Let's complete the food and drink category, Alex, with a thread about wines. Which styles/varietals do you enjoy the most? Do you have a favorite winery or vintner?

Personally I prefer the peppery character of a good Syrah and I particularly enjoy the offerings from the Maryhill Winery located overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. The produce a marvelously colored dark wine with a peppery nose and slight hints of clove and blueberries in the late palate with a soothing warmth afterwards. Columbia Cliffs, also overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, produces a similar Syrah but without the same peppery notes.

Wine is interesting to me. There's almost an investment aspect to it. I've got a couple of bottles of Silver Oak Cabernet that I bought a few years ago that have doubled in value. Nutty isn't it?

I generally prefer the bite if a Cabernet or Pitite Syrah. Some of the best wines I've had were blends. Sacreligeous I know. But whatever.

And never forget, boxed wine isn't wine. Read the ingredients sometime. Water, alcohol, food coloring, and flavors. Doesn't stop my parents/grandparents from buying it though.

Fine wine can be used as an investment if you have the proper storage conditions for it so that it doesn't turn to vinegar in the bottle. I don't buy investment quality wines as I prefer to just have them on hand for whenever the occasion arises. I usually do keep several different varietals on hand to satisfy the preferences of any of my friends or relatives who would prefer a glass of wine.

Boxed wine is in a way like malt drinks such as Mike's hard lemonade. People just assume that it is th real thing because it comes in the same type of bottle it must be beer with lemon added. Boxed wine is just for convenience and the same category as wine coolers IMHO.

Just bought a box of wine, needed to have some "wine" that can be brought out to the beach and was not glass. It was more out of convience, not taste. Besides, I had Saphire & Tonic for me.

We have had the occasional box of wine down by the pool from time to time if there was going to be a large gathering, just for the convenience and to keep the possibility of glass shards to a minimum, although as I recall there are usually some who won't drink from a box-o-wine and manage to get a plastic wineglass of the real stuff to poolside. The only reason for a box-o-wine is convenience and the fact that it is easy to keep cold for a hot day.

Has anyone here tried to make wine at any time, either grape, floral, or fruit? I have made a decent rhubarb wine that had characteristics of a blush including the color (I left the exterior stems intact), the light and fruity palate and mellow aftertaste. I was very surprized by the character of this wine and it was widely enjoyed by many friends who I served it to without telling them what it was.

Chilean wines are very underrated, and are a good value too. I happen to like Conch y Toro, but it hasn't been as good lateley (pretty much since they went more mainstream). They do have some excellent premium wines, but the names escape me at the moment.

I actually have a relative who works for DiMartino (SP?) and I was able to sample that wine recently at a family event. It was one of the better wines I've ever had, but they really haven't broken into the U.S. market yet. Hopefully, they will soon.

-P

Pinot Grigio is just about the only wine I drink - and I drink a lot of wine. My very favorite winery is Montevina in Napa Valley. After that, I favor the Italian Pinot's. As for boxed wine...it's quite better than it used to be. I've found several tasty boxed Pinot Grigio's and one that I will NEVER buy again. When you drink a lot of wine, it's definitely more cost effective.

My wife also prefers the pinot grigio varietal. I will share a glass with her on occasion, but I prefer the more heady reds personally.

For me ....all reds...light to dark.....no fruit wines like peach or any other fruit wines......and for those interested and can travel and get to Michigan.....you definately want to travel up the peninsula in Traverse City.........5 major wineries located there.....and how good are they.......brought home a mixed case each.....


mutt

The Yakima Valley and Columbia Gorge also are great areas for grapes to be grown and there are several very good wineries located in both. My wife and I will be attending the harvest festival and grape stomp at Maryhill Winery located overlooking the Columbia Gorge Oct. 14-15 and meeting our daughter and her boyfriend there. Several gold medal winnders have come out of this winery over the past couple of decades so this promises to be a very good weekend.

I just finished getting a plum wine started. I left the skins on so that I could get the purple color that I wanted and used Italian plums for that reason. From the beginning gravity readings, I am predicting 10-12% alcohol content. I will be using a Burgundy wine yeast so that I get a hearty wine with a big, bold flavor profile. The last time I made plum wine, I used a champagne yeast which gave me a very light and drinkable wine that was perfect for consuming before dinner. This time I am looking to produce something that can be taken with dinner. I won't know for sure for another 4-6 months how this comes out, but if past experience is any indicator, it will be well worth the wait.

Sounds cool.

I've never made wine, but I have made several attempts at beer (with mixed results). There used to be a great homebrew store in Cambrdge that had everything you needed to do it. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything like it since moving to CT.

Just curious, where do you get your supplies from? Is there a local shop? Or, do you get stuff from a catalog supplier?

-P

I am lucky enought to have a great homebrew shop here in Spokane. The owner is a certified beer judge and wine judge, has been making both beer and wine for most of his life and has run the store for over 15 years. I can't believe that there isn't a homebrew store somewhere in CT or a closely neighboring state.

Oh, I am sure there's a store somewhere here -- I just haven't found it yet.

