Wine Thread

[KDawgCometh 2]

Why? Because what you typed above is a foreign language to most.

what do you want me to clarify. if you are asking why we should experiment, its because there is a lot of good stuff out there and sticking to what you know eliminates so much great stuff that one can try. If people are also willing to spend between 12-15 for a lot of stuff, they'll find much better stuff then they'll buy at 7. $5-10 isn't really that much more, and to get wine that is much better, then IMO it's money well spent

[RhinestoneCowboy 2]

what do you want me to clarify. if you are asking why we should experiment, its because there is a lot of good stuff out there and sticking to what you know eliminates so much great stuff that one can try. If people are also willing to spend between 12-15 for a lot of stuff, they'll find much better stuff then they'll buy at 7. $5-10 isn't really that much more, and to get wine that is much better, then IMO it's money well spent

I'm not asking you to clarify, just saying that most have no idea what any of the wine jargon means. There is way too much to try to explain in a post, but I have no idea why you would smell blueberries in one wine and burnt avacado in the next. I grab a random bottle and try it. What I need is wine for dummies (I'm sure it exists)...Edit: For example, I have 11 bottle of wine in the fridge. I have no idea what makes any of them better or worse than the others, I just know that if I like one, I may buy it again.

[El Guapo 8]

Kdawg, would you mind giving a Wine 101 breakdown for people. Maybe the basics, what grapes are what, what regions are what. In like a bulleted format.Since I am the OP, I can just EDIT my first post and make that the first post.

[KDawgCometh 2]

Kdawg, would you mind giving a Wine 101 breakdown for people. Maybe the basics, what grapes are what, what regions are what. In like a bulleted format.Since I am the OP, I can just EDIT my first post and make that the first post.

sure, i'm in the middle of a bunch of sngs right now, so itwon't happen tonight

[chrozzo 19]

MORE COWBELL!!!

[AAsnake88 0]

I'm not asking you to clarify, just saying that most have no idea what any of the wine jargon means. There is way too much to try to explain in a post, but I have no idea why you would smell blueberries in one wine and burnt avacado in the next. I grab a random bottle and try it. What I need is wine for dummies (I'm sure it exists)...Edit: For example, I have 11 bottle of wine in the fridge. I have no idea what makes any of them better or worse than the others, I just know that if I like one, I may buy it again.

There is no right or wrong about what you smell in a wine. Just pour yourself a glass, swirl it around a bit, and stick your honker into the glass and take a nice deep sniff. There will often be many flavors that you smell. When you pour some into your mouth let it sit there for a few seconds and swallow, then slowly inhale through your mouth and you will pick up more aromas and flavors. Once you've done it a few times you will get a better idea of the flavor of the wine and likely be able to verbalize what it is that you taste.The only thing that should make it better or worse to you is whether you enjoy the taste or not. Just because others feel it's awesome doesn't mean that you should have the same opinion. If you like it, and nobody else does, f'em, and drink the hell out of it.As for the fridge, if you are speaking of a regular fridge and not a wine fridge, take your reds out and serve them at just below room temperature as the flavors are much more prevalent at about 60-65* rather than 40*.

[leftygolfer 7]

I'm not asking you to clarify, just saying that most have no idea what any of the wine jargon means. That's the whole purpose of this thread. Think of it as Dear KDawg, but just not as funny as Dear Speedz or Dear Ouch.There is way too much to try to explain in a post, but I have no idea why you would smell blueberries in one wine and burnt avacado in the next. I grab a random bottle and try it. There are so many variables...the grapes, the barrels that were used, what you just ate, where you are tasting it. That's what makes tasting and drinking wine so much fun.What I need is wine for dummies (I'm sure it exists)... You are not as dumb as we think you are.Edit: For example, I have 11 bottle of wine in the fridge. I have no idea what makes any of them better or worse than the others, I just know that if I like one, I may buy it again. See Snakes post.

sure, i'm in the middle of a bunch of sngs right now, so itwon't happen tonight

You may need to do a Steve Stud and start charging people.

[Suited_Up 2]

There actually is a Wine for Dummies, and it's a great little book.I haven't read it myself but a few people at work have it and i've looked through it. Tons of info in there. I may pick it up for myself some day.

[KDawgCometh 2]

You may need to do a Steve Stud and start charging people.

