Calling all winos!

[Gail]

I've toyed with posting this for a while and finally decided to go for it! My husband and I are what I'd call avid wine drinkers and I'll occasionally check out some of appropriate web sites. But, I'm always open to suggestions-- especially for foreign wines.

Anybody out there have any wines (whites or red) they really love (excluding the Rosemount Shiraz, which for whatever reason we ALL bought.)

And LauraEllen-- or anyone else up there in California's wine country-- if you have any little known gems for us to check out next time we're up north, usually after the fall crush, I'd be delighted to hear about them!

[Mary Ann]

We prefer red wines and lean toward cabernet or zinfandel.

For "everyday" wines: Estancia Cab, Napa Ridge Cab, Cline Zin, Rancho Zabaco Zin, and Seghesio Zin

Special Occasions: Estancia Duo or Meritage, and Cline Big Break

[Peggy]

Gail,

Another "wino" is answering your call! My husband and are are definately into the wine-thing and always are looking for new things to try. We are members of an international wine club that sends us new wine monthly from all over the world. And, I am a California girl within driving distance to the wine country.

I just have a minute to respond right now because I have dinner going. Just wanted to assure you this is a great posting since you sounded like you were hestitant to put it on the bulletin board.

I will start a list of our favorite wines (foreign and domestic) and also our favorite California wineries. Look for a posting later this weekend! Please share your favorites also!!!

Peggy

[Gail]

Originally posted by Mary Ann:
... Cline Zin, Rancho Zabaco Zin...

Thanks for the quick response. I've tried Estancia's and Seghesio's whites, but not reds. (of course, I'm game)

I don't recognize these two wineries. Where are they?



[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-14-2000).]

[alisome]

Gail, I knew I liked you. Now I have another reason, your an oenophile! I love all kinds but I am especially found of the $6-15 dollar deals! Joseph Phelps(sp?) Cab, is my favorite red. I go into our local wine store and just go crazy and always buy mixed cases. I have really fallen in love with some Oregon and Washington wines, will have to restock from July 4th weekend so will give exact brands later.
I also am a huge Champagne fan, Vueve Clicquot(yellow label) is wonderful! I also serve the Moet Chardonnay Champagne a lot and people love it! Thanks for sharing Gail can't wait to gather info and explore new "wine country".

[KimKelly]

Ah... Gail! A wonderful subject! My husband and I grew up in Marin County (about 45 min away from Napa Valley) and later moved with to Travis AFB, just about a half hour away from Napa Valley. We have spent many a weekend touring the area. Unfortunately we haven't been back in 4 years or so... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif We have wonderful memories there though!

Here are a couple of our current favorites that I haven't seen mentioned. Sounded like you might be a Cab fan, so here ya go!

Benziger Cab - Sonoma Valley. We found this one at Trader Joes, runs around $12. (We've been drinking the '96.)

And this one - Guenoc Cab - I saw reviewed in Bon Appetit and we really liked it too. It is from just north of Calistoga if I remember correctly. I don't remember a price on this one but we usually use a mid range wine for everyday, so I'd guess under $15. This one had a neat story about the label, it features a likeness of a Victorian actress who produced wines in the valley many years ago. The current owners retained the likeness of the lady and still feature heer on the label. Anyway... I guess you can tell I liked the label!

Hope you like these two. If I come across any other good ones I'll post again!

Kim

[shoyski]

Great topic. We have a gang that gets together four times a year or so for wine dinners. Our first was an eight courses and we made the mistake of pairing a wine with each and every one. Yikes! It was fun that night......

I just discovered Riverside Syrah...about $9 a bottle.

I have a list going so I'll post more later.
Like recipes, I keep trying new wines and have to write them down because I'll forget.

[jjf]

What a great post - i am looking forward to reading the replies. i wouldn't say i know a lot about wine - i just try new things and know what i like - but can't get too descriptive about fruity flavors and all of that.
but i do have a new chardonay from california on my list that my husband and i just discovered - mirassou (i think that is the correct spelling). it is about $14 a bottle. i just love it!

[jjf]

What a great post - i am looking forward to reading the replies. i wouldn't say i know a lot about wine - i just try new things and know what i like - but can't get too descriptive about fruity flavors and all of that.
but i do have a new chardonay from california on my list that my husband and i just discovered - mirassou (i think that is the correct spelling). it is about $14 a bottle. i just love it!

[CathyPA]

I love the idea of this topic. Not much of an expert, just really enjoy wines. I'm always cruising the State Stores (live in PA) looking for new wines to try, preferably in the $9-$15 range. Open to domestic and foreign wines.

I do have a question about locating a specific wine, and hope someone can help me. Had a terrific Italian white chardonnay- label read "Monteriolo, Piemonte 1996 Coppo". Unfortunately, can't recall name of Princeton, NJ restaurant where I had it. Suggestions for tracking it down?
Thanks

[Mary Ann]

Gail--
All the wines I listed were California wines, from the very limited selection available in Georgia.

Cline is in the Sonoma Valley--south of Sonoma. They have tastings daily and tours by appt.

And since I didn't have a bottle of Rancho Zabaco to look at, I looked it up on the web, and interestingly enough, it's a Gallo product. I had no idea, so we both learned something http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/cool.gif

Here's how the Gallo website described it:

Rancho Zabaco: Showcases the bold, intense varietals grown in the best Sonoma areas.

Great topic!

