drinking wine

[MarkL444]

ive never really drank wine except for church and the real cheap [censored] (boones farm and such), but i want to start. thing is, i dont know a damn thing about wine. whats a good wine for someone to start out drinking? what are the girly wines? where do i want the wine to be made? (i noticed a lot of australian and californian wine at the store) also, are you supposed to keep it in the fridge or what?

[Cubswin]

My suggestion... go to a wine tasting and see what you like. Youll get to sample lots of wines on the cheap and then you can get a better idea of what you like.... oh... another suggestion... dont drive

[nothumb]

I didn't start enjoying wine until I started working in a restaurant and drinking it for free with food. I would say get one of your favorite foods and ask them to recommend a wine with it.

Red >>>>> White

NT

[mason55]

Don't let anyone tell you what you should like. Drink what you think tastes good to you. You'll start off liking simpler wines. If you take it seriously then you'll start to figure out what you like and you'll desire wines that are more complicated, containing more elements that you like.

[wacki]

What is your favorite red NT?

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
You'll start off liking simpler wines.

[/ QUOTE ]

can you tell me what you mean by "simpler wines"?

[Brain]

I didn't like wine too much (if at all) until a few months ago so I completely know where you're coming from.

You can always go by whatever labels look the coolest. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
I like the merlot with the penguin on the label. Beaujolais by Georges DuBoeuf (sp?) is also very good and it was fairly cheap at the store by my office.

I like reds better than white; merlot, beaujolais, and sometimes shiraz.

Hope that helps a little. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[miajag81]

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Red >>>>> White


[/ QUOTE ]

This cannot be stressed enough. White wine = cat urine

[mmbt0ne]

I had this question a while back and got some really good answers in this thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=exchange&Number=1210022&Fo rum=f20&Words=%2Bwine&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=1 210022&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=15519&datera nge=1&newerval=6&newertype=m&olderval=3&oldertype= m&bodyprev=#Post1210022). The Wine For Dummies book was especially helpful.

[Mars357]

I agree with most of what is posted above. Remember that if you drink White Zinfindel, people will think you are gay (or any blush for that matter).

Having said that, do try a Zinfindel (note the absence of the word White). They are truely some fantastic wines. Any Zin from the Dry Creek Valley in CA. should be very nice.

Wine for Dummies is a pretty good resource for learning about wines....

[mason55]

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You'll start off liking simpler wines.

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can you tell me what you mean by "simpler wines"?

[/ QUOTE ]

The taste and smell of different wines evoke the tastes and scents of more every day things. For example you might taste a wine and have it evoke the taste of cherries.

The simpler wines will only have a few different, easily identifiable flavors. You'll learn which groups of tastes you like in your wine (some taste fruity, some taste more mineraly, some taste woody or nutty, etc). At first you might say, oh I like wines that are slightly fruity (note, we're not talking boon's level of fruityness, just a hint) and you can find simple fruity wines (fruity is NOT a bad thing in this case).

As you drink more you'll search for more specific things. Some of the big red wines from france might have a hint of gooseberrys, red apples (not just apple), nutmeg, minerals, etc. True connisoeurs claim they can identify all these different flavors and some very very obscure things in a wine. As you drink more you'll look for this type of wine, where each sip is like a journey.

I think I came off knowing more than I do. I just took a full quarter class on wine and wine tasting. I smoke so all the intricacies of the wine are lost on my damaged tastebuds, so I only spend 12-15 dollars on a bottle max.

Until you're drinking vintage bourdeaux, don't let anyone tell you that European wines are totally superior. California and Australian wines at the low level are usually much better for the price.

[mason55]

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[ QUOTE ]

Red >>>>> White


[/ QUOTE ]

This cannot be stressed enough. White wine = cat urine

[/ QUOTE ]

So you drink a nice heavy bordeaux with your salmon steak? Come on, there's PLENTY of good white wines, especially, for example, toasted head chardonnays. And as an after dinner wine a good bottle of reisling is delicious.