Also, Cambridge MA is only about 3 hours away, so there is one in a neighbor state. I just don't go there often enough.

Cheers,

-P

I beg forgiveness for this:

number one Republican wine (whine):

CLINTON DID IT TOO-OO!

Forgiven.........very "dry" humor Doc.....I don't recommend giving up the day job yet


mutt

I just racked my plum wine must from the primary to secondary today. As near as I can tell I am looking at about 8.5-9% alcohol content right now. It is a little hard to tell with the fruit residue still floating in the must. The fermentation is vastly slowed over the initial stages, but there is still activity so the yeasties are still doing their thing. The wine will have a somewhat lighter than red wine color when finished but that is to be expected with plums as the fruit being used. It will still have a nice purplish-red hue to it and I think will present well after it has clarified. Probably about another 2-3 weeks of active fermentation left before I rack it again for a primary clarification phase. More updates to follow.

I will be off to the annual harvest festival at Maryhill Winery overlooking the Columbia Gorge early tomorrow morning. Should be quite a time with sampling of many gold and silver medal wines including their incomparable Grenache and the rest. Anybody else doing any wine festivals for harvest this time of year?

Great time today at the harvest festival. Good thing I took an extra pair of socks and jeans along as I made quite a splash in the grape stomp. Red skins and juice everywhere. My daughter and her chef boyfriend met us there and brought along some freshly made novalocks, brined beef, several varieties of cheese, berries, crackers and some wonderful pumpkin cake. We got lucky and got the last case of Maryhill's award winning viognier reserve and also picked up a mixed case of sangiovese, zinfandel, pinot gris, and cabernet sauvignon. A great time was had by all, in spite of the occasional rain that interspersed the day.

I grew up in Hammondsport NY- the birthplace of the first commercial wineries in America. I moved there in 1976 at age 7 and lived there for 15 years. Indeed, it ties into my love of trains because the Bath & Hammondsport RR provided service to Taylor, Great Western and Gold Seal until 1995.

Anyway, my parent began to let me sip wine at a young age and this eventually grew into one glass per meal by my teenage years. I have come to appreciate the wine country of Upstate NY. It is the very rare occasion when I drink a wine that is not made in the Finger Lakes.

Amongst my favorites are:

1. Bully Hill Love My Goat, either Red or White

2. Dr. Frank's Salmon Run Riesling

3. Chateau Frank Brut- a traditional Champagne

4. Glenora Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

5. Heron Hill Pinot Noir

6. Bully Hill Meat Market Red

Thanks to a change in NY state law, all four of these wineries can ship out of the state to private individuals now. Some states have laws about receiving alcohol, so check with the winery when ordering.

The Finger Lakes are beautiful in any season- that's why I recommend a wine tour for the Northeastern Ed-head Meet-Up! Don't believe me? Well, lookee here:

I had intended to visit some NY wineries when my wife attended the Greater New York Dental Conference two years ago, but we were unable to get that together. Next time (if there is one) we will definitely check it out. Thanks for the links. I will explore those wineries via the internets in the meantime.

Check this Washngton winery out. This is where I spent the day last Sunday.

Ale- which winery? You didn't include a link or even a name.

Also, if you come through the Finger Lakes, let me know!

Oops, sorry! Here is the link to the Maryhill Winery.

http://www.maryhillwinery.com/

Thank you. Maryhill looks impressive.

Very good wine accompanied by a great view of the Columbia Gorge and an amphitheater where Bob Dylan, BB King, and others play throughout the summer. No better place in America to sample great wines and kick back, although I would like to try hanging next to a NY lake and trying some of their wines as well.

I drink mostly Washington state wines.
not to far from me is the Columbia Winery
link: http://www.columbiawinery.com/home.asp
I just love their Gewurztraminer wine
and on the other side of the state
Latah Creek
Link: http://www.latahcreek.com/
My favorites there are the Maywine and huckleberry d'Latah
I like sweet wines only.

Is the Columbia Winery located adjacent to the Red Hook Brewery? I have driven by there a couple of times but didn't have time to stop there if it is. Both of those locations are on my list for the not too distant future. I am looking forward to trying out their Viognier in comparison to the Maryhill version. Have you tried any Maryhill wines?

I have had Latah Creek wines many times and enjoy many of them. Their MayWine and Sangiovese are particularly good.

Have you every tried anything from this other Spokane winery? http://69.28.38.13/ Their Riesling and Syrah are well worth the effort if you can find them. The view from the winery overlooks the entire Spokane basin with a view almost all the way to Coeur d'Alene 30 miles to the east. That in itself is worth the drive!

Heron Hill books local musical artists, but no ampitheater. The local residents in/near Hammondsport are sharply divided on the issue of development.

Glenora also books entertainment, but again on a local scale.

The views, though, are second to none.

