Wine Connoisseurs

[Webmaster]

Let's talk about wine here. Arguably a healthy drink, goes well with fine food, and cares for the heart, too.

It took some time before I learned to appreciate wine, or be able to tell a cabernet from a merlot, without looking at the bottle first. Before, my blind tests would yield 1 out of 10. Nowadays, I'm at 2 out of 10. ;)

My top preference goes to Chilean wines; strong oak taste, kind of rough texture and very, very, very dense. Preferred brands are Casillero Del Diablo, Santa Rita, etc. Chilean wines tend to have similar characteristics, seems like the soil does not allow for a wide variety. Hey, consistency can be a positive thing, too.

I also like French wines for the light and almost fruity (without being fruit based), Beajolais region wines are always a good get.

Italian wines are very, very, very good. If I was not raised on Chilean wines, I can imagine Italian to be my preference. Very dense, too but very smoothhhhh...

Wine is very personal, each batch is different; heck, each bottle in a batch can be different. It is always a pleasure when you realize you got lucky to have a good bottle.

Oh btw, my favorite wines are in the $7 to $15 range. I prefer reds to whites. Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are my favorite kinds (safe bets). Every now and then, I'd be adventurous too and try different varieties. Ahhh...

Can't wait to hear from you guys. I'm hoping to find some jewels of suggestions here. There are lots of brands that I have not tried yet, and boy do I like to drink wine.

Salud!





:hat:

[PolloMan]

I live close to Napa Valley, the best producer of wine in the world. My personal preference are Ironstone and Kenwood Merlot they are very smooth you seldom find em' in the rack. Beringer, BV, Robert Mondavi, Sutter Home, Viansa and Coppola's are good too. Robert Mondavi cater Jazz concert during summer time with the best of smooth jazz performer like Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Norman Brown etc.. Wine and jazz blend real well together. Australian wines are ok too, their cabernet sauvignon-merlot is so smooth. Merlot is my favorite type of wine. When youre in Northern Ca. visit this wineries on HW. 29. Hope it helps.

[bam2626]

Hi webmaster....... I had an angioplasty about five years ago and my cardiologist recommended that I start drinking red wine....He explained to me that red wine has qualities that helps flush the fat clogging the arteries....I had since been drinking it almost everyday, usually a glass or two at dinner time.

I enjoy robust reds, I don't really have favorites but I am into Australian wines right now. They are so cheap (probably because of the glut in the wine market these days), that you can buy a decent bottle for $4-5......The Yellow Tail merlot I usually hoard when they are on sale for $5.... And I always attend wine tasting events where you can sample a lot......finger foods included.....hehehhe...my favorite part....My family and I visited the Napa and Sonoma valleys in California last year and I was in heaven...hehehe....Nice place to raise chickes in my opinion...hehehe.....

I will try the Chilean reds like you suggested......

[Webmaster]

I have not been paying attention to Napa Valley produce at all.

However, given a choice between Napa and Chilean, Italian, French wines, I'll be sure to take the latter.

I have read that Australian, New Zealand, Spanish and South African wines are great values, and quality, too. I must have tried a few of each but they just did not register.

[tsampoy]

i have a dozen french red wine in the cellar dated 1992...........they taste sweeeeeeeeeeeet AND UNFORGETABLE!i also like SYRAH.........dated 1998.........still waiting for them to age for another 2 years.i have neighbor and we shared the cellar................the old man have 3 french red wines dated 1952.ang tindi na siguro ng lasa nito.matrabaho nga lang mag turn ng mga bottle...........or else magiging suka sila,hahahaha.good to invest on quality french red wines.may dalawang kahon akong nabili na australian wine.bata pa at 2 years old palang.mga 4 years old pwede na.:)

[Bty Hunter]

I got into the habit of drinking Red wines when we went to Williamsburg Virginia on a summer vacation..Meron kasi silang winery riyan and i really fell in love with their Merlot and Cavernet, i bought a box full of assorted wines..sarap inumin habang nanood ng WSD tapes. I keep them on my minibar at the basement of the house kasi even when its summer out here in NJ, hindi umiinit. Whenever i go to the liquor store i shop for any red wine basta hindi tataas ng $12 a bottle ayos lang tinetesting ko pa rin kung anong masarap..So far yung Concha yToro from Chille is OK.. Then some from Napa Valley and Italy..I avoid French hehehe..palagi raw kasing kontra ang French sa mga 'kano.:D

[Bty Hunter]

Para sa akin ala pa ring dadaig sa Chivas Wakas ( Lambanog= coconut vodka, homemade along Barangay Wakas in Tayabas Quezon) Age it with Juicy fruit gum, Langka and Raisins..drink with anything with your best buddies= SAPAK!:wink2:

[kimora]

Sa wakas nakatagpo narin ako ng mga wine drinkers. Look what I have with my bros in law last christmas.