[astroglide]

i think the whole wine thing is pretty gay. i don't mind red wine i guess but i don't see the value in getting into it because i don't enjoy it and don't want to drink it until i enjoy it just so i have something to dump money on. i'd rather go for things that are clearly enjoyable as soon as i do them. if wine was like that for you then i guess it's your ticket but i can't recall anybody liking it right out of the gates. but what prompted me to respond is that riesling was mentioned. my gf was poured a glass of expensive stuff the other night and i about gagged on it, it tasted like noxious fermented sugar water.

[wacki]

i don't see the value in getting into it

Drinking wine daily, and in moderation, will have huge benificial effects on your health. I'm not just talking about heart stuff either.

Also, a beer with diner is also very good for you too.

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
i think the whole wine thing is pretty gay. i don't mind red wine i guess but i don't see the value in getting into it because i don't enjoy it and don't want to drink it until i enjoy it just so i have something to dump money on. i'd rather go for things that are clearly enjoyable as soon as i do them. if wine was like that for you then i guess it's your ticket but i can't recall anybody liking it right out of the gates. but what prompted me to respond is that riesling was mentioned. my gf was poured a glass of expensive stuff the other night and i about gagged on it, it tasted like noxious fermented sugar water.

[/ QUOTE ]

eh. ill be in france soon and plan on doing some wine drinking when im there, so i kinda want to have acquired a taste for it. if it wasnt for that i wouldnt care at all.

[Michael Davis]

What if drinking one glass of wine gets you tipsy? I'm not asking a hypothetical.

-Michael

[astroglide]

there are other ways to get antioxidants like tea that don't have calories and are much cheaper right?

[Cubswin]

Beaujolais by Georges DuBoeuf (sp?) is also very good and it was fairly cheap at the store by my office.

This is a great transitional wine if you are looking to make the move from white to red. It is supposed to be served slighty chilled and goes great with lots of cuisine. I think i remember reading that nouveau doesnt keep too long so it is best consumed as close to its release date each year fall...

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
What if drinking one glass of wine gets you tipsy?

[/ QUOTE ]

Consider yourself lucky? Build up a tolerance? Wine's/beer's mechanisms that increase your health are completely independent on what gets you drunk. So if you get tipsy, just consider it a plus. It will probably go away in time anyway.

To be specific, 1-2 glasses is optimal with most men needing about 2 and smaller people needing only 1 for maximum benefits. Still, any amount helps. Beer has the same positive effects so maybe drinking beer and not wine will help with the whole tipsy thing, I doubt it though. The amount of beer/wine you can drink before negative effects set in vary tremendously from genetic line to genetic line.

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
there are other ways to get antioxidants like tea that don't have calories and are much cheaper right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesing question, there are three polyphenolic compounds, EGCG, XN and RES which are all abundant in tea, beer and red wine. Those compounds are very important in fighting breast cancer. I've read studies that show tea being good for reducing risk of heart attacks. As for a comparison, I don't know, I am definitely going to have to look into that though.

I know alcohol is +EV, but that doesn't mean you can't get the same effects from other things.

Give you an idea of how important this is, Dr. R. Curtis Ellison did a paper called the French Paradox that showed a 40 percent decrease in heart disease, the number one killer in the US. It also helped with about 30 other diseases as well, but in much smaller amounts.

Astro, I will definitely research this and get back to you.

[astroglide]

i'm familiar with that french study, but from what i know french people eat a hell of a lot better than we do: smaller portions, less 'fast' components, more fresh stuff, etc. i know that cheese and organs etc are high in fat and cholesterol but just off the top of my head i'd assume the average diet of that is better than the crap i'm eating.

as for me i have a glass of decaf mint green tea every day at work, but it's mostly because i like it.

[InchoateHand]

Also, don't many of these benefits seriously begin to accrue only once the subject is more advanced in age? And aren't they easily outpaced by drinking excessively, even with only moderate frequency? I hope I'm wrong--I drink like a fish.

[wacki]

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Also, don't many of these benefits seriously begin to accrue only once the subject is more advanced in age?

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Considering 80% of skin damage/aging is done before you hit the age of 18, I doubt it. It's never too early to start in disease prevention. Autopsies on 18 year old car wreck victims frequently show clogged arteries.

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And aren't they easily outpaced by drinking excessively, even with only moderate frequency? I hope I'm wrong--I drink like a fish.

