Anyone a wine fan?

[Anders]

This wife-and-husband writing team just wrote their last wine column for the Wall Street Journal. I thought it was great:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... _lifestyle

What's your favorite wine? Some that I love:

Coppala Diamond Series Syrah-Shiraz (any of the red Coppalas, for that matter):

http://www.franciscoppolawinery.com/

Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet:

http://www.columbiacrest.com/reserve/wines/

[Steven]

Yes - I'm a big wine fan. And although I am very much against wine snobbery, I felt that the perspective of this article was too far in the anti-snobbery corner. They seem to feel that much of what one reads about wine is bull, and that it is based on old wives tales and snobbery. Well I've had, and enjoyed cheap wine from the bargain bin (although not $2/bottle - they're really dreaming on that one). And I happened to have enjoyed wine in a plastic cup on the beach in Punta Cana (last August, although most of the beach drinking was rum-based and not grape-based). But to say that these may have been the most delicious wines I drank all year - no - not even close. They make a good point about the importance of circumstance and environment to the enjoyment of wine, but that could apply to the enjoyment of most things. And as to their love of Syrah (and their other selections), I think it's more a reflection of their own personal taste than a realistic evaluation of what are the best wines out there. I regularly read wine articles, and I love Eric Asimov (as I loved his dad Isaac's science fiction writing) who writes for the NYTimes, and writes a great blog thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/ Anyway, that's just my 2 cents worth. I've tried some of the Coppala wines, and remember liking the Claret a lot. I also like Columbia Crest wines but am more familiar with their whites. I will have to try the GR Cab (I already trust your recommendation over John and Dot's. I also respect the collections of wine put together by the WSJ wine staff, and which you can see at http://www.wsjwine.com/ (when they ask you what state you are in, do NOT say PA, as PA wine laws suck. Just say NJ or NY so you can poke around. Click on Wine Collections, and they have some really good stuff, in a variety of tastes, styles, and price ranges (like their mixed case "Wines of The Year" for $140). StSteven

[DashikiJoe]

BOTTLE OF WINE
Tom Paxton


Chorus:
Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine,
when you gonna let me get sober.
Let me alone. Let me go home.
Let me go back and start over.

Well, I've rambled around this dirty old town
singing for nickels and dimes.
Times getting' rough. I can't get enough
to buy me a little bottle of wine.

Chorus

Well, little hotel, older than hell,
cold as the dark in the mine.
Light so dim, I had to grin,
I got me a little bottle of wine.

Chorus

Well, the preacher will preach and the teacher will teach.
The miner will dig in the mine.
I ride the rods, trusting in God,
huggin' my little bottle of wine.

Chorus

Well, pain in my head, bugs in my bed,
pants so old that they shine.
Out on the street, I tell the people
I meet to buy me a little bottle of wine.

Chorus

Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine,
when you gonna let me get sober.

[Josh Straw]

Some wise person once said a day without wine is a day wasted. Another said dinner without wine is like eating without tasting. And as Sinatra famously quipped about someone who did not imbibe: "You mean when you wake up in the morning, that's as good as you're going to feel all day??" Yuk Yuk.


Layer Cake Malbec: $7.99 at State Stores (if you can find it)
Guenoc Cabernet Sav: $9.99.

These are excellent full bodied reds, prob even cheaper in Delaware. I agree with Steven, though in France one can easily find drinkable wines for 4-5 Euro (though 2 Euro or $2 would be tough)

There was a great article I just read on what has happened to the wine business here (nothing good), if I can remember where I saw it I will post.

Prost!

[reelglad]

Some peeps like a box of wine....

[Steven]

OK, I admit it, you can get very close to $2.00/bottle by buying in quantity. A 5L box of Franzia Chianti for $13.99 at Total Wine & More just across the border in DE. This comes out to $2.09 per 750ml (a bottle's worth). I've had it, and I can honestly say it's a pretty decent well balanced red with the pleasant fruitiness of the Sangiovese grapes, and no off-tastes or imbalanced acidity or other problems. I got fooled on this wine while eating with my son in the Poconos at a place that offered a free glass of wine with dinner. I asked for red, and they offered cab, merlot, or chianti. I took the chianti and enjoyed it. I actually went up to the bar as we were leaving and asked what it was. When my son saw that I had enjoyed a glass from the Franzia box, he started laughing and making fun of me, cause that's what the cheap guys at the frat house up at Penn State drink. I merely said that they were doing a lot better than he was drinking Natural Light beer from a can, or out of a beer pong cup!

So I never discriminate on the form wine is sold in. Box, screw top (I got some very good real French chablis in small screw top bottles), synthetic cord (many CA wines coming with these), or natural.

Steven

[10aseeJed]

[Josh Straw]

Good ole Sean, a picture for every thread.

Wine in Tetra-Paks is much more ecologically sound than wine in bottles, and there are some good ones (though not great ones, yet). Wave of the future though.

I likes me some Mad Dog.

[MYEZ]

I was a MD 20/20 man in High School. I've graduated to Paul Masson Rose wine now, thank you very much. The best I've ever had: 2002 Callaway Coast Muscat Canelli from Calif. Ambrosia !

[Lou]

I am a huge fan of Coppola's wines. We went to his winery in Napa a few years ago and it's a very cool place. He has the desk from The Godfather there (very important pilgrimage if you are Italian, like me).

Lou

[MYEZ]

That's kewl, Lou ! And Sean: you continue to amaze !!!

[Corrine]

Chadds Ford Merican 2001? 2002? Fantastic...

[DashikiJoe]

Yes, indeedy, Lou, a very kewl place....and get this, if i'm remembering correctly, didnt they have a most awesome keyboard in one of the showrooms as well? get this: I sat down, after getting tacid permission (they didnt exactly say no!), and played my best piano tune on it!!!!

must admit i'm a huge fan of 7 Deadly Zins!!

[Josh Straw]

Yes, indeedy, Lou, a very kewl place....and get this, if i'm remembering correctly, didnt they have a most awesome keyboard in one of the showrooms as well? get this: I sat down, after getting tacid permission (they didnt exactly say no!), and played my best piano tune on it!!!!

must admit i'm a huge fan of 7 Deadly Zins!!

You play keys?? Wow multitalented!

hmm, I hear tell there might be an opening. Or is your repertoire limited to chopsticks?`

[DashikiJoe]

just enough to entertain myself! missed ya last night, but looking forward to seeing ya tomorrow night, Josh!! Dont worry, I'll be sticking to percussion and my day job!