I Love Wine. (Especially Chianti...)

What's *your* favorite kind of wine?

Costco sells a nice (cheap) imported Chianti for under $10 called "DaVinci". I'm no wine expert... and probably couldn't tell or describe the subtle differences between one brand from the next. I've got two categories: "good, more please" and "ennnh, one glass is enough, thanks". (Besides... many of my wine-buying decisions are based on what the label looks like.)

It's kind of a a hit-n-miss thing with me, but I was pleased with the last bottle I tried, so as long as Costco keeps selling it, I'll keep buying it.

And I just ask my wine snob friends what I should buy.

Yeah, I'm not exactly "Mr Sophisticate" when it comes to wine. But I do like Merlot. Jackson-Kendall puts out a nice Merlot.

I frequently pick up a bottle of the Jackson-Kendall merlot.

The Budweiser of wine.

And it was very good.

I let my hubby pick them out - he is a wine professional. I usually like what he brings, although I have turned him on to some interesting ones. There is one called PAN Y ARROZ that is tasty with food.

would go good with food. Especially bread and rice.

It's very reasonable as well. I am drawing a blank on the varietal.

Dolcetto d'Alba, Barbera, and red blends with a lot of Cabernet Franc or Carignane grapes. I'm not a wine snob but I live within a one hour drive of three wine regions. Hic!

If you see a California wine called 'Big House Red' from Boony Doon vineyards give it a try. It's called 'Big House' because the grapes are grown in Soledad, not far from the prison, and there's a drawing of the Big House on the label. It's about $10 on the East Coast.

I love the earthy smell of Dolcetto's.

Barollo, Dolcetta, Barbera. All just DELICIOUS wines.

They have such a deep, earthy taste that pairs beautifully with food.

But the Barollos are very expensive.

I love almost all kinds of wine. Unfortunately due to migraines, I can't indulge. Have one for me, okay?

You can get a decent bottle for under $10.

find yourself a good Chianti "Classico" (look for a rooster on the cork wax.

you will never go back :hi:

:)

I don't recall ever having tried DaVinci though...I'll give it a try sometime.

A-freaking-mazing. Jet black, fruit forward, notes of bubblegum and marshmallow. Oak was there, but understated.

51% Zinfandel
17% Syrah
19% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Petite Syrah
3% Charbono

$48 per bottle, but well worth it.

Shame that they're not done as often anymore (at least stateside). Rosenblum makes an awesome zin-dominant (with a serious dose of petite sirah) old-vines field blend, a vineyard-designate called Alegria Vineyard:

Vineyard : Alegria Vineyard
Composition : 78% Zinfandel
Harvest Date : October 29, 2002
Sugar : 26.2º Brix
Total Acid : .72g/100mL
pH : 3.5
Fermentation : Small vat hand punch down, inoculated with multiple yeasts
Aging : 60% American oak, 40% French oak, 60% new
Bottling Date : August 20, 2004
Release Date : September 20, 2004
Production : 824 cases



Back Label Text :
This unique and expressive Zinfandel is really a field blend of Zinfandel (78%), Petite Sirah (14%) and Alicante Bouschet (8%). This wine represents one of the few remaining plantings of complementary varietals achieved by the forefathers of Sonoma County with some plantings dating back to 1892.

The rich, full bouquet and flavors will accompany spicy cuisine and hearty dishes.

Wrongo Dongo, anything from Jumilla, Vina Borgia, there are others, all selling in the $6 to7 range.

Chianti is unique, the only blend of white and red, thats why its raspy, the little bit of white wine they put in it.

And Cote Rotie can have up to 20% viogner - a white grape.

and the slightly pale hue that makes a chianti so perfect with pizza outside at a table on the piazza.

Red- not white!

They are fruity without being sweet.

My fav wineries:

Peachy Canyon
http://www.peachycanyon.com/

Castoro Cellars
http://www.castorocellars.com/

Here is a pic of me and my honey after tasting a few at Peachy Canyon.

We're lucky where I live, here in the Santa Cruz mountains. Lots and lots of excellent wineries...

:thumbsup:

:hi:

They had a tasting room in Paso Robles but were closing it. I like some of their wines too.

My boyfriend's daughter might go to UC Santa Cruz so we will be up there regularly. We love to check out wineries!!! :toast:

their Cardinal Zin is killer! :9

Soquel Vineyards is also excellent. :thumbsup:

I went to UCSC, many years ago. Great school! Gorgeous campus. That's cool about your boyfriend's daughter.

:hi:

but my hubby doesn't drink, so I am not a regular consumer of wine.

It takes a while to work thru a bottle at home, unless we have company.

:D

:hi:

:D

I have a vague recollection of recently reading/scanning a wine-themed article discussing how the sale of merlots has actually gone DOWN, since that movie came out. "NO FUCKING MERLOT!!!" LOL.

Interesting, huh?

:popcorn:

That's the quote burned into my memory.... because for years, forever actually, I always disliked, or barely tolerated, Merlot, even supposedly good stuff that I got when i took a wine class.

:hi: to each, their own, I guess.

I tend to prefer zins, pinots and cabs nowadays...

Sideways was funny.

When I first started getting interested in wine I was given the "Wine For Dummies" book as a gift.

I thought the book was great and I learned a good deal about wines which has helped a bit in picking out new wines to try.

I love all the Bordeaux I have ever had.

Sometimes it's really fun to have a spaghetti dinner with garlic bread and green salad - and a cheap jog o'Chianti. :D

(So - how was the spaghetti sauce?)

I have been expanding my horizons a bit. Drinking some other whites like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignan blanc, White Burgundy. Also tried some blends. I prefer dry.

Oh, yeah, "vodka". Now that's some good wine!

Nortons makes a damn good one and one i tried last week
Tapiz 2002 from mendoza region argentina
I have had a lot of great tasting affordable argentinian wines lately.

quite good. :hi:

Toad Hollow's "Eye of the Toad" is really good, my parents also have a good Merlot (I think) from Fat Bastard.

Zollar Schwartz Kat is a fave. Inexpensive, light fruity taste, goes down easy. And at Halloween, you can buy Schwartz Kat in a bottle shaped like a black cat.

I also like Pinot Grigio, and some Chiantis, chardonnay,
and must admit I like white Zinfandel and white Merlot too. The other day I spotted a white Cabernet which was an extraordinary color..beautiful.

Central Market had a special running on some French wines from Chateau Saint-Thibeaud, red and white. The red was a 2003 Bordeaux Clairet ..and it is really nice. I love it. I got the white too. They do samples in the market's wine department fairly regularly so you get to try some neat stuff that way. I am going to get some more of these before they get marked back up.

I discovered a wonderful Spanish red which is notable for its gorgeous label: a flamenco dancer in a flamboyant red dress. It was delicious.