Alisome--I'm with you. Since we both have a glass of wine nearly every night, $6-$15 is just right. Fortunately, our tastes haven't outgrown our pocketbook yet!



[This message has been edited by Mary Ann (edited 07-15-2000).]

[Mary Ann]

CathyPA--

Looked your wine up on the Wine Spectator website and found this out.

It looks like it's from the Coppo winery, the Piedmont region of Italy and it's a white Monteriolo, which retails for about $35 a bottle. I'm not sure how the State stores are, but I'd ask if they have it or can get it for you. Or maybe they have a similar wine from a different winery. We were looking for a Michigan wine, and asked the store owner if he could get it for us, and he had a list of wineries that the state of Georgia had shipping agreements with. Sadly, that wasn't one of them.

[This message has been edited by Mary Ann (edited 07-15-2000).]

[CathyPA]

Mary Ann,

Thanks for the info. Wow, I must have had a lot of it that night because I didn't recall it being that expensive- especially since restaurants generally charge even more than stores. That would make it a special occasion situation. Not in usual evening glass category.

Showing my lack of "expertise", but is a Monteriolo the same category as chardonnay? Just wondering, 'cause the waiter said that it was a chardonnay.

Also, I probably should have phrased my price range differently. Would generally prefer to pay no more than up to $15 since I drink wine frequently with dinner at home. Though it's always interesting to hear about various wines, including price ranges, when thinking about meals, occasions, etc.



[This message has been edited by CathyPA (edited 07-15-2000).]

[Shelly]

I am usually the only one who drinks wine in our house, although I did get my fiance to try merlot and he will drink that. I had a really good merlot at an Italian restaurant in New Haven, CT when we lived there. The name is Lagaria, and I haven't been able to find it since leaving CT. I like Chardonnay also, and Hess Select is one of my favorites. Like jjf, I don't know much about wines except what i like, and these are the two I would recommend. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Cathy]

Hi Gail,
You are my kind of pal. We are members of the local enological society and have tastings every month. Our group, 350 people, is great because we are always looking for the best bang for the buck. Great tasting wines at reasonable prices ($10 $12 range). Some of our finds are,

Bogle old vine zin,a great zin to stand up to a spicy spaghetti sauce. Not a sipping zin, but outstanding with the meal.
Ravenswood zin, a little lighter for a meal that is not so bold. You can sip this one.
Bogle Petite Syrah, ahhh, what a find this was. So incredibly smooth.
Santa Ema Merlot, this is a chilean merlot that is quite smooth for the money. We have found that a lot of the chilean wines are wonderful for the money. We especially like the Santa Carolina Cab/Merlot in the liter size. You won't believe the quality in this jug wine.
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, out of New Zealand. A little pricey ($15-$18 bottle)but so wonderful with fish. If you want a treat, try this one.
Catarina Sauvignon Blanc, great crisp summer wine for about $8 a bottle.
Rodney Strong also has a wonderful sauvignon blanc.
The sauvignon blancs that I have listed are not grassy and very fruity. We happen to like that style. We are not big on chardonays, especially the ones that are oakey. We enjoy a buttery chard so if you have a suggestion for something like that, we would surely try it.
Gee, I know we have more favorites, just can't think of them right now. What a great topic. We have tried quite a few Oregon Pinot Noirs that are great with salmon too. My husband makes cranberries each Thanksgiving that use a whole bottle of pinot noir to 1 bag of berries. The recipe also has chrystalized ginger and chinese 5 spice in it. They are incredile. The recipe is from Chef Caprial Pence who has a restaurant in the Portland, OR area.

[Gail]

Hi guys!

Glad to see the subject is being met with enthusiasm. Can I ask I favor, though? Since we're from all over the country, I'm finding some of the labels you're able to get are not necessarily labels I can get. Living in California-- you'd think-- would be a plus for me. Not so, as I'm Southern Cal, which might just as well be a different state entirely. I love cruising shops when we're up north, pulling bottles off the shelf that we simply can't find around here. Anyway (drifting off the subject again) if your wine is from anywhere but California, would you mind terribly telling me where it's from? (Even this won't be foolproof, as wineries are constantly popping up and there's no way I'll recognize every name, but it'll help a little.)

Thanks. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/cool.gif

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-15-2000).]

[Gail]

Originally posted by Cathy:
Hi Gail,
We enjoy a buttery chard so if you have a suggestion for something like that, we would surely try it...
My husband makes cranberries each Thanksgiving that use a whole bottle of pinot noir to 1 bag of berries. The recipe also has chrystalized ginger and chinese 5 spice in it. They are incredile. The recipe is from Chef Caprial Pence who has a restaurant in the Portland, OR area...


Buttery... that's exactly the term my husband uses for Ferrari Carano's Chardonnay-- not exactly cheap, though-- upward of $25 as a rule-- but very good.

If you like Petite Sirah-- which used to be my favorite, especially when Hop Kiln still had their old vines (they're no longer producing it last I heard, as the vines had pretty much run their course...) Foppiano makes a fruity, tasty one-- and I think Concannon, which went downhill for a while, may be making a comeback.

You mentioned about your husband's cranberry sauce. Interesting. I think it was the old board where I was looking for a similar recipe. (Which I located, fortunately.) Mine uses Merlot-- although Pinot would be fine-- the crystallized ginger, orange peel, cinnamon, allspice, brown sugar and cloves. I got it from Bon Appétit last fall.

