opinions

[aria]

After perusing through the last dozen or so posts, I am curious....when reccomendations are asked for, including my own previous post, answers given are generally not the more common wines seen (at least not where I am in the Boston area) I am a big fan of ernest & jullio gallo's cafe zinfindel and I am into livingston cellars as well.....is my palate simply immature, or do others out there not have much to say on the more common labels?

[Jerry D Mead]

Aria...A lot of the folks who hang out here are what you might call wine snobs or wine geeks...and they/we consider ourselves serious students and collectors of wine...so there's a different perspective on their part and yours. (Sort of like the difference between movie fans...one who likes the latest Bruce Willis/Arnold Schwartzenegger movie and the other who looks for the indie films that only show at the art houses.)

But that said, when we pick up on the style of wine that you are into, we try to recommend wines that you might not just like, but that might expose you to some tastes you haven't tried before and that might expand your wine tasting horizons...hell, you might even become one of us wine geeks someday.

So don't be put off by the folks on The Wine Board, just make sure to let us know where you are coming from. Should anyone try to snob you, I promise to spank their hands.

[Kcwhippet]

Aria,

Actually, you are fortunate in that you live in an area where there are many stores where you can find virtually any wine you read about on this board. Bedford, itself, unfortunately is an island of mediocrity in an ocean of great wine. If you go to Bedford Liquors next to the Stop & Shop, you won't find much. However, Colonial Spirits in Acton is a great shop. Speak with Scott Wilson, and he'll help you find whatever you want. If he doesn't stock exactly what you're looking for, he can get it through his wholesalers (as long as they carry it). Also, try West Concord Liquors (across from the fire station on Rt. 62). They carry an amazing variety of wines for a small shop. Joe Saia is the guy to see there. There are also many shops in your area that conduct regular Saturday tastings where you can stop by and just taste different wines and expand your horizons (as the ole Curmudgeon suggests). When you stop by any shop, ask to be put on their mailing list (if they have one, not all do). The newsletters will let you know about any current wine sales and special tastings. Welcome to the wonderful world of wine.

[Thomas]

Aria, the point I like to stress is that there are thousands of wines and thousands of food and wine combinations available to us all. Exploring and experimenting takes a lifetime; what a way to live!

You already know the wines you have tasted and liked. On this board, you will find out about others that you may or may not like, but you will at least understand the differences among them.

To take the curm's film analogy a little further: you cannot tell if you like a movie until after you have spent your money to see it.

[Innkeeper]

Another great and helpful wine store in your area is Cappy's on Route 1 in Revere. It is as an essential stop when heading north from Logan as the butcher shop at the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus.

[aria]

Thanks for the perspectives...and dont worry, Kappys is a new found friend, that is where I went after the last round of reccommendations...

[Randy Caparoso]

May I weigh in, folks? (Just back from Denver): All is not as it seems. Many wine industry observers are geeky, but some (like me) are actually anti-geeky. For instance, I love Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel -- big, plump, juicy red Zin flavors -- which is a brand that may sound obscure. But in reality, it is just another label put out by the Gallo corporation -- and if anything, Gallo does NOT make wine for geeks. They make wine that is always good enough for ordinary, everyday folks to enjoy. It just so happens that the Rancho Zabaco Zin is as good as any other brand of Zin espoused by a certified Zin nut, geeky or otherwise.

So for me, wine appreciation is never a matter of snobbery or esotericism. Let me ask you: were you born knowing what risotto is, or the taste of a raw oyster, a truffle or shiitake mushroom? There is always a first time for everything -- in food, wine, and life itself!

[aria]

perhaps what I should be looking for is a balance between "geeky" and "ordinary"? I would be interested in trying the staples of both worlds...