Poll: Do you prefer wines from any one country?

[Natasha]

That's it, in a nutshell. When you purchase or drink wine, do you tend to choose domestic (e.g., California) or foreign (such as Italian, German, French, Australian...)?

[gabbyh]

Natasha,
Great idea! I was never a wine drinker until I met and married my Australian hubby...we now ship it in the Country by the case...he has been sooooo partial to drinking wine from only "his" part Australia (Western Australia)...which is very, very limited in America...and it is ONLY through this board and the Wine of the Week that I have been able to get him to try others...German, Italian, and now even American ;-}

[kwormann]

Well, generally I like German wines, although I also love Australian and those from Washington State. Recently I am becomming interested in California wines and am trying more of them.)In fact, Any recommendatiopns of CA wines, Im ope to suggestions!

COngrats on the FIRST lowly member poll!:D

[Alisa]

I've recently discovered South African wines and can't seem to get enough...

[emilycat]

Yes, yes and yes -- I am absolutely biased in my wine selection. I love German wines, which probably explains why I know so much more about them than about other countries'. However, I probably throw Austrian and Alsatian wines into that mix as well, since the methodology and results can be very similar in those areas.

Not sure if you really care to hear an explanation or not ;) , but my fixation on German wines in particular originally stemmed from my general fascination with Germany. After I became more knowledgeable about them, though, as well as other countries' wines, I've come to discover that I love the character of German wines. So many people think "Riesling" when they think of German wines, yet there's so much more to them than that (not to mention that there are numerous gradations of Riesling). Gewurtztraminers, which are probably the second most popular, are one of my favorites, and I've discovered an absolutely incredible Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) that is by far the most fabulous of that varietal I've ever had, including those from France, California and Oregon. I'm on a mad hunt now to stock up on as many bottles as I can find.

Now, if it weren't for my bias, I might have picked Italy, because I enjoy such a wide variety of Italian wines, and so many of them are truly outstanding. Gosh, maybe this decision is harder than I thought...... :D

[KValley]

Rather than thinking first thinking domestic or foreign, I consider the meal, the varietal or blend I am looking for- the taste of which will vary from region to region, country to country- the price, and what's available. Then I look to the location.

I buy very little California wine- most labels we get here are the big houses, which produce pretty mediocre wine for the price. Ravenswood, Bogle, and Bon Terra are definite exceptions. Domestic for us is all Oregon and Washington state, with the occasional Idaho.

My preferences for reds are Spain, Italy, France; whites are Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Washington state.

South Africa I've avoided for concern about labor practices; Greek and British Columbia wines I am just getting to know and love; Argentina and Chile Malbec and Cab Sauv are becoming wonderful.

I'd have to make a plea that domestic not be one category. What happens in California is markedly different than Washington state, New York, Michigan, Virginia, Oregon etc. Just being nit-picky, I know! :)

So, I can't vote! Too complex!

[Natasha]

Ahhh, Julie...

You're right! But I was restricted to no more than 10 categories and couldn't break down the U.S. as much as I would have liked. I also considered putting in a category for "too many to choose" or "no particular country" but thought that if I did, all the votes would go in that category! :D So I cheated...

;)

Cheers!
Nat

[lorilei]

Ah, Natasha. You ARE evil for making us choose :) But I won't be obstinate. For the purpose of voting, I chose California/other US... probably because I buy a ton of wine from little vineyards in CA and Washington. But I wouldn't limit myself.

I'm a "grazer" when it comes to wine. I like to sample all sorts of things from all over the world. So, my wine rack usually reflects a pretty varied mix (territorially anyhow).

I have a few staples:
Estancia Cabernet
Foppiano (or Bogle) Petit Syrah
and
Hess Chardonnay


And Kiona makes a surprisingly good Lemberger (which I just recently discovered). But there are others. I can always count on Italy to hand me a nice full-bodied red table wine. I've found French wine to be good overall (or maybe this is just my expectations run wild). I like grabbing a bottle of "Chateau Anonymous" and slurping it with a nice pile of stinky cheese ;)

I respect Bon Terra for their brilliant use of organic grapes. I love settling down for a bottle of Capezzana Sangiovese. And I celebrate the day when I can pair a bottle of Momokawa Silver with my sushi :)

[KValley]

Originally posted by Natasha
Ahhh, Julie...

You're right! But I was restricted to no more than 10 categories and couldn't break down the U.S. as much as I would have liked. I also considered putting in a category for "too many to choose" or "no particular country" but thought that if I did, all the votes would go in that category! :D So I cheated...

;)

Cheers!
Nat

It's an awesome poll, Natasha! I love reading the comments (and taking notes- learning from everyone!)