A lot of you other folks are posting labels I recognize and varieties I haven't tried (and now have something to look forward to. Thanks much) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[christinew]

Terrific Post! Any ideas on a good Pinot Grigio? I am furiously writing down all the cab recommendations above but do like a good white Italian wine every so often.

[alisome]

Hi Christine, as a matter fo fact I had a pretty good one last night, Danese-from Italy, very light but enjoyable and cheap bought it for less than $6 on sale! I'm not an expert but my dinner companions also enjoyed.

[alisome]

Originally posted by alisome:
Hi Christine, as a matter of fact I had a pretty good one last night, Danese-from Italy, very light but enjoyable and cheap bought it for less than $6 on sale! I'm not an expert but my dinner companions also enjoyed.

[Peggy]

As promised, here is an initial list of some of the wines my husband and I find consistently good from year to year. They are mainly from California and if not I will indicate where they are from. We are mainly Chardonnay drinkers so I will start there.

Chardonnays

Trellis (excellent value and very affordable)
Tessera (buttery)
Kendall Jackson
Markham
Sterling
Clos Pegace
S. Anderson (buttery)
Wente Bros.
Rodney Strong
Cakebread
Chateau Montelena
Mount Eden
Far Niete
Stonestreet
Note: the last two are quite pricey but forth it for a special occasion.

Merlots

Markham
Duckhorn
Sterling - Triple Palms Vineyard

Cabernets

Silver Oak (The "King" of Cabs)
S. Anderson (1997)
Stag's Leap
Stonegate


Sauvignon Blanc

Whitehall Lane
Kendall Jackson

Zins

Kenwood
DeRosa

Red Blends

Cain-5
Murrieta's Well - Red Vendimia
Weisinger's - Petite Pompadour (Ashland, Oregon

Misc

Kunde Viognier
Weisinger's - Chardonnay-Semillon (Ashland, Oregon)

We have been experimenting with foreign wines such as Cabs from Chile and South Africa and Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand but I can't remember the names of a particular winery.

Thanks to everyone for posting their favorites. I am compiling a growing lists of ones we would like to try.

Peggy

[lorilei]

Well, it looks like a lot has happened here over the weekend http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Glad to find this discussion in progress. My husband and I are probably too young to be considered anything less than "beginners" when it comes to wine, but we're certainly on the road to wino-dom. Right now we're primarily "red folk" -- but I'm looking forward to growing to like whites a bit more.

Since I'm stepping in a bit late, I don't have much to say. There have been lots of good wines already recommended. (Estancia is one of my favorite vineyards -- so I definitely second the recommendation for anything they make. This was my first exposure to cabernet...) And, I'm finding, lots of new ones to try.

I DO have to mention a very good cabernet we ran across a few weeks ago -- Vichon.

The wine is definitely flavorful on contact, but the best part is that it leaves beautiful chocolate notes behind. A definite winner to drink alone!

--oops! When I said "drink alone", I didn't mean that in an alcoholic sort of a way. I mean drink alone -- without food http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 07-17-2000).]

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by christinew:
Terrific Post! Any ideas on a good Pinot Grigio? I am furiously writing down all the cab recommendations above but do like a good white Italian wine every so often.

ChristineW -

I am not even close to being any kind of expert (I tend to choose according to affordability rather than anything else), but I really like the Eco Domani
Pinot Grigio. Good AND affordable!

[BethH]

My two favorite good-value (read: $10-$12 per bottle) reds are:

Echelon Pinot Noir and
Clos Du Bois Zinfandel

Thanks to all for the great advice! We LOOOVE red wine! I can't wait to look for some of the recommended ones at the store!

[Denise]

Another great "buttery" Chardonnay is Meridian. Tastes similar to Kendall Jackson but is a few dollars cheaper here in Colorado. Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm going to print all the postings and take them with me to the liquor store!

[lorilei]

Denise - Meridian actually makes some very fine wines. If I remember correctly, their Merlot isn't a bad buy either!

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Gail:
Okay, Lindrusso-- if I somehow gave you the impression we're wine experts or wine snobs or anything more than people who love to drink wine, forgetaboutit!

Well, first, Happy Anniversary.

Second, by expert I suppose I am referring to one's exposure to wine, not one's snobbishness! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

My husband and I have been drinking wine for the 9 years we've been married, but we've been "slow-to-warm-up". We stayed with the sweeter wines for quite a while - white zinfandels and reislings. Now we can't drink those anymore because they're too sweet.

For the last few years, we've been expanding, but still mostly stick with chardonnays and have tried only a handful of red wines.

Saturday night we FINALLY got to attend a wine tasting and it was great but overwhelming - like recipes - so many wines, so little time!! As we started to run out of time, I finally started trying some wines solely based on interesting names (like Duck Pond, Wild Horse and one called Bridgeview Black Beauty Merlot)just to narrow down the choices! At least we came away with some ideas for what to search for when we go shopping now!

So you see, we haven't had much wine experience, so you "non-experts" are wine afficionados in my eyes!

[Gail]

Originally posted by lindrusso:
... I finally started trying some wines solely based on interesting names (like Duck Pond, Wild Horse and one called Bridgeview Black Beauty Merlot)just to narrow down the choices!

Not that I'm recommending you try this (I haven't) but if you're looking for interesting names, does your market stock "Marilyn Merlot?" (Honest. Complete with Marilyn wearing the famous white dress from Seven Year Itch.)

And thanks for the anniversary wishes. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Natasha]

Hey Gail! Congratulations and enjoy the day! [Toasting you and your husband with glass of spring water.]

