Food Talk And Fabulous Finds - Wine

I dont get it. I really want to like red wine because it's so good for you, but I dont think I have the taste for it. I've tried pomegrante... the wine monger said it would be to my liking. Wasn't. I've done Beringer's Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfindel. Is Beringer just a bad brand? I dunno... Can anyone recommend a good starter wine?

This is my favorite at the moment:
http://cabinetraiders.com/wlog/image.axd?picture=BlackstonePinotNoir750M.jpg

I have read that a lot of the benefits to reds can also be found in whites because it's the grapes themselves that contain the antioxidents. I would also recommend pinot grigio. I find both varieties to be more "crisp" and light to my liking.

This is my favorite pinot grigio, but it's a little pricey. Sometimes I can find it on sale for under $15.
http://www.sohowines.hk/images/pinotgrigio.jpg

Pinot Noir is nice but really if you don't like wine, don't force yourself. You can get antioxidants from eating grapes, blueberries, drinking tea, etc.

Has anyone instantly liked wine or have you had to acquire the taste?

I started off with sweeter wines like white zinfandel, but I have definitely acquired an appreciation for certain varieties that I may not have liked when I began drinking wine. I think most people grow up used to drinks that are sweet (except for water) and to me, wine isn't "sweet" (although it can be described as such), so yes, for me it was acquired.

It's an acquired taste. Although, I liked it fairly quickly, I was also drinking sweeter wines at first (unknowingly.) I used to work at a winery in the tasting room and I'd say most people start out drinking sweet whites and then move on to others as their tastes progress.

I'd start with a Riesling and go from there. A good one to try would be Chateau St. Michelle or 'M' by Dr. Loosen. They are both on the sweet side, but not sickeningly so. As far as reds, Lambruscos are fizzy and slightly sweet and although it's not top of the line quality Yellow Tail Shiraz is somewhat sweet for a red. When you are starting out I don't feel it necessary to spend on high quality. Just experiment and find something you like. Maybe try wine tasting at a wine shop to see what you like? For the record, I don't like Beringer either.

You may find you just don't like wine. If this is the case don't worry about it. My best friend doesn't like beer or wine. Plus, there is actually some benefit to drinking any type of alcohol moderately because it thins the blood. As far as antioxidants, Nelie is correct, there are many other sources (blue and purple fruits and juices, dark chocolate, tea, coffee, etc.)

Yeah, I wouldn't feel as though you HAD to like it. I personally love red wine and have as long as I can remember. I don't like sweet drinks at all - the occasional margarita or whatever being an exception - and I really like the taste of a good dry red.

I also like the newer (relatively) blends that are on the market. The Aussie wineries like Black Opal and Rosemont are doing a lot of Cab/Merlot and Cab/Shiraz blends

Merlots and Pinots are the "lightest" of the dry reds and you might try them first, before moving on to a heavier wine like a Shiraz or a Cabernet.

This is my favorite at the moment:
http://www.blackopalwines.com/wines/cabmerlot.html

Oh yeah, and I'm not a fan of Beringer or Turning Leaf, both brands my MIL adores. I buy my own wine when we go to visit. :)

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I never considered myself a wine person as I have always preferred to drink something else. However, I have discovered that wines made from different grapes, in different regions, and different brands will vary vastly in taste.

These are some of my favorite reds:

7 deadly zins - ripe and rich with lots of spice

I like wines from Rioja such as San Lorenzo-Reserva - "delicious flavours of ripe plums and soft spices"

Mendoza-Tempranillo-Argentina: Tempranillo is my favorite grape. So tasty. Light bodied and easy drinking.

I'm surprised to see recommendations for Pinot. When I was in the industry Pinot was looked at as a grape that was "hard to love" (Sideways hype aside.) Now granted, I love a good pinot, but the good ones are expensive and they are much drier and more acidic then other reds. Raw23~if you do want to try a pinot noir I'd stick with the ones from Oregon as they tend to be "softer" then those from California.

Oh and one thing to take into consideration, wine is always better when enjoyed with food.

