Whats your poison...? Wine of Choice...? Whats the wine of choice for AFF...!

[Keith009]

Gee QF009 I need it when you get a moment.Here I am down the street from Costco waiting for the champers list.It's KRUG and Dom and Bolly on SQ so I don't need more of that.Champers is very reasonable in Marina Del Rey.

I've not been to Costco but Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque is very well priced at BevMo!

Ayala is also a good NV if you can find it. It's stupidly cheap in the US - remember getting it for USD30 per bottle. That's also how much Lanson, Moet and Perrier Jouet NVs cost at BevMo but Ayala is so much nicer (and totally underrated)!

I thought the list would include most, if not all, vintage champagne. Not sure about the order.

It's determining the order that is the difficulty...:mrgreen:

I also like some NVs - Bollinger, Ayala, Billecart-Salmon, Pol Roger are some of my fave regular-drinking bubbles. Billecart-Salmon also does a nice rose.

 

[drewbles]

Difficult. If we're talking wine, some of my very favourite wineries (in no particular order) include:

• Hollick
• Sticks
• Cullen
• Cape Mentelle
• Happs
• Tatachilla
• Rymill
• Howard Park

I'm generally either a Pinot Noir or Tempranillo drinker if drinking red, and a Riesling drinker if drinking white. As for Champagne .. Taittinger is my absolute favourite NV, possibly followed by Billecart-Salmon and Ruinart. I haven't tried enough vintage to profess to having an opinion, but the Comtes de Champagne by Taittinger is seriously drinkable

Thank you for mentioning Happs. It's a small vineyard in Margaret River, but their Merlot is stunning. I had some amazing stuff from 1996 a few years ago, and it was like liquid velvet (made all the better by finding it for $25/bottle at the cellar door a few years before that again). They also ship from their website, so no excuse to not get it (you never find it in bottle shops).

Depending on where I am on my pay cycle, it's Champagne (If splurging, Perrier Joüet Belle Epoque, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne or Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires.

Any good Shiarz/Merlot also rates highly. I am a big fan of Gin, Tanqueray No. 10 or Hendricks perferably.

Vodka as a last resort, or Cider on a warm evening

 

[pshepvic]

Now I know there is a few wine lovers here on AFF, me included. But what are we all drinking...? And what should we all be drinking...?

Ok, I'll start off... Being a proud South Australian my current vote is for Chris Ringland CR Shiraz 2008... Barossa at its finest...! BTW...Its a strong one too at 16% :shock:

When you posted this, did you know that QF were about to launch their epiQure wine/food club-thing?

Can't see their prices being that competitive though...

 

[Keith009]

BTW if anyone has a bottle or 3 of Samuel's Gorge 2007 Tempranillo in their possession, I'd be happy to buy them off you!

Had I known that it's so super good yet so super hard to find I'd have stored at least a bottle in my cellar! (Or at least not be tempted to open it! ) Samuel's Gorge themselves underestimated the popularity of this vintage and have had to buy it back from their suppliers for their own archives. And their main supplier in Melbourne only has 2008 and onwards.

Won't be making the same mistake with the just-as-awesome (yet different) 2010 vintage.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Right now, enjoying an Erdinger Weissbier, which covers the "white", which will be followed by an Erginger Dunkel, which covers the "red".

That's Shrek's beverage of choice ( the Weissbier)
And they sell it at Dan Murphy's Sam
Along with this stuff:


My tipple of choice at the moment is Cloudy Bay Te Koko, closely followed by Roaring Megs Pinot

 

[ejb]

My tipple of choice at the moment is Cloudy Bay Te Koko, closely followed by Roaring Megs Pinot

Great choice Princess.

ejb




Sent from my iPhone so please ignore auto corrects!

 

[AdMEL]

For me, it depends on the season and the food, as to what I prefer.

In winter, it's usually red wine, with my preference being a shiraz from the likes of McLaren Vale.

In summer, it's usually either a riesling (only very young - can't stand the petrol taste riesling gets when it ages) from the likes of Clare or Eden Valleys, or a beer - my favourite being a german wheat beer.

After years of being an ABC drinker (Anything But Chardonnay), I've recently started enjoying some Chardonnay. Also don't mind decent Pinot (e.g. Curly Flat) and pretty much open to most wines (although don't much like kiwi Sauv Blanc).

Being a Victorian, I also tend to drink a fair amount of Victorian wine. Small amounts of Tas wine and even smaller amounts of WA and NSW wine.

Every day drinking wines includes the likes of Ingoldby Shiraz, Taylors Shiraz, Peter Lehmann Shiraz and Eden Valley Riesling, Pewsey Vale Riesling, Heggies Riesling.