[kimora]

one of the wines given to me by my boss for christmas.

[tsampoy]

magnifique!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sabit singson]

Gin Bulag.

[Bty Hunter]

Nay! Mukhang napakasarap niyan...siguro kung ako, 15cc per shot lang..patatagalin ko ng habangbuhay aba'y mukhang napakamahal na alak niyan!

[Webmaster]

kimora,

very enticing bottles.

It would be a pleasure to be invited to your table, hehehe... I can bring cigars or top quality meat... ;)

I've never had anything older than a 5 year old. :hombre:

[rouge]

Kimora


tres bien!!!:wink2:

[kimora]

Palit manok gusto nyo :lol: You better invite me webmaster and I will bring a bottle or two. Bty, you can't do that with the old wines, when you open them you have to finish it otherwise, aasim.

[Webmaster]

kimora,

cellar mo ba talaga ito? ;)

nakaka-enganyo ah...

[edkiang]

kabsat Kimora, sa susunod ikaw ang host sa unang kitakits nang mga wine enthusiasts dito sa site. Crate crate pala ang stock mo nang vintage " vino de vida ". Hindi naman ako masyado sa wine pero pag may tsiken talk na kasama ay in na in ako Kabsat.

[Bty Hunter]

Pag ganito ang iinumin sa kitakits aba'y mag file ako ng bakasyon months in advance! hehehe

[kimora]

Webmaster wala akong cellar eh, hehehe. sa pantry lang yan sa ilalim ng hagdanan. I have 14 like that before Christmas, pero nainom na namin yung iba at naiuwi na rin ng mga bayaw ko yung 2. Yang mga burgundy ang masarap pa kahit aling bote ang buksan ko ayos pa. Pero yang claret (bordeaux) 30% ng mga nabuksan ko maasim na. The best way to drink them is open it 1 hour before.

Bty and Lakay Ariel, 2006 ang uwi ko ulit sa Pinas. Pasyalan ninyo ako isama ninyo si webmaster at iinom tayo niyan. With red meat ok na ok yan. Pag naubusan, siyoktong na lang, hehehe.

I

[edkiang]

Kabsat Kim, maski sioktong OK na rin basta ba may pulutan na tsiken talk...ayos na ayos na...diba prend Bounty Hunter?

[hennie]

ng cabernet, sauvignon at merlot? marami akong nakikita sa mga supermarkets dito sa ca pero hindi ako bumibili dahil hindi ko alam kung anu ano ang mga ito. salamat sa inyo.

[Bty Hunter]

Kung gusto n'yo naman dala pa ako ng isang Gallon ng pride of Quezon Lambanog! Tapos may kalderetang kambing..sapak!!

[urateur]

to all the wine lovers;

i was fortunate enough to be working in one of the well known restaurants in the philippines. fortunate because im always invited to the regular wine-tasting. before we place a wine on the wine list, all suppliers are requested to submit samples for evaluation then we judged it accordingly.

wine is so complex. you have to learn the distinctive characteristics of hundred different grape varieties to recognize them. to appreciate wine, all you need is an interest and a good sense of smell. what's a good wine to drink? the answer is, it all depends on one's palate. if one is a beginner, sweetness less acidity will sure turn you on. this characteristic is very common in german wines like gewurztraminer & riesling. most of the wine connoissieurs would prefer the oppossite that is more acid rather than sweetness which you will find in french bordeaux wines - it is the classics (expensive too). please take note that too much sugar (sweetness) in your wine will give you a hang-over that is if you taste more than your average.

here in manila, about two decades ago, there were only less than 5 wine suppliers and prices were extremely high. Even the prices of vin de table (house wine) was between Php 250.-300. it was always a tossed between french, italian, californian and australian wines in the market during those times. nowadays, it is totally different, there are more than two dozen players dealing with wines. There is no more monopoly plus you will have a better selection to choose from. the original four countries plus wines from the so-called new world (chile, south africa, argentina and new zealand). the great news is, one can have a best-value bottle at a very low price (vin de pays Php 200 or less).

great collection KIMORA! Webmaster, if you are anywhere in Camp John Hay please do drop me a line and we'll taste some cabernets and merlots and my favorite - the australian shiraz.


:hippie: john ivan inquimboy

[solraya]

Why is it that only Webmaster gets invited????

[Camarines]

I see this wine I think in the grocery shelf "Dom Perignon" and it's very expensive. What kind of wine or maybe it's champagne, of drink is it?

[raul dimaandal]

nakatikim na ba kayo ng lambanog na may babad ng pasas na ang gulang ay mahigit isang taon?hehehe ano panama nyang binabangit nyong merlots champagne etc????