An example from Glenora:

Looks like a great place for sure. The amphitheater at Maryhill is naturally carved into the side of the Columbia Gorge several hundred feet up the nearly shear wall and overlooking the river and gorge. There is no development on the Washington side of the Columbia, although there is the small town of Biggs on the Oregon side. My boss talks about the upstate NY wines (having grown up in Buffalo). Maybe I can talk him into bringing me a few samples the next time he visits his parents. For sure, I would prefer to visit myself so I can share the scenery as well.

Do any of you appreciate port? I have not really ever gotten into this style since I was very young and overdid it because port is so strong. I have been seriously considering trying it again and would like some advice. What should I look for in a good bottle of port? What characteristics would I expect to find in a good port?

I don't pretend to be any sort of an expert on wine,( I taste it, and usually say something like "I like that" or "That tastes like crap", and I don't drone on about the satisfying woody picant and aromatic tinge that swirls around my esophagaus) but my wife seems to have pretty good taste in her selections. Lately she favors a wine called "Evolution", and I like it alot too. It's a mix of about 11 types of grapes, and it's in the Reisling/Pinot Grigio category. I recommend it.

The area where I grew up (Central California Coast) has been producing some excellent wines over the last few years. Some of my favorites are:

1.Cabernet or Merlot Wild Horse

2.Zinfandel Eberle

3. Cabernet or Syrah Mirassou

4. Chardonney Castoro

Distribution of these might be limited to California and with the ongoing problems with the Feds interfering with exportation of wine you might not be able to get these.

If I remember correctly, the feds don't interfere with the exportation of wine to retailers, only through the internet and mail orders to certain states. I believe there is legislation pending that would clear that up and allow nationwide distribution through the mail order arena.

I have tried the Mirassou Syrah and it is a good wine. I am not sure where Wine Spectator has this one on the point scale, but I know that I enjoyed it. I have not seen the others.

I've made quite a few, and some really good ones, if I do say so myself. I've specialized in meads (honey wines) that include lots of fruits. Technically, the term for them is melomels. They can be downright stunning if done correctly. I'm not at all afraid to admit that I like sweetness in meads and some wines.

My tastes in wine are pretty diverse. I like lots of different reds, from Cabs and Merlots to Pinots and Zins. I prefer fuller bodied reds, but it is all a matter of what food they'll be paired with. I like whites with a touch of sweetness, like Chenin Blanc and Riesling.

Wine is a great field of study. There's always something to learn, something new to taste, and something desirable to collect and then share, along with great food, with friends. That last part is the most fun of all.

LS

I just opened a bottle of Casillero del Diablo, Carmenere 2005. It is very tasty wine with berry hints, and woody hints, and a medium body. It was a nice deal for under 8 bucks. Wine spectator score of 88. A little bit of Chile in CT.

I have also made some very good meads; including a wonderful blueberry melomel. The sweetness scares many people away from the meads but they are very enjoyable as an appertif of an after dinner sipping course.

I've tried mead but honestly can't choke down more than one sip. Not my thing at all.

Conundrum was very, very good the first time I tried it - after the second try it was just too sweet for me.

Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are both good - lots of fruity/citrus flavors and a tad sweet. We used to really enjoy Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc. It has a very strong grapefruit flavor up front. Anymore it's just too sweet for me.

I can't drink anything other than Pinot Grigio anymore. Chardonnay is not my thing at all - even though it's nice and dry, I can't stand the oak flavor.

To each their own. I love the whole spectrum, from bone dry reds and whites to Sauternes. It's all a matter of the situation and the food pairing. With a ripping tart Rochefort, I can't imagine anything better than a mead or dessert wine with enought sweetness to provide some counter balance.

It does sound to me like you've never had a good mead, though.

LS

My sister's ex-husband makes beer and mead- I still buy them from him on occasion. His raspberry mead is a great sippin' drink for after dinner.

He doesn't just give it to you? I NEVER sell to friends. That is part of the joy of homebrewing!

Twas free till he remarried. (hint hint)

I guess I'll have to bring you some next time I get to the east coast. (Don't hold your breath, but rest assured that I will get over the at some point.)

Aleman, is that you in the avatar?

Yes, that's me with the king salmon I caught last year on the Columbia. I really do exist and now you know what I look like.

I noticed when you changed it a few days ago and started to say something in the thread but it was a heated political conversation and I was afraid I'd get smoked.

Speaking of smoked and that salmon...

COOKOUT AT ALEMAN'S!!!!!!

I opened a bottle of Maryhill Wineries 2002 vintage Grenache tonight that I have bene saving for a special occasion. I guess finishing our remodel qualifies as a special occasion. The wine is a red that is not as heavy as most other reds are. It has a very floral aroma and a lightly fruity taste that builds with some hints of sweet spices in the finish. This wine has won gold consistently in every wine tasting that it has been entered in, and with good reason. This is a very refreshing and drinkable wine that I am going to have to buy again and keep for another special occasion. With my only daughter getting married next year I am sure that I will have some of this on hand for the toasting.

Old Vine Red (lot #42). A blended table wine that is very smooth. Deal of the century at $9.00 a bottle.

Gotcha beat- Bully Hill's Banty Red at $8.49 a bottle. Good stuff, too.

I'll have to give that a try...if I can find it.