# Your Favorite Wines



## rgrossicone (Jan 27, 2008)

The sandwich thread got me thinking...what do I love with food more than anything (besides more food)...the answer...wine! What are some of your favorite wines and the dishes they are served best with. One of my persoanl favorites is the Chateau Branas 2003 with a good Lebanese Lamb Shank...yum...and the cost is around $30 a bottle.


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## haruki (Dec 28, 2007)

rgrossicone said:


> The sandwich thread got me thinking...what do I love with food more than anything (besides more food)...the answer...wine! What are some of your favorite wines and the dishes they are served best with. One of my persoanl favorites is the Chateau Branas 2003 with a good Lebanese Lamb Shank...yum...and the cost is around $30 a bottle.


I don't have a favorite, but I'm drinking Lamole Chianti 2004 as I type this. About $12 at Costco. A bargain.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

The best I can do is narrow it to a varietal, and that would be pinot noir. My current two favourite wineries are Sea Smoke and Merry Edwards.

RG, you are not a patient man. 2003 Bordeaux and you have drank enough of it to make it your favourite already? That should just be coming into its drinking window in a few months!


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

My all time favorite wine is Robert Stemler Pinot Noir. My favorite varietals are (in order of preference) Pinot Noit, Cab Sav, Malbec, Carmenere, Sav Blanc and Shiraz.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> *The best I can do is narrow it to a varietal, and that would be pinot noir.* My current two favourite wineries are Sea Smoke and Merry Edwards.
> 
> RG, you are not a patient man. 2003 Bordeaux and you have drank enough of it to make it your favourite already? That should just be coming into its drinking window in a few months!


Pinot noir for me as well.


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## Droog (Aug 29, 2006)

I like the regional Chambourcins you find here in the northeast.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

My favorite is "why can't I buy this shirt, I know I have 6 just like it, but I don't have this one!"

Oh,  you mean wine not whine!

My wife and I recently went to the California wine area near Santa Rosa and found a couple of keepers, J, and Ferrari Cararo.

Also La Fond in the Santa Barbara area is excellent.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

It's almost impossible to answer this question. It certainly can't be done by grape variety. Each has its own place and time. Variety is what wine is all about. My most memorable wines, so far, for different reasons, were a Hospices De Beaune Mersault and an Elio Altare Single Vineyard Barbera. I've had much better but too choose amongst them is like picking favourite children or comparing apples to oranges.


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## rgrossicone (Jan 27, 2008)

Rossini said:


> It's almost impossible to answer this question. It certainly can't be done by grape variety. Each has its own place and time. Variety is what wine is all about. My most memorable wines, so far, for different reasons, were a Hospices De Beaune Mersault and an Elio Altare Single Vineyard Barbera. I've had much better but too choose amongst them is like picking favourite children or comparing apples to oranges.


I can't think of a better white than Merseult...yummie...amazing what French soil can do to the Chardonnay grape...I particularly enjoyed Louis Jadot's...


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

rgrossicone said:


> I can't think of a better white than Merseult...


CHÂTEAU HAUT-BRION Pessac-Léognan White

But I will admit I have been trained to be suspicious of all Chards due to over oaking and over manipulation.


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> CHÂTEAU HAUT-BRION Pessac-Léognan White
> 
> But I will admit I have been trained to be suspicious of all Chards due to over oaking and over manipulation.


Me too...which is why I rarely drink Chard, though Cakebread is very good with the right food. Can you describe Pessac-Léognan White?


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

TMMKC said:


> Me too...which is why I rarely drink Chard, though Cakebread is very good with the right food. Can you describe Pessac-Léognan White?


IMO, the best white Bordeaux. Very reflective of the terrior, mineral is prominent, I get spicey/peppery notes, good acid, nice fruit. It is full bodied but a nice smooth mouth feel. There is some distinct zip to it.

Take that with at least two grains of salt, as I admit whites are not my favorite and I tend to like a good Riesling or Alsace when I do drink white. Chards are just something where it always seems like a good idea, then I get a sip and hate myself as it's either over oaked or way too much MLF and it's like I got a mouth full of butter.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

To clarify further, like most Bordeaux whites, Ch. Haut Brion is a semillion/sauvignon blanc blend. And, yes, it is the best. A more affordable alternative, and example of this regional style, is Lochlan Quinn's Chateau De Fieuzal Blanc.

