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White wine - try this one
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The sun has dropped out of sight here in deepest Hertfordshire, and I'm well into a blinding little Pinot Grigio. It's very jolly, and I feel an urge to recommend it. It's from that shop from which we just don't like to buy wine - M&S. It feels so unimaginative, like a bit of a kop out. But there's no point recommending something which you can't just go out and find in your local High Street. So if you like Pinot Grogio (and it has taken over from Chardonnay as the "grape of the moment", so you probably do) then give this a whirl. It's young, it has a delightful sunny, straw colour; it smells fresh and flowery; and it tastes like a clean, sharp alcoholic fruit salad with a subtle, dry sherry after taste. It's yummy. Look for the label, and try it. It's this ... Variety: Pinot Grigio Region: Friuli, Italy Producer: Arrigo Bidoli Year: 2007 Seller: M&S Price: �5.99 ABV: 13% It has a cream coloured label with grey and orange writing, and a little picture of a winery. The year (2007) is in the top left hand corner. BUT ... It has a screw top (naturally) so, if you're a bottle snob, don't buy it. And it's from M&S so, if you're a label snob, don't buy it. However ... if you fancy a cracking little wine to guzzle down, chilled in the evening as the sun goes down, then DO buy it. Now I need a question. How about ... did you enjoy this wine?
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Shurrup... winebuyer... I am jealous... I have to go to work tomorrow and hence am not able to drink alcohol tonight.. grrrrr................ never mind, come Friday, I will probably be found in the alcohol department of my local supermarket.. In the meantime I have noted Pinot Grigio Region: Friuli, Italy Producer: Arrigo Bidoli Year: 2007 thank you !
Hi beanebabe.
I don't think M&S is bad, but a lot of people feel it's unimaginative, and not a "proper" wine shop. That's what I mean by "label snobs".
As to your Asda wine ... any twit can walk into a wine shop with �20 and come out with a wine that tastes nice. That just needs a big wallet and a small brain.
The real trick is to find that scrummy bottle which, as you describe it, is "jolly nice for the price".
It's better to be sitting at home, slugging it back, and thinking "this was great value", rather than thinking "I just got suckered out of �20".
We have an Asda within shooting distance. Can I swap recommendations with you and try your Californian red? What are the ...
Grape Variety: (Cabernet Sauvignon? Etc)
Region: Okay ... California
Producer:
Year:
Is there a brand name?
Screw top or cork? (only helps to i.d. the bottle)
So, that's my Thursday evening sorted !!!
I don't think M&S is bad, but a lot of people feel it's unimaginative, and not a "proper" wine shop. That's what I mean by "label snobs".
As to your Asda wine ... any twit can walk into a wine shop with �20 and come out with a wine that tastes nice. That just needs a big wallet and a small brain.
The real trick is to find that scrummy bottle which, as you describe it, is "jolly nice for the price".
It's better to be sitting at home, slugging it back, and thinking "this was great value", rather than thinking "I just got suckered out of �20".
We have an Asda within shooting distance. Can I swap recommendations with you and try your Californian red? What are the ...
Grape Variety: (Cabernet Sauvignon? Etc)
Region: Okay ... California
Producer:
Year:
Is there a brand name?
Screw top or cork? (only helps to i.d. the bottle)
So, that's my Thursday evening sorted !!!
Not much info on bottle - but it has got a nice label (other half gets lots of mileage out of my 'wine choosing' technique)! It's called Californian Juicy Red and has a picture of a tree covering most of label with a ladybird on it. In our Asda's it's on the bottom shelf!!! Not much help hey! Will look out your choice on Saturday. Happy boozing!
Thanks beanebabe. I'm sure I'll find it. There can't be too many bottles with ladybirds on them!
Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason for why you pick any particular bottle. An appealing label is a good enough reason. We will all open some bottles and think "bleeeagh". Other times, we will smugly tell ourselves that we've stumbled across a little cracker that was great value. That could be me tomorrow. Except I can hardly tell myself that I "stumbled across it" when beanebabe posted the details on AB. Still, it's the same principle!
Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason for why you pick any particular bottle. An appealing label is a good enough reason. We will all open some bottles and think "bleeeagh". Other times, we will smugly tell ourselves that we've stumbled across a little cracker that was great value. That could be me tomorrow. Except I can hardly tell myself that I "stumbled across it" when beanebabe posted the details on AB. Still, it's the same principle!
Didn't one of Tesco's own once beat all its rivals and amaze the so-called experts when it was unveiled for what it was?
I think it's really up to individual choice. Pinot Grigio, for instance, is too dry for my liking. It's similar to Pinot Noir in that it s grape shares the same DNA - but PG LOOKS pleasant, because of it's nice rich colour.
I think it's really up to individual choice. Pinot Grigio, for instance, is too dry for my liking. It's similar to Pinot Noir in that it s grape shares the same DNA - but PG LOOKS pleasant, because of it's nice rich colour.
vivandorron.
You're so right. Wine attracts some dreadful snobs. In many cases, it's dimwits hiding their lack of knowledge, and hoping that we will consider them to be discerning and clever.
The "must have a cork, must be French, must be from a wine merchant, must be at least fifteen pounds" crowd are appalling twits. Send the rest of us into a supermarket with a fiver, and quite a few of us will come out with a storming bottle of wine, and a bit of change.
You're so right. Wine attracts some dreadful snobs. In many cases, it's dimwits hiding their lack of knowledge, and hoping that we will consider them to be discerning and clever.
The "must have a cork, must be French, must be from a wine merchant, must be at least fifteen pounds" crowd are appalling twits. Send the rest of us into a supermarket with a fiver, and quite a few of us will come out with a storming bottle of wine, and a bit of change.