Originally posted by christinew:
Terrific Post! Any ideas on a good Pinot Grigio? I am furiously writing down all the cab recommendations above but do like a good white Italian wine every so often.

Hi Christine,
I don't know if these qualify as GOOD, but two Italian pinot grigios that we enjoy and that are VERY affordable are:

Pasqua 1999
Folonari 1998(?)

Hope you enjoy if you try!

[lorilei]

Marilyn Merlot??

How fun... I usually don't choose by "name", but I've been known to choose by the appearance of the bottle.

Anything colorful, creative or "spunky-looking" will spark my interest. And usually we'll end up with a bottle of it on our table. We've tasted some very interesting wines this way. Truthfully, I've been disappointed very few times http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[LauraEllen]

Wow. I wish I had my computer at home over the weekend. This looks like fun. If it's not too late I will add my 2 cents. I will qualify it, though, by saying that we do have wine with our dinner most nights, I focus on the food and my husbanmd tries to find a wine to match it (usually he tastes what I'm cooking before going to the cellar). Consequently, I just enjoy the wine without always paying attention to what it is.

Our usual "house wine" is Davis Bynum Winery, in the Russian River Valley. They have an excellent Pinot Noir, and also make very good zin, cab, chardonnay and sauv. blanc. We always stock up on their wines to have around. My favorite Zins come from the Dry Creek Valley, just north of Healdsburg. A couple of the best are Quivira and A.Rafanelli. J Wine Company (an offshoot of Jordan Winery) makes an excellent sparkling wine and now also makes a great Pinot Noir.

For inexpensive, good drinking wines, we have discovered that Gallo - Sonoma has been making some very good wines. They have to to compete in this market!

[BethR]

Originally posted by Cathy:
My husband makes cranberries each Thanksgiving that use a whole bottle of pinot noir to 1 bag of berries. The recipe also has chrystalized ginger and chinese 5 spice in it. They are incredile. The recipe is from Chef Caprial Pence who has a restaurant in the Portland, OR area.


Hi Cathy --
If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting that cranberries recipe -- it sounds awesome! Thanks!

I'm another one who enjoys wine but hasn't had much exposure to it. My husband is not big into wine, so it's usually just me who's having a glass with dinner. I recently tried Coyote Creek cab (bought it for the cool name & label) which I thought was very good. I also recently tried Walnut Crest Merlot (rated by Consumer Reports as a best buy) and was disappointed. The aftertaste was kind of musty. Has anyone else tried it? Usually CR is on the mark; I'm wondering if I got a bad bottle...
Beth

[Gail]

Originally posted by LauraEllen:
Our usual "house wine" is Davis Bynum Winery, in the Russian River Valley

A kindred spirit!! Do you know how hard it is to find Davis Bynum down here? The guy in the tasting room had a bit of an attitude when I asked whether they marketed much in Southern California. (I gather that must've been akin to asking whether they market their wine in Outer Mongolia) and the place where I buy most of my wine carries far more Gary Farrell than Bynum. Not a bad thing, I suppose and more money for them.

Now that you've told me, I will be right over to your house for dinner! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[LauraEllen]

Originally posted by Gail:
Do you know how hard it is to find Davis Bynum down here? The guy in the tasting room had a bit of an attitude when I asked whether they marketed much in Southern California. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Gail - I'm so sorry, I had no idea. They sell a lot of their wine in Thailand, but not So. Cal., huh? Well, they were one of the first wineries around to sell futures. You can buy a case the year before it is bottled and a reduced price and come up to pick it up the following year (a good excuse for a trip). Then they have a big party for all the futures buyers. A lot of the wineries do it now.

There is a new guy in the tasting room now that is a real sweety.

[CathyPA]

First off, Happy Anniversary Gail.

BethR- Agree with you on the disappointment with the merlot- musty tasting perfectly described my reaction.

Not usually a sweet wine drinker, but I really love Kendall Jackson Riesling (1996?) There is just something about it and a roasted pork tenderloin. Don't know what the going rate is , but I got it for $11.99 at a store in Delaware. In PA the same wine has cost me at least $15.

[CATHIEA]

Oh my gosh, I really love this thread. Tom & I love wine. We are lucky to have been guided in developing our taste by an excellent wine merchant. Last year we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at the Sonoma Valley Inn in Northern California. What a WONDERFUL experience. We found so many wines that we hadn't seen in Wisconsin, it was rather overwhelming. If anyone is touring wineries, we had our socks charmed right off our feet by the folks at the Family Wineries in Sonoma. It's a group of 7 or so small growers and wineries that share retail space. We loved Moondancer, Nelson and Kaz labels (Kaz has "offical" cellar cats, gotta love them) Ravenswood Zinfendal and Edgewood reds and Bogle merlot and cabernet were also treasured new tastes. We've never had a bad bottle from Hess or Kenwood. By the way, for those from Canada, we had some great reds (Pinot Noir and a "house" red) by Quail's Gate that were outstanding.
CathieA-So much wine to enjoy makes life worth living!

[Gail]

Okay, Lindrusso-- if I somehow gave you the impression we're wine experts or wine snobs or anything more than people who love to drink wine, forgetaboutit! It's a little embarrassing sometimes, going into a winery and having the person pouring my sample yakking away about "subtle nuances of this-and-that, delicious undetones of thus-and-such and a marvelous nose replete with whatever--" all I can tell you is I either like it or don't, it's dry, it's sweet or it's fruity. That's about it for me. And I kinda like Ecco Domani's pinot grigio, although it's one of those I MUST have with food.