Many new world chardonnays suffer from over-oaking and over-extraction. There are still pockets of resistance where oak is not used and, in fact, unoaked more traditional chardonnay is very much the up and coming trend because there's been a consumer backlash for precisely the reasons Wayfarer points out. In Burgundy, while some whites have gone the new world way, many retain their dignity and are as beautifully restrained as any white wine on earth. Beyond this, for some, a Mersault is too fleshy in style anyway and a variant of Montrachet is preferable. Likewise, a decent chablis will be clean and flinty with good acidity and balanced fruit - no oak or overpowering cloying stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth buttery tropical fruit here. So much variety, so little time!


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

There has been a recent move to stainless steel fermentation, straight to bottle with Chards. No or little MLF too. I am never going to be a big Chard fan though, just not a varietal I am ever going to really love. I do find one drinkable now and then though. The only varietal I have to found where I simply cannot drink it is voigner.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

Gosh, I love viognier, and marsanne. Condrieu (from viognier) is out of this world.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

See, I cannot even spell it. :icon_smile_big:

I have tried about a dozen, including a late harvest, and just cannot seem to find even one I find drinkable. Granted it was all New World, but cannot see an Old World one cutting it for me either.


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## XdryMartini (Jan 5, 2008)

I used to live in Seattle and fell in love w/ Chateau Ste. Michelle... They have some incredible wine reserved for members of their "wine snob club" and I haven't found their equal at that price anywhere. Recently some of their wines have scored in the 90's in Wine Spectator. 

The Supreme Court ruled last year that wine can be shipped between states, ereasing the problems that many states had for booze crossing state lines. Finally got rid of prohibition era trade restraints. NOW I can have the wines shiped to me in VA!!! :icon_cheers:


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## etp777 (Nov 27, 2007)

Chateau Ste. Michelle is my favorite winery too, and consistently wins awards at all levels. This company actually sells under at least four labels. Three different levels of wine, and one label for sparkling wines.

Stimson Vineyards - Jug/boxed wine market. Have not tried any of them.

Columbia Crest - Inexpensive New world wines. $6-24/bottle. Their biggest production, lots of supermarket sales, etc.

Chateau Ste. Michelle - Their top label and best wines, but still great quality for the price. Anywhere from $10 on up.

Domaine Ste. Michelle - Their Sparkling wine label, with everything from dryest to sweetest wines (5 total, if memory serves).

The second and third both have a variety of levels in them (reserves, etc), and consistently win awards at their level around the world. I generally find the standard CSM labels to be the best quality for the price. CSM makes wonderfully complex wines, and definitely do not all fall into the typical New World high alcohol fruit bomb stereotype. 

Wines like CSM, and high quality wines from aroun dthe world (I drink new and old world), are a big part of the reason I stick to the law here in Kuwait and stick to no alcohol. The stuff that is available grey/black market is not worth drinking, mys tandards are set too high. Does mean I'll hit sevearl wine bars when I'm home on vacation though, and my vacation to rome in July is going to be split evenly between historic sites and wine sites.


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## Thecountofcount (Feb 22, 2008)

Any Chateau Margeaux Pavillon Rouge.
Any Fetzer Cabernet.
Nearly any Mosel Riesling (try Bischöfliche Weingüter, owned by the church in Trier).
ANY Sauternes, or even better: Monbazillac.


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## Clovis (Jan 11, 2005)

*favorite wine*

Just about any Haut - Medoc seems to sit quite nicely with me. Wines from Saint Emilion and Saint Julien as well. On the USA side, the west coast is producing some truly grreat wines at very reasonable prices. The Copolla Claret is one of my favorite inexpensive table wines. I've also noticed that the quality of box wines available seems to be improving.


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## DukeGrad (Dec 28, 2003)

*Wine*

Gentlemen,

I enjoy most Bordeauxs. My favorite is a Latour, or a lafite. I also enjoy one, believe it is in the St Estephe region, spelling sucks here. But a Cos De Estournel, or long this. I will research my frineds. This one was probaly the best I have had.

My son is turning me on to cheap wines from portugal and spain, which are really good. I will get names for you.
Aslo Blue Nun and cold duck is on my list.

