Wines

30 Nov 2004

Quote by AndyS-NE
As there seems to be a laod of wine drinkers here - i was thinking would anybody interested ina a wine tasting night?
Basically we'd just hirea room somewhere and everyone bbring a bottle of thier favourite wines and we all have a taste. Everyone gets sloshed and have a good time? (obviosuly some would have to bring more than one bottle as there seems a high degree of hardened wine drinkers!)
If there is enough interest i'd be willing to do a lot of the leg work - it' would obviously be in the North East somewhere. After Christmas and the new year?
Like i say if there interest i'd be wiling to get the ball rolling.
Just post here for a indication of numbers / any ideas for the night.

Sounds like a good idea. I wouldn't make it that far north but I'm sure a lot would. Sounds a bit lke a munch - p'raps you could go for a wine munch - but all the lager/beer/gin/whisky/bacardi drinkers might not come then.
Am I making any sense here??

30 Nov 2004

ok my favs...
chateau de campuged foe about 7-8quid
champagne got be dom perignon 1996...classic
maestro merlot/cab sauv
goldwater cab
and we cant foget echeverria family reserve cab sauv...
get any one of them five bottles...and your taste they are in for a great night

30 Nov 2004

Andy, nice idea - I would definitley be interested.

30 Nov 2004

Quote by westerross
As there seems to be a laod of wine drinkers here - i was thinking would anybody interested ina a wine tasting night?
Basically we'd just hirea room somewhere and everyone bbring a bottle of thier favourite wines and we all have a taste. Everyone gets sloshed and have a good time? (obviosuly some would have to bring more than one bottle as there seems a high degree of hardened wine drinkers!)
If there is enough interest i'd be willing to do a lot of the leg work - it' would obviously be in the North East somewhere. After Christmas and the new year?
Like i say if there interest i'd be wiling to get the ball rolling.
Just post here for a indication of numbers / any ideas for the night.

Sounds like a good idea. I wouldn't make it that far north but I'm sure a lot would. Sounds a bit lke a munch - p'raps you could go for a wine munch - but all the lager/beer/gin/whisky/bacardi drinkers might not come then.
Am I making any sense here??
Perfect sense - might be easier just to say a Piss Up Munch!!! Like i say i'll wait to see what people think and if theres interest iwe'll take it from there

30 Nov 2004

First rule is drink what you like. If you want sweet white wine (Sauternes etc) with Chateau Briand then drink white wine with Chateau Briand.
Oh, and for the Ladies, Bollinger NV and chocolate are divine!
If you can, go to a tasting and taste a number of different wines (spit don't swallow or you'll be legless after 20 or so!!).
Very expensive red wine is an acquired taste. The Haut Brion's, Rothschilds (i.e the best Bordeauxs) are quite tanic and tend to be dry (as in you need a glass of water as well!).
You may find the New World Wines more to your pallette.
Australia: Penfold's produce some of the very best Australian (including the fabulous Grange Hermitage). The Bin-numbered wines from Penfolds are usually very good. Wolf Blass is also very good as is Hardy's. Tescos do a Hardy's Cabinet Sauvignon in a wine box for about that is very palettable.
New Zealand: Tend to produce better whites than reds but Te Mata Coleraine (if you can get hold of it) is really very good.
California: Fetzer is good as is Robert Mondavi (can be a bit pricey) and E & J Gallo. I find them a bit over-oaked. Their Red Zinfandels are very good but don't order a White Zinfandel in a bar if you're male :twisted:
South America: Mainly produced in stainless steel vats then "finished in new oak barrels" to give some flavour. Tends to be lacking but Undurraga is good.
South Africa: KWV is South Africa's wine growing Cooperative and is probably the one you'll see the most. There are better, a lot better, if you are prepared to look - Rustenberg springs to mind.
If you are serious about wines, get a copy of Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book (Mitchell Beazley). It is a good place to start.

30 Nov 2004

We regularly drink Banrock Station............
of both the white and red variety....
biggrin

and is on offer at Tesco Extra for a box!!!!!
:thrilled: :thrilled: :thrilled: :thrilled:
Helen..xx

30 Nov 2004

Quote by AndyS-NE

Hey, I'd like to see you try to promote a teetotal munch :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

30 Nov 2004

Quote by westerross

Hey, I'd like to see you try to promote a teetotal munch :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Are they like finding chicken teeth and rocing horse s*it?