Since I guess I was supposed to give some of my own favorites-- although I'm still searching for those FOREIGN wines, here are a few apart from what I've already mentioned:

Gary Farrell anything; esp Pinot Noir
Davis Bynum anything
Hop Kiln Zinfandel
Indian Springs Semillon (my salmon wine)
Signorello Semillon
Mark West Gewurztraminer (great with spicy food0
Marquis de Chasse White Bordeaux
Murphy Goode Sauvignon Blanc
Quivira Sauvignon Blanc
Trentadue Carignane, Sangiovese
Ferrari Carano Fumé Blanc
Rochioli Sauvignon Blanc

Those are all pretty affordable, with the exception of the Gary Farrell, some of the Davis Bynum (Gary Farrell is actually the winemaker for Davis Bynum, but also produces under his own label) and Ferrari Carano.

And Alisome, I'm with you on the Vueve Cliquot! Yum! (If it weren't the beginning of a work week, I'd open a bottle tonight for our wedding anniversary.)

[Gail]

CathieA,

Thanks for the winery info.

Laura and Peggy,

Any winery suggestions? Unless it's something REALLY great (like having a glass on Chandon's relaxing patio), I'd prefer to avoid the whole Highway 29 scene. Actually, we're partial to Russian River, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek wines (which doesn't mean we're closed off to good stuff out of that area.)

Oh-- and Laura--

I'm delighted to hear they have someone new at Davis Bynum. I LOVE their wines!

CathyPA,

Did you try checking out the Wine Spectator's web site for info on your wine?

Thanks to all for all your wonderful wine suggestions and the anniversary wishes! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-18-2000).]

[Cathy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BethR:
[B] Hi Cathy --
If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting that cranberries recipe -- it sounds awesome! Thanks!

Here it is, Beth. The recipe comes from Caprial's Bistro in Portland, OR by chef Caprial Pence. It was in the Nov 1997 issue of Bon Appetit.

Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Cups cranberries (about 8 ounces)
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 Cups Pinot Noir
1 1/2 Cups sugar
3 Tbsp chopped crystallized ginger
1 tsp curry powder
Large pinch of Chinese five-spice powder

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add cranberries and fresh ginger, stir until cranberries begin to burst, about 3 minutes. Add wine and sugar; boil until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add crystallized ginger, curry powder and five spice powder. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover, chill) Serve sauce cold or, if desired rewarm over low heat, stirring often.
(Personal note, when cooking down, cook until medium syrupy consistency. Berries will thicken as they cool.These cranberries come out thick like a chutney and are very intense. You only need a little on a plate.)
Enjoy!

[CathyPA]

Gail,

I did go out to Wine Spectator website as recommended. It's definitely the wine, now need to take this to the store. I originally had tried wine.com and couldn't find anything. Thanks for the help.

OOPS- Thanks to Mary Ann as well.

[This message has been edited by CathyPA (edited 07-19-2000).]

[lorilei]

For those of you who might not know about this site -- check out www.evineyards.com. (http://www.evineyards.com.) They have an interesting selection of wines for fairly reasonable prices.

They have a special going on -- 3 bottles for $21 (and free shipping with $25 or more)... a great way to experiment a bit with some wines you've never tried before. They ship out pretty fast, and it's a great treat to have 3-4 bottles arrive at one's doorstep http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Like a party in a box!

Oh, and Gail, they do carry some International varieties... you'll have to let me know what you think of their selection.

[MrsReber]

This is wonderful. I like to drink wine, but I am restricted to white- red gives me horrible chest pains. Can't figure it out, but the dr. says to stay away from it! Anyway, I have been drinking Sutter Home white zinfandel for years because I was afraid to try something new. I like the sweeter or fruity wines. I am definitely going to write down some of these suggestions. My husband and I go to dinner at this little Italian place and they serve St. James white zinfandel. I just love it, but haven't been able to find it in a store.

[cookgirl]

Trentadue Carignane, Sangiovese

Gail!!!! and Laura Ellen!!!!
I've just gotten sentimental. Last October, my husband and I took our honeymoon in Cal. We actually stayed at a wonderful B&B in Healdsburg...the Grape Leaf Inn. It was heavenly!
You both mentioned wines or areas that triggered my memory of that week! The B&B actually hosted a winetasting for Trentadue. The wines were spectacular, of course, after you go through a whole series of wines...well, I wouldn't completely trust my judgement. But it was indeed a great experience. My favorite Trentadue wine was their port. MMMMMMM.
And the Russian River Valley is a beautiful area. There's a place called Acaria in the RRV... and while this guy isn't a commercial wine producer (we found this out after we actually trespassed-unknowingly-onto his property and knocked on the door)he has some great stuff! Actually, when we saw him, he had just finished picking and crushing grapes from his small 7 acre vineyard. His entire arms were purple!
He let us tour through the place and then dip our palms into the fresh squeezed/crushed grape juice! Very COOL!
Ahhh, and another sentimental attachment: Iron Horse Champagne (I think it's from Sonoma Valley?). That's what we toasted with at our wedding!!!!
Sorry if I got too sappy! Great post!


[This message has been edited by cookgirl (edited 07-20-2000).]

[This message has been edited by cookgirl (edited 07-20-2000).]