Hmm... maybe that's part of my problem. When I've tried wine it's been by itself, but I've always heard of people enjoying a good steak with a red wine. Guess there's something to pairing!
I did like the merlot a little better than the others I've tried (but it was Beringer) so maybe I'll try some other brands. Tisdale wasn't impressive either, is that another bad brand?
How important is location? There are some Oklahoma wineries (you know, those world famous Oklahoma wines :rolleyes:) that I would like to visit. Is there an advantage to locally grown wine? Or should I stay away from those and stick with more well known growers (calif, ore, etc)?

Well, I think growing location has a lot to do with the quality of the wine, yeah. Good grapes make good wine. :)

I don't know anything about OK wines, to be honest. I know that there are some pretty good TX wines, but mostly from around the hill country. Oregon and Washington have good wines, obviously California wines are pretty highly regarded. Actually ... one of my food blogs had an article about wines from each of the 50 states ... ah ... found it!!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1837245,00.html

Linked to this Time article. There's some interesting information about various state wines. :)

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I started out with wine coolers, but they are pretty high in calories, so I wouldn't recommend them. Then I graduated to very cheap white wine (think jugs of Gallo), then graduated to inexpensive whites. I never liked red wine until I started restricting my calories and exercising, but now I love it, more than white. I don't know why a restricted calorie diet and exercise would make me like red wine, but it has. But I still stick with the inexpensive wines (under $10 a bottle). Expensive wine is wasted on me. If I tasted a $5 wine and a $100 wine side-by-side I doubt I could tell which was the expensive wine (if anything, I'd probably like the $5 wine better).

I have to say though, that if I didn't like wine, I wouldn't be trying to make myself like it. Although it has some minimal health benefits when consumed in moderation, it also has plenty of negatives in terms of your health (including that it is high in calories and drinking it tends to make you want to eat other high calorie foods). Why create one more high calorie food/beverage that you want but have to restrict? Seems to me, if you don't like it, leave it alone and move onto foods and beverages you do like.

Expensive wine is wasted on me. If I tasted a $5 wine and a $100 wine side-by-side I doubt I could tell which was the expensive wine (if anything, I'd probably like the $5 wine better).Honestly I used to feel the same way, but I've had some expensive wines that have truly knocked my socks off.

Not every expensive wine is worth it, but I will say that the ones I've had that are good are superlatively good and worth the money. Not that I can afford them more than once in a blue moon - if that! :D

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I'm happy with what I've been drinking with dinner lately - 1/4c pomegranate juice, 3/4c berry seltzer (no sugar or sweeteners) and a splash of white wine (1-2T tops). I guess it's a homemade spritzer. Feels like a nice little treat.

I have to say though, that if I didn't like wine, I wouldn't be trying to make myself like it. Although it has some minimal health benefits when consumed in moderation, it also has plenty of negatives in terms of your health (including that it is high in calories and drinking it tends to make you want to eat other high calorie foods). Why create one more high calorie food/beverage that you want but have to restrict? Seems to me, if you don't like it, leave it alone and move onto foods and beverages you do like.


Just trying to expand my horizons... you know, try new things. Feel like I should be giving it a valid shot instead of trying cheap wines and thinking I dont like any wine.

Price can be irrelevant with wine given how much of the enjoyment is based on your personal palate. If you like $5 wine, then buy $5 wine. Myself, I'm more of a connoisseur and probably spend far too much on wine, but I like it and it's hobby of sorts. I've had some amazing wine in the $80-$100 range, but more often then not I wasn't paying for the bottle. I can't afford that these days. Thankfully, you can find good wine for under $15 a bottle and sometimes under $10.

raw23~ I've lived in CA, WA, and now NM and I have found good and bad wines from all three states. All of the states have wineries of some sort, although I don't think all of them are grape based wines. There are bound to be some good OK wines. Regardless, it doesn't really matter if something is deemed good or bad as long as you like it!

Just trying to expand my horizons... you know, try new things. Feel like I should be giving it a valid shot instead of trying cheap wines and thinking I dont like any wine.Always a good thing! :)

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My favorite

http://nomerlot.com/reviews/media/LibSchool.jpg

Maybe have a look at what Trader Joes has. If you can pin down a person down the wine isle maybe they can make a few recommendations. I've had friends swear by the $6 wines they have.

