Foo - Wine Recommendations Offered.

Obviously I'm rather new to this forum, and to bicycling as far as that goes. Eventually I hope to be a major contributor (involving bicycling) to the forum as well, but for now I will have to stick to what I know best.....
WINE!!!
I have been in the retail wine and spirits business for 20+ years. For those that appreciate and enjoy a good glass of wine at a reasonable price, I am more than willing to offer suggestions on what to look for in quality, value, and wine for that special occasion.
For those that don't imbibe, please take no offense; but those of you that would like to know what the "steals" are in today's world of wine, then I will be glad to share a lot of information. CHEERS! Jim

What's good with Turkey?

I like Pinot Noir with turkey but find them to be finicky. I'd like some suggestions on good, relatively inexpensive PN. It'd be nice if they were available at Trader Joe's.

Thanks

What is a good chiraz? Nothing super expensive as I'm a college student (but I don't mind spending a little more for quality).

How about a Merlot for under $10 that doesn't leave an aftertaste reminiscent of lighter fluid? :o

Wine is high up there as one of our favorite life's pleasures..We have designed vacations as to proximity of major vineyards... My wife does not like Turkey.But, a glass of a good Merlot makes it better...For California wine- central coast..It took a lot of sampling to find our favorite Merlot...Rancho Sisquoc..
We have visited Bordeaux, Alsace, Burgundy, and the Loire..With Thanksgiving dinner. We have our Rancho Sisquoc Merlot..And , I being the cherry pie freak...A bottle of Michigan Leelanau Limited Cherry wine for desert..
Special holidays.>The house beer is Chimay.
Great interests Inline...Appreciate the wine expertise...Welcome to cycling, too.

A nice Gewurtztraminer (Guh-voortz-trah-meener) is great with Turkey. It is a great addition to the meal, and it is a conversation piece, because of how hard it is for people to pronounce!

Mad Dog 20/20 goes with anything. Especially that second bottle. But my mom used to tell me it was not even close to wine, just heavy grape juice with lots of alcohol injected into it. Of course she was raised out in the wine country of California and had some peculiar ideas about wine. She thought it was to be savored and enjoyed. Any buzz was superfluous and anecdotal. And she did her best to train me in the art of proper imbibement. I preferred the industrial approach, and now, even though I know how, I can't. Had to quit years ago.

I got some Medici? (It was a white around 6-7$ from the local wine merchant, they are about 100 feet from my shop door http://www.thewinemerchantinc.com/ best guys for the fermented grape I have ever talked to. Tell 'em Chuck(from AllStar) sent you.

Italian princess favourite wine, I want to go to Cancun, I want to go to Miami..... :D

The holiday seasons tend to suck up all my free time, so here are some Thanksgiving wine suggestions that was in my last wine column in the local paper. If you can't find the particular brands of each varietal, just stick with reliable producers. Your favorite retailer can lead you in the right direction. Once the holidays are over, I will have more time to get deeper into this subject with any of you that are interested. One more thing, the prices listed are Memphis retail. I'm QUITE SURE where you live prices will be substantially lower.
Feel free to ask any questions you might have. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving. Jim


I want to list a few wines that we think will enhance and compliment your holiday fare. Reds and whites from a variety of regions both here and abroad, all come in a range of prices that will suit most everyone's budget.
Our list of recommended reds for the season start with the high-end of the price spectrum and descend to the more moderate price points.
Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Evanstad Reserve 2001 ($45.99) A truly seductive Pinot Noir! Velvety smooth and balanced, the cherry and raspberry fruit, combined with fine tannins and and a silky texture come together to offer you an opulent, crowd-pleasing glass of Pinot Noir from Yamhill County in Oregon. For the guys, think Elizabeth Hurley; for the girls, think Pierce Brosnan. Lights out!
Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2001 ($41.99) 2001 was a top vintage for the southern Rhone region of France, and this wine delivers the goods. Black currant and cherry fruit, along with dried herbs in a full-bodied style all sing together through the long, lasting finish. Superb!
Brothers in Arms Shiraz 2001 ($35.99) From the Langhorne Creek region in Australia come this blockbuster of a Shiraz. Explosive and powerful, it is packed with spice, vanilla, blackberry and chocolate notes. Great balance of tannins, acidity and layers of fruit. Superb!
Seghesio Zinfandel, Sonoma County 2003 ($19.99) From California's most consistant and reliabale producer comes the 2003 version of their least-expensive Zin. Big and heady, jam packed with dark fruits and spice, this wine is always a favorite for Thanksgiving. Very nice.
Cartlidge & Brown Pinot Noir, California 2002 ($12.99) My favorite value brand form California comes through again with this enticingly good Pinot Noir. Soft, fragrant and full of varietal character, it always amazes me how C&B continually offers the consumer quality Pinot Noir at a great price. Remarkable. Buy it by the case!

Our list of whites covers a wide range of styles and price ranges as did the list of reds.
Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Reserve 2002 ($36.99) Wine Spectator magazine rated the 2001 F-C Reserve Chard 94pts and this 2002 bottling is just as good. From one of the great vintages for California chardonnay, this wine is deep, rich, smoky and incredibly opulent. Another home run for Ferrari-Carano's Reserve Chardonnay. Beautiful!
Barmes Buecher Pinot d'Alsace 2001 ($19.99) Very ripe and easy to like, this beautiful white from Alsace in northern France is loaded with pineapple, mango and peach flavors that is a remedy for the Chardonnay doldrums. Well done.
MacMurray Ranch Pinot Gris 2003 ($14.99) Now a Gallo-owned property, this estate was founded by the late Fred MacMurray. They only produce Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and boy do they do it right! Full-bodied for a Pinot Gris, it is zesty, and offers loads of flavors like citrus, pear and minerals. Creamy-textured with a very long and balanced finish, this Pinot Gris is one of the better examples from California. Nice.
Foris Gewurztraminer, Rogue Valley Oregon 2002. ($12.99) Fruity but dry, this new producer does good Gewurzt! Exotic, fragrant and creamy-textured, this wine will be a hit with your traditional Thanksgiving meal. Very Good.
Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2003. ($12.99) A long-time favorite of mine, this is one of the most versatile white wines available. Flavors of green apple and pear, this dry and fruity blend is spicy and vibrant and floral. An old friend. Very Nice.

Has anybody tried BOGLE OLD VINE ZIN? or Rancho Zabaco Zin (Dancing Bull)?

Both excellent zins.

JEKEL RIESLING gets it "goin' on" with some gourmet Pizza.

Bonny Doon's Sirrah Syrah... about $10 a bottle and very good from year to year.

http://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/uploads/label_file/label_SSR00C.jpg

I'm a fan of Big Tattoo Red (their white is nice too). Cheap but tasty, and $.50 from each bottle goes to breast cancer research.

Sangre de Toro is another nice one.

Bogle wines are fantastic (for the under $11.00/bottle price).

Chilean wines are good and getting better, too.

Awesome thread! I'm not a wine drinker, but it's good to know that I have someone to ask when I need advice. :beer:

I'm a fan of Big Tattoo Red (their white is nice too). Cheap but tasty, and $.50 from each bottle goes to breast cancer research.

Sangre de Toro is another nice one.

Bogle wines are fantastic (for the under $11.00/bottle price).

Chilean wines are good and getting better, too.

I agree, Sangre de Toro by TORRES is a very nice one, have you tried their 10 or 20 yo Brandy? Truly awesome, though not available in the US.

What's good with Turkey?
A nice white wine like White Port..