Some that are a bit more special that I've either enjoyed recently or have at home include:

- Scion Durif 2008
- Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc 2010
- Turkey Flat Rose, Grenache.
- Ravensworth Shiraz Viognier 2009 (Winemaker works at Clonakilla)
- Crabtree Riesling 2010

Can't stand champagne, but love sparkling red!

.... Mmmmmm at a Pepperjack Shiraz .....

..... pepperjack ......

Drinking a Pepperjack Shiraz right now! Visited the winery at Easter too!

BTW if anyone has a bottle or 3 of Samuel's Gorge 2007 Tempranillo in their possession, I'd be happy to buy them off you!

Had I known that it's so super good yet so super hard to find I'd have stored at least a bottle in my cellar! (Or at least not be tempted to open it! ) Samuel's Gorge themselves underestimated the popularity of this vintage and have had to buy it back from their suppliers for their own archives. And their main supplier in Melbourne only has 2008 and onwards.

Won't be making the same mistake with the just-as-awesome (yet different) 2010 vintage.

Ah, Samuel's Gorge ... great wine, great winemaker (Justin, who my friends nicknamed Yahoo, on account of him looking quite like Yahoo Serious, with long curly hair!), great cellar door! Spent a fantastic afternoon at the cellar door a few years ago the day after the wedding of two friends (he proposed to her at Chapel Hill) .... drinking wine, chatting with friends and Justin, who drove us all out into the vineyard on the back of a flat bed truck to watch the sunset over the vineyard! Awesome memory!

If you ever get a chance to visit the cellar door, it's worth it!

I may have had a 2007 Tempranillo, but it was long ago consumed!

 

[Deleted User]

Impressive wine buffs we have here.... I can't really imagine life without wine

 

[Misha]

Impressive wine buffs we have here....

Ain't that the truth.... whilst I have some favourites (some mentioned here) - for me it's whatever is open/within reach/affordable/on offer

 

[samiam]

Along with this stuff:
View attachment 2608

DT's in a bottle- wonder who on here has been making a donation....

 

[tuapekastar]

Ah, Samuel's Gorge ... great wine, great winemaker (Justin, who my friends nicknamed Yahoo, on account of him looking quite like Yahoo Serious, with long curly hair!), great cellar door! Spent a fantastic afternoon at the cellar door a few years ago the day after the wedding of two friends (he proposed to her at Chapel Hill) .... drinking wine, chatting with friends and Justin, who drove us all out into the vineyard on the back of a flat bed truck to watch the sunset over the vineyard! Awesome memory!

If you ever get a chance to visit the cellar door, it's worth it!

I may have had a 2007 Tempranillo, but it was long ago consumed!

QF009 has already had the pleasure of Samuels Gorge cellar door. I know this because I was there too, along with a number of other AFFers as part of an early AFF 'gathering' 2 or 3 years ago. Justin was indeed a personable host - the thing (apart from the wonderful wines, and its remotely possible I have a bottle or two of the 2007 Temp at home, but am not there to check) that sticks in my memory was that they invited us (and others) to sit at tables outside and enjoy the panoramic view while they brought the tasting out to us.

I prefer reds (mainly Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir is not a proper red ), but enjoy the occasional white (mainly Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling), and Champagne as well.

McLaren Vale and Barossa are hard to go past for Shirazes (Thorn-Clark Shotfire Shiraz is a nice affordable example) and recently knocked over a very nice bottle of Central Otago Sauv Blanc (different to the Marlborough ones) at lunch at Amisfield Winery just out of Queenstown. Petaluma riesling is usually reliable.

Hard to go past Craiglee for a brilliant cool climate shiraz, but a starting to get pricey these days.

TBH, once you get past the price point of the weak-bodied reds that seem like someone poured a ton of sugar into the bottle, it's quite hard (but certainly not impossible) to find a bad one.

 

[bossreggie]

I agree with several of the wines mentioned earlier.

I'm quite partial to a Marlborough Sav. Blanc. Cloudy Bay & Cloudy Bay Te Koko, Kim Crawford, Huia, are among my regular drinks.

Dr. Loosen Riesling

Oaked Chardonnay, Leuwin Estate Art Series. Unoaked, Giaconda.

Pinot Noir I agree, something from Otago or Mornington Peninsula are generally good.

Whilst with Shiraz predominant, all the good ones from Penfolds or Henschke are hard to go past. My favourite Reds are either a Greenock Creek, Apricot Block or 7 Acre Shiraz. These are extremely good value and can be found at specialist wine shops for around $75 - $150 depending on the vintage. Whilst maybe not cheap enough to marinate your chops with..... For a dinner party or a romantic meal IMHO these wines are awesome and well worth the money.