. 1 bottle of brunello per hour of consulting

[KDawgCometh 2]

for those in teh chicago area, check out for this wine. Binny's has it marked down from 30 all the way to 9.99. At 30 this wine doesn't work, but at 10, this definitely works and is something fun to check out for expanding your palate and trying something new. A ton of stuff has been picked over by a lot of binnys stores from the sale, but this one may still be around since barely anybody ever buys lebanese wine. Here are my notes from Cellar Tracker. I'll edit this one and put up a south african viognier that I got today for 12 as I'm really in an experimentation mood and after my CdP tasting I plan on buying a lot of cheaper wine so that I can relate to my customers better, and really just experiment with a variety of stuff. So, I'm gonna be drinking more standard fare, but also more viognier and stuff that most people may not normally think of trying.anyway, here are my notes:

• 2003 Massaya Gold Reserve - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (1/11/2008)really dark purple ruby red colornose: nice deep nose. a bit of cedar, blueberry, earth, spices, underbrush, and some cranberry and maybe a bit of black curranttaste: very soft on the palate. good initial attack, but kind of dies on the mid and back palate. more cab on the mouth with solid tannin structure and cedar, tobbacco, and blackberryoverall: this could be really great wine, but losing it on the mid and back palate just kind of kills it for me. it has some solid structure to it, but falls just a bit short of being outstanding stuff. It's very good though, but I am certainly glad I paid only 10 for this as opposed to the $30 that it was listed at. it's very interesting and I would like to check out this winery in the future if they can work on the finish issues and more sustainment on the palate (87 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker edit: time for the white I'm having right now that I got for 12. This one is good for those that want to check out something different, which of course I will constantly encourage for everyone

• 2005 Seidelberg Wine Estate Viognier - South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl (1/11/2008)nose: nice typical viognier nose. petrol, apple peel, along with some peach and hazelnut flavorstaste: solid oily mouth. hazelnut and peach, with some good petrol aspect along with itoverall: this is some very good stuff. real nice and viscous and really brings out the better aspects of viognier. leaves a nice finish, but not as heavy on the palate and lasting as I'd like. This is good stuff though, but not for everyone. (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[El Guapo 8]

Keith could you explain the point systme briefly? I know higher the better, but how do those points get accumulated and how low is a bad score?

[KDawgCometh 2]

Keith could you explain the point systme briefly? I know higher the better, but how do those points get accumulated and how low is a bad score?

technically there's a full on formula for point accumulation, but for me that gets way too specific and I've had enough wine to know what a 87 pt wine tastes like and what a 98 pt wine tastes like(in the case of wines over 96, they really just tell you what they should be rated):Extraordinary (95-100 points)Outstanding (90-94)Very Good to Excellent (85-89)Good (80-84)Average (75-79)Below average (70-74)Avoid (50-70)

[Huskers20 0]

Hey all if you are in Chicago Area you have to get out to Binny's, they just started an AMAZING sale yesterday. With that I had asked KDawg for some recommendations for some of the European bottles as I mainly drink Cali. So with Keith's permission here is what he had sent me back.I ended up going to three different stores and getting over 4 cases. Most everything was around 50% off. The best deal was I got a Magnum of 1999 Groth Cab, original $290, sale $125. Wow. So if you are close it is well worth the trip, very good sale.QUOTEKeith,With the new winter sale, what are the recommendations this time. Oh my God for Cali, 2003 Cyrus for $20, come on you can't beat that.But continue to expand my European, I would appreciate it, if there is any of value at the 30 and 40 percent off that you have.Thanks.Stevewell, you're competing against the employees, cause at my store, we picked off a whole bunch of good stuff before it goes on sale tommorrowthere is also the problem that the store(s) near by you may not have all of the stuff that is on sale. I know that my store hasn't had some of the stuff for a while or at allas far as the rhone stuff, I'd say try to pick up the 04 Raymond Usseglio CdP and the 04 Beaurenard Cotes Du Rhone. These are gonna be grenache based, so it will be different from bordeaux. You can generally drink CdPs with about an hour of decantingwith the bordeauxs, try to pick up if you can the 03 batailly, 05 reignac(this will need some good decanting, but this is one of the few bordeauxs that is pretty drinkable upon release. It's more merlot based but trust me, reignac is generally pretty damn good), 03 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 03 La Tour Haut-Brion, hell, all of the 03s are well worth getting if your store has them. This is a good chance for you to check out the right bank of bordeaux. the 01 Clos Debrueil is a really good buy. Don't be afraid of the fact that there is merlot in the right bank wines. I wasn't much of a fan of merlot until I had some pomerol wines, and then I realized what it was all aboutthere is some good stuff for burgundy. For the pinots check out the 04 Dom Bertagna VR Beaux Monts. I know that my store also has the 04 Bertagna Chambolle Musigny Les Plantes(which I snatched one up) and we had the 04 Bruno Clair Gevrey Chambertin Cazitiers(which of course I snatched up too ). 04 was a very mundane vintage for burgundy for the most part, but there of course were very good wines in that vintage. The ones that I mentioned are good ones. One the small discount kick, check out the 05 Jadot Beaune Clos Des Ursules. I haven't had that one yet, but I've had the 96,98,99, and 00 and always enjoyed them, so considering how great of a vintage that 05 burgundy is, it should be a very good burgNow, burgundy pinot is gonna be miles different the cali pinot and a pretty different from oregon pinot. So, if you pick up any red burgs, lets drink them together and I'll be sure to bring through some burgs that I'm a big fan of. This is probably my favorite region and they can be just great, and at the same time gawd awful. There is a ton of finesse and very different flavors that they bring from american pinots. I'll also warn you that if you become a fan of burgundy, it won't be cheap, but, that's where I come in to hopefully guide you so that you aren't constantly forking over an arm and a legthere's some good italian stuff too. Check out both of the petrolos and the arigano solegnothere's a bunch of stuff at my store that isn't on that list, so things will vary from store to store. I think though that this is a great chance for you to check out some french stuff that you normally wouldn't check out, especially the burgundieshappy hunting Keith