LOl winebuyer ... I know exactly what you mean ! I actually will avoid buying wines that have corks in them.... I much prefer to see the easy to open screw tops (I also know they won't be *corked* either)... If (for some crazy reason) I don't finish a bottle of wine, then I also know I can simply close it up again and it will be fine for the next evening. I have been quite taken by some of the New Zealand whites over the past few years - they have been quite stunning. I'm also getting into the ros�s that we have been seeing lately - lovely and fruity but not too acidic, just right for a warm spring/summer evening with tasty food.....
You do realise that you have started me off now ??? lol
You do realise that you have started me off now ??? lol
beanebabe, am off to asda tomorrow and will look out for the ladybird in the tree californian red you recommend, sounds very drinkable and very reasonably priced.
i'm all for screwtops myself, much easier to open, and if you should happen to have any left over it keeps a bit better too.
we always enjoy oddbins own red or white, in a screwtop bottle. goes down very nicely at �3.99.
i'm all for screwtops myself, much easier to open, and if you should happen to have any left over it keeps a bit better too.
we always enjoy oddbins own red or white, in a screwtop bottle. goes down very nicely at �3.99.
Hello IceM.
Yes, and it's great when that sort of thing happens.
I love blind tastings. We do them a lot at home.
A few months ago, we did a fizz tasting. We had a couple of "proper" champagnes (a Moet and a Black Label), a supermarket brand, a couple of Cavas, some New World sparkling white, an Italian prosecco, etc. We had to say, amongst other things, what we thought they were, and which we preferred.
We split into two teams (husbands and wives). Surprisingly, both teams did spot which was which quite accurately. The characters of the drinks were very different.
But ... both teams preferred the prosecco by a country mile to either of the champagnes. We all agreed that if you were going to keep getting topped up, it was by far the most drinkable. None of us would have wanted to carry on drinking the Moet after the first glass.
So ... getting to the punch line at last ... none of us would buy the champagnefor ourselves. The prosecco is more drinkable, has a more exciting all round taste, and it costs less. Job done.
So who buys the champagne? Those people who (as vivandorron says) buy the label. You don't want your guests to think you are a tight*rse.
So be brave! Buy the prosecco. And as you pour it, tell your guests that you were going to buy champage, but you got this instead ... not because it's cheaper, but because it's BETTER !!!
Yes, and it's great when that sort of thing happens.
I love blind tastings. We do them a lot at home.
A few months ago, we did a fizz tasting. We had a couple of "proper" champagnes (a Moet and a Black Label), a supermarket brand, a couple of Cavas, some New World sparkling white, an Italian prosecco, etc. We had to say, amongst other things, what we thought they were, and which we preferred.
We split into two teams (husbands and wives). Surprisingly, both teams did spot which was which quite accurately. The characters of the drinks were very different.
But ... both teams preferred the prosecco by a country mile to either of the champagnes. We all agreed that if you were going to keep getting topped up, it was by far the most drinkable. None of us would have wanted to carry on drinking the Moet after the first glass.
So ... getting to the punch line at last ... none of us would buy the champagnefor ourselves. The prosecco is more drinkable, has a more exciting all round taste, and it costs less. Job done.
So who buys the champagne? Those people who (as vivandorron says) buy the label. You don't want your guests to think you are a tight*rse.
So be brave! Buy the prosecco. And as you pour it, tell your guests that you were going to buy champage, but you got this instead ... not because it's cheaper, but because it's BETTER !!!
jugglering.
Great point about corks. If you are buying wine to drink (as opposed to wine that won't be drinkable for a decade and needs laying down), why would anybody want some cruddy old piece of tree bark wedged in the top of the bottle?
And I agree about rose. Years ago, rose used to be a compromise, and the choice was either Mateus Rose, or stuff in odd pottery bottles that came back from holidays on the Med. But then at some stage, growers started letting us get our hands on their "proper" roses, and they are wonderful, evocative of warm evenings, as you say jugglering. If you come across any interesting ones, do post the details (I will if you will ... LOL).
Great point about corks. If you are buying wine to drink (as opposed to wine that won't be drinkable for a decade and needs laying down), why would anybody want some cruddy old piece of tree bark wedged in the top of the bottle?
And I agree about rose. Years ago, rose used to be a compromise, and the choice was either Mateus Rose, or stuff in odd pottery bottles that came back from holidays on the Med. But then at some stage, growers started letting us get our hands on their "proper" roses, and they are wonderful, evocative of warm evenings, as you say jugglering. If you come across any interesting ones, do post the details (I will if you will ... LOL).
Thanks winebuyer for appreciating my comments.
You may care to have a read of my remarks on snobbery associated with champagne.
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/ Drinks/Question441552.html
You may care to have a read of my remarks on snobbery associated with champagne.
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/ Drinks/Question441552.html
Oops! Hardly dare tell you then winebuyer. if you haven't seen on some of the threads already.....champagne's about the only drink that I'll have more than one glass of...and Krug's my favourite! If you buy it by the case, it obviously works out cheaper, but if I didn't have to get up early and didn't have to chase the children around, then I'd probably be able to drink at least half a case in one go!!!!! Hides head in shame!
Hello IceM.
The point is that you drink Krug because you like it. That's fine. You drink it because you like the taste, not because you like the label. Krug is a much more interesting taste experience than your average NV champagne, so it's fair game to like that.
We all have different tastes, and like different things. Apparently there are some tribes in remote parts of the world who enjoy eating aubergines !!!
The point is that you drink Krug because you like it. That's fine. You drink it because you like the taste, not because you like the label. Krug is a much more interesting taste experience than your average NV champagne, so it's fair game to like that.
We all have different tastes, and like different things. Apparently there are some tribes in remote parts of the world who enjoy eating aubergines !!!
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