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As I said before this depends tremendously on genetics. Just look at your family history and you should be able to do the math. If people in your family die of cancer, then the answer is no. If people in your family die of liver problems.....

[rmarotti]

Any other white wine >>>>>90% of Chardonnays

[Stupendous_Man]

[ QUOTE ]
ive never really drank wine except for church and the real cheap [censored] (boones farm and such), but i want to start. thing is, i dont know a damn thing about wine. whats a good wine for someone to start out drinking? what are the girly wines? where do i want the wine to be made? (i noticed a lot of australian and californian wine at the store) also, are you supposed to keep it in the fridge or what?

[/ QUOTE ]


Best thing to do is try various kinds. Try some white, try some red. Personally, I don't care much for the whites. Most are too sweet and fruity for me. I prefer the reds. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you're new to wine drinking, the great reds will probably be too much for you. A merlot or beaujolais would be a good start. The CA and Australian are good, possibly the best for the buck. A local store sells Alice White magnums for $11.99, which is a great deal. Yellow Tail has been popular, but IMO the Alice White is better and the same price. If you live in an area with a Trader Joe's, you can try Two Buck Chuck (Charles Shaw). Many a story out there on Two Buck Chuck, but it's a fairly good wine for the price. IMO, it's not as good as a $100 bottle, as some like to claim. But, I bet it's better than Boone's Farm (I've never had that crap, but hear about how terrible it is) and other <$10 bottles available.

Wine Spectator runs a couple issues a year on great bottles under $15 (I believe the cut is $15, might be $12). I think 1 issue is devoted to reds and another is devoted to whites. Wouldn't hurt to check out those issues at the local B&N and write down a few names to try (might be able to check out its web site for this same info). Rosemont has a nice Cab/Merlot as well.

If I was starting out, I'd probably check out Wine Spectator's web site (or another decent wine specialty site) and read a little bit about the different varietals to determine which ones suit my taste. From there, I'd check out what the site recommends for <$10, if available. Then try them.

GL. I'd be curious to hear what you tried and whether or not you liked it.

[Freakin]

MadDog 20/20. It's great cause it comes in different flavors, and you should be able to get it just about anywhere. If it doesn't say "Fortified," it's not the real thing.

Freakin

[theBruiser500]

I read in some nutrition book that wine is good for you up to 6 glasses a day is overall beneficla I think it said.

[Fins]

Reds and it's not even close.

Whites = girl
Blush = gay

Current house cheap red is Ravenswood Merlot or Zin.

Louis Jadot Beaujolais is good as well as many Australian Syrahs.

- Fins

[MarkL444]

i bought a bottle of Lindemans Reserve south australia merlot 2001 for 9 or 10 bucks at the store. it sucks hardcore. i guess i need to acquire the taste. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[nothumb]

I am mostly a big, bold, dry red type of guy. Good cabernets and pinot noirs for the most part. Very predictable, I know. I also have found I enjoyed some smoother Rhones and Chiantis, especially if they have a little pepper or spice to them in the finish as well.

Honestly I am mostly a wine noob but I know what I like and enjoy it, so that's cool with me.

Bottle I recently had and enjoyed a lot was this blended South American wine called Primus, definitely a good pickup for under 20 bucks.

NT

[scrub]

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I read in some nutrition book that wine is good for you up to 6 glasses a day is overall beneficla I think it said.

[/ QUOTE ]

6 glasses of wine a day is definitely NOT good for you.

scrub

[SenecaJim]

I didn't get into wine much til I was in my 40's. A very attractive younger woman (not my wife) got me started.Much like poker, reading some good literature good place to start, but also like poker, nothing beats experience. Go to some tastings.

To get you started, here are some quick facts and opinions.

The antioxidant benefits are from reds only, not whites.

I much prefer reds. Best values are mostly australian (not as much as was) and south african.

Cabs are great but generally more expensive, though there are plenty of good ones in affordable range (if you're not wine taster extradoinaire) .

I really like the Shiraz's ( Austalian name,syrah in rest of world ). Witness Tree is good for only $10. Rhone's (french) are usually around 10 and are a rustic blend of syrah and grenache).