Nice day gents


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## DukeGrad (Dec 28, 2003)

*Haut Brion*

Rossinin, and excellent white, sweet. Have enjoyed this as well.
Nice day


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## DukeGrad (Dec 28, 2003)

*Others*

Gentlemen

Sorry, had to check. I have several californias I have been enjoying. Shafer, a cabarnet that is delicious, comparable to any of the finer french. Also, an interesting shiraz I stumbled on, The Gatekeeper, their 2001. This is australian, and delicious.
I plan to get the names of the under 10 dollars stuff, that is as good as any other wines. IMO
Nice day gents


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

DukeGrad said:


> Rossinin, and excellent white, sweet. Have enjoyed this as well.
> Nice day


Indeed, and you are quite correct about Cos D'Estournel. It can be fantastic.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

DukeGrad said:


> Gentlemen
> 
> Sorry, had to check. I have several californias I have been enjoying. Shafer, a cabarnet that is delicious, comparable to any of the finer french. Also, an interesting shiraz I stumbled on, The Gatekeeper, their 2001. This is australian, and delicious.
> I plan to get the names of the under 10 dollars stuff, that is as good as any other wines. IMO
> Nice day gents


Speaking of California, I had a lovely 1982 Clos Du Val Cabernet once. Other memorable wines have been some of the earlier Ravenswood single vineyard Zins and, of course, lots of stuff from Sean Thackery, Ridge, and Randall Graham (Bonny Doon).

I couldn't begin to list Australians there are so many - but, actually, on the subject of Viognier - the best expression of this grape outside of the Rhone is, in my opinion, from the Clonakilla winery. Clonakilla also makes a spectacular perfumed Shiraz which remains one of the most other-worldly I have ever tasted.


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## laufer (Feb 20, 2008)

Currently I like 2004 MARINA CVETIC MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO it is about $25.00 here in my parts.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

If we are going to talk Cali zins, IMO, Turley has to be mentioned.

I am not known for being a big fan of Oregon pinots, but recently came across Beaux Frere. Even though it is a little pricey (about $70-80 a bottle), I ordered a case from the winery. Certainly some good grape juice.


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## lucasszy (Mar 25, 2008)

*Allain Graillot*

A long time ago I fell in love with Allain Graillot's Crozes-hermitage, I think it was a 1996 or 1997.

Still love it, but dont find it in enough places to really buy it regularly.

Cheers

Lucas


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## jazzy1 (May 2, 2006)

I have been enjoying Chinon's lately specifically Chateau de Coulaine.

Very good......


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## smujd (Mar 18, 2008)

Picking a favorite wine is simply impossible. I couldn't even pick a favorite table/daily drinking wine.

Two of my most memorable have been vertical tastings of Petrus and Latour. Words simply cannot describe either experience.

I find that I buy most of my wine at Costco (now the largest US distributor, I believe). The prices are great, and I enjoy grabbing 5-10 bottles each weekend and seeing how they play out. If I find somethign I really like or think may have some room to improve, I'll get a case or two to put away.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

lucasszy said:


> A long time ago I fell in love with Allain Graillot's Crozes-hermitage, I think it was a 1996 or 1997.
> 
> Still love it, but dont find it in enough places to really buy it regularly.
> 
> ...


I first came in contact with Graillot through his 96 St Joseph, which was very lovely.

www.zachys.com has some of the recent Crozes for sale.


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## Damonte (Apr 7, 2008)

Last fall I was on vacation in Jekyll Island and wandered back to the mainland to pick up some supplies. Along the way I stopped at a relatively unremarkable beer and wine store called JP's. To my astonishment, I found three bottles of a 1998 Margaux Bordeaux for sub $40's. They turned out to be argubly the best Bordeaux's I've ever had in my experience. Unfortunately, the particulars about the label have been lost in a recent move.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

Damonte said:


> Last fall I was on vacation in Jekyll Island and wandered back to the mainland to pick up some supplies. Along the way I stopped at a relatively unremarkable beer and wine store called JP's. To my astonishment, I found three bottles of a 1998 Margaux Bordeaux for sub $40's. They turned out to be argubly the best Bordeaux's I've ever had in my experience. Unfortunately, the particulars about the label have been lost in a recent move.


Was that Chateau Margaux, or generic AC wine from the Margaux commune? Big difference in price. Not to say that the latter couldn't be a lot of fun.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

I must report a lovely Portugese wine, which would be great as a house wine: Monte de Peceguina from Herdade da Malhadinha Nova. It's got a little caterpillar on the front. Great fun, fruity, rich, smooth, velvety, balanced - around €19.


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## Damonte (Apr 7, 2008)

Concordia said:


> Was that Chateau Margaux, or generic AC wine from the Margaux commune? Big difference in price. Not to say that the latter couldn't be a lot of fun.


I would be extraordinarily reluctant to say that it was Chateau Margaux. The wine by itself may not have been anything particularly spectacular though very good, but the situation in which it was consumed (with a fine meal that evening on the beach) most likely added to my positive perception.


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