If you shop at Costco they have 7deadly Zins their for $13... usually $18.

Going to a wine tasting with a friend can help you figure out certain characteristics of wine you like; such as dryness and fullness.

Next time you go to a restaurant and order dinner ask the server to recommend a glass of wine that would compliment your meal.

Pinot tends to be popular with men and Merlot with women.

I really enjoy A to Z pinot noir and their Night & Day blend. It comes from Oregon.

I also really like Jumilla reds.

I had a Pinot Noir over the weekend and actually liked it!!! I'm so glad. Thanks for the help!

Hey, and that's a good one to like! They say that Pinot Noir actually has the highest amount of antioxidants. Enjoy!

I worked for a wine company and have tried, literally, DOZENS of red wines and they all taste and smell like dirty gym socks to me. I don't think red wine is a taste I can acquire. I am also VERY picky about whites, I like rieslings and some Rose's. My sister didn't like red wine, she started with whites and eventually moved onto reds and drinks only red now.

Something about red wine almost always gives me a headache. But, once in a while if I'm in the mood, I like Smoking Loon Merlot. ;)

Something about red wine almost always gives me a headache.Red wines have more tannin in them, which can trigger headaches in a lot of people. Unfortunately it's the tannins that are also responsible for a large part of the anti-oxidant value in red wines.

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Red wines have more tannin in them, which can trigger headaches in a lot of people. Unfortunately it's the tannins that are also responsible for a large part of the anti-oxidant value in red wines.

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Actually scientists have no idea what causes red wine headaches.

The latest studies suggest prostaglandins, a hormone like substance that can cause inflammation, are the culprit. I believe there was a study where people showed improvement with red wine headaches when given prostaglandin inhibitors. Red wine has more of these then white. Still, this has not really been proven, it's more a theory.

They have mostly ruled out sulfites, histamines, and tannins though. It's still a mystery.

They have mostly ruled out sulfites, histamines, and tannins though. It's still a mystery.My understanding was that tannins are still a trigger item, especially for people with migranes. I know my BIL who gets bad migraines cannot drink red wine or eat red grapes - and the common denominator there is tannin.

I'd be interested in seeing some of the studies if you have links. (Of course now, being the research geek that I am, I'm off to go look things up! :D)

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My understanding was that tannins are still a trigger item, especially for people with migranes. I know my BIL who gets bad migraines cannot drink red wine or eat red grapes - and the common denominator there is tannin.

I'd be interested in seeing some of the studies if you have links. (Of course now, being the research geek that I am, I'm off to go look things up! :D)

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I guess what I should have said is they've ruled out sulfites, histamines, and tannins in MOST cases of red wine headaches. I thought I added a link. Oops. Here's one:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E7DA1439F934A25754C0A9649C8B 63

From what I understand tannins are only a trigger for people with migraines. However, if you don't have migraines, tannins are not the issue. Does your BIL have to stay away from tea and chocolate as well? They contain a fair amount of tannins as well. I have to say, that truly sucks for you BIL! :(

On another note, I know one person who really is allergic to sulfites and he can't eat anything. Seriously, there are so many foods with sulfites in them it's ridiculous.

Does your BIL have to stay away from tea and chocolate as well? They contain a fair amount of tannins as well. I have to say, that truly sucks for you BIL!Yeah. Luckily he doesn't like chocolate all that much (I know - he's a bit of a weirdo anyway! :D), but he has to be very careful about what he eats and drinks. And he loooooves a good red wine.

I feel for him.

Oh, and thanks for the link! :)

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I drink Cabernet Sauvignon. However, wine is definitely an acquired taste. I hate sweet wines but you have to try a few to see what's most pleasing to your palate.

I say go on a wine tasting adventure for the day. :) Check out a few vineyards/wineries and enjoy! :hat:

I'm not a wine drinker. For some reason, I get horrible heartburn almost as soon as I sip some. I used to want to drink it because I felt I was missing out on something, but then realized that there were other foods that I did appreciate more with the distinct varieties, such as coffee and beer.

DH and I don't drink it often, but always get some local microbrew stuff. I have my eye on a new pumpkin spice ale that sounds interesting. Might get a bottle to try on Halloween while waiting for the kiddies to come around. :D