Any wine drinkers here?

[tallydude]

Hey guys, are there any other wine fans here? If so, what are your favorite varietals? Any particular pairings you enjoy?

I'm a big fan of cabernet savignon and pinot noir, as well as malbec and I bought a bunch of shiraz today. Probably my favorite bottle is a 2002 Markham Cabernet Savignon.

How about you?

[Guest muddy]

I have an ex-wife that WHINS constantly:does that count

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Nope, wine is Public enemy #1 for me.  My primary trigger for a migraine.  I don't even have to be in a cluster to get triggered and just smelling a strong red can be enough to send me off.  Sucks

I really enjoyed it when I was able to back in the day.

[Olebiker]

Last year I took my wife to a very nice restaurant for dinner.  The waiter suggested Ridge Paso Robles, a red zinfandel.  It sells for about $25 a bottle when I can find it, but even at that price it is a steal.  

[FishTank]

I don't drink as much as I use to but here are my favorites

1. Sterlings Cabernet 2003

2. Robert Mondavi Reserve Merlot 2005

3. 2005 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay

Here are a few of my local favorites from here in Indiana

Oliver Winery's Soft Red (very sweet) and their Merlot

2004 Butler Vineyard Chambourcin and the Indiana Red (great basic table wine)

[roadwarrior]

Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay is an outanding value and compliments a variety of dishes. I especially like this wine with seafood alfredo, chef salads or other light meals. The creamy texture and crisp finish make this an ideal wine for patio entertainment. You will like it and...Chicks dig it!

Red wines are my favorite. For an everyday wine, Francis Coppola Claret is robust, combining rich and lively favors in a very smooth presentation. At the higher end, Jordan Cabernet wines have a special place in my heart. The '76 was a classic ($175), as were '81 ($195)  and perhaps the best vintage year for this wine, 1982.  

[Guest avid]

Well, let's see.

I use to drink ripple, but then it went to over a dollar a bottle, so I had to to switch.

I think Richards Wild Irish Rose, circa last week is the bomb.

It has a very runny nose

And a delightfully  flatulent  finish.

[Redlinerobert]

One of the side benifits of living an hour and a half away from Napa.  

I love wines.  Cabs and Pinots are my favorites, but every once in a while I'll have a chard.  Grgich Hills makes a great one, Kistler is awesome if you can find it and Solitude is my absolute favorite.   Copolla is also great, you should visit their winery sometime RW!  That place is impressive.  

Cabs I have to go with Groth, Silver Oak, Pahlmeyer, and my absolute favorite, Caymus.  There are several others that I like but these are the notables.

Pinot Noir there are really only two that come to mind, David Bruce and Gary's Vineyard.  

[MitchIsFishin]

Avid, ya stole it from me! ;D Here, I was about to mention the vintage MD2020, vintage 3pm Friday 9/21. Smelly, but a great kick!

Actually can't drink wine anymore due to sulfates. Sigh! :-[

[Panamoka_Bassin]

One of the side benifits of living an hour and a half away from Napa.

Pinot Noir there are really only two that come to mind, David Bruce and Gary's Vineyard.

Not that anyone else in the country knows about it, but Long Island wines have been called some of the best the east coast has to offer.  Unfortunately, land taxes are so high that it makes the wine too expensive for what it is.  Some of my local favorites are Bedell, Castello di Borghese, and Puglise.

Redline, I completely agree with you on the David Bruce, probably the best Pinot Noir on the market.  Mark West also makes a great pinot for the price ($15-20).

Olebiker has it right, too, with the Ridge Zin.  I'm not sure about the vineyard you mentioned, but they make/made an Old Vines Zinfandel a few years back that was so big you almost had to chew it.  Mmmmmm.

As for whites, I usually stick with the French wines (hate the politics, not the wine!) like sancerre or even Pinot Blanc.  There's even some good Pinot Gris to be found if you concentrate on the Alsatian region.

Hmmm, is 10:45am too early for a glass?  All this wine talk is making me thirsty

[Long Mike]

Once upon a time my favorite white wine is Poiully-Fusse'. Don't tell anyone, but I've always called it Fussy-Puzzy. It always cracked up the wine steward.

These days, my favorite white wine is Franzia "Crisp White." I buy it in a five liter box. To me, it tastes just as good as Poiully-Fusse' but it's a lot cheaper. ;D ;D ;D

[tallydude]

One of the side benifits of living an hour and a half away from Napa.

I love wines. Cabs and Pinots are my favorites, but every once in a while I'll have a chard. Grgich Hills makes a great one, Kistler is awesome if you can find it and Solitude is my absolute favorite. Copolla is also great, you should visit their winery sometime RW! That place is impressive.

