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+--- Thread: Which Wine to Start With (/thread-18113.html)
- Clement_Dionglay - 03-04-2003
I just want to ask which wine I should start drinking/trying if I waould like to start drinking wine.
I live in a province here in the Philippines, and frankly, the choices I have with wines is quite limited.
Usually, after work, I'd like to enjoy a glass or two of wine, but I am not sure which to start with.
Thank you very much.
- winoweenie - 03-04-2003
Hi Clement and welcome to the board. Seems the wine of choice for starters is white zinfandel. Any brand will do but Beringer makes one of the better ones. Happy hunting. WW
- Auburnwine - 03-04-2003
Hmmmn, I am not so sure about a White Zin as a wine to start with. I think that not everyone's taste heads in that direction. In college, I started with a jug Burgundy and didn't care much for sweeter, white wines.
My suggestion is to try several different varieties to see which you enjoy best. You can look back through these threads to get specific recommendations on some good varietals (wines made from one primary grape).
Perhaps you could sample a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and an Aussie or U.S. Chardonnay for white. Try an Aussie Shiraz and Cab, a U.S. Zinfandel.
Maybe open two wines at once, or have a wine tasting and encourage several friends to bring different bottles. Comparison and contrast are the best ways to learn your own specific tastes and interests.
- vinman - 03-04-2003
Clement!
Getting familar with wine in your back yard has to be nothing short of the bright side! Wish I had your spirit. Most wine is dry today, so what we need to do is discover which dry wines have either enough fruit and acidity, or additives like oak, to suit our tastes. The nice way to start the wine experience is to begin with burgundy...period! You can purchase a good inexpensive jar for less than $5...and split the bottle for cooking and sipping. Now, burgundy will give you a clue of where you want to be, for now. Neither too dry or too sweet! Simple. Walk into your neighborhood hood shop and simply say...I like red wine, burgundy, but would like something that lasts a bit longer??
- stevebody - 03-07-2003
Let me chime in here with a plug for the place I work. Esquin.com is the online wing of Esquin Wine Merchants, Washington state's largest wine shop. I help pull 'net orders every day, in addition to working with in-shop customers, and we have loyal customers all over the country, with the largest group concentrated in the Northeast. We ship everywhere and have enough buying clout to get hard-to-find stuff that a lot of shops in this end of the country can't secure. Check out the website and see what you think. My name's Steve, so you have a connection there already! I've looked into the ones mentioned already and have bought from some of them myself. They're all good and frequently offer some gems, so by all means don't think of this as an attempt to get you to give them up. Just add us to your list and use us whenever you need a WA selection, especially. This month, in fact, is Washington Wine Month for us (Taste of WA is going on in Seattle this weekend) so our stock is massive right now.
- stevebody - 03-07-2003
I'm sorry about that last post. It was supposed to be in answer to the topic titled "Buying Wine Online" (damnit!)
In answer to your question, I can't agree the white zin thing, either. That's not what the vast majority of wines is all about. Try a Cab, a Merlot, a Pinot, a few Rhone grapes (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, etc.), Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc, and maybe a Pinot Grigio or Gris. You're close to Australia and they make great stuff down there ("Fruit Bomb" detractors: stuff a sock in it. They make great wines anf you know it.) so you'll have a good access to a lot of fine starter bottles at low prices. Here are suggestions in Aussie varietals that have true character of the grape and won't run ya broke:
Cab: Peter Lehmann Barossa
Merlot: Penfold's Rawson's Retreat or Hardy's
Pinot: Get an Oregon or WA Pinot. The Aussies ain't there yet.
Syrah/Shiraz: Buckeley's or Oxford Landing Limited Release
Grenache: Oxford Landing Limited
Chard: Tyrrell's
Sauv Blanc: New Zealand Villa Maria or Nobilo
Semillion: Peter Lehmann Barossa
Pinot Grigio: Lagaria (Italy)
If you can't find these, write me at stevebody@go.com and I'll forward more suggestions.
Cheers!
- winoweenie - 03-07-2003
Whether you agree or not about the quality of white zin isn't the question. The poster asked about which wine would be a good starting point. The reason white zin is one of the biggest selling varietals in the country is the easy transition from bourbon and coke or beer to white zin. First time wine drinkers find the sweetness more to their liking than traditional wine. Sutter Home has brought more converts to wine than any other product out there. WW
- winedope1 - 03-07-2003
absolutely seconded WW. many friends have been eased into the world of wine with a white zin after i made the mistake of trying the out on some big reds that overpowered them. WD
- Innkeeper - 03-07-2003
I agree with WW too. What white zin is to newcomers at this time is no different than the newcomers in my time who used Mateus Rose' or Lancer's Rose'. Of course, we knew better, but they cought up.
- Clement_Dionglay - 03-10-2003
To all who answered my query, thank you very much! Your answers are a lot of help to me.
Good day and again, Thank you very much!
Clem [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]