[BethR]

Cathy -- Thanks muchly for the recipe. I can't wait to try it!
Beth

[LauraEllen]

cookgirl

Iron Horse Vineyards is also in the Russian River appellation. I can see their vineyards from my backyard.

[This message has been edited by LauraEllen (edited 07-21-2000).]

[laden]

I really enjoy a good cabernet. Some of my favorites include:

Kendall Jackson
BV Nappa
St. Andrews
Estancia
Hess Select
Liberty School
BR Cohn
Ruffino (chianti)
J Lohr

[laden]

I really enjoy a good cabernet. Some of my favorites include:

Kendall Jackson
BV Nappa
St. Andrews
Estancia
Hess Select
Liberty School
BR Cohn
Ruffino (chianti)
J Lohr

[RosemaryR]

Don't forget Chilean wines! They are excellent and in the last three years, exports are growing by leaps and bounds. Some of our current favorites are:

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 1999
Casa Lapostolle Merlot 1988
Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva
Caliterra Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
Vina Tarapaca Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

One wine that is not great here yet is Pinot Noir. (They import Kendall Jackson!)
There are several new wine stores (the new trend) here in Santiago that make trying and buying wine easy. Our favorite is La Vinoteca in Las Condes, and they will ship wine anywhere. Some of them may have web sites....I'll investigate and post another reply if I find any web info. Check your local wine importers, farmer's markets, etc. I hope you find the wines of Chile as tasty as we do!

[Natasha]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RosemaryR:
[B]Don't forget Chilean wines! They are excellent and in the last three years, exports are growing by leaps and bounds.

Rosemary - great to hear from you way down in Chile!! You are so right about exports growing by leaps and bounds. A couple of years ago, nobody I know was into Chilean wine, and now it s become almost mainstream among my friends. Pretty much everyone enjoys it (Also on exports, Australia is making a big impact these days too; Lindemans is becoming almost a household name.)

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-23-2000).]

[debj]

For a great value, try the Santa Carolina Cab - was not as crazy about their Merlot. We keep a case on hand. Lots of "bang for the buck" - @ $7.00 a bottle.

[debj]

Now that I've posted a "value" wine, I must also rave about a fabulous "splurge" selection we had at a dinner party - Estancia Meritage. Outstanding! Wonderful bulletin board - thanks for starting this -
Texas Deb

[Peggy]

Hi Gail,

Sorry I didn't see your question sooner... Hope the response is worth waiting for!!! Let me begin by saying that I am not put off by the crowds and tourism in the Napa Valley. Actually, I kind of welcome all of that as part of my "wine country experience!" I do love the Sonoma side and above, but must admit to spending most of my time on the Highway 29 route. Our local wine merchant has a casual, drop-in wine tasting with a different winery every weekend so having local access to the wines from so many wineries, I tend to go to the wine country for the complete package of wine, food, golf, shopping and mud baths, (not necessarily in that order!!!) We visit some of our favorite wineries and also search out different and unique places.

Not sure if any of these will interest you, but here are some of my favorites.

Napa:
Hakusan Sake Gardens - I love sake and it is intersting to see how it is made and then enjoy tasting it.
RMS Distillery - They have a very interesting tour. At the end you "smell" instead of "taste" because I think it is against the law to taste brandy - high alcohol content or something like that.

Yountville: You already know about the joys of Domaine Chandon! Love their restaurant!!!

Rutherford:
Cakebread Cellars - love their wine!
Frank Coppola's Winery - My husband is a big film buff and he loves to go through the museum to view his film memorabilia.

Oakville:
Silver Oak - The best Cab ever made in my opinion. Currently, they charge $10.00 a taste which is outrageous, but once a year they have a big sale on all their Cabs and I think they offer more for the money then.

St. Helena:
Markham - Love their wines
V. Sattui - Good picnic grounds and deli. Until recently you couldn't buy their wines anywhere except the winery. Now they sell over the Internet.
Prager Winery and Port Works - Family run operation. Dad (wine maker) is a hoot!! He is always there. They make great ports and only sell there so always on my list.
Joseph Phelps - Must make appt for tsting and tour but they have beautiful grounds and a nice set up.

Calistoga:
Chateau Montelena - Love their Chardonnay
Clos Pegace - Tour of winery and art collection.
Sterling - The biggest tourist draw around, but what a great view from the top especially in the fall when the colors are changing! I also like their tasting room and gift shop. However, I only go with "real tourists" who have never been there before.

I think that about wraps up my highlights! Now if you want to talk B&B's and restaurants....that is a whole other topic! Sometimes I think I really go for the food.

Hope this helps!!

Peggy

[Vanessa]

HI everyone...
My favorite wines?
Italy-Cecci San Gimignano (white)
Pinot Grigio (Italy)
RH Phillips-chardonnay
Chateau Saint Michelle, WA state
Chateau Laffitt Rothchild Burdeaux
Rosemont (Shiraz-cab, shiraz)-Australia
Jacobs Creek-shriraz Australia
Franciscan (CA) Cabernet
Charles Krug (love that winery!)
I like Korbel chardonnay
BV Coastal merlot
South America:
Cuccino Macul antiguas reservas cab
Santa Carolina reserva Cab
Sta Rita 120 have not tried it but read it was good.

[Gail]

Thanks to all their wonderful suggestions (keep 'em coming!)