[kimora]

Mang Camarines, it is a Champagne from Moet et Chandon.

Urateur, could you give me your contact number in PI so I can passby whenever I am in Baguio?

Solraya, imbitahin mo na lang ako sa rancho mo sa Isabela dadalhan kita ng isang bote, hehehe.

BTY, pag nagdala ka niyan pare, yan na lang ang iinumin natin. Di lang kalderetang kambing pre, may kilawen at pinapaitan pa.

[Camarines]

Thanks, Mr. Kimora,

I thought it was also champagne when I went to work this morning. I've been eyeing on tasting that champagne.

Toasting wine for me is Verdi but that wine that is package in a box with plastic drip is okay.

I have a bottle in my fridge of a red sangria and its been there for ages, maybe it's time to finish it off.

[urateur]

im not thinking of it that way. it is something i want to accord to Webmaster for being the one who started this thread. you are also welcome here at The Manor inside camp john hay. and of course to anyone for that matter...you are all welcome. "sante"

[ocratsira]

Red wine from Palo Leyte still the best.


POPEYE

[edkiang]

Prend Bounty Hunter....ayan nagyaya na si Kabsat Kimora......bilis dalhin mo na isang galong lambanog......yong may tsikelt at pasas a loob........ayos na ang buto buto ...:lol: ayos na rin ang buto nang kalderetang kambing.....may kilawin pa at soup number 5 (pinapaitan) pangalis tama pag tayoy nasa nasa alapaap na mga prends.

Tsiken tok is always patok!!!!

[solraya]

kimora,

Rancho? I hoped in my dreams...but of course anytime...btw, you got KONTEST #14.

urateur,

Thank you, got your PM..my daughter played the Asian Ladies, had I known someone from the site was around, I would have gone up w/ her.

I had a good find the other day...River Run 2001 merlot, Yaldara Wines of Australia...sarap...mura pa at PHP275

[sabit singson]

raul,

anong panama nyang lambanog mo? saan pwedeng makabili nyan?

[ben.escandor]

Wine na ipinaghahambog wala pa sa kalingkingan kung ito'y ihahambing sa tunay na lambanog
lalo't lalo na sa BAHALINANG galing pang Leyte Abuyog

BEERHUNTER

[kimora]

Halukayin natin itong thread na ito para sa mga mahihilig sa wine.

[ytudman]

Halukayin natin itong thread na ito para sa mga mahihilig sa wine.
Maki taas na rin para mapansin

[mrgnivram]

Wahhhh beer and ginmasarap

[malalim]

Have been drinking wine for a number years now, but more so when I had to go through my angioplasty 3.5 years ago...

My preference varies but generally I go for the Italian reds which has body and texture but not too oaky as I still want a little bit of fruitiness in the taste.

French reds are ok...when I treat my clients out for dinner I would usually order on the safe side and go for either Australian, New Zealand or American wines. These are fruitier and sweeter than European wines.

Pinot Noir or a nice Shiraz usually does the trick with customers and first time drinkers...

On my recent trip to Italy, I had the good fortune of being introduced to a wine that was really good "Lacryma Cristi" produced near Mt. Vesuvius. had a drink during the tour of Pompei and it was excellent.

I also did the wine tour in California near the Paso Robles/Adelaide area and had a few wine tasting too many...

[malalim]

On another side note, American wines (north and South America), Australian, New Zealand wines would label their produce based on thevariety of grapes (ie, Merlot, Pinot, Shiraz, Syrah, Cabernet, etc). This gives a better pre-drink expectation on the taste.

Most French wines would label their produce based on the region where the grapes were planted, harvested and the wine produced. This is why French wines are labeled Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeux, etc.

Italian wines also labels their wine on both grape variety and region. It would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the differences between a Montepulciano, Sangiovese, NegroAmaro, etc.

The wine business is one of the fastest growing industry world-wide. Thanks to the health benefits regularly promoted by the medical industry.

[slwnstdy]

I am not a connosieur. Wine enthusiast perhaps. Being an Australian, I am partial to new world wines. Reds in particular. For taste alone, the blends are what I like best. On balance though, we consume mostly the better selections of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from all over Australia.

My second favorite source of wine would be the South African varieties from the Stellenbosch Wineries. Then a toss up between Spanish Rioja
and Italian
Barolo or Chianti. Unfortunately, although I have tasted a few good Chilean Reds, wine from North or South America are not my favorites (perhaps due to ignorance)

French wines are very good but I have only tasted the good ones in France as they don't like to export it. :-( Beaujolais drop I enjoy mostly.

That's predominantly what I like, maybe next time we can talk regions and wineries....