Lorilei, I have this great visual of you lounging on a deck chair, a la 1940s movie star with an enormous hat and devilish red lipstick, delicately slurping Chateau Anonymous, visible fumes rising from the pile of cheese next to you...Now where can I find a bottle of C.A.? :D

[lorilei]

Ah, yes... that's me a la forties movie star :cool:

*Lorilei falls on floor laughing hysterically and cannot get up*

That "Chateau Anonymous" is pretty elusive... don't know if I could recommend a source :D

[tracey67]

Cool poll!! I'd have to start off by saying that I prefer California wines, but that comes with a few caveats. First off, I guess I prefer CA wines only because I feel I know them best. DH and I have traveled a bit around Napa and Sonoma and done a TON of testings of all those wineries. When I go to the wine store, it's usually the CA wines that I can spot and know right off the bat that I've had them and will like them. I absolutely adore a blend from Rabbit Ridge called Avventura. It's pretty hard to find, and I think the majority of it is only sold at the winery. However, if you can find it, and you don't mind shelling out about $25, get it!! It's similar to a "super tuscan" and goes down like velvet.

That said, HOWEVER...most CA wines these days have become way too expensive for those of us who like at least a bottle or two a week. I just can't rationalize spending $25 (or MUCH more) 2-3 times a week for wine. Over the past few years, we've started to look elsewhere for better value wines. I really like Chile a lot, and am just starting to learn a bit about wines from France and Italy. A winery from Chile that's always reliable for us is Los Vascos. Most of their wines are in the $10-15 range (even less at Costco) and they're always very good for the price. One great bargain from France is a red wine called Mas De Gourgonier. It's about $10 a bottle and does vary from vintage to vintage. The '98 is unbelievable -- it easily tastes as good as any $30 bottle. The '99 is still very good, but not as exceptional as the '98.

I also really like wines from Washington and Oregon. I think that some of the wines from Chateau St. Michelle are excellent and a winery in Oregon called Rex Hill makes a GREAT Pinot Noir that's only around $10.

tracey

[LGBurns]

I am beginning to learn that for much of my adult wine-drinking life I have deprived myself due to my huge bias toward Sonoma County wines. My excuse: they put something in the water in Sonoma County when I was growing up that caused all residents to instantly discount all but Sonoma County wines. (It also appears to induce strong anti-Southern California attitudes, but that's a whole 'nother thread--and of course, Gail, you are a BIG exception to that particular bias of mine. ;) ) So, on the poll I had to be honest and mark U.S.

Reading over this thread I am learning that I have a lot to learn when it comes to wines outside Northern California. I will say that on my honeymoon I learned to love British Columbia wines--wish I could get them here. One of these days soon I plan to go through all the fabulous wine threads on this board and start a list of wines to try. The only problem is my husband really doesn't like wine so I have to finish the whole bottle myself. Sort of a blessing and a curse. :D

[pmmahan]

I gravitate towards California/US wines because I am just starting out in my wine appreciation - basically, the labels are easy for me to read and understand.
Once I become a little more sophiticated, I want to try more French and German wines.

[emilycat]

pmmahan,

I just wanted to chime in on what you noted about wine labels. For the most part, American wine labels are easy to read only in that they are written in English. Because we have no formal classification system, (like the D.O.C. in Italy and the French A.O.C.,) it's very difficult to read anything into an American wine label unless you're very familiar with the region and the winery. Many imported labels, once you learn to read them, can give you so much more information about a wine -- and it makes it much more fun to pore over them when they don't look like they were written in code. :D

[SandyM]

Up until about 2 years ago I thought ALL wine came from California. Joking there, of course, but for some reason, a few years back I got adventuresome. Adventurous? Whatever.

Has anyone ever had wine from Argentina? We had a red a few years back, and I can't remember the winery or the blend - some help, I know. Sorry. It was really nice though. I do remember the label - it had a drawing of a long, slender female body on it. Now why that would stick in my mind, I don't know. I learned long ago NOT to buy wine based on the beauty of the label.

My recent favorite is Australian wine.

And pmmahan, my DH is almost the same way. He's good for one glass, but the rest is up to me. I would probably enjoy wine more often if I found a great way to store it. Those vacuum sealers never seem to last. Any thoughts?

[Nancy171]

California of course (specifically Sonoma County a la LGBurns). One has to support the local economy.

[LeighAnne]

I live in Oregon, and I am currently obsessed with Oregon Pinot Noir! In fact, we are touring/tasting at 2 vineyards this weekend (both which we have been to before and really enjoyed):

Archery Summit: http://www.archerysummit.com/
Bethel Heights: http://www.bethelheights.com/

Having said that, I do plan to learn about wines from more exotic places eventually.

[browneye]

Spain, Spain Spain!!!! and Washington, too, of course.

[funnybone]

We love wines from everywhere - Chile, Australia, California, Canada, Germany, Spain, etc. I have never said no to a wine taste test - lol.

[foodiedelite]

A funny observation: I was on an outbound flight from France several years ago and listening to the passengers as they ordered wine.

The flight attendant would ask if they preferred wine from California or France? As you may have guessed, most of the Americans seated around us anyways, requested the French wine and the French, in turn requested the wine from California.

The flight attendant commented this happened all the time--preferring another's wine over their own.