Rosemary, I am SOOO happy to get advice on Chilean wines. I'll be sure to jot down the names and look for your suggestions. I don't suppose you could be prevailed upon to give us some Chilean recipes to go with the wines? (I'm sure the "oldies" around here are laughing-- I'm always in search of International recipes!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[cookgirl]

Originally posted by LauraEllen:
cookgirl

Iron Horse Vineyards is also in the Russian River appellation. I can see their vineyards from my backyard.

[This message has been edited by LauraEllen (edited 07-21-2000).]

I didn't know that (well, obviously not the part about seeing the vineyards out your window!). I guess we were just so overwhelmed that I didn't catch that. Although...now I do remember my mother saying that the champagne was from the area we were staying at.

Do you know about visitation to the Iron Horse Vineyards? I think we are going to head back to CA to finish our honeymoon, and it might be romantic to visit that place in particular...maybe have another toast!



[This message has been edited by cookgirl (edited 07-24-2000).]

[Gail]

Thank you both so much for your suggestions.
More and more things to try out!


Peggy-- I'm particularly intrigued by the sake-- guess what I had last night with dinner?

[LauraEllen]

cookgirl,

Iron Horse is open on weekends to the public. Be sure to wave when you're there. (your honeymoon should never be finished - just continued forever).

[jane]

MrsReber: If you are looking for white wines on the sweeter side I would definitely recommend Fetzer Guwurtaminer (I think I spelled that right) and Geyser Peak Johannasburg or California Reisling. They are all outstanding. I also just had Fetzer's white zin and chardonnay and they were great too. I don't think you can go wrong with Fetzer - I even liked their Merlot and I usually HATE merlot. Even better most of the Fetzers are around $10. Hogue also has some great reislings, particularly their late harvest reisling and a friend of mine found it in a NJ liquor store for $5.99. I can't find it anywhere here in PA though.

[Riba]

One of the best California wines that I have ever had is Daniel Lawrence Monterey Gewurtztraminer 1997. It has "crisp acidity" and "flavors of lychee and mango," but I'd just call it a great white wine.

[Tally]

What a fun thread to read.

Putting my 2 cents in . . . DH and I really enjoy Black Opal wines from Australia, especailly the Merlot and Shirraz.

We recently tried Berringer's Chenin Blanc and enjoyed that, too.

[Gail]

I thought this thread was dead and buried. Thanks for reviving it!

LauraEllen, if you're reading-- I am thrilled. Found some Davis Bynum recently in one of our local stores. Good news since I'm not sure if I'm ready to invest in futures... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[MrsReber]

Jane, thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely look for them on my next trip to the liquor store- which may be very soon as I want to pick up some cognac for the peppercorn mustard sauce for filet mingnon! This BB always makes me hungry.

[Leanne]

We love wine. Some of our tastes are a little more expensive though.
10$ range: Ravenswood Zin. or Ravenswood Vintner's Blend
Francesca Vitiano (an Italian red)
Columbia Crest Merlot

18$ (I think) Matanzas Creek Chardonnay

25$ range: Grgich (spelling?) Hills - they're all good, but I like the red - it's a zin or merlot.

40$ Matanzas Creek Merlot - Our favorite! Only for special occasions b/c it's so expensive.

We just went wine-tasting in France - there's alot of cheap wine from France that's tasty. I like the reds from St. Emillion.

Gail - We loved the Matanzas Creek Winery - a little off the beaten path - but WELL worth it! It's beautiful - with fields of Lavendar. They have a deck, & all 3 of their wines are wonderful. It was our favorite by far.




[This message has been edited by Leanne (edited 08-14-2000).]

[Gail]

Thanks for the tip, Leanne. I'll have to look Matanzas up on my map. Is it one of the "by appointment only" wineries?

[lanie]

Wow Gail - what a terrific post - being fairly new here and just happening upon things of the past - I found this GIRL you go! I love Australian Bin 65 - love the realy oaky chardonnays, also Wolf Blass - do any of you drink these or know of others that are really oaky - seems mostly aussie ones are the oakiest - too bad this isn't a chat site - we could all grab a glass of wine at the 'cocktail hour' and gab!!!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Lanie

[Gail]

...never mind...

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 10-11-2000).]

[Natasha]

Hi Lanie,
Bin 65, yes indeed! I surprised myself by really liking this one. Glad this thread has been revived.

[lanie]

What other chardonnays are quite oaky? Anybody know - there is a vintage that comes out about once a year Toasted Head from California that is really oaky too - maybe you folks get it all the time - it is about $22.00 a bottle

[heeter]

Gail - I'm new to the sight but noticed you are trying some South African wines. I just was in S. Africa and would recommend two that we brought back.

Nederburg - Sauvignon Blanc
Zevenwaeht - Pinotage

Both were very nice!

We drank a wine from Portugal (pretty inexpensive) call Graca that was also a very good white table wine while we were there.

[Gail]

Wow! Thanks, Heeter! We've just tried a three different South African wines at a local pub and liked them a lot! Trouble is, thusfar I'm not able to locate either of them. Thanks for a couple of other names to check out...

[Natasha]

Lindemans Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc is not half-bad either (says I after a glass or two with dinner at a terrific new restaurant downtown... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif ).

[Gail]

No, Lanie, I haven't had either. I'm finding that for the most part it's hard to find many of the suggested wines, so I remain an Australian Wine idiot. I did find a couple that were suggested on this thread, and they're sitting on my rack, unsampled as of yet.

In the meantime, we've been doing some minor dabbling in South African wines.

