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Everything Wine

muggle

muggle

New Member
Dogmatix recommended that a topic be started on Wine, so I am starting one. The intent is to discuss "anything and everything" related to wine. I will start with 3 wines that I bought yesterday, all Spanish white wines, although I haven't tasted any of them yet.

2004 Nora Albarino - $13.99 (recommended by Dogmatix) the wine also has a good rating of 89 by Robert Parker.

2004 Las Brisas - $9.99 - While buying the Nora wine the wine person told me that I should try the Las Brisas as it is also highly recommended.

2004 Marques de Caceres Rioja Blanco - $6.99 - there was a very good recommendation in the Washington on the 2005 vintage but I could not find it yet so I bought the 2004. The description on the 2005 by the Washington Post........ "Tangy light apple and melon flavors nicely framed by vanilla oak make this crisp, dry, white an excellent choice for seafood or pasta in an oil-based sauce, or for casual sipping on the patio or deck. An ideal house white wine for the summer, this is one to purchase by the case."
 
I too like a nice glass (or two) of wine. Thanks for starting this thread Muggle.

I have tasted Marques de Caceres red when on holiday in the Canary Islands. I am more familiar with French wines though and have visited many of the vineyards there.

However tonight with dinner we are drinking a Chilean Syrah 2004 from the Maipo valley, Wine Makers lot 401 Concha y Toro.
 
Muggle, this is a great idea. I actually wanted to PM you the other day when I saw a post of yours about buying wine futures. I just haven't gotten to it yet.

I have my own wine cellar, with a fairly decent collection of reds in it. There's nothing in there worth more than $50, but I still think I've got some good wine. I would like to try buying some futures, but I don't really know how to go about it. There aren't any real winerys around here, and there aren't any good wine stores either. I honestly can't afford to shell out a ton of money at this point, but I could probably afford a case or maybe two.
 
Balmy Westwind said:
I too like a nice glass (or two) of wine. Thanks for starting this thread Muggle.

I have tasted Marques de Caceres red when on holiday in the Canary Islands. I am more familiar with French wines though and have visited many of the vineyards there.

However tonight with dinner we are drinking a Chilean Syrah 2004 from the Maipo valley, Wine Makers lot 401 Concha y Toro.
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Do you recall if you enjoyed the Marques de Caceres Rioja. I bought a case of it last year. We enjoy it, of course not all tastes are the same. tonight we are having a bottle of Meridian Old Vine Red from California to have with pasta. Many of the Chilean wines are very good. I could say the same about new Zealand and Australia too. I envy you being able to visit the wineries and vineyards in France.
 
It was rather a long time ago that we were in the Canary Islands but I do recall that it (the wine) was very pleasant and enjoyable.

I too like wines from Australia and New Zealand. (I wish I could afford more Cloudy Bay) Californian wines seem to be on the whole rather expensive in Scotland, and until last year I never knew that other areas of the US produced wines.

It is probably just as much fun finding out about new wines as hearing recommendations on new books.
 
mehastings said:
Muggle, this is a great idea. I actually wanted to PM you the other day when I saw a post of yours about buying wine futures. I just haven't gotten to it yet.

I have my own wine cellar, with a fairly decent collection of reds in it. There's nothing in there worth more than $50, but I still think I've got some good wine. I would like to try buying some futures, but I don't really know how to go about it. There aren't any real winerys around here, and there aren't any good wine stores either. I honestly can't afford to shell out a ton of money at this point, but I could probably afford a case or maybe two.
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Lets give credit for this topic to "Dogmatix", it really was her idea. mehastings, let me check a bit and I will let you know about the wine futures. You can usually only buy them at certain times of the year. I know of 2 good wine stores in DC where they sell the futures. I would think that Boston would also have 1 or 2 stores. You only want to buy the wine futures of really great wines. When I bought the futures of the 1982 vintage it was being heralded as one of the best of the Century.
 
Sofia said:
hey, nothing wrong with that!! stays fresher longer too!
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Sofia, I wish I had a bottle of the 1982 Branaire Ducru to give you. Trust me, you would outdo the pig. :) ;) (inside joke people - not an insult)
 
Yeah! muggle thanks for taking the lead on this.

Purchased a case of 2004 Ercavio Blanco yesterday. I am really in love with Spanish and Portugese wines right now. There are a lot of very nice summer whites available.

Videodrome: As far as wine on the box. Go for it. Wine is for enjoying not for making you look good.:eek:

Do you guys sip while you read? I enjoy NOTHING more than sitting on the front deck with a glass of wine and a great book.

So what are everyone's favorites?