[AndreaU]

I definitely have a soft spot for New York Wines. I have lived in the Finger Lakes region and now I live in the Hudson Valley- both have many great wineries. We actually just visited the Finger Lakes and came home with 2 cases of wines (just DH & myself)! I'm a strong believer in supporting the local enonomy. Unfortunately, not too many restaurants in NY carry NY wines- a shame IMHO.

If NY wine is unavailable, we seem to lean towards Australian wines- Chardonnay & Shiraz are our new favorites from Down Under.

[Gail]

Wow. Hard question.

My experience is with California wines, by far, which certainly does not preclude me from branching out and trying wines from other places. Although heavily leaning toward Sonoma wines, our collection also includes wines from South Africa (my current favorite outside the country); New Zealand; Australia; Spain; Italy and France.

On the other hand, if I'm having Greek food, I'm most certainly going to pick up a bottle of Kouros if I can find it; usually will order Chilean wine when we're out having Cuban food; and ask for assistance when choosing German wines with German food, 'cause I'm utterly lost in the world of German wines. I think it's great fun to try local wines (i.e. Virginia wines when we were there not long ago.) I really wish I could find wines from states other than California, Washington and Oregon here in Southern California.

Kind of an interesting thing, I thought, when we were dining in Birmingham. After the waiter suggested a wine, I asked where the wine was from. His response: California. When I countered with where in California ? he immediately asked, "Where in California are you from?" Is that a California thing, asking what region? There are sooo many wine producing regions in this state, just saying "California" to me is like someone saying "The Western Hemisphere."

Oh, and LGBurns--

Insofar as feeling the need to qualify the Northern versus Southern California rivalry, let me say I'm on your side. I may live here, but my heart is in Northern California where I fully intend to live one of these days. :)

[CathyPA]

I choose California/domestic, because overall, I probably buy the greatest number of wines from Northern California vintners. Also have had a fair number of Australian, generally white, wines as well. Right now I'm really into exploring whites from almost anywhere and French roses (less sweet that American roses). I have to say that IQueen's post on Switzerland has me really intrigued about their wines. I'm going to try and scout some out.

Have to say that right now my favorite "sit on the deck" wine is prosseco. A friend of mine who travels to Italy very frequently got me hooked on it when I met her for a girls weekend in NYC. Can only find one label in my closest state store (PA has state controlled stores which seem so limited compare to VA, NJ and MD). However, I'm enjoying it enormously!! Wine & Spirits (Jul or Aug?) issue has an entire article devoted to prosseco which I thought caught it's "spirit" beautifully. It really is refreshing and is great just sipping or with seafood.
Sorry, think I'm rambling now. Love wine posts, even if my budget doesn't.

[LGBurns]

Originally posted by Gail
Oh, and LGBurns--

Insofar as feeling the need to qualify the Northern versus Southern California rivalry, let me say I'm on your side. I may live here, but my heart is in Northern California where I fully intend to live one of these days. :)

Ah, Gail. I knew you were good people. :p

[Jewel]

Since we only recently made that all-important jump from boxed wine to bottles ( :p ) I'm still really new at this! However I've really enjoyed the Washington State Wines around here! I also love California wines. For a wedding gift my husband's brothers got us a beautiful picnic basket with three bottles of their local Pennsylvania wines, but we've never opened them, so I'm not sure!

I can truthfully tell you all, however, that the best boxed wines come from Topeka!! :D

[Lauren]

Fun thread! I usually buy Australian or Californian wines. I have had Chilean wines which were excellent, too. It's not that I avoid Eastern European wines, but we've travelled to the wine country in CA twice and I have fun trying those, as well as wines from new wineries. Lately I'm into Semillon-Chardonnays, both from CA and Australia. My favorite wine store has a bumper sticker on the door which I love. It is the round circle with the line going through it, which symbolizes "no". It says, no wimpy wines!:p

[ClaireM]

Being from California, I automatically reach for the California wines first, at least for day-to-day drinking. I branch out for special occasions (like a Friday or Saturday night! :p ). I'm learning a lot about Australian wines since visiting there.

[Little Bit]

I'm a bit timid when it comes to choosing wines, and learned about some French table wine that's not bad for cooking. :confused: I don't remember the name of the company or anything, but have learned to recognize its' label.

Also, the laws about where wine can be sold are kinda peculiar where I live. When I lived in North Carolina, I remember being delighted that I could get some decent wine at the grocery store, instead of having to make a separate trip to the package liquor store.

[Safari Girl]

Hi there, I'm a newbie but also a wine junkie! :)

My husband and I love to try new wines. We attend our city's wine & cheese show each March to try and find new and interesting vintages. Found two this year that we loved.

Right now we usually buy Ontario wine - we have a terrific wine growing region in Niagara (luckily we only live about 90 minutes from there so get to go visit the wineries to restock at least twice a year). Love German wine as well and We're starting to get into New Zealand wines (we're going there in October) and we also love Australian wines. Rarely do we drink french or italian, and we're not overly fond of chilean wines either. My husband is not a chardonnay fan so we tend to stick to rieslings, gewurztraminers, sauvignon blancs. We're white wine drinkers, red wines gives me awful headaches.