Your Wine Preference

[rsbeck]

Please feel free to vote more than once -- vote for any of the wines you drink when you drink wine.

1) Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet based Bordeaux blends.

2) Merlot -- the much maligned wine from the movie Sideways.

2) Pinot Noir -- Or French Burgundy -- same grape.

4) Rhone varietals -- Syrah (Shiraz), Grenache, Mourvedre and Rhone type blends.

5) Zinfandel

6) Sangiovese

7) Chardonnay -- either American or French white burgundy -- same grape.

8) Sauvignon Blanc

9) Pinot Gris

10) Other -- please explain

[Monkeyboy]

Since these days I tend to eat far more chicken and fish than red meat I have a natural tendency toward white wines in general, but chardonnay in particular. Frankly, I'm glad that it's considered passe` by a lot of the fashion conscious. That means they won't be buying it just to look good to people whose opinions aren't worth a pitcher of warm spit anyway. The problem is that 90% of my collection is reds waiting to mature. I just need to quit buying reds altogether for a while and just buy whites. I prefer them for sipping alone anyway.

[rsbeck]

I agree with you on some of those points. It's hard to find red wine worth drinking that is drinkable when young, but it can be done. Some vintages offer early drinking red wine. Another way to go is to buy wine that is already aged. Find a seller you trust. One that only buys wine that has been stored properly. In this economy, you can get some great deals. You can find highly rated red wine that has been aged and is being sold at a similar and sometimes even lower price than more recent vintages. I like Chardonnay. I don't consider it passe. I need to keep lots of chardonnay on hand in my cellar because so many guests want chardonnay and many guests are not real adventurous. But, personally, I like a lot of other white wines, too. There are times for a chardonnay and there are lots of other times when I want something other than a chardonnay -- especially a big buttery oaky chardonnay. I often want something a little lighter with some other types of flavors, something a little more refreshing to drink before a meal or around the pool or with certain types of food. Plus, if you explore, IMO, you can find really interesting white wines for $10 to $12. Sancerre or Pouilly Fume' (Sauvignon blanc), Vouvray (Chenin blanc), muscadet (dry and mineral), Cotes Du Rhone Blanc (Usually a blend of white grapes from southern Rhone Valley), Pinot Gris or Grigio (same grape, different countries), Viognier, Riesling, Gwurtztraminer (prefer the dry versions, which can be exquisite). From Italy, there is Trebbiano, Grechetto, Vermentino, Verdicchio. IMO, a big difference between red and white wine is that it is a lot easier to find inexpensive white wine that is very interesting and easy (and advisable) to drink young. Not as easy to do that with red wine.

[Soundminded]

I have found many fine California cabs are great for early drinking. Not so for most of the best Bordeaux reds. Some drink well early and then shut down, all flavors and aromas burried under a thick wall of tannin. When they finally emerge they can be teriffic. I've got a lot from the 88, 89, and 90 vintages that are just starting to come around, a few from some other vintages too.

I enjoy champagne and California bubbly. I'll drink it with practically anything. IMO a great value is highly rated Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough district of New Zealand. Wonderful with fish, chicken. Fine Chardonnay is not good drinking by itself for me but when paired with baked salmon it's a marriage made in heaven. Of the one's I've drunk my favorites were Beringer Private Reserve and Berringer Sbraglia Reserve. Roederer Estate Anderson Valley was a wonderful Champagne. I don't remember the vintages of any of these I liked but usually Wine Spectator's ratings are reliable for agreeing with my preferences.

[NorthStar]

I love all good wines, and from all around the world, and from many crus and vintages.
{I'm heavily inclined towards dry red.}

Not a single one is my favorite because not a single day I feel the same.

* I do like Beaujolais from France, and recently several ones from Argentina.

[Soundminded]

I love all good wines, and from all around the world, and from many crus and vintages.
{I'm heavily inclined towards dry red.}

Not a single one is my favorite because not a single day I feel the same.

* I do like Beaujolais from France, and recently several ones from Argentina.

Funny how peferences can vary so much. Of all the wines I ever tasted, French Beaujolais is the one I truly detest most. It tastes to me like what I imagine battery acid would taste like. I find it even worse than California Gamay. The one word I'd use to describe it is sour (some call that fruity.) In the final exam at a wine tasting course, a blind tasting, French Beaujolais was the one I had no problem identifying immediately.

I did however taste one wine that was even worse. A Chinese medicinal wine with a snake and a tiger bone floating around in it left the taste of very rancid walnuts in my mouth for a week. Talk about a wine's finish I thought that one would never come to an end.

[puroagave]

Funny how peferences can vary so much. Of all the wines I ever tasted, French Beaujolais is the one I truly detest most. It tastes to me like what I imagine battery acid would taste like.

I couldn’t agree more. i also dislike most french Bordeauxs priced under $50/btl (tannin heavy, no fruit or polish). methinks there are many French producers laughing their asses off about the stupide Americans that buy it. Im convinced the French keep the best Bordeaux for themselves unless you can splurge at $150/btl. Even then there are many California wines id drink first.

[NorthStar]

But then, there are French Beaujolais, and there are French BEAUJOLAIS!
...Bad ones & Good ones, like anything else in life.

Enjoy, this side of your own palate. Choose your own poison with the utmost care.

"Wine is to Music what Woman is to Man." - Bob

[NorthStar]

Was it a bloody Beaujolais who Jesus the Christ of Nazareth drank with his twelve disciples/apostles for/at the Great Communion around the big table during the Last Supper?

[Orb]

But then, there are French Beaujolais, and there are French BEAUJOLAIS!
...Bad ones & Good ones, like anything else in life.

Enjoy, this side of your own palate. Choose your own poison with the utmost care.

"Wine is to Music what Woman is to Man." - Bob

This is a great point, especially now that supermarkets are heavily involved in the selling of wines.
As an example, in the past Chateauneuf du Pape/Barolo/Fluerie/etc were consistently very good no matter the price variance.
However in more recent times I have noticed it has become more hit and miss, and I feel can be very disappointing if not careful.

One to my mind that is still consistent though and IMO is one of the best for mid-range all way to upper priced red wine, is that of Nuits Saint George.
Never found one yet that has disappointed me yet.

So IMO this just compounds the hit and miss when considering both grape and region (usually covering many wine producers inside) and is too broad these days in identifying a very good bottle of wine.
Agree still useful and essential as a guide though for most of us including me.

Cheers
Orb