[Suited_Up 2]

All these French, Italian and European names just confuse the hell out of me.I like when the name is just Brand/Grape.... otherwise I'm lost. In a language I can kinda understand obv.

[Huskers20 0]

Kurt, I totally understand if I didn't have Keith's recommendations I would have been lost in those aisles. But since they are tagged for sale they were pretty easy to find. I will just list some of what I bought yesterday with the amazing discounts. This is a great way to get some more expensive wines at an affordable price.First some of Keiths picks.2003 Chateau La Tour Haut Brion $30 instead of $502001 Clos Debreuil $30 io $502005 Chateau Reignac $26 io $30 heard from a few others how great this wine should be2003 Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste $30 io $502003 Chateau Canon $30 io $60 2003 Argiano Solengo $40 io $70One other he recommended in a second note was 2001 Markham Petite Sirah $13 io $25, which I had a bottle of last night and was very good. Actually reminded me more of a European wine:) guessing that was the reason for the recommendation.Some that I picked for value or that I just like2003 Cyrus $20 io $40, this is one of my favorites and Binny's $40 is actually a great price as most places are $45 and up. If any of this is left at $20 scoop it up. I grabbed 12 bottles in Naperville.2001 Rutheford Hill Cab $15 io $252006 Alexander Vally Pinot Noir $15 io $25, have actually been to this winery, good stuff.2004 Anderson Conn Pinot Noir $26 io$50. Also had a bottle of this last night was outstanding, it was better than a 2004 Baldacci Cab that was rated in the top 50 that my friend was bragging about, he even agreed the Pinot was better2004David Arthur Cab, $40 io $902003 Flora Springs Trilogy $22 io $40And 2005 Cargasacchi Pinot Noir $17 io $40There were a few others but you get the point.So go out and buy buy buy and report back:)Huskers20

[Suited_Up 2]

Now I just need mobnies.

[KDawgCometh 2]

steve, did you pick up any of teh bertagna's that I rec'dI wish I had been able to get my hands on the cyrus, but there were only like 3 bottles left and my other coworkers picked them off before I could get my hands on them. There was also a bunch of other stuff that was on sale taht I didn't realize, so I missed out on a screamer of a value in the 01 baroli barolo that was marked down from 55-60 all the way down to 26 . I love barolos and it's been a while since I've had one. I just grabbed my 05 caragasacchi PN that I put in teh back and will be having that tonight, was 40, I got it for 16 steve, that groth is a good deal, but at my store, we had 3 mags of the 03 axios for 125 also. There should be 1 or 2 in orland park if it's near you(and if the guy that cleaned my store out of them doesn't get them from there too like he will be for the lake zurich store)I haven't had the markham yet, but I love petite sirah and haven't had one with some age on it, so I'm looking forward to it. kurt and steve, check out the 04 Beaurenard Cotes Du Rhone Rasteau that's on sale for 11 or 12 now. I just tried it today and is very good, but also very old world. I'll put my notes up on it in a bit

[KDawgCometh 2]

here are my notes for the beaurenard CdR that I had a chance to try today:

• 2004 Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau (1/12/2008)nose: blueberry, spice, cigar tobbacco, underbrush, and some meaty notes tootaste: very earthy mouth with underbrush, baconfat, and a lot of dark fruit. very nice and rustic flavorsoverall: very nice wine. I like the rustic-ness of this and it leaves a tobbacco-y and earthy finish that lasts a good 20 seconds or so. this is a very quality wine (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Suited_Up 2]

here are my notes for the beaurenard CdR that I had a chance to try today:

• 2004 Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau (1/12/2008)nose: blueberry, spice, cigar tobbacco, underbrush, and some meaty notes tootaste: very earthy mouth with underbrush, baconfat, and a lot of dark fruit. very nice and rustic flavorsoverall: very nice wine. I like the rustic-ness of this and it leaves a tobbacco-y and earthy finish that lasts a good 20 seconds or so. this is a very quality wine (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

I wouldn't like it.