Cabs I have to go with Groth, Silver Oak, Pahlmeyer, and my absolute favorite, Caymus. There are several others that I like but these are the notables.

Pinot Noir there are really only two that come to mind, David Bruce and Gary's Vineyard.

An hour and a half from Napa? I'm coing over .

I haven't tried the Silver Oak yet, but I am looking forward to opening a bottle soon.

[fishbear]

Can not drink wine, makes me sicker than a dog.........

I LIKE BEER!  IT MAKES ME A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW!  and it chases Jose right well... :o

[Siebert Outdoors]

Nope dont drink american wine, I didnt think I liked wine till I went to Italy.  Tried it and didnt like it.  I've got an Italian sister in law.  They have the good stuff. I dont know any of the names but its good and I usually end up drinking too much of it.  I do know they dont have good beer unless its an import.

I prefer beer unless its an Italian wine.

[burleytog]

http://www.duplinwinery.com/

I had to stop drinking for almost two years due to health issues.  I drank quite a bit last week, didn't bother me.

Yet another good thing about kicking smokes.

[Redlinerobert]

Nope dont drink american wine, I didnt think I liked wine till I went to Italy. Tried it and didnt like it. I've got an Italian sister in law. They have the good stuff. I dont know any of the names but its good and I usually end up drinking too much of it. I do know they dont have good beer unless its an import.

I prefer beer unless its an Italian wine.

Italian wines...those are nice too, a good sangiovese or chianti goes well with many things.  

[roadwarrior]

The census taker's "liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." :

c. 1991, The Silence of the Lambs

[Big T]

I like Duplin Winery as well, I live about 45 minutes from the Winery. I really like the Beaufort Bay white wine but I have a bottle of Queen Anne's Revenge that I am ready to open.

Big T

[Bream Master]

"I'm not drinking Merlot!"   ;D

Gotta watch the movie Sideways, guys.

[burleytog]

I like Duplin Winery as well, I live about 45 minutes from the Winery. I really like the Beaufort Bay white wine but I have a bottle of Queen Anne's Revenge that I am ready to open.

Big T

I have yet to try anything they make that I don't like.  My wife and I visited their store 3 years ago on the way back from Ocracoke.  I think we bought 4 cases of wine and a bottle of their champagne.  We just cracked the champagne last week (bought it on our 7th ann. for our 10th).

I like the Hatteras Red and the Scuppernong.

The wife and I tried some Sanctuary Vineyards

http://www.sanctuaryvineyards.com/index.asp

wines last week in Nags Head.  They had a nice muscadine, a little sweeter than those that Duplin produces.  Their chardonnay was quite good (brought home a few bottles) and my wife liked the raspberry (more than a few bottles).

North Carolina is producing some good stuff.  We find a couple of good ones every time we visit either the OBX or Boone.

[rondef]

There are a lot of good vineyards in Virginia.  I like going to them in October (Virginia wine month) and there is a great wine festival at Long Branch with some really good wineries.  You pay $10 to get in and then $5 for a wine glass and a wrist band to sample the wines.  You can then buy a bottle to drink on site and kick back and listen to the bands, check out the antique cars, stunt planes and hot air ballons.  It is a real good time and there are also craft tables for people that are into that.  Check out the link below, it's a good time.  If you are a wine drinker in the area this is a must attend.

http://www.historiclongbranch.com/balloonfest/index.htm

[BassHunter69]

Well, let's see.

I use to drink ripple, but then it went to over a dollar a bottle, so I had to to switch.

I think Richards Wild Irish Rose, circa last week is the bomb.

It has a very runny nose

And a delightfully flatulent finish.

dang avid seems you and i like the same stuff  ;D ;D but dont forget the cisco j/k

[flechero]

Scuppernong

You learn something new everyday... I thought scuppernog was just a name Zoom created when they came out with the new color 2 years ago.  ...lol  

[tallydude]

There are a lot of good vineyards in Virginia. I like going to them in October (Virginia wine month) and there is a great wine festival at Long Branch with some really good wineries. You pay $10 to get in and then $5 for a wine glass and a wrist band to sample the wines. You can then buy a bottle to drink on site and kick back and listen to the bands, check out the antique cars, stunt planes and hot air ballons. It is a real good time and there are also craft tables for people that are into that. Check out the link below, it's a good time. If you are a wine drinker in the area this is a must attend.

http://www.historiclongbranch.com/balloonfest/index.htm

We're heading to Virginia in October. Any of you know where Wintergreen is? Christine's family has a house there. I'm hoping to see some of the wineries there.

[burleytog]

Scuppernong

You learn something new everyday... I thought scuppernog was just a name Zoom created when they came out with the new color 2 years ago. ...lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuppernong_grape

One of the best grapes you will ever eat.  And one of the best wines you will ever drink.