I'll start: (Muggle you've already seen this)
Toasted Head Merlot California
Ercavio Blanco Spanish
Goats Do Roam in Villages South African
Coppola's Diamond Claret California

All very reasonably priced
 
These are the websites of 2 wine stores in Washington, DC that are currently offering wine futures. Both stores are well respected and reliable. My personal favorite is C-W but I did buy my 1982 futures from Andy Bassin.There is a lot of info here, study carefully. Note that many of the Bourdeau future will not be delivered until 2008. I am far from a knowledgeable wine enthusiast but will be happy to answer where I can any questions.......gosh, I love a good wine. ;)

http://www.wineaccess.com/store/calvertwoodley/newsletter.html?newsletter_id=85123

http://www.bassins.com/
 
Occlith said:
I drink a toast to this thread with Two Buck Chuck, the wine for receptions at art galleries.
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I have heard that the Two Buck Chuck is actually a great wine. I have a Trader Joe's about twenty miles away, but they don't have a license to sell alcohol.

Muggle, I'll have to look into those websites you suggested. I'm more than willing to wait for delivery in two years. I think that is part of the fun of it.

The best wine I've had recently was Shiavenza's 1999 Barolo. At about $65 a bottle it is a tad steep for me these days, but friends treated us to it.

I also like a couple of Oregon Pinot Noirs, particularly because at under $25 a bottle, they are much closer to my price range. The 2004 Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Vineyards is delicious and has a nice spicy finish.

A to Z Pinot Noir is a multi-vineyard blend which is also fantastic. I have one bottle left in my cellar, but I'm too lazy to go down and see what year it is. I think 2003. My only gripe is that it comes with a screw cap. I know that this is a new trend, and doesn't reflect on the wine's quality, but it just bugs me.
 
I also have a "thing" about the screw cap. It "supposed" to be better and perhaps it is but I'm definitely a cork fan.

How great to have your own wine cellar. I've got a hodge podge of wine racks on every free surface of my kitchen and bookshelves.

We don't have a Trader Joe's near where we live but we do have a Total Wine and a Whole Foods. Each has a large selection and frequent tastings. We also have some smaller wine shops that I shop at some times. I'm actually off to Whole Foods in the morning for a couple bottles for this weekend.
 
I find it hard not to laugh at your talk of fine wines. Surely it has to another 'Emperor's new clothes' scam?

I prefer Lambrini (pomagne@approx£1.79 per litre with screw cap) to all of the Champagnes. Tesco's own at 84p a bottle is quite good, and has a plastic cap which makes a good pop. Asda's pomagne is the inferior brand in my opinion.

They are all a fine compliment to a great meal of egg and chips with thickly sliced fresh white bread and butter.
 
drmjwdvm said:
I also have a "thing" about the screw cap. It "supposed" to be better and perhaps it is but I'm definitely a cork fan.

How great to have your own wine cellar. I've got a hodge podge of wine racks on every free surface of my kitchen and bookshelves.

We don't have a Trader Joe's near where we live but we do have a Total Wine and a Whole Foods. Each has a large selection and frequent tastings. We also have some smaller wine shops that I shop at some times. I'm actually off to Whole Foods in the morning for a couple bottles for this weekend.
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Total Wine is a fairly good store and I shop them sometimes when I am not planning a trip to DC. but C-W will have prices about $2 to $4 a bottle cheaper. Wholefoods is one of our favorite stores, for food, and they are now getting the Wild King Salmon in which is great. Do you have a "World Market" in your part of NC as their prices are fairly good.

There is a Pinot Noir Rose called Tin Top that is very good for summer drinking if you can find it. It also has the screw top. When I can't find a wine I will research and find who the distributor is and call them to see which stores they market.

I can see where this thread is going to get expensive as I am already getting many, many, wine ideas. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.:)
 
We do have a World Market and I shop there as well. They have a pretty decent selection and I like the way they really emphasize the country of origin with their displays. That's how I started getting into the Spanish whites. I also enjoy just about everything else in the store and I even have one of their credit cards. :rolleyes: I bought some stackable wine racks from them a few months ago and right now they're looking a bit empty. Must be time to SHOP again!


Expensive
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Expensive.......between wine and books I could probably keep a small family of three three fed and clothed for a year. :eek:

Muggle have you seen the film Sideways?
 
Yes, we did see the film "Sideways". Now I feel guilty when I drink Merlot. :eek: We are having Wild Sockeye Salmon fresh caught ($20.99lb) for dinner tonight with the Spanish white, Nora, that you recommended. The King Salmon was too expensive for me, it was $31.99 a lb. In 2 weeks the King will be down in price.

let me guess, Cary or Winston-Salem?:)
 
right now it's The Little Penguin white shiraz.....tastes good and I'm pretty buzzed...so it's doing its job:D
 
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