[RhinestoneCowboy 2]

steve, did you pick up any of teh bertagna's that I rec'dI wish I had been able to get my hands on the cyrus, but there were only like 3 bottles left and my other coworkers picked them off before I could get my hands on them. There was also a bunch of other stuff that was on sale taht I didn't realize, so I missed out on a screamer of a value in the 01 baroli barolo that was marked down from 55-60 all the way down to 26 . I love barolos and it's been a while since I've had one. I just grabbed my 05 caragasacchi PN that I put in teh back and will be having that tonight, was 40, I got it for 16 steve, that groth is a good deal, but at my store, we had 3 mags of the 03 axios for 125 also. There should be 1 or 2 in orland park if it's near you(and if the guy that cleaned my store out of them doesn't get them from there too like he will be for the lake zurich store)I haven't had the markham yet, but I love petite sirah and haven't had one with some age on it, so I'm looking forward to it. kurt and steve, check out the 04 Beaurenard Cotes Du Rhone Rasteau that's on sale for 11 or 12 now. I just tried it today and is very good, but also very old world. I'll put my notes up on it in a bit

Keith, my future parents-in-law bought me a bottle of Castellero Barolo Barale F lli 2000 (not sure what info is relevant, that is everything off of the bottle).Have you heard of/had this one. Should I decant for a couple hours before drinking? (will probobly drink for Valentines, its the most expensive/oldest bottle in my small collection)

[KDawgCometh 2]

I wouldn't like it.

how do you know, have you had much french wine? I'm most likely gonna pick a bottle of this up, and I'd gladly drink it with you

Keith, my future parents-in-law bought me a bottle of Castellero Barolo Barale F lli 2000 (not sure what info is relevant, that is everything off of the bottle).Have you heard of/had this one. Should I decant for a couple hours before drinking? (will probobly drink for Valentines, its the most expensive/oldest bottle in my small collection)

chris, I'd definitely decant for about 2-3 hours, maybe 4-5. THe 00 vintage for the piedmont(of which the two major regions are barolo and barberesco) was an outstanding vintage, but also one that is more geared towards New world tastes in a way(what this means is that more fruit forward and accessible in its youth, as opposed to being overtly tannic(tannins are natural in red grapes and a they create backbone and structure on a wine, but a big tannin bomb will make a bitter beer face and make your mouth feel very very dry) like traditional barolos do). This will be a very interesting bottle for you if you haven't ever had big time italian wine, especially barolo. Nebbiolo(the grape that is used for barolos and barberescos) can bring about some amazingly haunting flavors on both the nose and mouth. It is both tannic and nuanced at the same time, and should bring about floral notes, blueberry, blackberry, black currant, red currant, and other fruit flavors. I'd reccomend drinking it out of the proper glass and picking up a reidel burgundy glass for it(as the burg glass works for both pinots and nebbiolo). With barolo you get what you pay for IMO. THey are and can be very expensive, but can also be some of the most profound wines that you will have, the same goes for brunellos from tuscany. This wine should be a real treat and I hope that it turns out to be a very good wine for you

[El Guapo 8]

Keith if I want something that I cannot get at my grocery store, local winery, or bevmo/wineshop. What would you suggest, what online site is good and reasonable, where shipping costs don't kill you. Can we order it from you?

[KDawgCometh 2]

Keith if I want something that I cannot get at my grocery store, local winery, or bevmo/wineshop. What would you suggest, what online site is good and reasonable, where shipping costs don't kill you. Can we order it from you?

check out KLwines' site, JJBuckley, WineLibrary, and Sokolin for the big places in the US. You can always use Winesearcher.com too to find wines that you can't find near by you. to answer your other question, yes, my store does ship to any state in the US that accepts retailer shipments

[strategy 4]

oof, new wine release just yesterday! here are some of my release notes:

• What's new in this release - RunOnce and Run entries now executed on startup. - Beginnings of support for emulated disk devices. - Many Richedit improvements. - Nicer looking color dialog. - Lots of bug fixes.

Delicious.

[Suited_Up 2]

how do you know, have you had much french wine? I'm most likely gonna pick a bottle of this up, and I'd gladly drink it with you

Well, I wouldn't turn down a little tasting session.But I generally am not a big fan of old world style wines. The oak and earthy stuff just doesn't really do it for me.