure its a right of passage but sometimes is it necessary? Just from lurking on other threads and posts I see some thing that are unjustified, and some things deserve far more snarkiness than provided.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Chicago88

Now I understand where you are coming from. If I would have known that I would have explained a little more on my perspective. Sea Smoke is a fabulous wine and Ive never even heard of the movie Sideways. Im sure I can tell you what restaurant that is because there are very limited restaurants in Dallas who carry it. I compliment the guests choice regardless of if its a 40 dollar bottle of BR Cohn, or a 150 dollar bottle. Everyone's taste buds are different and I'm not one to judge what you like / dislike.

Munchkin: I completely understand and I'm not offended by anyones snark towards me. And dont take this the wrong way, sure its a right of passage but sometimes is it necessary? Just from lurking on other threads and posts I see some thing that are unjustified, and some things deserve far more snarkiness than provided.

Of course snark isn't necessary, but it's just a reality. These boards are a microcosm of life. What you may not realize when someone doesn't get "appropriately snarked", is that other usernames know that they don't want to go tit-for-tat with certain people. And, let's face it....sometimes you know in going tit-for-tat with one person, others are going to jump in. There are cliques on GC, and rather than taking on the whole clique, people let certain people slide with more than others. Of course it's not fair, but such is life.

[KSig RC]

Welp, this thread got tarded up fast ... but oddly, not in the way I expected.

Besides, everybody knows that the most important determining factor for majority wine sales is price point, and "name recognition" is probably mainly a result of that. With that in mind ...

Most people who buy off the shelf at big-box stores will find a few things they like and stick to them. In that under-$25 range there are some fantastic deals though - Louis Martini's Napa Cab is solid, for example, and the Stonehedge line does pretty well across the board for a 10-dollar bottle of juice. Advances in non-varietal wines (like Big House White, which performs amazingly in food pairings), while really douching in the Cheerios of traditionalists, make for some really good values too, especially for "mixed pallets" (ie people who like, uh, everything).

Malbecs are kind of last week's hot new thing, so I'd expect most non-dedicated wine shops to be flooded with piles of junk on the low end, catering to people who read an article. Even then though, Tilia is just blow-out huge, and Archaval Ferrer has been really good for me.

If you're going shitty, btw, I'd suggest skipping nearly every "name" label and instead try something like Rex Goliath or older-date Penfolds stuff on the bottom shelf.

[PincGator Que]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Welp, this thread got tarded up fast ... but oddly, not in the way I expected.

Besides, everybody knows that the most important determining factor for majority wine sales is price point, and "name recognition" is probably mainly a result of that. With that in mind ...

Most people who buy off the shelf at big-box stores will find a few things they like and stick to them. In that under-$25 range there are some fantastic deals though - Louis Martini's Napa Cab is solid, for example, and the Stonehedge line does pretty well across the board for a 10-dollar bottle of juice. Advances in non-varietal wines (like Big House White, which performs amazingly in food pairings), while really douching in the Cheerios of traditionalists, make for some really good values too, especially for "mixed pallets" (ie people who like, uh, everything).

Malbecs are kind of last week's hot new thing, so I'd expect most non-dedicated wine shops to be flooded with piles of junk on the low end, catering to people who read an article. Even then though, Tilia is just blow-out huge, and Archaval Ferrer has been really good for me.

If you're going shitty, btw, I'd suggest skipping nearly every "name" label and instead try something like Rex Goliath or older-date Penfolds stuff on the bottom shelf.

All this right here wasn't even necessary.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Advances in non-varietal wines (like Big House White, which performs amazingly in food pairings), while really douching in the Cheerios of traditionalists, make for some really good values too, especially for "mixed pallets" (ie people who like, uh, everything).

I bought a bottle of Big House Red once and wanted to try it but ended up being invited to a party last minute and grabbing a wine out of the rack to take along (usually I go to the liquor store and put a little more thought into what I take to parties rather than grabbing the bottle that looked interesting on the shelf at Target).

Have you tried the red? Any good?