[emilycat]

I just wanted to bump this up, since there are a lot of new people on the board now, and I have a great fascination with wine!
Just thought I'd add my input; I try a lot of international wines, and don't often buy the same one twice, since I don't drink them quickly (I live by myself, so that would be bad http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif ). One I have bought about 5 times is Hogue's Johannisburg Riesling (Washington); Wine Specator gave it a score of something like 88, and it's pretty incredible for 8 bucks.
Also love:
Rodney Strong Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Albert Mann Gewurtztraminer (phenomenal) and Riesling (Alsace, France)
Estancia Chardonnay
Toasted Head Chardonnay
Toad's Hollow Chardonnay
Lustau East India Solera Sherry (absolutely fabulous) (Spain)
Mitte-Klack Domaine Grand Cru Gewurtztraminer (Alsace)
Trimbach Riesling and Gewurtztraminer (Alsace)
Wild Horse Pinot Noir
Ravenswood Zinfandel
Roederer Estate Brut sparkling wine (wonderful)
Tokay Pinot d'Alsace (incredible)(Alsace)
Pfalz Halb-trocken Riesling (Germany)
Vellasanto Orvieto Classico (Italy)
and one I have never been able to find since http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif Porto Barros 1977 Colheita Tawny Port (Portugal)

I would love to hear everyone's favorites and best buys of the moment! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Em

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 11-04-2000).]

[Gail]

Wow! This thread is like the Sci-Fi monster that refuses to die.

I recognize quite a few of the labels you've listed as Californian, but would you mind terribly identifying the origin of those which aren't? BTW I wish I could find your reisling recommendations-- but probably due to popularity around here, there's usually more chardonnays than any other whites. When it comes to reislings, chenin blancs and gewurz I keep finding the same old tired labels...

Hey guys! I'm still looking for Chilean and South African wines. Any other suggestions?

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 11-04-2000).]

[emilycat]

Sure! I just edited my post. Also, I have a couple Wine Spectators that list some of the best Chilean wines of the moment. Maybe you can find some of them:
Score 90 Migueil Torres Cabernet Sauvignon Curico District Manso de Velasco Reserva 1997 $33
Score 88 Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Aconcagua Don Maximiano Estate Reserva 1998 $25
Score 87 Montes Cabernet Sauvginon-Carmenere Colchagua Valley Apalta Vineyard 1999 $16
Score 86 Concha Y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Casillero del Diablo 1999 $10
Score 86 La Playa Claret Maipo Valley 1998 $10
Score 86 Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Reserve 1997 $14
Score 86 Miguel Torres Cabernet Sauvignon Curico District 1998 $13
Score 85 Aresti Cabernet Sauvignon Curico Valley Montemar 1999 $9
Score 85 Carmen Chardonnay Valle del Maipo Reserve 1997 $15
Score 84 De Martino Cabernet Sauvingnon Maipo Valley 1999 $7

South Africa:
Simonsig Pinotage Stellenbosch 1998, Score 89, $13
Glen Carlou Chardonnay Paarl 1998, Score 90, $14

Okay, wow, I never want to type Sauvignon again. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Gail]

Thanks, Em.

BTW, how come you didn't list any Cabernet Sauvignons? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[debg]

Our favorite is a small, local vineyard where we just happened to get married called Orfilia. They make a terrific merlot and a blend called con-Fusion. My sister loves the chardonay and to this day orders it online and has it shipped! Enjoy!

[Natasha]

Among all the higher-priced and more exotic wines, maybe this hardly fits, but last night we had the simplest, most unpretentious, most, um, shall we say economical wine: just a good old Robert Mondavi Woodbridge 1999 Sauvignon Blanc, and I can t believe how MUCH we enjoyed it!! I thought I had had this particular wine before, but didn t remember it being so GOOD! Last night we had thought yeah, this will be fine, nothing special, etc., etc., but it was a real treat. Recommended for making a simple dinner a bit more special. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 11-13-2000).]

[sneezles]

Natasha
I love Mondavi wines. I serve the chardonney at the bar but have others at home. I really like the Napa Valley Chardonney.

[lu lu]

My favorites are:
Santa Margarita - Pinot Grigio
Far Niente - Chardonnay (on the expensive side, but soo good!)

[Natasha]

Sneezles,

That is so cool about the bar. BTW, how do you choose what wines (and beer) to serve at the bar?

P.S. Does anyone think we better start a thread called Calling All Winos #2 or something like that? This one is taking years to reload...guess a lot of us love our wine along with our food!

[Peggy]

Just dumping this up for Leanne!

Leanne, I wrote all of my winery recommendations on page #2. Don't have the time to retype it all!

Peggy

[Leanne]

Originally posted by Peggy:
Just dumping this up for Leanne!

Leanne, I wrote all of my winery recommendations on page #2. Don't have the time to retype it all!

Peggy


Thanks - I looked at this post before - but I think it was so long that I didn't find wineries listed - just good wines.

[Beth]

I hadn't looked at this for a long time wither. So many wines, so little time! But I think this also proves the conclusion my husband and I reached that the quality of wines overall is so much better than it used to be 15-20 years ago. I started drinking whites or white zins because you were less likely to get a bad white than a bad red, and the reds tended to be pricier for your mistakes. We both prefer reds most of the time and drink them now with very few rejects. The industry and the public have matured and competition is so strong that a winery cannot stay in business if it is not putting out a good product. While you can get something that may not be to your taste, it's almost hard to buy a really bad bottle of wine.