Wine - which are your favourites?

[Vintage Paw]

You have similar taste to mine. As far as grape (aka sépage, varietal) is concerned I like Shiraz, Tempranillo, Carmenere, etc. but tend to avoid Merlot and Cab Sauv unless they're blended.

For around £5 or under that would have to be Aussie or Chilean Shiraz, possibly a Californean Zinfandel (vary hugely, try a Fetzer) or a Cape Pinotage. These are what I mostly drink unless I'm feeling flash and can stretch to a good bordeaux, rioja or barolo.

The sharp tannins are more associated with European wines than new worlders, and the southern hemisphere on the whole produces fuller bodied pokier wines due to the hotter sunnier climes.

You may also want to try a chilled Beaujolais, low tannin, high fruit, easy quaffing.

Good vineyards to look out for: Peter Lehmann, Brown Bros, Penfolds, Concha y Toro (Casillero del Diablo), Erazuriz, Cono Sur (their Pinot Noir is very nice), Fetzer, Lindemans. Rarely had anything I didn't like from this lot.

Oddbins is great if you have one near, ask for advice they know their stuff. Co-op is a good place to buy cheaper wine, Tesco's finest range is usually safe.

As far as region (terroir) is concerned I'm a definite novice but I've rarely had a bad bottle of anything out of the Barossa Valley or Maclaren Vale in Australia and if you're feeling flush I find Chateauneuf (a Cotes du Rhone wine) rather overrated, would rather look at decent Bordeaux such as Margaux, Pauillac, St Emillion Grand Cru, etc. or a Burgundy like Gevrey-Chambertin.

There's some good info on Chilean wine here

Mmmmmm, weekend is wine time, I'm off to Co-op

Wow, now there's an in-depth reply

So much to digest - don't know where to start! I'll be taking a big pad of paper to Tesco next time I go (no oddbins round these 'ere parts) with all the recs and can see myself spending a good hour looking at bottles thinking "maybe this one then"

Why no Cab Sauv or Merlot unless blended? Does it 'tang' if not blended, or is there another reason.

Aren't tannins the things that cause the headaches too? Or are they the anti-oxidents?

 

[Herbsman.]

I've got an oddbins very close by

NEVER BLOODY BEEN THERE THOUGH and I've lived close to it for over a year and a half!!!

'cos I'm too lazy to go that little bit further the local offies for wine

 

[butterfly child]

I like red, a barolo perhaps, or chateauneuf du pape, or crozes hermitage.

 

[jayeola]

Rioja 2001. Never fails

 

[sojourner]

I have actually been to a wine tasting, too. That was completely wasted on me!

I went to a wine tasting night once, with a few mates, and we got completely wasted. I don't think we were very popular cos we went to every single table and just slugged it all back, even the sherries. Well worth the fiver entrance fee

 

[sojourner]

Anyway on topic, I am still obsessed with rioja, and drinking a lot of La Torla cos it's only £2.99 in the tesco and it's bargain of the century. They also do a tempranillo for the same price, and that's very reasonable and tasty too

I like a nice crisp SA chenin blanc, and semillon chardonnay if I drink white.

 

[sam/phallocrat]

Red - any old shit as long as it's on offer. Particularly like Rioja, or any other velety smooth oaky stuff.

 

[Leica]

A Catalan one, Raimat Abadia.

 

[Herbsman.]

Is it possible for wine to taste oily? Or is my sense of taste badly calibrated?

 

[chilango]

Had a bottle of Vida Organica Malbec last night. Recommended