I love me some random finger lakes wines, and I'll drink pretty much anything at least once. I appreciate wine in all its varients, and I don't care what the price point is as long as I have enough in my wallet to cover it.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Welp, this thread got tarded up fast ... but oddly, not in the way I expected.

Besides, everybody knows that the most important determining factor for majority wine sales is price point, and "name recognition" is probably mainly a result of that. With that in mind ...

Most people who buy off the shelf at big-box stores will find a few things they like and stick to them. In that under-$25 range there are some fantastic deals though - Louis Martini's Napa Cab is solid, for example, and the Stonehedge line does pretty well across the board for a 10-dollar bottle of juice. Advances in non-varietal wines (like Big House White, which performs amazingly in food pairings), while really douching in the Cheerios of traditionalists, make for some really good values too, especially for "mixed pallets" (ie people who like, uh, everything).

Malbecs are kind of last week's hot new thing, so I'd expect most non-dedicated wine shops to be flooded with piles of junk on the low end, catering to people who read an article. Even then though, Tilia is just blow-out huge, and Archaval Ferrer has been really good for me.

If you're going shitty, btw, I'd suggest skipping nearly every "name" label and instead try something like Rex Goliath or older-date Penfolds stuff on the bottom shelf.

I have a bottle of his Finca Altamira 2003 in my wine cabinet that I'm not allowed to touch along with three bottles of his regular 2008 Malbec. As for Malbec being last week's hot new thing...it happens to all wines. Pinot Noir, Cabernet, etc. Wineries figure out that people like something so they start cranking out crappy bottles just to make a buck. It doesn't make the good ones less enjoyable.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by agzg

Have you tried the red? Any good?

A looooooooooong time ago, yes, during a tasting. I recall thinking of it as a great "grilling wine" - not heavy, medium body. For the price, it's definitely worth a shot.

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I have a bottle of his Finca Altamira 2003 in my wine cabinet that I'm not allowed to touch along with three bottles of his regular 2008 Malbec.

Nice! How much do you guys cellar? I don't have anything at all right now, although we have a good space ... I need to look more into getting moving on that, but wine takes so much time anymore, and I don't really have occasion to move off the middle shelf like, ever ... maybe friends having kids, or birthdays.

As for Malbec being last week's hot new thing...it happens to all wines. Pinot Noir, Cabernet, etc. Wineries figure out that people like something so they start cranking out crappy bottles just to make a buck. It doesn't make the good ones less enjoyable.

Oh definitely - I agree totally, the good ones are still excellent, and there's a good reason why some wines become the "hot new thing" ... they're good!

I was just saying what you were - that the market gets flooded on the low/medium end, so spend some time looking around/tasting and find the ones you like best. I might have just said it worse, haha.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Nice! How much do you guys cellar? I don't have anything at all right now, although we have a good space ... I need to look more into getting moving on that, but wine takes so much time anymore, and I don't really have occasion to move off the middle shelf like, ever ... maybe friends having kids, or birthdays.

We got the Finca Altamira as a second bottle along with one to give my Chairman who introduced me to Malbec. It's one of the few bottles that we moved to Phoenix with us since it's hard to get wine cross country in 100 degree weather so we wrapped it up in clothes and checked about ten bottles in luggage. In B'more we had a 90 bottle antique riddling rack that we left behind and average about 45-55 bottles at a time. My husband goes on buying sprees. Right now, we probably have 30 bottles, but he's also been distracted by Scotch. Go figure. It's easier to find wine in Phoenix than Maryland because we have HUGE wine stores here.

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Oh definitely - I agree totally, the good ones are still excellent, and there's a good reason why some wines become the "hot new thing" ... they're good!

I was just saying what you were - that the market gets flooded on the low/medium end, so spend some time looking around/tasting and find the ones you like best. I might have just said it worse, haha.

I figured that's what you were saying...just translating since someone posted that your post was unnecessary. I'm trying to figure out where they're going next with the next new thing. I just drink what I like if I'm picking by the glass or what my husband puts in front of me if drinking by the bottle.