 

[cove]

How does Dom Perignon champagne at 119.99 USD sound. Our real cost is about 5% more after taxes in $AUD so that is 126 at my local Costco here 15 minutes from Los Angeles airport.Keep the wine flowing back home .......

 

[Major]

Absolutely love Bremerton Shiraz ( Langhorne Creek ), they also make a great Verdehlo. D' Arenberg red wines generally but especially d'Arenberg wines, McLaren Vale. Chester Osborn. d'Arenberg wines The Dead Arm Shiraz, The Footbolt | d'Arenberg Wines South Australia

Have not had a bad Shiraz fron McLaren Vale.

Along with others, Pepperjack shiraz is hard to beat.

 

[Keith009]

QF009 has already had the pleasure of Samuels Gorge cellar door. I know this because I was there too, along with a number of other AFFers as part of an early AFF 'gathering' 2 or 3 years ago. Justin was indeed a personable host - the thing (apart from the wonderful wines, and its remotely possible I have a bottle or two of the 2007 Temp at home, but am not there to check) that sticks in my memory was that they invited us (and others) to sit at tables outside and enjoy the panoramic view while they brought the tasting out to us.

Yes! That was when I first discovered Aussie Tempranillo (have had several Spanish ones prior) and have been a huge fan ever since. Both Samuel's Gorge (other than perhaps the 2008 vintage) and Chapel Hill have set a rather high benchmark for me. We go back to Samuel's Gorge and Chapel Hill every year as soon as each their new vintages are released.

How does Dom Perignon champagne at 119.99 USD sound. Our real cost is about 5% more after taxes in $AUD so that is 126 at my local Costco here 15 minutes from Los Angeles airport.Keep the wine flowing back home .......

BevMo also sells DP for that price, and not much more for Krug. My absolute fave Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Millenaires 1995 is about USD90 as is the Belle Epoque. Needless to say I stock up on champers whenever I'm in the US.

 

[medhead]

Guess I should also mention the Rockford black shiraz. I can never get it at the cellar door, so unfortunately have to go to Jasmin to drink it. Jasmin Indian Restaurant - Home

 

[fabsnake]

great to see all the wine buffs in AFF. My favourites would be too many to mention, my cellar is ridiculously overstocked (see other thread about cellar database software) and I would not disagree with any specific wines offered previously - except may be the NZ savvy blancs, I reckon they always smell better than they taste. Doesn't matter, each to their own and that is the most important thing about wine, it's a personal thing, no one is ever right or wrong except when you get a faulty wine.

I am a great fan of riesling, particularly aged ones 10 years +. Amazing how different the old ones are under screwcap compared to cork, should compare the same wines under different closures if you can - Richmond Grove rieslings from 1998 come to mind, but also some reds you could previously get under both screwcap & cork for same vintage - I have some Majella Cabernets and Penfolds Bin 389s with both closures that will be subject to a horizontal tasting some time in the future!

Haven't noticed anyone mention Wendouree reds yet - shame on you! That is a place to visit, but it's not open to the public, you must hand write a letter to the owner and wait for him to write back to you - well worth the trouble though, you get a personal tour of the winery, he raids his cellar for you to try (he opened a bottle of 89 shiraz for my friends and I to try, then gave the rest of the bottle to us to take home!) and then he puts you on the coveted mailing list. Did this 2 years ago on a trip to Clare, fantastic! When in Clare, also worth organising a visit to Grossett, Mt Horrocks, Tim Adams, Claymore, speaking from experience. Many others there also yet to try. Skillogallee for lunch is worth the experience also.

Have also done McLaren Vale on a previous visit and heartily recommend previous mentions, especially Samuel's Gorge, that was also an experience to remember, especially as I had never heard of it before the visit. I reckon his grenache & shiraz are also great wines, 2006 comes to mind.

That's enough wine waffle from me, let others get their turn.

 

[Shelf]

Being born and raised in Adelaide I have a bias for SA wines. Some of my favourite wines will be found amongst these :
D'Arenberg
Henshcke
Grant Burge
Chapel Hill

 

[malmacdowall]

Any good Shiarz/Merlot also rates highly. I am a big fan of Gin, Tanqueray No. 10 or Hendricks perferably.

+1 as a Shiraz drinker, preferably a SA Shiraz... Grant Burge Old Vine Shiraz is an absolute 1st class drop.... Also Peyer Lehmans Sonewall Shiraz is fantastic....

Also have to agree on the Tanqueray No 10 gin.... Has me hooked....

 

[notzac]

Lots of stuff

Was remiss of me not to mention Gemtree -- McLaren Vale winery that does a cracking Shiraz at the cheaper end of the price scale. Favourite is the Uncut Shiraz; wonderful drop for around $20 - $25.