30 Nov 2004

i don't know if this has been mentioned.....
can't go wrong with jacob's creek..... the chardonnay is good stuff....
sean xxxxxxxxxxxx

30 Nov 2004

Quote by AndyS-NE
No problem, I'll beg, borrow, steal or generally crawl to get a sitter sometime soon and let u know.
I won't be held responsible for the hangover u may get though lol

I'll hold you to that!! Oh yes you will be responsible for the hangover - i am a aman and nothing is ever ever our fault!!! lol

excuse me

errrr NO way am i being responsible for your hangover when I rarely take the blame for my own! lol
Mr Artois usually gets balmed for my after nights out illness

30 Nov 2004

Quote by Lil_Bunny
No problem, I'll beg, borrow, steal or generally crawl to get a sitter sometime soon and let u know.
I won't be held responsible for the hangover u may get though lol

I'll hold you to that!! Oh yes you will be responsible for the hangover - i am a aman and nothing is ever ever our fault!!! lol

excuse me

errrr NO way am i being responsible for your hangover when I rarely take the blame for my own! lol
Mr Artois usually gets balmed for my after nights out illness
:lol:
ok ok - i'll accept for responsabilty for my hang over.
I am not too bad with wine - larger now thats a different matter!!
oh my head hurts just thinking of some of the clips i've been in, in the mornings
:lol:

1 Dec 2004

can i be the malibu taster
i hate wine wink

1 Dec 2004

Quote by AndyS-NE
Can anyone suggest some really good stuff? - i've been frightened to spend over Â£10

Why spend that much? Price has never been much of an indicator of quality. OK, some of the ones I like are a bit pricey, but my favourite at the mo is less than a fiver. Gallo's Ruby Cabernet. Slightly woody, not as heavy as it looks, great with fish and chips. And sod the purists, drink it cold. biggrin

(But don't bother putting the cork back in: Once you've opened it, it's only good for half an hour which is fine by me ;) )

1 Dec 2004

Hey! nothing wrong with blossom hill...cheap n cheerful, good taste and does the job after 2 or 3 glasses, 2 or 3 bottles, depending on the mood...hic! lol. were a pair of winos, and if we cant get blossom hill, we usually grab a bottle of Aussie or Sth African wine smile

1 Dec 2004

Quote by redstilletto
can i be the malibu taster
i hate wine

I think we could sort something out!? :wink:

1 Dec 2004

Quote by Ice Pie
Can anyone suggest some really good stuff? - i've been frightened to spend over Â£10

Why spend that much? Price has never been much of an indicator of quality. OK, some of the ones I like are a bit pricey, but my favourite at the mo is less than a fiver. Gallo's Ruby Cabernet. Slightly woody, not as heavy as it looks, great with fish and chips. And sod the purists, drink it cold. biggrin

(But don't bother putting the cork back in: Once you've opened it, it's only good for half an hour which is fine by me ;) )
I must admit i far prefer my wine cold - can't stand it warm!!
The price thing some seem to a bit of a poor induication for a decent tipple - not being any sort of wine buff i originally thought wrongly!!

1 Dec 2004

Banrock Station Sparkling Shiraz is gorgeous !!
I find most Chardonnay's these days too woody, unless you can find a nice unoaked one, then you can see what it used to taste like !

1 Dec 2004

try piat d'or its smooth and not to dry or jacods creek merlot also very nice. I drink most reds from bulgaria as they normally taste quite smooth too.

1 Dec 2004

Quote by AndyS-NE
Can anyone suggest some really good stuff? - i've been frightened to spend over Â£10

Why spend that much? Price has never been much of an indicator of quality. OK, some of the ones I like are a bit pricey, but my favourite at the mo is less than a fiver. Gallo's Ruby Cabernet. Slightly woody, not as heavy as it looks, great with fish and chips. And sod the purists, drink it cold. biggrin

(But don't bother putting the cork back in: Once you've opened it, it's only good for half an hour which is fine by me ;) )
I must admit i far prefer my wine cold - can't stand it warm!!
The price thing some seem to a bit of a poor induication for a decent tipple - not being any sort of wine buff i originally thought wrongly!!
Whoever decided that wine had to be drunk at room temperature was probably sitting in a 17th Century Chateau anyway...not a lot of central heating in those days !
I like to chill my wine and then drink it as it comes up to a nice temperature rather than drink it very cold or at room temperature

1 Dec 2004

I've never been very clear about grape varieties and with a couple of white exceptions I'm not keen on new world wines. I don't like the attacking taste, I prefer something mellow with a pleasant aftertaste, so for a good drink without costing the earth I'd go for Waitrose Special Reserve Claret, not the "Good Ordinary". It's about a bottle, case discount if you like it.
Tesco also do a good one, amazing really cause most of their stuff is crap, (never buy a Caesar Salad from Tesco).
If shopping in Calais look for everyday drinking wines, the duty on a bottle of wine is about 70p so the effect is much greater at the lower priced end. Might as well pay the Supermarket for the times you want a goodie or five for a dinner party.