A softer approach to reds ( barring merlots which are a little too tame for me) is pinot noirs. Burgundies are 100% pinot, but very expensive. Oregon makes some really good ones, much cheaper. Van Duzer recnetly went up to about $20 but really good. Argyle is also +ev at about $18.

Italian wines run cheaper than french. Monte Antico is a good Friday night wine for about $10.

Spain wines are cheap and usually not that good. but some bargains. Vina Alba (i think ) is around $7.

Good american winerys that are cheap Rabbit and Pepperwood even though I don't get them a lot. I still am occassional drinker of wine, most with food. Pinot with salmon off grill, cab or shiraz with steak wonderful combo.

[Benal]

For red wines - "Chateau Neuf Du Pape"

That's all you need to know.

[DeezNuts]

Trader Joe's - Barefoot Zinfandel ($3.99/bottle)

I would pay $15-$20 a bottle for this. Consequently, when I go I usually come home with 4-5 bottles.

DN

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
whats a good wine for someone to start out drinking?

[/ QUOTE ]

Give me your budget for a bottle and I can make some recommendations if you like.

[ QUOTE ]
what are the girly wines?

[/ QUOTE ]

Avoid at all costs White Zinfandel. Red (aka "real") zindandel, however, totally rocks.

[ QUOTE ]
also, are you supposed to keep it in the fridge or what?

[/ QUOTE ]

White and bubbly can be refrigerated a few hours before opening (they need to be chilled a little but should not be too cold (unless they suck in which case they should be as cold as possible)). Red wine should be a little above cellar temperature which, IIRC, is around 55 degrees F. (People often make the mistake of serving white wine too cold and red wine too warm If your house/apartment is too hot red wine will not drink its best. It is perfectly acceptable to chill your red for a short period of time to get it closer to ideal temperature before opening, although most people don't do it becuase they think that it is for whites only.)

Again if you tell me your budget I'd be happyto throw out a few bottles. Needless to say, I think Colgin is the best California red. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[MarkL444]

how often are you guys drinking wine with food? does drinking while eating enhance or decrease the taste at all?

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
how often are you guys drinking wine with food? does drinking while eating enhance or decrease the taste at all?

[/ QUOTE ]

Most wine snobs would tell you (with some validity) that wines are meant to be enjoyed with food. Ideally, the wine enhances the food and the food enhances the wine. Pairing wine and food is fine but I thik many take it to extremes. While there are some really bad choices you can make, in general, if you pick a wine you like and pair it with food you like you will end up with a terrific meal. I have done some pairings that would make wine critics shudder that I thought were perfectly good. As to the old saw about white wine with fish and chicken and red wine with meat, ignore it. It is too general to be of any use and is often incorrect. (That said, youusually do want red wine with meat.)

Also, some wines, such as chardonnay,are very good sipping wines but somewhat difficult to pair with food. On the other hand, some massive reds are almost undrinkable without food to help soften out the wine.

Personally, while I drink wine with food regularly, I enjoy it just as much on its own. However, I am a wino alcoholic so not necessarily the best person to ask.

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I read in some nutrition book that wine is good for you up to 6 glasses a day is overall beneficla I think it said.

[/ QUOTE ]

6 glasses of wine a day is definitely NOT good for you.

scrub

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Actually, if the wine is spaced out over 6 hours, there is nothing wrong with bruisers statement. I doubt many people do that though. A good rule of thumb is 6 ounces per hour. But as I said, it caries tremendously on genetics. But 6 onces an hour should be safe for everyone.

[wacki]

Also:
Four or more glasses of red wine per week may reduce risk of prostate cancer by 50 percent

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=4997

The power of wine/beer is absolutely amazing.

[SenecaJim]

If you don't finish the bottle off the night you open it ( not often a problem , but third bottle can not make it sometimes) always keep in the fridge. invest in a vacuum pump and stopper ( inexpensive), keeps good in fridge for 3-4 days. Let warm up before you drink , red or white. Like other poster mentioned, reds can be too warm in your apartment. pop in fridge about 15-20 minutes makes it close to right temp. Whites about 30-45 minutes.

[jesusarenque]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En respuesta a:</font><hr />


Red &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; White

NT

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Oranges&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;Apples

[astroglide]

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Oranges&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;Apples

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i agree on that one too